"My question is clear, Rudy." Misty was trying not to cry. "Am I vaccinated or not?"

Misty, you are vaccinated. Please don't worry. It's one in a lifetime, but I still keep the papers. I'll send them to you.

Misty sighed heavily. "Thank God I have you."

Uhm, so, just... relax, okay? You'll be fine.

"Okay..."

And, uh, tell him I hope he gets well soon.

"Oh, please. I bet you're so happy right now! Go!" Misty ended the call and sighed heavily again. She walked toward the bedroom, where Ash was lying down with the covers hiding him. She checked the email she received and was even more relieved.

"Okay, so, apparently, I'm vaccinated." Misty spoke. "Do you have an idea where you could have caught this chickenpox thing?"

"I don't know! Okay?" Ash looked at her, his body hidden with the blanket. The red spots have reached his face too. It looked nasty, Ash seemed to be in real pain, and Misty felt really bad for him. "I have no idea! I thought I had it when I was a kid!"

"Remember what the doctor said? The most important thing is rest." Misty reassured him.

"Oh god, I feel like ripping off my skin..." Ash groaned and put the blanket over his face. "My whole body hurts..."

Misty walked toward him and pulled the blanket away. "If you sweat, it's going to itch even worse."

"My mother could have pushed me into a group of infected kids instead of hiding me from them, no?" Ash looked desperately at the redhead.

"It doesn't matter."

"How could she forget something like the fact that I never caught the chickenpox?"

"Ash, she cried when I called and told her. She's on a business trip, feels unhelpful. I think that's enough." Misty sighed. "Enough blaming it on your mom, okay?"

Ash got up and and walked to the bathroom.

"Where are you going?"

"I'll just stay here until this nightmare is over! Okay?" He locked the bathroom door.

"Ash, come on!" Misty rushed to the bathroom door. "Get out. You have to eat to take the medicine."

"It's not your business! Just go to your job already."

Misty gulped. "I-I canceled all photo shots today."

Ash opened the door. "What?"

"You're sick! I can't leave you like this alone." Misty explained. "I told Rudy to cancel everything."

He sighed. "You didn't have to."

"Let's skip this talk, okay? Treating the pox is a process." Misty grabbed Ash by the hand. "Just lay down, okay?" She helped him lay on the bed. "I'm going to make breakfast so you can take the medicine."

"I really, really don't want to owe you..." He let a small chuckle.

"You don't have a choice. The aching will just get worse and you'll need someone to do things for you." Misty gave him the TV remote and made her way out of the bedroom. "I hope you like oat meal baths too. You're going to be having a lot of those."

"Thank God you're here, then."

"What?" She came back. "You need something?"

"No, nothing." Ash smiled weakly. His face expression changed after Misty left. "Well, I don't know... maybe... "

Misty watched him breathe slowly. His mouth was just slightly open. He seemed to be in peaceful sleep.

Misty sat on the ground beside the bed, her arms on it. She just watched him. "It's a crime to wake him up." She had gotten the oat meal bath ready for him, but it seems like he's gotten quickly asleep after he's taken the medicine.

Moving to the other side of the bed, the redhead tucked herself in slowly and gently, making sure not to make a single brutal movement. She watched Ash's back, admired his big build, thought about her hands traveling over those broad shoulders...

Misty moved her body slowly closer to Ash. She touched his leg with her leg, and was about to place her hand on his waist when he suddenly moved and turned to sleep on his back, letting a small whine.

Misty put her hand gently on his chest, pulling closer. His whole body was covered in red nasty spots, but for some reason, it wasn't repugnant. She wanted him to feel better, wanted to be there for him.

The redhead closed her eyes.

"Ooh, sweetheart. Are you feeling better?" Eleanor got up upon seeing Ash walk out of his bedroom. "Look at you!"

Ash smiled weakly. He made his way slowly toward the living room, the blanket still around him. He felt his face bloated from sleeping for hours. "Don't look at me. I look like crap."

Eleanor hugged him. "My poor baby."

"Was he complaining like a little kid?" Philip was speaking to Misty who was seated facing him. "He has zero patience."

Ash let a chuckle and sat beside Misty. "What day it is?"

"Well, still the same day." Misty giggled. She put her hand on Ash's thigh. "Feel better?"

He nodded.

"We would never thank you enough for taking care of him, dear." Eleanor grabbed Misty's hand.

"You don't need to thank me." Misty chuckled. "He's my boyfriend. I'm here for that."

Ash avoided looking at his grandparents. For some reason, those words sounded weird. He looked down.

"Delia is going crazy! She's trying to find a flight back home." Eleanor frowned. "I told her we'd come to check on you, but you know your mom."

"You really should have stopped her. It's work, after all." Misty put her hand over Ash's forehead to check his fever. "Do you still have a fever?"

"Well, I don't know. I feel a bit dizzy." Ash groggily replied.

"The bath is still full."

"I think we should get home now..." Eleanor picked up her purse and winked at Philip. The latter got up quickly. "Okay, right - we have to check on stuff."

"I made some chicken soup - Misty made some too, but I know you like mine." Eleanor hugged Ash quickly. "Get well soon! We miss your little annoying voices!"

"Okay, grandma." He chuckled. He tried to get up but Misty stopped him. She was the one who led his grandparents to the door.

"Thank you, again." Philip and Eleanor smiled. "We really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it."

After they got in the elevator, Misty closed the door. She walked back to the living room, where Ash was looking curiously at the two pots of chicken soup.

"What?"

"Which one is yours?" Ash looked at the redhead.

Misty smiled, blushing a little. "The bigger one." She shrugged. "If you don't like the taste, you don't have to finish it. It's been ages since I made that and I'm not sure of the re-..."

She stopped talking when she noticed Ash was silently drinking the soup after he poured it into a small bowl. He crossed his legs on the couch, wrapped the blanket around him and drank it silently.

"I talk too much, don't I?" Misty took a seat beside him and turned on the TV.

"Uhm." Ash nodded, lips busy drinking the soup.

There was something special about this moment - something she couldn't put her finger on.

It was great.