A/N: Non-superhero AU

Barry woke up with a runny nose and itchy eyes. He sits up, grabs a tissue, and blows his nose.

"You okay, babe?" Oliver yawned waking up.

"I'm fine, it's just allergies. We probably need to dust in here." replied Barry rubbing his eyes.

The hot shower clears up his stuffy nose a little bit; but as he was getting dressed, his nose got even more stuffed up and he developed a slight cough.

"Bear, sweetheart, are you sure you're feeling okay?" Oliver asked concerned.

"I told you, I'm fine, Ollie." Barry answered wiping his nose.

"It sounds like you're getting sick." Oliver said placing the back of his hand against his boyfriend's forehead.

Oliver pulls away, not feeling any warmth from Barry. Even though Barry didn't have a temperature, Oliver was still a little worried.

"You still don't sound all that great, you should stay home and rest." suggested Oliver.

"Oliver, I can't do that, I've got work to do, a lot of it." Barry protested.

"Alright, but take it easy, and call me if you feel bad, okay?" Oliver said.

"I will. I love you, Ollie." Barry said kissing his boyfriend.

The forensic scientist leaves his apartment and goes to work. As the day went on, Barry's symptoms got worse. He tried to get as much work done as he could, but the brunette was completely miserable. The pounding headache, stuffed nose, and irritated eyes made his vision blurry and unfocused. The constant sneezing and coughing, and never ending chills made it impossible to be comfortable and concentrate. Barry suddenly breaks into a rough coughing fit. His coughs were so hard, it made his lungs feel like they were on fire. A hand rubs and pats his back; turning around, Barry sees that it's Joe.

"You alright, Barry?" Joe asked when Barry stopped coughing.

"...fine..." breathed Barry.

"Mhmmm, sure you are." replied Joe not believing his foster son.

Joe knew Barry was anything but fine, he looked awful, really awful. Fatherly instincts kick in and Joe presses his palm to Barry's forehead.

"D*mnit, Barry, you're boiling!" Joe grumbled.

Barry groans laying his head down on his desk.

"Do you want me to call Oliver?" Joe asked gently.

"Mhm." Barry nodded.

"Okay, I will, but first I'm taking you to my office, there you can lay down on the couch." said Joe.

The cop helps his foster son to his feet and tries to keep him steady. Not even half a step, and the sick man completely collapses.

"Barry!" Joe gasped worriedly.

He shakes Barry's shoulders, trying to wake him up. Digging his phone out of his pocket, Joe calls Oliver. Joe situates Barry so that his head is in his lap. While he waits for Oliver to answer, he tenderly strokes the side of Barry's head.

"Hello?" Oliver said.

"Oliver, you need to come get Barry. He's sick and he just fainted." Joe explained.

"Oh my god! I'm coming right away." Oliver replied.

After hanging up, Joe carries Barry to his office and lays him on the couch. Just as Barry was coming to, Oliver walks in.

"Bear, I told you that you should've stayed home today." Oliver said kneeling next to Barry.

"Sorry." coughed Barry.

"It's alright, baby, I'm gonna take you home and take care of you." Oliver told Barry.

He rubs his sick boyfriend's head and frowns at the concerning amount of heat that radiated from it. Both Oliver and Joe help Barry to Oliver's car.

"Keep me updated, tell me how he's doing." Joe requested.

"I will." replied Oliver.

"Feel better, Barry." Joe said.

"...'kay..." Barry responded nodding off.

Oliver drives Barry home and gets him into bed.

"Have you eaten anything today?" Oliver asked pulling the blankets over Barry.

"A little, not much." Barry replied hoarsely.

"Guess that's okay for now, just get some sleep." said Oliver.

Before Barry fell asleep, Oliver kisses his over-heated forehead.

It was foggy, empty, and silent. There was not a single person in the entire city, except Barry. He was all alone...or so he thought. Suddenly, Barry was being chased by zombies...zombies that look exactly like his mother. They were all over the place, everywhere he turned there was hundreds and thousands of them. No matter how fast he ran, they kept gaining on him. Their screams were the same scream his mother screamed the night she died. Soon, Barry was cornered, with nowhere left to run.

"OLLIE! HELP ME!!" Barry cried out terrified.

As they inched closer and closer, they reached towards him with their bony, decaying hands while repeatedly shrieking his name.

"NO! STOP! GET AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" Barry yelled.

When they were mere inches away, Barry hears Oliver's voice call out to him.

Once he opens his eyes and sees Oliver leaning over him, Barry realized that what happened earlier was a dream caused by his extremely high fever. Even though it was just a dream, it was still very horrifying. Barry begins to tremble and sob quietly.

"Oh, Barry, it's okay. Shhh, it was just a dream, I'm right here, I got you." Oliver soothed hugging his boyfriend and rubbing the back of his head.

The sobs quickly turn into coughing and hacking. After Barry's done coughing, Oliver makes him drink some water then feels his forehead.

"Sh*t, you're way too hot. We gotta get you cooled off." Oliver said taking the blankets off of Barry.

The brunette complains and whines when he's uncovered.

"Sorry, babe, I know you think you're freezing; but your fever is through the roof, so it only seems like that. Look, the bedsheets and pillowcase are completely soaked in sweat." Oliver explained, taking Barry's sweaty shirt off.

He grabs a cold rag and dabs Barry's forehead, cheeks, neck, and chest. Barry starts to relax when his fever begins to slowly decline.

"Wanna talk about it? The nightmare?" Oliver asked playing with Barry's hair.

"There was so many of them." Barry whimpered.

"So many what?" asked Oliver patiently.

"Zombies...a lot of them, and every single one looked like my mom. All I could hear was her screams and her voice calling out my name." Barry explained tearing up.

He starts crying, so Oliver crawls into bed next to Barry and holds him. The forensic scientist curls up and snuggles into his boyfriend's side. Oliver uses the cold rag to wipe away Barry's tears. Next, Oliver grabs a bottle off the nightstand.

"You should take this, it'll help bring your fever down." said Oliver.

Barry takes the medicine and snuggles closer to Oliver.

"I'm tired." mumbled Barry.

"Then go back to sleep." Oliver replied.

"Too scared." said Barry with a shaky voice.

"Babe, you need to sleep, it'll make you feel better. Don't worry about any nightmares, I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere." Oliver told Barry.

He kisses Barry's forehead and holds him gently. It didn't take long for Barry to fall back asleep. With the love of his life next to him, he had a peaceful sleep.