INFLUENZA by Pippin's Lady Knight

She called and called, and still he didn't pick up his cell. Finally, Wallace came to the rescue, looking puzzled as to why her usual knight-in-shining-armor was MIA. Veronica sighed, and gave him a look and he dropped the subject. But Veronica had no intentions of letting this drop herself.

One she was safely home, she sat on her bed, fiddling with the Le Baron's keys, her cell phone in hand, and Weevil's number ringing. She called a good twelve times, and had almost given up and just gone over when someone finally picked up.

"Hello?" a voice answered, tentative. She could hear other male voices in the background, laughing and the click of what could only be beer bottles.

You had better damn well be tentative, Veronica thought. "Weevil, what the hell? You don't answer your phone now?"

"Blondie?" came the startled response. "That's whose number this is?"

Veronica's eyebrows knit together. "Felix?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing answering Weevil's phone?" her voice was guarded.

"Well," she could almost hear the smirk in his voice, "I was not answering it a minute ago, but see, this little blonde chick…she just kept calling and calling and finally…"

Veronica cut him off. "Whatever Felix. What I meant was why isn't Weevil answering his phone?"

Felix cleared his throat. "He's sick."

Veronica bit her lip. "What did he take?" she asked coldly.

Felix's voice came out a growl. "Oh, so my boy can't be sick unless he's on something is that right?"

She swallowed. Okay, so he really was sick. "I'm sorry…it's just I needed him today, and you know the story about the phone. How come one of you guys didn't pick up?"

Felix laughed. "Weevil doesn't like it when other people answer his phone." That simple sentence told her volumes. But why? Why was Eli Navarro so protective over a cell phone?

"So what's wrong with him? You're sure he didn't…."Veronica left off; she didn't want to piss Felix off, and have him hang up.

"We don't know. He was feeling weird last night, and this morning he wouldn't get out of bed, and his Abuela says that he has a fever, and to give him water."

"Is she still there?"

"No. She's working today." There was a scratchy noise, and Veronica could hear muffled laughter. Felix's hand was over the phone.

"Felix." She snapped. She heard the noise again as he removed his hand.

"Oh, sorry Blondie, am I pissing you off?" He laughed again, and others echoed him.

"So what have you been giving him? When was the last time he ate?" She pinched her phone under her chin, and bent to look under her bed for a pair of sandals. She was dressed in a tank and a pair of running shorts. Too short to run in, but perfect for the late summer Californian heat.

"We've been givin him water, just like his grandma said. Why are you getting on my case here, chica?" there was an edge to his voice.

She sighed, and straightened up, quickly pulling her short hair back into a ponytail. "Because I'm coming over, and I wanted to know what to bring."

"I'm not sure that that's a good idea, we're…" He said quickly.

"Why?" Veronica snapped. "Am I gonna interrupt your little poker game? Don't worry Felix, I'm not coming for you, just make sure the door's open."

Felix huffed. "Fine. But you better not bring that damn dog of yours, Blondie. And leave your sparky toys in the car."

She laughed, already on her way out of the door and he hung up.

---

She could hear music and talking coming from the inside of the house. She readjusted her bag, and opened the door, not even bothering to knock.

There were at least twelve people in the living room and kitchen, a poker game in full swing at the table. Beer bottles were sitting here and there, or in somebody's fist, but no one was smoking. Even Veronica knew how Weevil's grandma felt about cigarettes in the house.

Felix looked at her, a bit surprised as if maybe, he hadn't really thought that she was going to show up.

"Where is he?" Veronica asked, glancing around. There were two people sprawled on the couch, but neither of them was Weevil.

Felix hooked a thumb and pointed. "Down the hall, last room on the left."

She nodded, and walked briskly towards his room, noticing just how many of the faces around her that she didn't recognize and wishing she had worn longer shorts. She didn't like some of the looks she was getting.

As she reached his door, a muted chorus of catcalls reached her ears, followed by uproarious laughter. They wouldn't be laughing so hard if Weevil wasn't sick, she thought darkly.

She shut the door behind her, muffling the noises of the PCH gang's little party. The curtains were drawn, blocking out the last rays of sunset, and the light in the room was murky.

"Weevil?" She said softly. There was no response. She walked towards his bed. He was on his side, covered to the chin with a pretty thick blanket, considering the heat, and a sheet was twisted and balled up at the end of the bed.

Uncertainly, she reached out a hand and laid it on his forehead. He didn't stir under her touch, and his skin was burning. She tutted, the water glass on his table was empty, and a bottle of aspirin sat beside it, looking forlorn. A lot of good that was doing him, with nothing to swallow them down with…

She kicked aside a pile of clothes and sat down on the floor. From her bag she pulled out a bottle of Gatorade and a box of crackers. From the looks of things, the crackers weren't going to be needed. But the Gatorade was a good idea. She twisted off the cap and stood back up.

"Eli." She said softly, putting a hand on his shoulder. He didn't stir. "Come on, Eli, wake up." She dropped the use of his street name without a thought.

He swallowed thickly and his eyes opened. He looked up at her, groggy in the low light. She could recall how disorienting it was to wake up and not know what time it was.

She smiled. "Hey. Drink this." She whispered.

He sat up, and she sat down on the bed, handing him the bottle. He put it to his lips and swallowed. He made a face and handed it back to her.

"Ugh. What is that?" he asked, wiping his mouth, and reaching for his water glass.

She grinned. "It's Gatorade and it's not that bad. I know green kinda sucks, but they were all out of watermelon. Try a little more, its better for you than water." She pushed it back at him, and he glared at her over the rim but drank. She cracked open the aspirin and doled out two.

He looked at her, eyebrow cocked. "Maybe alls you need it two, but niña, I'm a bit bigger than you are." His eyes flickered over her and she blushed. Then a new light came into them, and he leaned away from her.

"Jesus Veronica." He breathed.

She looked puzzled, blushing hotter as she didn't know exactly what he meant. Had he just gotten a good look at her shorts or something? "What, don't want to pass on the plague?" she snapped, surly.

She tapped out another two pills and held out her hand.

He took them, scooting away from her as he did so. She took the hint and stood up.

"What are you doing here, V?" he asked, quietly. She could tell from his voice that he wasn't entirely happy that she was.

She snorted. "A minute ago you seemed happy enough to see me."

He shook his head, swallowing down the pills. "A minute ago I thought I was still asleep."

Veronica's eyes snapped to his, and he closed them and leaned back with a grimace as he realized what he had just said.

"Dreaming about me there, biker-boy?"

He brought a hand to his forehead, and choked down more Gatorade. "If you're gonna start tormenting me, you know where the door is." He croaked.

She smiled. "So," she said, sauntering back over, putting a little more swing in her hips than usual. "I get to stay…as long as I'm good?"

He waved a hand at her. "And none of that. I might not be able to control myself, weakened right now as I am."

Veronica sat back down on the bed, and tilted her head to the side, as if contemplating. "Yeah, but I'd be able to out run you." She grinned, and he mirrored her.

"That's true, considering every muscle on me is screaming right now." He sighed, and leaned over to set down his horrid Gatorade.

Her eyebrows knitted together. "Muscle pain too? Sounds like influenza to me."

"That's just a fancy way of saying I've got the flu, right?" his eyes were worried. He coughed, and the sound seemed to come from his chest, rather than his throat.

She nodded, and bent over to retrieve her bag. "I've got something for that cough of yours too…" she said, pulling out a jar of Vicks, and a bottle of Nyquil.

He chuckled, watching her measure out cough syrup. "Since when did your utility belt come fully stocked with medical supplies, Robin?" his voice was mocking, but the smile on his face told her that he didn't mean anything by it.

"That's batgirl to you," she said, passing him the little brimming cup.

Someone knocked on the door. "Yo, Weevil you ok in there? Blondie done giving you hea…"

Veronica cut him off with a pleasured shout of "Oh Weevil!" and a shriek of "Don't come in, I'm not decent!"

The door practically flew off its hinges it was opened so fast. Felix's rapturous face fell as he noted that Veronica was fully clothed and not indecent at all. Weevil smirked over the rim of his cup.

"Oh come on! That was way too easy, Felix." Veronica said, exaggerating her words.

Weevil waved a hand. "Get me some ice, man."

Felix nodded, casting a mildly dark look in Veronica's direction before he closed the door behind him. Eli turned to her, and tsk-ed. "That was not a very nice thing to do, Veronica Mars." He grinned wolfishly, and shrugged. "Though I will admit, that was quite the enjoyable little outburst."

"Ah!" She gasped, and slapped him on his shoulder.

He put on a wounded look. "That's right Mars; hit a man while he's defenseless."

"You," Veronica said, shaking a finger at him, "Are not defenseless. What you are, is a poor, poor, sick puppy." She said, pursing her lips at him.

He reached for her with both arms, and crushed her to his chest. She could feel the heat of him through his wifebeater, and was reminded that no matter how well he acted, he was still sick. He gave her a squeeze, "Well then it's a good thing I have Veronica Mars, resident detective and nurse in training here to care for me, then isn't it?"

She looked up at him. "Yeah, you're one lucky puppy." She said with a grin. His eyes on her face were hot, intense with more than just fever. She swallowed, but didn't move away.

He reached down and gently tipped her chin up, then pressed his lips to hers. She yielded, starting to bend against him, but the pair sprang apart like startled rabbits as Felix threw open the door once again, and light from the hall spilled in.

"Whoa…"He said, holding a Ziploc bag of ice in one hand. Weevil dropped his arms away from Veronica as if she was on fire, and she sat up quickly, bringing a hand to her mouth.

Weevil sighed, aggravated. "Get out, man." He growled. Felix nodded, tossed the bag and shut the door behind him with a click. Veronica caught it, and fiddled with it, liking the burn of ice against her hands.

Neither one of them said anything after the door clicked shut. Veronica noted how dark it had gotten in the room, and reached over to turn on the lamp. Eli had the same idea, however, and as their hands brushed, she pulled back as if his were a rattlesnake.

"Sorry." She mumbled.

"Whatever." He murmured, leaning back. "You gonna give me that ice or what?"

She still had the bag clutched in her other hand. She looked at it dumbly. "What did you want the ice for? All those aspirin should have kicked in by now." She cast her eyes back on his face. He grimaced at her.

"Its not for my head, it's for my shoulders. I told you…my muscles are killing me." He reached for the bag, and she pulled it away.

"This will just make it worse. It's a body ache, not an actual pain. Ice will just chill you."

"Well I'm fucking hot enough right now, aren't I?" he snapped, dropping his hand.

"Eli." She said quietly.

"What?" he snapped again.

Veronica clenched her teeth. "If you're going to start being an ass, I'm gonna go. I didn't come here for this."

His eyes resting on her face were dark, guarded. "Yeah, well, what did you come here for?"

"You're sick."

He shrugged. "No shit, Mars." The anger in his voice stung, but how did Veronica Mars usually respond to anger? She rose to the challenge and got angry right back.

"Well." She snapped, standing up. "I figured I owed you, considering all the times you've saved my ass."

He narrowed his eyes at her, and said nothing.

She sighed. "Turn over." She snapped.

He looked confused. "Qué?" he asked, sharply.

"Do your muscles till hurt?" Veronica asked, as if talking to someone simple.

He nodded, eyes still narrowed.

"Then turn over, and I'll see what I can do about it."

He made no move to do so, just looked at her, puzzling. "You're not leaving?"

She softened, a bit. "No. Now, do you trust me enough to roll over?"

He shook his head, a wolf-smile on his lips. "No, but I'm gonna do it anyways." Obediently, he rolled over and rested his chin on his arms.

Veronica gazed at him for a few seconds before saying, "No…wait, take off your shirt first." She blushed as she said it, but it was too late to take it back.

He sat up and started to pull his shirt over his head, grinning knowingly at her all the while. "I get it." He started. "This was all just a ploy to get me naked. Should I save you the trouble and take of my pants now too?" He chuckled, reaching for the waistband of his sweatpants.

Veronica shook her head quickly. "No. You can leave the pants. And about the shirt, it would just make things more difficult."

He grinned. "It always does, V. It always does." He turned over before she could respond, assuming the same position as before.

She sighed, and walked over to the bed, contemplating what she was about to do, and once again wishing she would have worn longer shorts.

"Ok…um, I'm gonna straddle you now. Just…um, don't move. And don't get any ideas mister." She finished warningly.

She noticed him tense up as she pressed a knee into the mattress, but he did as she asked and didn't move. She threw her other knee across him, and sat lightly on his lower back, resting most of her weight on her legs. He jerked beneath her, and mumbled something that might have been "Dios dulce" into a pillow, but he didn't move.

Veronica bit her lip, finally realizing that maybe this wasn't the best idea after all, but knowing she couldn't pull out without looking like a priss. After all, she was doing this to ease his muscles, and nothing else. Pull it together, Mars, she thought to herself.

Leaning forwards, she placed both hands on his back, near the base of his neck, and started doing circles with her thumbs, pressing into the muscles there. He tensed even more underneath her, and his shoulders seized up.

She bit her lip, and kept on, but after about five minutes, she stopped and leaned back. He heaved a big sigh. "This is not helping."

She tapped the back of his head playfully. "It would, if you could stop being so tense. Just relax, Eli." She said. He jerked underneath her again.

"As you can understand, it's not every day I have a cute blonde sitting on my ass. Excuse me if I can't relax."

She put her hands back on his shoulders, and noted he wasn't as tense as before. "Just relax. You're sick, and if all I'm doing is stressing you out, you'd be better off if I just left." He groaned, but nodded.

She worked his muscles, putting her weight behind it as she came to a series of knots in the middle of his back. He jerked, and an arm snaked back to grab her wrist. "Vaya fácil," he breathed. "Go easy, V." he translated for her.

Veronica laughed. "Ticklish are we?"

"Please, V, don't push it." He groaned.

She chuckled again. "Isn't that Nyquil kicking in yet? I gave you a double dose."

"And what does that mean?" he asked into the pillow, voice tight.

Veronica abandoned the mass of knots in the middle of his back, not wanting to do more damage, and worked her way back up to his shoulders. "That you should be asleep right now. Something must be keeping you awake." She mused, sliding off of him.

He groaned again, this time, because he realized how good it had felt to have her sitting on him. A feeling he hadn't noticed until she wasn't; and rolled over.

She stood by the side of the bed, and looked down at him, shirtless; he looked good even with the flu. She looked away. "I should go now, let you get some sleep." She said, softly.

His eyebrows knitted together before a grin lit up his face. He reached over to his side table and grabbed up the jar of Vicks. Twisting off the cap, he motioned for her to come back and sit down. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"If you really wanted to make me feel better, you would help me put some of this gunk on." He said with a grin.

"Eli…" she warned.

He chuckled. "What? Is it a crime for a patient to want a bit of extra care from his nurse?"

She smiled and walked back, gingerly sat down. And after scooping out a good wad of balm, she leaned over to apply it to his bare chest.

He folded his arms behind his head, giving a little cough.

She tried to keep the smile off her face, but the corners of her mouth seemed to turn up of their own accord. She leaned forwards, uneasy, and put her hand on his chest. She started to rub the Vicks in, concentrating on the minty smell of the balm, and trying not to see the muscled biker she was applying it too.

"And the tables turn." Eli said quietly, a smirk permanently etched on his face.

His skin felt too hot under her fingers, and she cast a quick glance at his face. His eyes were closed, and his lips were a thin line.

"Are you ok, Eli?" she asked quietly, wiping her hands off on the sheet. He shook his head.

"What's wrong?" Veronica asked again.

Eli gave another little shake of his head. "I'm gonna sound like a baby." He grimaced on the word baby.

She nodded; it was understandable that he didn't want to sound like he was whining. Big tough biker as he was… "Well then, tell me what you'd like me to do for you. Are you cold?" she noted him starting to shiver.

She plucked up his discarded shirt, and tried to hand it to him, but he waved her hand away. Instead, he took hold of her wrist and tugged. She crawled to his other side, so that she was between him and the wall, and lay down beside him. He stayed lying on his back, and she pillowed her head on his arm, and threw one of her arms across his chest.

He pulled her closer, and she moved her head up to his shoulder while she hooked the blanket at his knees with her foot and pulled it up over them. He sighed. "Thank you V. For coming here and for not leaving."

"Mmmhmmm." Veronica mumbled, pressing close. "You're so hot." She mused. His skin was searing where it touched hers; she curved her hand to the contours of his face.

He chuckled. "You're not too bad yourself." He sounded sleepy, and Veronica knew he was. There weren't many out there who could resist the effects of a double shot of cold medicine.

She didn't respond, just moved her hand back, and hugged him close. He sighed again, and in a few minutes his breathing was even. Veronica knew that she should be getting home, knew that she should untangle herself and get out while he was asleep. But she couldn't. So she just lay there next to him and listened to him breathe, until she fell asleep herself.

---

She woke up a few hours later, and disoriented, glanced furtively around for a clock. Not seeing one, she debated how she was going to get out of this bed. Eli was still asleep on his back, and she sat up slowly.

He didn't stir. What he did do was take up the whole of the bed. She would have to crawl over him somehow to get up. She scooted as close to him as she could get, slowly, and balancing on her knees. She lifted her left one leg up, and started to move it over him, hoping that her legs would be long enough so that when she extended, her foot would touch the floor, and she could stand up.

She continued to move her leg over him slowly, biting her lip and trying to keep her balance. When she was all the way across, she stretched out her leg, and felt around with her foot for the floor, all the while trying not to brush Eli's torso and wake him.

After about thirty seconds, she realized it wasn't going to work, and tried extending the knee she was balancing on. She hoped that if she pushed herself up enough, she would be able to graze the floor with her toes.

It was a bad idea, and she realized this after she started to wobble precariously on her bent knee. She bit her lip, trying to regain balance, and trying not to make any noise when she came down hard on Eli's torso with a muted thump.

She quickly tucked her other leg back under her, her toes brushing his ribs as she did so, and lifted herself off of him. She held her breath, waiting.

He looked like he was still asleep, his breathing hadn't changed, and his face was still. She heaved a small sigh of relief and was just about to go for try number two when strong hands gripped her hips, and pulled her back down.

Her eyes snapped to his face.

He grinned sleepily up at her. "Good morning to you too, V."

She smiled, her heart racing from the shock of him waking. "Eli." She breathed, and the sound came out with a little laugh.

As his name left her lips she felt something. Eli's face registered complete shock, and he quickly tried to lift her off of him. But she clenched her thighs around him and took hold of his wrists, giving a little shake of her head.

He closed his eyes tight, embarrassed. Veronica put her hand over his heart, and felt it race beneath her finger tips.

"Eli." She whispered, sliding back further. He hardened more, and groaned. She started moving her hips in slow circles, rocking back and forth gently. He groaned again, and a whispered torrent of Spanish slipped from his lips. Then he reached up to take hold of her by her wrists and tugged, and she found herself lying on top of him, her body flush to his.

He hooked a leg around hers and rolled, so that he was on top. Supporting himself on one elbow, he leaned down and pressed his face into her neck. "Good God V," he groaned, pressing against her.

She took a deep breath, and slipped a hand behind him so that she was holding on to him, her fingers just barely brushing the ribs on his other side. "I thought you were sick." She whispered playfully as his fingers dipped under the waist of her shorts.

He nipped the tender skin of her neck, just below her ear. "Oh god…" he moaned, as she hooked a leg over his and pressed herself closer.

Then suddenly, he was pulling away. "I can't do this…we can't do this Veronica."

She clung to him, buried her face against his neck. "We can." She whispered.

She pulled him down against her, enjoying the feel of his weight pressing on top of her, and kissed him. He kissed her back hungrily, exploring her mouth with vigor. She rubbed herself against him, and he moaned into her mouth, she smiled against his lips.

She reached for the tie at the waist of his sweatpants, and grazed his hardness. His breath hitched, and he stilled her hand. He gave a shake of his head. "Not yet." He whispered throatily, sliding a hand underneath her and lifting her gently, with his palm on her lower back. She helped him, and he slipped off her shorts and panties quickly, before laying her back down.

He slipped a finger into her before she knew what was happening. She gasped, and moved against him, and another finger joined the first. He pumped in and out of her slowly, and a coil of feeling in her belly grew with each stroke. She was breathing hard at this point.

"V." he said simply, he dropped his face into her neck once more, his hand still moving steadily.

Veronica gasped. "Yes." She whispered.

She heard the drawer on his nightstand open, and the crunch of a condom wrapper. He rocked back on his heels, and slid it down his length. He was harder than he had ever been in his life, and he nearly lost it just looking at her. Under his gaze she pulled her tank top over her head, exposing her breasts to him.

He moaned. "Are you trying to end this before we even get started?" he breathed. She smiled up at him, teeth flashing, and be quickly captured her mouth with his own, reaching to pinch one pink nipple betwixt his thumb and forefinger. The kiss was all teeth and tongue, he bit her lip, and her hand clenched around the base of his neck.

On his elbows, he supported his weight, the tip of his cock resting gently against her opening. It took all he had not to ram it into her up to the hilt. But he wanted to give her something better than that, so he restrained himself.

He looked at her again. She was gazing at him with so much want in those green eyes he almost looked away. "Eli." She whispered, and he cock twitched against her. He loved hearing her say his name. She made it her own before she gave it back to him, new and prefect. It seemed to fit him for the first time. With her, he could cast off Weevil without a second thought.

He pushed into her slowly. And she was so tight around him. She whimpered softly, biting her lip trying to keep the sound in. He pressed his lips against her ear. "Its okay niña, relax for me." He whispered, pushing deeper.

She gasped as he filled her, and he waited for her signal before he made to move. She wiggled against him, her stomach bumping lightly against his own, and he felt her lightly contract around his cock. He started to move, pulling out slightly and delving deeper with each thrust. The sound of her breathing hard pushed him closer, and he started to pump faster, breathing her name.

She met each thrust eagerly, and soon he was plunging into her harder and faster. She moaned, and sighed, and wrapped her arms around his neck as she came, her inner muscles clenching around him hard. He found her mouth with his own, and muffled the sounds of his cumming, moaning into her again and again.

His skin felt like fire against hers, sweat slicked with fever and sex, and she held tight to him, giving him all the comfort of her body. She pressed kisses wherever her mouth found his skin. She kissed his tattoos and his scars before she found his mouth again.

He lay on top of her heavily, but she loved the feel of his weight pressing down on her. She kept him inside of her after he had climaxed, still wanting to hold on to the closeness of their lovemaking. And when he finally pulled out, it was with such sheer regret it was nearly a physical pain.

He rolled to his back, and she to her side. Veronica threw a leg over him, pulling him between her thighs and hugged an arm across his chest. They left the blankets where they were, and enjoyed the feel of just being together. Eli stoked a hand slowly up and down over Veronica's ribs, every once and a while allowing his fingertips to gaze her breasts lightly.

She smiled, and pressed a kiss against his chest.

He took a deep breath, his chest expanding underneath her arm. "Veronica Mars, Influenza miracle cure." He whispered against her hair with a chuckle.

She smiled wider, but said nothing. He tipped her face up for a kiss and she obliged. His body was warm and sold against hers. She could get used to the feeling, she thought woozily.

"Eli Navarro, best patient ever." She breathed with a laugh, before closing her eyes and falling asleep against him.

OOO

My first attempt at Veronica Mars fiction, and at smut, a double risk as it were. I love the WeeVer pairing and I finally got a decent idea as a story. I'd love to know what you guys thought of this, just no flames please!

PLK