Purified

Sienna laid in her bed completely covered by all her blankets. Her head was pounding, her nose was running, her chest congested and her throat was so swollen it hurt to talk.

"What am I going to do, Gia?" Sienna croaked as Gianna came over early before work to bring Sienna some stuff.

"I have a date with James tonight," Sienna whined. "He was taking me skating. I can't be around him! He'll get so sick! And he won't be able to play."

"Then cancel," Gianna replied with a shrug, placing bottles of Gatorade on the bedside table.

"But I was looking forward to it," Sienna sighed.

"You've never skated," Gianna laughed, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"He was going to teach me," Sienna sighed, burrowing deeper into her blankets.

"You're sick," Gianna stated, patting Sienna's back. "This isn't the end of the world. Just call him and tell him that you're sick, and reschedule. He isn't going to just forget about you."

"Look, I gotta head to work, but I'll give you a call at lunchtime to see how you're doing," Gianna stated, getting off of the bed. "Get some rest and call Neal."

"Okay," Sienna nodded. "Thank you."

Sienna groaned and grabbed her cell phone off of her nightstand calling James.

"Hey, hun," James stated, a smile clear in his voice, as he answered his cellphone.

"Jay," Sienna whined.

"Oh God," James laughed. "Are you sick?"

"I must've got it from someone at the game on Thursday," Sienna coughed, her voice cracking.

"Oh, baby," James laughed sympathetically. Sienna couldn't help but smile at the fact that he called her 'baby'. "Do you need me to bring you anything?"

"No! No! Gianna already brought me stuff, and you have a game coming up. I wouldn't want you to get sick," Sienna replied, sniffling.

"I really don't mind," James replied. "I've got a pretty kick ass immunity system."

"I'm sure," Sienna replied. "I couldn't forgive myself if you got sick, and I don't think your teammates would forgive me either."

"If you're sure," James laughed. "Are you sure this isn't some trick to get out of skating today?"

"You caught me," Sienna laughed, coughing. "I shared fries with some guy in a Malkin jersey on Thursday who was sick just so I wouldn't have to skate today."

"I knew it," James replied, smiling softly. "Well I'm sorry to hear that you're sick, and don't think this gets you out of skating. You're doing it next time."

"I might be sick then, too." Sienna joked before sneezing.

"Sounds like it," James laughed. "Well I'll let you go so you can rest. Let me know if you need anything, okay?"

"I will," Sienna nodded. "Thank you, James."

"All right. I'll be thinking about you," James replied, his voice low, but sincere. Sienna could tell he meant it, and it made her heart flutter.

"Bye, James." Sienna smiled, ending the call. She did her best to squeal in delight, but a coughing fit came about. Sienna groaned and flopped down on her bed, falling asleep for a few hours.

Sienna was woken up a few hours later, around noon hour, to the buzzer of her apartment going off.

"Go away, Gia." Sienna muttered into her pillow. "Leave me here to die."

The buzzer was incessant so Sienna got up, wrapping her blanket around her shaking body.

"Okay," She muttered into the intercom and buzzed Gianna in. Sienna waited at her front door for the inevitable knock. When the knock came it was heavier and louder than Gianna's usual knock.

"No!" Sienna screamed when she opened the door and saw James. She slammed the door in his face and pressed her back against the door.

"Sienna?" James laughed, knocking again. "You literally just opened the door, so I know you're home. Let me in."

Sienna whined loudly before opening the door again. She couldn't believe he actually showed up, and saw her sick like that. She was in plain black pajama pants and an oversized Pittsburgh Steelers hoodie.

"You look cute," James smirked, before holding up a paper bag. "I brought chicken soup."

"How did you know I wanted that?" Sienna asked, pressing her forehead to his chest when he moved in for a hug.

"Lucky guess," James smirked, walking in and kicking off his shoes.

"Steelers fan?" James smirked as he followed her into the kitchen.

"It was pretty much drilled into my head as a kid," Sienna smiled. "My dad is a huge Steelers fan so I had no other choice but to follow his teachings."

"Smart man," James smiled, placing the bag on the counter and pulling out a medium sized styrofoam bowl of chicken noodle soup.

"You're too good to me, Jay." Sienna smiled, leaning against him.

"I missed you," James stated honestly. "Plus, I figured it was a good way to test your loyalty. If you get me sick, will you take care of me?"

Sienna laughed and punched him playfully in the chest. "Of course."

James and Sienna sat in the kitchen sharing the soup (from separate bowls) before moving into her poor excuse for a living room.

"I like your place," James stated as they sat on the couch together. James sat upright with his feet on the coffee table, while Sienna sat curled up on the couch and cuddled into his side with his arm around her.

"You must be joking," Sienna laughed, looking at her tiny apartment. "You have a big and gorgeous house, and I have this teeny tiny little apartment."

"Yeah, but you're teeny tiny, too." James smiled down at her. "So it's perfect for you."

"Well my bed isn't nearly as comfortable as yours," Sienna smiled, nuzzling into his chest. "My back has been screaming for me to go and lay in your bed because mine just won't do."

"Well, when you aren't contagious and sickly you and your back are more than welcome to come sleep in my bed," James grinned. "Sometimes it's too big, even for me."

Sienna smiled and let him kiss the top of her head.

"Thank you," Sienna stated, running her hand over his chest. "For coming to see me today, and bringing me soup, and staying. It was actually really nice of you."

"I don't do that for just anyone, you know," James grinned. "Just you."

"And Geno?" Sienna teased, bumping her shoulder with his.

"And Geno," James laughed. "Speaking of, he wants to meet you."

"You told him about me?" Sienna asked, her heart beginning to race. Evgeni was one of James' best friends, sure she had met some of the guys the other night, but he and Geno were close.

"Of course I did," James replied. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know," Sienna replied honestly. "I guess I just kind of expected to be the girl you kept in your back pocket that you never really told anyone about."

"I don't want you to be a secret, Sienna," James stated softly, avoiding her eyes. She could tell this was a conversation he didn't have very often.

"I want to be with you and I want people to know about you and me, but I just need time," James stated. "I need time to accept us as a couple and be ready for that, just like you need time to trust me and be able to sleep with me. But I wouldn't keep you a secret from my friends, besides they're always giving me shit for texting you and smiling all the time."

"Do they?" Sienna asked, biting back a smile.

"Geno always ask 'Is your girl? Is your girl? Let me talk to her'," James stated, doing an impressive Geno.

"I would like to meet him, too." Sienna nodded.

"You will," James nodded. "I just kind of want you to myself for a bit, because I feel like you two will get along really well and he'll steal you from me."

"Kind of like Vero?" Sienna laughed.

"A bit like Vero," James nodded, laughing as well. "Except I could fight Vero if it came down to it, I don't think I could take Geno."

"I don't think you could take Vero," Sienna teased, pressing her forehead to his.

"You're right," James replied. "She's pretty tough. But you? You, I think I could take."

James grabbed Sienna and lifted her up over his shoulder, carrying her towards her bedroom. James laid her on her bed and rolled her up in blankets.

"Okay, my sick little burrito," James teased, moving the blankets so he could see her face. "I will talk to you tomorrow. Get better, okay? I wanna take you out and not have to put you in a biohazard suit."

"You're not staying?" Sienna pouted.

"I've already risked infection enough as it is tonight," James teased. "Besides I can't resist a girl in a big Steelers sweater, so it's best if I go."

James kissed her forehead before walking out of her bedroom and back out of her apartment. Sienna yanked her arms out of the rolled up blanket and touched her forehead where he had kissed her. She was sure he hadn't kissed her mouth because he didn't want to get sick, but that didn't mean she didn't like it any less.

Sienna willed herself to sleep, hoping she'd feel better soon just so she could see James and have him kiss her lips again.