“Go get it,” Willow said. “Make sure it’s clean, then fill it up. We can bring it into his room and put it right by his bed.”
Jensen ran like his life depended on it, listening to Willow croon to his boy.
“What a good job you did,” she told him. “You’re going to be nice and tired after this, aren’t you?”
Once the humidifier was cleaned, filled up, and running nicely right next to the crib, Jensen headed back to the bathroom.
“It’s all ready,” he told Willow.
“Let’s get him a cup of warm water,” Willow said.
He took off again, heading down to the kitchen, getting a clean sippy cup from the cupboard, and filling it with warm water from the tap.
When he got back up, the water was off and Willow was just opening the shower doors, releasing a cloud of steam into the rest of the bathroom. Henry rested against her chest, limp as a rag doll, his eyes glittering as he observed his dad.
“Hey, bud,” Jensen murmured, trying keep his emotions in check. “Do you feel a little better?”
Henry blinked and nodded slightly.
“I’m so glad,” Jensen told him.
“I think he has a virus,” Willow said softly. “I checked with some of the nurses over at Tarker County on my way over here. There’s a bad one with a cough going around the local pre-schools and nurseries.”
“That makes sense,” Jensen said, finally tearing his eyes from his son.
“We’ll want to keep him hydrated, and if anything like this happens again, you know what to do,” she said, indicating the shower.
Willow’s hair hung damply around her shoulders, and her woolen socks were completely soaked along with her jeans up to her knees. Her eyes were tired, but her expression was relieved.
She had never been more beautiful to him.
“Willow,” he breathed. “I…”
“Let’s get some water in this little guy,” she said. “And then your daddy can take you to bed for a nice rest.”
Jensen handed her the cup and she held it to Henry’s lips.
He didn’t take it from her hands, just drank from it like back when he was a little baby drinking from a bottle. The poor little guy was exhausted.
Willow gazed down at him with such love in her eyes that it almost hurt to watch.
When the cup was half empty, Henry pushed it away and tried to snuggle into Willow’s chest.
“Let’s get you to bed,” Jensen told him, holding his arms out.
Henry went to him, and he held him close, feeling relief at every clear breath the boy took. When he glanced back at Willow, she was shivering.
“Get in that shower,” he told her. “I’ll bring you back some clothes.”
“N-no, I’m fine,” she said.
“Get in,” he told her again. “My bathrobe’s on the door.”
Her eyes went to his enormous, fluffy robe and she nodded once.
He headed out, closing the door behind him, but didn’t move toward Henry’s room until he heard the water turn back on.
“We don’t need her getting sick too,” he whispered to Henry.
