You groaned as you curled up on the bed, instinctively wrapping your arms around your midsection. The cramps were unbearable as usual, leaving you angry and utterly miserable.

Just as you sank into the quiet relief of isolation, a loud knock took you out of your thoughts, dragging you back to reality. All you wanted was rest, precisely why you’d taken a vacation day, and set your phone to Do Not Disturb. Clearly, someone hadn’t gotten the message.

With a reluctant sigh, you forced yourself upright, leaving the warm water bottle you’d been using for comfort behind on the bed. You stumbled toward the door, frustration tightening your chest as you opened it.

There, standing in the hallway, was your Lieutenant. His gaze swept over you with a quiet intensity, as if he was trying to read you, searching for something.

“Can I help you?” you asked, the sharpness in your voice highlighting your exhaustion—definitely not how you would speak to your superior under normal circumstances. But before you could even second-guess your tone, he stepped past you into the room, tossing a pack of oranges and chocolates onto your bed.

He came to care for you.