Chapter 20
5 Days later….
One set of very blurry and tired eyes opened slowly as she took in her surroundings. Meredith was trying to get her eyes to focus on where she was before she began to panic. She knew she wasn't in the woods, she could feel the bed beneath her. Was she back at Xanders? Oh God please no. She tried to move her arm to wipe the sleep from her eyes and her body stiffened as she was unable to move either one of them. She blinked rapidly before looking down and seeing her right arm in a cast. Was she at a hospital? She looked to her right and noticed machines all making some sort of noise monitoring several different things. She felt tears well up in her eyes as she tried to remember what had happened to her the past few days. What was today? Where was she? Who got her here? She felt her heart quicken as she looked around the rest of the room. There was a small window across from her and a rocking chair to its left. The walls were painted a light gray color and there were flowers all over the room. Some roses some daisy's, and she saw a few balloons and teddy bears as well. She turned her head to her left and noticed the figure beside her who was responsible for her other hand. Her heart stopped as she looked over the figure she thought she'd never lay eyes on again. Justin sat on a metal chair with his upper body leaned over and resting on the side of her bed. His curls were everywhere and she felt the ruff surface of his unshaven cheek against her hand. He looked like he hadn't eaten or slept in weeks and he was absolutely beautiful to her. She felt the tears trickle down her face as she gently began to pull her hand out of his grasp. He tightened his hold on her hands when he felt her move. She smiled as she forced her self to lean over and as much as it was killing her to do so, she placed a gentle kiss on his head. Almost immediately his eyes shot open as he looked at her. She was smiling at him and he almost had a heart attack right then and there. He quickly moved so he was sitting on the bed, and she gently leaned back wincing as she moved her sore and beaten body.
The two simply sat looking at each other. Studying each other's faces and silently thanking God that they were able to do so. Justin leaned over and cupped her face in his hands. She smiled at him and he rubbed her tears away with the pads of him thumbs.
“Baby-” She started but he cut her off with his lips. It wasn't a hot passionate kiss, it was one of genuine love and concern. He was completely and utterly lost without her. He knew from this miserable and heart wrenching experience that if she wasn't in his life, then he really didn't want to be in it either. They pulled away her eyes still closed as she savored the moment. When she opened her eyes his blue ones were starting back at her spilling over with tears. She reached up with her good hand and wiped them away, before leaning over and placing a kiss on his lips again.
“I love you so much…I couldn't stand to think I would never see you again…”She whispered. Justin tried to hold it back, but at her words he let out a sob and covered his face with his hands. She furred her eyebrows together as she watched him fall apart in front of her.
“Hey, baby don't cry…..I’m right here…” She said moving his hands away. He looked up at her with tear stained cheeks and gave her a watery smile.
“I almost lost you…..Meredith….I-I can't loose you, ever…god…I almost got you killed-” He was breaking her heart at every word and she held a finger to his lips.
“Shhh, baby don't talk like that, you DIDN'T loose me, I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere okay?” She said. Justin nodded and leaned down placing his head on her shoulder and she rested her cheek on his curls. She turned and placed a kiss on his head. Justin placed his arm on one side of her and cupped her face with his other as he placed a loving kiss on her lips.
“I love you…..” He said softly. Meredith smiled and leaned closer to place her lips over his.
“Do me a favor?” She asked. He looked at her and smiled.
“Anything…”
“Hold me? Please?” she said her voice cracking. Justin nodded and she moved so he could slid his arm in behind her and he sat on top of covers holding her to him. The two sat there in silence content just being able to hold one another again.
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“Hey you..” Justin said as he walked into Meredith's hospital room. Chris, Joey, lance, and Meredith's Mom were all scattered around the room. Meredith's face lit up as she watching him walk over and place a loving kiss on her lips.
“Hey baby.” She smiled. He sat down taking her hand in his and rubbed it gently with his thumb.
“How's my girl feeling today?” He asked. She nodded and he smiled looking around the room.
“Hey guys” He said. They all mumbled a Hello as Meredith looked at the door. JC stood in the threshold holding a small bouquet of white roses.
“Hey Josh…”Meredith said causing Justin to turn around. JC had stopped by the first day Meredith was found but since then it was hard for him to visit. He was happy that Meredith was safe and back where she belonged, but he was still a total mess over Arianna. Meredith wasn't offended or upset by his actions, she knew how difficult it is for him, and she appreciated the fact that he was standing in front of her that very moment.
“Hey mere…” he said approaching her bed. He walked to the opposite side of Justin and gently kissed Meredith on the cheek. She smiled and held out her good arm for a hug and JC leaned in smiling back at her. When they pulled apart Justin and the rest of guys were smiling brightly. It was the first time in weeks that JC had actually smiled and they were all grateful. The sparkle in his eye was very faint, but it was still there. JC held out the roses to her and she smiled gratefully.
“ I picked up a few of these for you…” he said.
“They're beautiful, thank you Josh.” She handed them to Justin and asked if he could put them in water for her. Justin nodded and stood up placing a kiss on her forehead before walking to the bathroom. It was a new thing he had started since she woke up, and from what the guys tell her since she got back. If Justin left the room or she was going to be out of his site, he would kiss her. It was something she didn't question him about, hell if he wanted to kiss her who was she to stop him? JC took a seat next to her and she reached her arm over to take his hand.
“ How are you Hun?” she asked. It surprised JC that he wasn't annoyed by the question. He got it everyday from the guys, from his parents, from Johnny, and from a lot of the agents still working 24-7 to get Arianna back.
“ As good as I can be, I don't think I’ll be okay until I have her back…” JC said as he lowered his head to look at their hands. Meredith was rubbing his hand much like Justin had done to comfort her before.
“ She’s a fighter Josh, she won’t give up until she’s back home, I know it.” Meredith said. JC nodded and the two looked over as they heard a commotion from beside them. They couldn’t help but laugh as they watched Joey dive at Chris who had dumped a flower pot all over him. Justin walked out of the bathroom with the bouquet of roses blocking his view and ran right into Chris spilling the water and soil all over both of them. JC and Meredith couldn’t hold back the laughter that erupted from the two of them. Meredith glances around the room at Lance and her mother who were also laughing quietly in the corner. Justin grumbled something about Chris and Joey and the 3 of them pilled into the small bathroom to clean off.
“ It’s good to see him smiling again..” Joey said as he wiped off the dirt into the trash can. Chris nodded in agreement and Justin smiled.
“It’s good to see both of them smiling again…”
“ He needed this, he has new hope now that Arianna can still come back” Chris said. They all exchanged glances and stayed silent as they finished cleaning up.
“She will come back…” Justin said before they existed the room. “ She has too…”
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“ Here you go..” Xander said harshly as he threw the bottle of water at Arianna. Her body was too week to move and she mumbled something incoherently. She was in a new room on the top floor of the house. Xander had moved her a little while after he had gotten rid of Meredith. She had put up a huge fight when they took her out of the basement and took every chance to try and run free. But they were bigger and stronger, and obviously prepared as they placed a cloth over her mouth immediately causing her body to go lax. She was now just waking up to find her self a prisoner of a master bedroom. She didn’t know what Xander had planned for her, but she was more scared than ever.
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“So what happened?” Meredith asked as they all sat around with the police in Meredith’s room. They had already questioned her on everything she could remember and JC almost had to leave the room a few times when she spoke about Arianna.
“What do you mean?” Detective heart asked.
“How did I get here?” She asked. Justin’s eyebrows raised when he heard her ask that.
“ You don’t remember?”
“ Nope, I remember trying to get to the road and that’s it, I have no idea how I got here…” She said. Justin leaned over kissing her forehead and taking her hand in his once again.
“Well, we received a phone call from a Bruce Sprinston at around…” he stopped to check his sheet before he continued, “ 8:30 am, it seems he was out hunting and his Dog had picked up your scent and lead him to you. He then proceeded to carry you back to his truck, and then to his house where he called 911. Him and his wife had said you drifted in and out of consciousness the first few minuets, but they couldn’t get any information out of you. The ambulance took you straight here and the report was filed. One of the agents working on your case was monitoring reports like this and we got the call around 1:30, and came straight here.” he said. Meredith widened her eyes as she listened to the story. It was a scary thought to think that she had missed a very big chunk of her life. She looked over at Justin and for some reason he just knew what she was going to ask. He nodded and turned towards the police officers.
“Is there anyway Meredith could meet Mr. Sprinston?”
“I don’t see why not……Jason? Would you please get in contact with Mr. Sprinston and ask him if he would be willing to meet with Ms. Simmons?” Detective Heart asked the young rookie. He quickly nodded and left the room and Meredith squeezed Justin’s hand as a thank you.
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