"Alison!" JC ran over to her and bent down next to her.
"Good going, JC, way to hit her with the football." Justin said standing next to him.
"Shut up, if you would have caught the ball, she'd be fine." JC glared at him.
JC stared down at Ali's still form and his heart caught in his throat. She looked so lifeless laying there. He could see that there was already a bruise forming, making him feel even worse.
"Alison." he whispered, gently touching her cheek.
"Hey dimwit, she's unconcious, you need to be louder." Chris smacked JC upside the head.
Just as JC opened his mouth to reply, Ali's eyes fluttered open and she looked around--confused as to where she was.
"Ow." she groaned putting her hand to her head and slowly sat up.
"Are you okay?" Justin asked.
"Peachy. Somebody has a good arm." Alison whined looking at Justin with her hand to her head.
"I'm sorry," JC said apologetically. "I tried to warn you."
"It's okay." Ali said as she tried to sit up.
"Be careful, take it slow." JC said as he watched her try to sit up.
"Ow." she mumbled when she sat up.
"You have a hard head." Chris stated.
"Thank you Chris, but how would you know?" Ali questioned looking his way.
"I don't know." Chris shrugged.
"Anyway, I better go check on the sicklies." Ali replied as she tried to stand.
"Here, let me help you." JC jumped up and put his hands on her waist to help her stand.
Ali stared at JC and stayed where she was, feeling his touch burn into her waist. She had to mentally tell herself not to move closer and cling to him.
JC was feeling something along the same lines as he made no move to let go. He felt the electricity and tried to remind himself that she wanted Lance and that she was off limits.
Their moment was broke when somebody started coughing from inside the tent.
Ali closed her eyes and tried to forget how good it felt to be held by JC, even if it was just him helping her up.
"Can I get some water?" Lance said his voice clearly showing his dry throat.
"Sure thing." Ali smiled.
She grabbed his cup and filled it with some drinking water and helped him sit up enough to drink it.
"How are you feeling?" she asked after he was done drinking it.
"I feel as if I've been hit by a train. I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open, my chest feels like its going to cave in, and my throat burns." Lance ended his speech with another bit of coughing.
"I'm sorry Lance, I wish there was something more I could do." Ali sighed as she changed the cloth on his head.
"It's okay, what time is it?" Lance asked.
Ali looked down at her watch and read the time. "It's about six thirty. It'll be getting dark soon."
Ali glanced out the meshed window and saw she was right. The sky was beginning to fade as dusk set in.
"What day is it?"
"Tuesday. Five more days and you'll be home again." Ali smiled.
"What if we're not better by then?"
"We'll worry about that when the time comes. You just worry about getting better." Ali reassured him.
"You awake Lance?" Joey whispered from his sleeping bag on the other side of Ali.
"Yeah, barely." Lance answered.
"You just had to get me sick too huh?" Joey turned his head to see his friend.
"Sorry, I didn't mean too." Lance answered.
"And I'm sorry you guys aren't enjoying you're vacation." Ali looked between the both of them.
"It's okay Alison, you're a good nurse." Joey smiled.
"Well, thank you." Alison blushed and made herself busy by changing both of their cooling cloths.
"So what's happening with you and JC?" Lance asked.
"Nothing." Ali shrugged.
"Come on Alison, we saw the sparks between you two, it was like fire." Joey whispered.
"I know, but he's different now. He barely talks to me." Ali said feeling tears burn in the back of her throat.
Joey opened his mouth to reply when the guys came in from outside.
Ali looked outside and saw that it was almost dark. The main light was in the tent, leaving little light outside.
"What are you ladies talking about in here?" Chris asked plopping down on his sleeping bag.
Ali glanced at JC who was looking at her and blushed. "Nothing."
"How are you guys feeling?" JC asked after rolling his eyes at Ali.
"Never better." Lance said before coughing.
"Sounds like it." JC shook his head at the younger man's attempt at humor.
"I'm bored." Justin announced.
"How 'bout a rousing game of UNO?" Chris suggested.
"Better not be making fun of me boy." Ali shook her finger at him.
"Of course not, I wouldn't dare." Chris mocked.
"I didn't think so." Alison nodded.
"So do you wanna play?" Chris asked her.
"I gotta take care of these two." Ali declined their offer. She didn't think she could handle the contstant glares she'd been getting from JC.
"Their already asleep again." Justin nodded to the sleeping forms.
"He's right." JC added quietly.
"Well, if y'all want me that bad, count me in." Ali nodded.
The guys had already moved into a circle and Mike was shuffling the cards. Ali got up and sat down on the only spot left in the circle. She found herself on JC's sleeping bag between JC and Chris. On the other side of Chris was Mike and next to him was Justin.
Mike dealed the cards and the rules were defined.
"So are we going all out? Or are we just using regular rules?" Ali asked.
"What do you mean?" Justin asked her.
"You know, Draw Two wars? When one person lays down a draw two and if the next person has one, they would lay it down instead of drawing. Then whoever it goes to who doesn't have a Draw Two would draw all the cards." Ali explained.
"Oh, of course. Thats what makes it fun." Chris said pushing her, causing her to bump into JC.
Alison felt her shoulder burn where'd she'd touched JC, even though he'd pushed her right back into Chris.
"It's your go, Justin." Mike said after he flipped over the top card on the pile.
The game went for about ten minutes before everything got really intense. Alison was down to one card and she studied everyone else who was trying desperatly to get good cards to stop her.
"Make sure you lay a good one down, JC." Justin said after he'd went.
"Oh I will." JC said as he studied the card on top. It was a red zero. He looked at his hand and decided to throw down a Wild Draw Four. "Blue." he announced as he threw it down.
Ali just smiled and drew her four cards.
Chris moved around Alison to high five JC, who at this moment, looked smug.
The game went on like this for another half an hour, before all hell broke loose. Justin laid his second to last card down and Chris challeneged him for not saying UNO, and wanted him to draw. Justin insisted that he did indeed say UNO and they'd been arguing for at least five minutes straight.
"You have to draw two cards." Chris said for what he felt like was the millionth time.
"No I don't. I said UNO." Justin rolled his eyes.
"Mike, he has to draw doesn't he?" Chris asked.
"Technically, Justin, you didn't say UNO. So you do have to draw." Mike nodded his head.
"No I don't, I did say it. You heard me didn't you Ali?" Justin looked at her.
"Leave me out of this." Ali replied shaking her head with her hands in the air.
"Fine, JC?" Justin turned to him.
JC just shrugged and didn't answer.
"UGH. Thanks for the help guys." Justin said frustrated.
"Just draw Justin." Chris challenged.
"No. I quit."
Within the next instand Chris jumped at Justin, catching off guard, the two started wrestling, but that wasn't the only one he caught off guard.
Alison felt her head snap and she was laying across JC as Chris bolted off. He'd kicked her head in the same spot the football had hit her earlier. She knew that JC was probably going to protest, but her head throbbed in pain and JC's anger was the last thing she was concerned about.
Ali put her hand on her head and stayed where she was. She opened her eyes and met JC's worried gaze.
"Are you okay?" he asked quietly as he moved the hair out of her face.
"My head hurts even worse." Ali replied as she felt tears leak out of her eyes.
JC's heart fell to his knees when he saw the bruise forming. It was going to be a big one.
Ali continued to look up at him and he down at her. They were lost in each other when Chris noticed them and Ali's tears and stopped wrestling.
"What's the matter Ali?" he asked.
Ali's head turned to look at him and she answered. "Somebody just had to kick me in the head. In the same spot where I was hit by a football, merely hours ago".
"Oh, I'm so sorry." Chris crawled over and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"Thank you Chris." Ali said as she tried to sit up.
JC helped her and sighed when his lap felt empty without her prescence. How was he going to get through the rest of this vacation the way he felt. Should he talk to her? He was scared. He was scared that she would turn him away if he told her how he felt. He was reading something in her eyes, but didn't want to risk it.
"Hey Alison, do you think that you could play something on your guitar? Or one of us could play something?" Justin asked. "Sure. What did you have in mind?" Ali said grabbing her guitar.
"I don't know." Justin shrugged. "I'm gonna change into my pajama's, then you can sing me to sleep." Chris said as he dug in his bag.
The others did the same, with the exception of Ali, then they all laid down on or in their sleeping bags and focused their attention on Ali.
"This is a song by David Crowder Band. It always makes me feel better when I'm down, it's a worsip song."
Ali started singing, and once she got into it, she lost all nervousness she may have experienced.
Deliver me out of the sadness
Deliver me from all the madness
Deliver me courage to guide me
Deliver me Your strength inside me
All of my life
I've been in hiding
Wishing there was someone just like You
Now that You're here
Now that I've found You
I know that You're the One to pull me through
Deliver me loving and caring
Deliver me giving and sharing
Deliver me this cross that I'm bearing
All of my life
I've been in hiding
Wishing there was someone just like You
Now that You're here
Now that I've found You
I know that You're the One to pull me through
Oh, deliver me
Jesus, Jesus how I trust You
How I've proved You o'er and o'er
Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus
Deliver me
Come and pull me through
Come pull me through
All of my life
I've been in hiding
Wishing there was someone just like You
Now that You're here
Now that I've found You
I know that You're the One to pull me through
After Ali was done, everybody started clapping.
"That was gorgeous, Ali. You have a beautiful voice." Justin smiled at her.
Ali looked away and blushed, "Thank you. Any requests?"
"What do you know?" Chris asked her.
"I don't know. A lot. If you ask, I'll tell you whether I do or not." Ali replied.
The guys took several minutes to think and nobody could think of a song off hand.
Ali took that moment to let the music she was playing take over her body, her soul. She began playing a song that she would always lose herself to.
Like anyone would be
I am flattered by your fascination with me
Like any hot-blooded woman
I have simply wanted an object to crave
But you, you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight
Must be strangely exciting
To watch the stoic squirm
Must be somewhat heartening
To watch shepherd need shepherd
But you you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight
Like any uncharted territory
I must seem greatly intriguing
You speak of my love like
You have experienced love like mine before
But this is not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight
I don't think you unworthy
I need a moment to deliberate
Alison felt the music to her soul, and when she stopped, her eyes were still closed.
"Girl, you could really give Alanis a run for her money. I love that song, but you sing it amazingly." Chris praised her.
Ali opened her eyes and smiled, "That's one of my favorite songs to do. I get lost in the music."
JC watched her eyes dance with excitment. He loved the sparkle in her eyes. He could tell that music was a passion for her, adding it away in his heart with everything else he loved about her. There was no more falling in love. He was in love. He was in love with this beautiful woman with a beautiful soul.
"Did you think of any songs?" Ali asked.
"Do you know 'I'll Be' by Edwin McCain?" JC asked.
Alison thought for a moment, and nodded. "Yeah. Did you want me to do that one?"
JC nodded his head and answered, "I'll sing it. You play it."
The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful
Stop me and steal my breath
Emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky
Never revealing their depth
Tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above
I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I'll be love suicide
I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life
Ali couldn't believe the emotions that were coming over her as she listened and watched JC sing. He was staring right at her, his gaze burning into her. It was almost as if he was singing it to her. It was all she could do, not to start crying. This had always been a favorite song of hers. And to have it sung to her was something all on it's own.
Rain falls angry on the tin roof
As we lie awake in my bed
You're my survival, you're my living proof
My love is alive and not dead
Tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above
Everybody in the room could feel the heat and electricity between the two as the two were wrapped up in the song, and more importantly, each other. They were in their own little world, oblivious to the curious glances of the others in the room.
I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I'll be love suicide
I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life
I've dropped out, burned up, fought my way back from the dead
Tuned in, turned on, remembered the things you said
JC felt the words in his heart and he sung them with an emotion so strong, it almost made him want to throw up. He'd never felt this way about anyone before. It was so strong it was sickening. He wanted to do nothing more than cross to her and take her in his arms and never let go. He let his feelings take over the song. Letting them fly on wings of song to her heart.
I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I'll be love suicide
I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life
The room was silent when the music stopped. They all stared at the couple who hadn't broken their gaze yet.
"Anytime, you want to do a duet, it'll sell millions." Justin broke their thoughts.
"I'm sorry?" Ali asked feeling dazed from the power of JC's eyes and words.
"You guys do amazing together. Even though you didn't sing at all, I know your voices would blend together well." Justin answered.
Ali glanced between Justin and back to JC. What she saw in JC's eyes caused her heart to break. He was back to shutting her out. She felt tears surface and swallowed them as she turned back to Justin, "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Justin smiled.
"Well, I'm exhausted, I'm gonna call it a night." Chris said yawning.
The others went to bed as well, leaving Ali sitting up for a few minutes with little light. She got out her CD's and put in Edwin McCain's "Misguided Roses" CD and put 'I'll Be' on repeat.
Turning off the light, she crawled into her sleeping bag, and listened to the sound of Edwin McCain's voice, pretending it was JC.
About an hour after she fell asleep, Ali shot wide awake. Lance was coughing, very hard and couldn't stop.
She crawled over to him and helped him take some water. She felt his forhead, his fever had worsened. At that moment, Ali knew she was in for a rough night.
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