She was cold, numb, and physically exhausted. Ali had been up for hours trying to get Lance's fever to reduce and finally at dawn, it had gotten under control. He still had a fever but it wasn't as severe. As luck would have it as soon as Lance was under control, Joey decided to follow in his footsteps and his fever sky rocketed.
Ali could only imagine how bad she looked when she heard the guys stirring. Her nerves were frazzled and she was starving, but she couldn't leave them, she was constantly changing Joey's cloth to make sure he was cool the whole time.
"You don't look very good Alison." Chris said the first one to wake up.
"Sorry." Ali said glancing at him.
"How are they doing?" Chris asked her.
"Lance is doing alright, but Joey has a high fever." Ali replied without looking up.
"Are they going to be okay?" Chris asked worried for his friends.
"If I can help it." Ali said wiping sweat from her forehead.
"Damn girl, have you gotten any sleep?" Justin said sitting up.
"Yeah." Ali said, technically it wasnt a lie, she did get about an hour before Lance got worse last night.
JC mentally shook his head, he knew she hadn't gotten any sleep. He'd awoke numerous times and she'd been up every time he opened his eyes.
When he sat up and looked at Ali, he instally became worried. She looked weary and ready to topple over. "Are you okay?" he asked without thinking.
That was nearly her undoing, JC's concern was unexpected. "I'm fine. Are you guys hungry?"
"I could go for some food." Justin nodded.
"Okay." Ali changed Joey's cloth and stepped outside to make some breakfast for everybody.
This time she made french toast and bacon, and even though french toast was her favorite meal, she skipped again. She told herself she would eat a full lunch and then she would be fine.
"You're a good cook, Alison." Justin complimented her.
"Thank you." she smiled and watched them eat. Not being able to take it any longer, she went back into the tent and set to tending Joey again.
She felt tears fall down her face as she sat there staring at the floor. Through the fog in her brain, she heard someone come in the tent. At this point, she didn't care if anyone saw her crying. She was so exhausted mentally and physically that she didnt know what was going on around her. She stood up to get something from outside and turned around. When she saw JC standing there looking concerned, she lost it. "Will you hold me Josh?" she whispered.
JC would have killed himself before he denied that request. He wrapped his arms around her waist and felt her melt into his embrace. She went limp in his arms as she trembled with sobs. "It's going to be okay, baby." he murmured.
"No i-it's not." Ali cried.
"Yes it is." JC held her tighter.
Ali didn't answer. She just cried harder, everything that had happened the past few days caught up to her all at once.
"Why do you say that it's not going to be all right?" JC asked curiously.
"I don't know." she sniffled, "Everything is going wrong. Their sick and not getting any better, I feel dirty, I'm exhausted and you're don't like me any more."
Ali let that last part slip without even thinking, she didn't realize she said it until he became quiet. She closed her eyes and realized she probably made a big mistake.
JC guided them to sit on Ali's sleeping bag then pulled back to look at her.
"What did you mean by that last comment?" he questioned.
Ali tried to look everywhere but him as she didn't want him to know her real feelings.
"Ali, look at me." JC said putting his hand to her chin to bring her to look at him.
"When we first met, and when we first came here you were nice, and you seemed to like me. But now it's like you cant even stand me." Alison choked a little on those last two words as another stream of tears ran down her face.
"Oh, Alison, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." JC said gathering her close, swallowing his own tears.
Alison let the emotions flow over her as she finally let herself admit that she loved this man. She loved this man like she'd never loved before. The thing that scared her the most was that she'd only known him for less than a week.
"What happened?" she asked after she'd finished her tears.
"That night of the storm, when we first found you and Lance, you guys were very comfortable with each other. I thought you wanted him." JC shrugged sheepishly.
"You were jealous?" Ali searched his eyes for the truth.
JC nodded his head and shrugged his shoulders.
"We were both cold and wet so we decided that we could try and keep each other warm. That's all." Ali explained.
"I feel so bad." JC sighed as he gently touched her cheek.
"It's okay." Ali shrugged, his touch doing a number on her stomach.
"I've wanted to get to know you better ever since we first met. There were things about you that intrigued me, there was something that drew me to you. And when I saw you with Lance that night, I got really jealous. That realy freaked me out. I'd never felt so strongly about anyone before and I'd only known you a few days. I'm not scared any more because I know what my feelings are," JC smiled as he inhaled her scent.
Nothing could have prepared her for what JC did next. He brought his hand to frame her face and his other hand went around her waist, she watched his eyes close as his head started to lean closer. She closed her eyes just as his lips touched her own.
JC's lips were like everything she'd imagined. They were soft, they were skilled, and most importantly, they were touching her own. She was so overwhelmed with emotions she nearly forgot to breathe. She felt the kiss all the way from the tips of her toes to the top of her head.
JC pulled away and studied Alison's closed eyes and smiled, he would never have guessed that it would work like this. He couldn't believe she wanted him and not Lance.
"I'm in love with you." Ali whispered, her emotions blazing in her eyes.
"I'm in love with you too." JC replied before kissing her again.
Their kiss ended just as quick as it started as JC had something he needed to say.
"When I sang that song I'll Be last night, I meant every word I said. I was singing that for you, to you. I couldn't help but love you. I tried to tell myself that you were off limits but it didn't work. I can't let go now that I've found you." JC said as he searched her eyes for a response.
"I know exactly what you mean." she smiled then stiffled a yawn.
"You need to sleep. I know you didn't sleep at all last night." JC said guiding her to lay on the sleeping bag beneath them.
"Please stay with me," she said clinging to him.
"Okay," JC nodded then lay down beside her and put his arm around her waist.
"Sweet dreams." he whispered in her ear.
JC closed his eyes and started singing the song that expressed how he felt.
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
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
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
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
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