THE SECRETS WE KEEP.

- HOLD ONTO THE ONES WHO CARE.

JOES POV:
After what felt like an endless duration cramped in this Alice In Wonderland hallway, the unclasping of locks followed by the creak of faulty hinges indicated a right of entry and without the need to perk up my head, it was obvious an agitated figure was standing before me. My eyes trailed along the soft slipper fabric shielding her toes from the numbing outdoor breeze, up along her body that was hugged tight by the silk dressing gown thrown on from the floor, to her face that gave off the instant impression of a disturbed slumber. It may seem our actions are linked, for there was a second delay to our eyes locking across the short distance, my identity not clear until that moment through her widening eyes that highlighted the honey orbs inside of the white at the unexpected sighting of Joe Sugg at her door. "Um hi.. I know I am at the bottom of your list for people you'd wish to see, but you have to understand, Amy is very-", this long-winded explanation in hope of dispelling any doubts evident of my arrival was cut off by a breathy grunt escaping through my teeth feeling the body of Dianne flung towards my chest, knocking all air out of my lungs. Her approach to begin with was rough, yet it instantly calmed by her nuzzling deep into my chest with a tight grip on my shirt for dear life, my chin laying to rest on the top of her head.

"Di, talk to me.. what's wrong?" I lightly whispered however no response in words could portray this distraught internal emotion. The only indication was the visible trembling in my arms and the audible representation of quiet sniffles replacing her short shallow breaths. Without allowing another second to tick by, another fatal second that would grant my moral side the permission to intervene and persuade a rethink on my actions, I shuffled our bodies further inside with as much ease as possible in order to hide her from the exposure that on-looking neighbours could provide, scouring this unfamiliar environment for the closest comfortable surface to sit on. "Di, honey, I need you to breathe with me.. little breaths, in slowly then out.." my voice was a little louder in respect to the importance of this, my hand slipping out of a grasp on her waist to rest just above her heart with my thumb lightly tapping her chest in time with my slow breaths, awaiting the nurturing sound of her relaxing into our embrace from that high state of panic, though this hopeful attempt of calm never arrived to the doorstep.

Instead of descending into a spirit of calm I was attempting to radiate, she lunged herself towards me yet again and held on even tighter to my shirt, my head shaking slightly and with a mumble of "oh Di..". With her body nearly on my lap, it was a natural instinct for my head to nuzzle deep into the red locks hauled into messy bun atop her head as the warm tears trickling along her cheeks created spots of heat once they fell against my skin. Not only was it nerve-racking for this dependence to be entirely on myself, but it was a terrifying sight of somebody who meant so much to me struggling to do the simple task of breathing. I untangled one arm from this interlocked mess to wrap around the backs of her knees, doing a double check glance for certainty that her back was supported, an internal count to three before standing on my own two feet with Dianne curled up in a bridal position. As I made the journey up the staircase, my eyes stayed fixated on the emotional girl in my arms and for a flash of second, that brain panic for her stability stopped. I understood then that she didn't need a doctor like figure, pressing her on the workings of her body. This beautiful redhead clutching to the safety of my shirt, tears of emotional vulnerability streaming, needed a friend more than anything that she could count on.

As soon as we reached her bedroom at the end of the hall, without an injury sustained she crawled out of my grip lucky to the caught by the beds soft covers. My immediate first task while she ensured coziness in the bed was to refresh the most likely frozen to death water bottle by her head. I scurried off just as the dressing gown cascaded from her shoulders, turning the taps on and filling the bottle up high, tying the nozzle tight to avoid leakage before cautiously treading back to the sight of Dianne, dressing gown astray on the carpet in just a set of familiar pyjamas. "How did you..", the puzzled look on her face spread a small smile across my lips, the first in days at the sound of her hushed voice ringing through a bedroom again. "I have a sister Dianne, there are some things I know", now it was her turn for a physical display of happiness, that beam alike mine widening her lips as giggles poured from them. Trying not to sour this moment with an awkwardly long stare, I was focused on lifting the cover slightly in order to place the hot water bottle against her stomach, wary of the proximity from the scolding radiating heat but close enough for the benefits of this contraption. My secondary task was to pop two tablets into the palm of my hand in hope of those pesky pains to retreat for even a short time period. While she steadied herself to take them, the back of my hand brushed lightly over her forehead in check of a high temperature.