PROJECT ANDERSON

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: ANDIE

We had to be driving for two days and I knew that Jesse was tired, but we were still about a hundred miles  away from Charlotte's Ville.

And I wasn't so sure that it was safe to stop anymore.

"What were you reading to Ash when I came to get you?" Jesse asked finally breaking the silence between us.

"Beauty and the Beast." I answered softly as I looked back to Ashley, who was sleeping peacefully with her teddy bear. "Its her favorite story, but she only likes the French original not the Disney version...she likes the karma at the end."

"She is defiantly your child." Jesse said with a small laugh. "She acts just like you."

"I'm not so sure of that, she has your reaction to trauma...complete emotional shut down." I said offering a laugh of my own. "But maybe that's a good thing."

"What do you mean?" Jesse asked a little concerned.

"Maybe this won't be too hard for her after all." I said bleakly. "You know after I'm gone."

"Don't say that." Jesse warned. "We can't give up Andie...not yet there's still a chance."

"Is there Jesse...id there a chance? Because I don't see it anymore." I asked teary eyed. "The cure is in my blood and the only way we can cure everyone is if I'm dead."

"I'll figure it out Andie, I just need more time." Jesse said sternly. "I haven't given up and neither should you."

"I haven't given up, I've accepted it and so should you." I said back, not wanting to fight with him about this anymore.

"I can't do that Andie...not yet, not when there's a chance I can save you." Jesse said before reaching over and grabbing my hand. "I'll never give up on you."

"Do you remember our song?" I asked desperate for a subject change.

Jesse gave me a knowing look before clearing his throat.

"We'll do it all...every-thing...on. Our. Own...we don't need...any-thing or any-one." Jesse sang softly.

His voice was low and raspy, but I didn't mind it so much.

"If I lay here...if I just lay here...would you lie with me and just forget the world?"

"I don't quite know...how to say...how I feel..." I joined in softly. "Those three words...are said too much...they're not enough."

"If I lay here...if I just lay here...would you lie with me and just forget the world?"

"Forget what we're told...before we get too old...show me a garden that's bursting into life."

"Lets..waste time...chase-ing cars...around our heads..."

"I...need your grace...to re-mind me...to find my own..."

"If I lay here...if I just lay here...would you lie with me and just forget the world?"

"Forget what we're told...before we get too old...show me a garden that's bursting into life..."

"All that I am..." Jesse started before I joined in. "All that I ever was...is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see..."

"I don't know where...confused about how as well...just know these things will never change for us at all..." We sang together.

"If I lay here....if I just lay here...would you lie with me and just forget the world." Jesse finished before kissing my hand softly. "I missed singing with you."

"Easy for you to say...I sounded horrible compared to you." I said with a small laugh. "You were always better than me."

"Yeah, but you have other things going for you." Jesse said with a sweet smile.