Linger: Book 2

Chapter 3

Amy sighed as she leaned her head against the corner of Alan's bed, her ears perking at the serene songs of the birds outside the window. Early that morning, she awoke to the feeling of extreme nausea. She jumped from the covers and rushed to the restroom where she tried to vomit, though there was no contents left in her stomach. The last she had eaten was before the seminar the day before, and now she found herself with a rumbling stomach. She didn't bother making any food, though, and she didn't want to wake Alan. Instead, she crawled back to his bed and took a seat on the floor beside him.

It was nearly seven in the morning by now. Normally Alan would have already been awake, but he was sleeping well. He didn't often get the opportunity to sleep in, so Amy let him be. Alan was lying on his side with one of his hands hanging off the edge of the mattress. Amy couldn't help but to smile at his sweet, sleeping face and, without a thought, she nuzzled the top of her head against his palm. Alan stirred, then settled again.

"What are you doing down there?" he asked, his voice low and sleepy. Amy hummed gently at the sound.

"I didn't want to wake you."

"Come back to bed." Alan lifted the covers and shuffled away from the edge, making room for her. Amy joined him, easily sliding in beside the man as he wrapped his arm and the blankets around her. Amy let out a sigh of contentment, her hands coming to rest against his naked chest. "I want pancakes." Amy snorted at that and she had to bury her face into the blankets to keep herself from laughing out loud. Early mornings like these where Alan was between sleep and wakefulness were Amy's favorite. Usually, he would mutter nonsensical things that he wouldn't remember, but in these moments, Amy found that he was his most truthful self. "I love that."

Amy lifted her head, only to find a mischievous smile upon his groggy face. "You love what?" she whispered back.

"Your nose. The tip wiggles when you laugh. Like a rabbit."

Amy's smile faltered as a strange, airy feeling warmed her chest, the words she spoke of last night echoing within her ears. For a second, she thought he would say something else. She shifted and pushed that thought away instantly. She would not allow herself to ruin the moment. "Well, I love the way your eyes wrinkle when you smile."

Alan let out a soft huff of a laugh through his nose and his arms tightened around her. Amy continued to stare up at him, admiring the man she laid with. Lately, he seemed so exhausted and troubled, like he had the weight of the world hanging over his head. He didn't seem like that now. He looked so unbothered and fulfilled. Amy would give anything to remain like this, wrapped in his arms alone as the world and its troubles simply passed them by. However, she knew these moments could never last for long as they both had their responsibilities.

"What time is it?" Alan grumbled and she sighed.

"Ten past seven."

Alan shifted, though he did not get up. Thankfully, Amy thought to herself, he still seemed only half awake and she hoped they could both simply go back to sleep. "We'll have to get up soon, we have a plane to catch."

"A plane?" she questioned, her brow scrunched, though a smirk still played on her lips as she believed this was simply more sleep babble.

"Yeah, we're leaving for Isla Sorna."

First, Amy froze. Her blood ran icy cold through her veins, making the world around her come to a slow halt. Then, she was out of the bed and standing across the room shouting. "What the Hell are you talking about?" she cried out, causing Alan to startle and he shot up in bed.

"What?" he mumbled and rubbed his eyes, trying to regain his understanding of the situation. He probably had no clue what he had said, but it had been said.