Faithless. ~2~

5

When I wake up again, we're finally in the next place, I have a moment of blissful grogginess, and snuggle as close to Cam as I can get. Then, I have a flood of memories hit me, and all I can think about was his lips on my body, kissing me every where but my lips. I remember the feeling of fire coursing through my veins, the feeling of my lungs expanding quickly as he moves down my body. 
"You okay?" Cam asks, his voice still thick with sleep. "You got all stiff?" 
"Just thinking." 
"About?" 
"You." I kiss his neck and sit up to look down at him. "I'm going to go get food and get changed. When do you want me to meet you?" 
"Anytime you want." He lets me go and hands me my burrowed sweatpants. "But remember-" 
He's cut off by a very annoyed voice, coming from another bunk. "These bunks are paper thin, you know." Danny says. "I can hear every filthy word you two whisper."
"Danny." I say in as scolding in a tone as I can muster. 
"Don't 'Danny' me." 
There was the sound of flesh hitting flesh, then Dawn says. "We've literally heard Ben, and June, say worse." 
"This is true." Ben's voice sounds next. "And heard James say worse to June." 
"Leave me out of this." James says, followed by the sound of him getting out of his bunk.
"I'm never hearing the end of this." I say as I get out of Cam's bunk and pull on Dawn's sweatpants, then make my way to the back. "Sam, care to chime in?" 
"James," he says, poking his head out of his bunk to look at the drummer in question. "You like it rough and kinky, you ever ask June not to wear panties?" 
Ben sticks his head out of his bunk to look at James. I look between them and cross my arms over my chest, giving a small, knowing smile. 
"I umm.. I will not answer." 
Cam then pokes his head out with a big grin. "But by not answering, you're answering the question." 
James sighs and lets his head hang. "Yes, I did." He steps aside as I slip passed him and into the back lounge, but I can still hear everything he's saying. "It was my birthday, and she said she'd do it." 
"Hey! Cam, your birthday passed." Ben says as I tug my dress back on. 
"I don't need a birthday to get kinky." Cam says as I step out of the back lounge. 
"Well, I'll leave you boys to sort this one out." I lean up on my toes and kiss Cam's cheek. "I'll see you later." 
"See you." He takes me by the hips and gives them a gentle squeeze as he pulls me against his chest. I can feel my head swim as his breath hits my face. I need to get a handle on that. Otherwise, I might accidentally fall for him. But haven't you already? Asks a voice in the back of my mind. I shrug it off as Cam tilts my chin up and peppers my face with kisses. 
I giggle quietly as I give him a gentle push. "I've gotta go, I have to tell Andy and everyone that I'm alive." I give his cheek one last kiss before I turn on my heal and leave the bus. 
I didn't have to look hard for the Black Veil Brides bus, it was only two buses away from the Asking bus. And across from both of them was the MDE bus. I don't need to walk all over the place to get to all of my favorite people. 
Fighting off a smile, I open the BVB bus door and walk inside. CC is the first person I see, and I suddenly remember that I was too busy getting groped to answer his texts. And then I realize that I probably look like I've had one Hell of a one night stand. 
"Ella." 
I blink and give an awkward smile. "Hey, sorry I didn't answer your texts. I was sleeping and watching American Horror Story." 
"It's fine, you don't have to explain yourself to me, Sunshine." He gives me his usual bright smile. "Did you have a nice night?" 
"Yeah, I had a really good night." I throw my bag into the bunk. "I just slept. But it was a good sleep." 
"That's good." 
"Is it only us in the bus?" 
"Yeah, they're off getting real good." 
I nod slowly as I go into the back of the bus to get changed. I throw on a tank top and flannel over some shorts and take a moment to brush out my hair and braid it. I don't think I'll be wearing this when I see Cam tonight. 
"We have sound check later, you coming along?" 
"Of course I am." 
"That's good." He turns to look at me as I come out of the back lounge. He wipes his hands off on his jeans as he looks at me. "Hey, Ella?" 
"Yeah?" 
CC gestures towards the couches. "Can we talk?" He looks sort of panicked and awkward, and I can tell that he wants to talk about what he said last night. 
"Sure," I sit down and cross my legs under myself. I wasn't ready for this conversation, I haven't even thought about what I would say. 
"About what I said last night..." He trails off as he sits down across from me. "I know it was weird, but-" 
"You didn't really mean it?" There's a part of me that feels disappointed by the thought, but the other, bigger half hopes that he didn't. My life will be so much easier if he tells me he didn't mean it. 
"No," he says, his eyes now staying trained on his hands. It's almost as if he was ashamed of himself. "I meant every word of it." 
I slump back in my seat and feel my breath rush out of my lungs. Hours ago, it was easier to convince myself that CC was drunk, that he didn't mean it, that I could go on my merry way with Cam. But this... this changes everything. I raise my head to look at him. "How long?" 
"A few months." He says as he finally raises his gaze to mine. "I know it's weird, I know I shouldn't. But I can't stop thinking about you." 
"CC..." I don't know what else I can say. I feel like my whole world has been changed, my life will become more complicated mow. "I don't know what I should say." I think about all of the moments I had been near him recently, how my body reacted to him holding me close, it doesn't give me the same feeling Cam did. CC's touch was soft and tender, like he was worried I'd crack under the pressure. But Cam... he touched me like he was sure I can handle anything. 
"I can tell that you're confused." He says as he gets up from his seat and sits down beside me. "I know that you have something going with Cam, and I just want you to be happy." 
"I know." I stand up and press a hand to my forehead while the other rested on my hip. "I can't do this right now." 
"I know, I just-" 
"I don't think you know," I say as I now rest both of my hands on my hips. "You've put me into a position where I have to choose, and that means that either hurt one of you, or all of us." 
"Ella-" 
The bus doors open and the rest of the band comes into the room. I quickly plaster a smile on my face. No one else needed to know about the impending internal conflict, not now anyway. Hopefully, never, but that would be asking for too much from the Universe. 
"I knew I made the right call when I got your usual." Ashley says as he holds a McDonalds bag. "Sausage McMuffin and a mocha frappe." He hands me the large cup. "Figured you'd need the energy after-" 
Both Andy and I very loudly clear our throats. The fact that they all thought they knew I had a sex life, despite me not having one, was embarrassing enough. I didn't need them making jokes about it too. I sit don at the table to eat my food. "Thanks, Ash." I look around at the group as I sip my mocha. "So, when's sound check?" 
"In ten, so each quick and take your drink to go." Andy says as he gives me a gentle smile. "You doing okay? You look kind of pale?" 
"Oh yeah, just feeling tired." I take my phone out of my back pocket and check my texts with Alex, Shannon and Damon. They all had seen me leaving the Asking bus moments before my world came crashing down around me. "Would it be alright if Alex, Shannon and Damon tag along? We have some video planning to do." 
"Sure, I don't see the harm." Andy says as I quickly scoop up my food and drink and leave the bus. Alex, Shannon and Damon were already outside of the MDE bus, and we trail behind the guys as we walk and talk. Shannon and I share my coffee, easily passing it back and forth as we went along. 
"So," Alex says as she looks at me. "You and Cam got all touchy feely after your dinner with CC?" 
"And this was after CC basically told you he'd like to do dirty things to you?" Damon asks as he adjusts the beanie on top of his head. 
"Yup." I say as I take the coffee from Shannon. "And Cam wants me pantiless tonight." 
"And CC wants you... in general." Shannon sighs as she looks ahead of us and at CC. "This is dramatic." 
"I don't think I'm gonna choose." I say as I look down at my drink. "I can't hurt either of them." 
"But not choosing hurts all of you." Damon says, not at all helpfully. 
"Feel like that's easier." 
"But do you really wanna hurt them?" SHannon asks, her voice very serious. "You'll just be proving yourself right." 
"I'd rather prove myself right than hurt Cam or CC." I sigh heavily as we reach the stage. As the guys got ready to do their sound check, we sit on the edge of the stage and dangle our legs over the edge. "Though, I guess in this case, I'm doing both." 
"I don't think that's wise." Damon says as we look over Warped, watching tents and things get set up for the next few days. "I think you should go for Cam." 
"Why? Because every time I'm near him, or even talk to him, I feel high?" Judging by the looks on their faces, that is exactly why I should choose Cam. "That... yeah, that's why." 
"And you haven't known him your whole life." Alex says, her voice gentle as we all turn to look at CC. "He's basically your brother. He's right, he shouldn't want to have you like that." 
"Yeah, I'm with Alex on this one." Shannon says as she turns to face Warped again. "It's totally weird that this is even a thing your considering." She reaches over to rub my shoulder. "You choose one, only one of them will get hurt, but choose neither, and you'll lose both of them. And, more importantly, you'll hurt yourself." 
The four of us sit in silence as I think all of this over. Pick one, hurt one. Pick none, and I lose them both. I sigh heavily as I start to get up. "Maybe I'll get lucky and some sort of divine intervention will save me from making choices right now." 
And those are my last words before I slip and fall off of the stage. I land with a hard and painful thud, I had landed awkwardly on my wrist and I can't tell if it's broken or not. I groan as I roll on to my back. 
"I was joking." I mutter as I hear my friends call my name, or call for Andy. "But thanks, God. dI appreciate you coming through." 
Suddenly CC's face appears over mine, blocking out the sun and the sky above me. "Don't move your head, Sunshine." He says. "The first aid people are coming." 
"My neck feels fine."  I mutter as I reach up to wipe my nose. My fingers come away stained with blood. "You've gotta be shitting me." 
"Yeah, I don't think so." CC says as he moves aside as the EMTs come into the scene. 
I close my eyes and stay still as they do their job. All things considered, this could be worse. I could have died, or maybe gotten permanently disfigured.
+++
Cam's POV:   

As I'm playing COD with Dawn and Danny, my phone start to ring. I quickly get to my feet and leave the back lounge, smiling down at my phone as I did. It's Ella calling me. 
"Hey, Love." I say as I answer the phone. 
"Hey, Cam." Says an unfamiliar female voice on the other line. "This is Alex, I'm one of Ella's friends from My Digital Escape." She sounds nervous on the other end, her voice is shaking. It makes me feel anxious and scared. 
"Did something happen to Ella?" 
"Yeah, she's on the way to the hospital. She fell off of the stage during BVB sound check earlier." Alex explains. 
"Her exact words were 'divine intervention'." Says another voice. This one is male. "Hi, Cam. I'm Damon." 
"Hey, what's this about divine intervention?" I ask, clearly confused. I'm still taking in the information of her being in the hospital. When I've gathered my bearings, I ask. "Is Ella going to be okay?" 
"Yeah, she just has a few broken ribs." Alex explains. "She's just getting a check up to make sure she's not concussed or something." 
"That's good." I grab my wallet and shove it into my pocket. "Can you send me the address for the hospital?" 
"Yeah." Alex says, then clears her throat. "And Cam?" 
"Yeah?"
"Her favorite flowers are orchids." Alex says before she hands up. 
I look down at my phone for a few seconds, waiting for the text that tells me where she is. "Hey, guys, Ella's in the hospital." I say once I get it. "She fell off a stage during sound check. I'll be back soon." 
"Shit, is she okay?" Ben asks as he looks up from his phone. 
"Yeah, they're just checking for a concussion." I pat my pockets down to make sure I have everything I need. "I'll be back soon." 
"Mate, you don't have to explain." James says, giving me a knowing smile. "Go. She needs you." 
I remember the days we had spent in hospitals with June, how beside himself he always was when she'd overdose or anything else. Of everyone in this bus, he knew the most of how it feels. 
I nod and leave the bus. I have to make sure that my Ella is okay. 
+++
CC's POV: 

In the hospital, Ella doesn't look very happy to be getting all of the special attention. Every now and then, she'd look at the door, as if she's expecting someone. Not someone. Cam. She has to be expecting Cam. 
"CC," Alex says from the doorway of the waiting room, her arms crossed over her chest as she fought off a smile. "Ella has another visitor, but he's having a hard time getting a visitors badge." 
"Who is it?"
"It's Cam."  
I look at Ella and her whole face lights up, even if she did try to hide it, I still see it. Clear as day. She's never, ever, looked at me like that. Feeling jealousy surge through me, I leave Ella's waiting room and toward the front desk. Cam was standing there, holding a small bundle of red orchids in one hand, and a dalmatian plush in the other. Was it from 101 Dalmatians? 
"Cameron," I say as I approach. Maybe I should've tried to sound less pissed off and jealous on the way to the desk. I sigh as I slowly, but finally, let it go. "She's waiting for you." 
Cam raises an eyebrow at me and stands in a more defensive position. "You don't sound too happy about that, Christian." 
"I'm not." I take another second to calm my nerves. I can't stop thinking about her face, she was so happy at the thought of seeing him "But..." I let my head hang. "She's wants to see you. Her face lit up like a God damned Christmas Tree when Alex said you were here." 
He now raises both eyebrows, this time in surprise. "That doesn't sound like our Ella." 
"No, it doesn't." I agree. "But you're doing something that I could never hope to do." I jerk my head toward Ella's room. "Keep her safe, okay?" 
His gaze softens to one of understanding, and he nods. It's in this moment that I realize we understand each other, our priority will always be making sure that she's safe and sound, that she is happy. And for some unknown reason, he does that. He makes her happy. 
"I promise." He says.
I nod toward the lady at the front desk and he's finally let through. As Cam walks into Ella's room, Alex joins my side. "I saw what you did there." She says as she watches them with me. "Taking the high road so that she can be happy." 
"She told you, huh?" 
Alex nods slowly as she looks over her shoulder at Shannon and Damon. "She told us everything... and you're right, you shouldn't want her like that." 
"I know." I slowly sit back down and run my hands through my hair. "I'm trying to shake it, Alex." 
"Well, making her go through Hell choosing between you guys isn't the best way of doing that." She nods the rooms the room, and we could both see that she was laughing and smiling as she and Cam talk. "She's happy, CC." 
"So, I have to let her go?" 
"Yeah, otherwise... you'll both lose her." 
I watch Ella again. I knew her well enough to know that she's rather not choose anyone, to make a clean break and try and move on. Moving on from Cam would hurt her way more than moving on from me would.
"You think she'll be happy with him?" 
"I know she will be." 
Andy joins us and hands us both a cup of shitty hospital coffee. He turns his head to look what what we're watching, and I see him give a small smile. "You guys ever see her smile like that?" He asks as he sits down with us. 
"No." Alex says as she takes a sip and grimaces. "Ugh, that's fucking disgusting." 
"I haven't seen her smile like that in a long time." I say, and take a drink of the coffee as well. It tasted burnt and watery. I make a similar sound of disgust. "Holy shit." 
"Gross right?" 
"Very gross." 
But all Andy can do is watch Ella and Cam. "Maybe I was wrong about keeping her isolated for so long." 
"Yeah, I think you're right about that." I agree as I set my cup down. 
My little ray of sunshine was finally starting to brighten up. I'm just a little disappointed that it wasn't going to be me basking in it.