Britts Savior

Couches

Britt walked up the front steps of Alex's house concerned. He was going to pick her up from the airport but had cancelled at the last minute. Then when Jamie brought her back home they both could see the fact that his house looked dark and empty even though they both knew it wasn't.

It had been a month since her return and she had gotten used to him getting her at the airport or coming to a show that wasn't too far away. He had easily become friends with Toni and Jamie to the point where he was now the only man invited to their wine nights.

She knocked on the door getting nothing. Though she knew better than to just walk in for some reason her gut told her that day to do it. She walked in the house and it looked as dark as it did outside. There wasn't a single light on.

Ripley came running towards her. She gave a few scratches to the dog before following her. Britt was led directly to Alex. It took her a few blinks to realize that the sight in front of her was actually happening. He was curled into a ball on the couch, his head buried into the cushion, with what looked to be three blankets over top of his shaking body.

"Alex?" Her voice was hesitant as she moved closer to him. When he didn't move, she got more concerned. Carefully she moved to sit just above his head before her fingers lightly moved through his hair. "Alex?" She said again quietly when she noticed him stir slightly. Slowly his very tired eyes opened before they found hers.

"You didn't need to check on me." His voice was weak as he carefully adjusted so his head was resting along her lap.

"Clearly I did." She commented as her fingers continued moving through his hair. "What's going on Alex?" When he sighed and his face buried into her, she knew better than to force him to answer. As she noticed him start to shiver once more her free hand moved to run along his arm drawing another sigh from his body.

The two sat in silence for the longest time. Britt watched as he slowly fell back to sleep. As her fingers stayed in his hair her other hand moved from his arm so her fingertips could trace his features. For a second she saw his nose scrunch up before he completely relaxed. After the longest time she got a text from Jamie asking how Alex was doing. She however didn't have much of an answer.

Carefully Britt pulled her fingers away from his skin and grabbed her phone. She sucked in a breath as she felt him adjust. Just as she thought he was going to wake back up he did something else. He shifted closer to her before his nose buried into the clothes along her stomach. She quickly replied to Jamie, setting her phone down on the table next to her. Gently she adjusted before tucking her legs beneath her as her fingertips moved back to straying along his skin.

Just as Britt got comfortable her ringer went off, jolting Alex out of his sleep. She grabbed her phone answering it quickly as her hand gently ran along his side keeping him in place.

"What's up Toni?" She asked as her fingers gently moved to his hair drawing a long sigh from him as his eyes closed once more.

"Jamie told me about Alex. I wanted to see how he was doing." She looked down at him as her fingers threaded in his hair.

"He's...." Alex's eyes opened, meeting hers for a brief moment. Before she even realized what she was doing, her thumb moved to run along his cheek gently. His eyes closed before his forehead moved to rest back against her. "He's okay. I'm keeping an eye on him."

"Mhm...." Toni's words dragged on. "Just keep us updated."

"I will. I'll text you later Toni." She said as she saw Alex curl into a smaller ball his shivering returning once more. Her phone was hung up as her hand gently slipped to the back of his neck. "You're burning up Alex." She said before he nodded. "Have you taken anything?"

"I can't." His voice sounded rough. Her fingertips strayed along his scalp earning a sigh from him.

"Why not?" She replied softly. His eyes closed and his head tucked back into her.

"Because the only thing that'll help this is chemo and a bone marrow transplant." Britt went silent staring down at him in shock. "I need you to look after Ripley." Without even realizing it she nodded still unable to form words. "Britt...." When he paused she noticed his shivering had gotten worse. "W-would..." He cleared his throat as his voice cracked. "Could you keep me warm?" The request was simple but she knew it was a hard question for him to ask. His tired eyes hesitantly met hers before she nodded.

"Just move over a touch." He did as she asked before she carefully slid out from beneath his head. He adjusted slightly before she gently slipped between him and the couch. There was no hesitation from either of them as her arms wrapped around his neck and his face buried into her neck. "Is there anything else I can do to help you?"

"Not unless you can find someone to donate bone marrow." He commented before he felt her fingers begin to play with the hair at the base of his neck. A sigh escaped his lips as he buried more into her grateful of the heat she was giving off.

"I'm sure I could ask around." He shook his head.

"Don't. Nobody wants to go through that shit. My parents put my sister through it once and never again will I let anyone I know do it. It's painful enough for me but knowing that I've caused that same pain for someone else is just not something I ever want to go through again." She sighed. He was stubborn as always but she wouldn't fight him.

"Then what else can I do for you?" She felt his arms slip around her body and she nearly melted into his. He didn't need to answer for her to know what she needed from him. Ever so gently Britt's lips brushed along Alex's cheek before moving towards his ear. Her next words were spoken carefully.

"I'll be here Alex. Every step of the way."