Permanent Vacation // 5SOS

09. Tess

Oh man. I had the weirdest dream. The twits were in it. Damn. That's what being around weirdos does to me. Ashton was pretending to be a nurse, Luke was poking his head in the doorway every few minutes before vanishing again, Calum was on the phone nearly the whole time and Michael was all jittery and nervous. Weird, I know.

I open my eyes and blink slowly. I don't even remember falling asleep... Come to think of it, I can't really remember anything before that either. There's a steady thumping in my ears, and Cody's head's on my lap with Lucifer near her. Wait, who's legs are those?

Oh fuck.

I must've had another memory relapse. But why can't I remember it this time? And who the fuck am I lying on?

I keep my breathing even and try not to move as I look around, trying to figure out what happened. Peter Pan's playing on the TV. It's about halfway through. I guess we were watching that then.

But that still doesn't tell me who I'm lying on. This is fucking ridiculous.

Actually, now that I'm looking around, I can see that I've got one arm draped over my sister, and the other hand is wrapped around the idiot's arm. Damn I hate when I get clingy.

I wonder if this is similar to what a hangover feels like.

The thumping gets faster slightly and I realise that it's a heartbeat, and that it's not my own. Oh shit. I close my eyes again quickly and pretend to be asleep just as whoever it is starts moving.

The arm I've been holding onto for who knows how long now moves, shaking up and down slightly to get my grip to loosen. I would just let go, but when I sleep I have a death grip so I can't just suddenly relax or he'll know I'm awake.

Suddenly I'm being gently lifted, then lowered again seconds later. This time my head comes to rest on a stack of pillows. Damn. Whoever this is knows how to be nice, so it can't be Calum or Michael.

I 'wake up' in time to see Ashton grabbing a blanket and laying it over my sister. A second one's under his arm, presumably for me.

"Ashton?" His name escapes my lips before I can stop it. Curse you, tired brain. His eyes meet mine and I was expecting shock or maybe caution, but his expression is one of the most tender, caring looks I've seen in a long time.

"Go back to sleep Tess." He says softly, lifting my injured arm for me and laying the blanket in such a way that I won't be hurt.

"What happened?" I ask, not really thinking about it properly before asking.

"Not now. You need to rest and you're sister's sleeping." He says. His tone is so authoritative that I want to do as he says but I'm too caught up on what might've happened. What I might've said.

"Please, Ashton. I need to know. I'm really not tired anyway, and Cody can sleep through anything." I try to play up the whole "I'm injured, poor me." Thing but he doesn't seem to buy it. Suddenly his expression changes to one of stubborn decisiveness.

"Look, I'll tell you about it later, I promise, but I need sleep too. I have a gig tonight and you need to be awake for the doctor." He says before leaving. What doctor? I would just ask him but he's clearly not in the mood.

I try to get back to sleep like Ashton suggested, but I can't. The bus isn't moving anymore and my brain's too awake. I can't stop fidgeting. Fuck. I guess I'll get up.

I somehow manage to get off the couch without waking up Cody, and Lucifer's still purring softly beside her head. I walk over to my suitcase to get a jumper, but a piece of red fabric catches my eye.