Shields- A Tom Hiddleston Fanfiction

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The hotel room is dark because I'm too damn lazy to get up and turn the lights on. My mind keeps going to the day's events. I wonder if Holly will be able to sleep. She had been so excited for me, she was literally bouncing everywhere.

"Oh, my GOD!!!!! You met Tom freaking Hiddleston!"

"I don't think that's his middle name." I grinned at her a little, but she sensed my reluctance.

"What happened?"

I pulled out the paper, showing her the number on it. "He gave me his number. He said he would enjoy having tea with me some time." Holly's brown eyes locked with my blue ones, and she immediately knew what I was doing.

"Aaaaaaalice." She'd whined, leaning forward. "You have to drop that shield of yours. You have to put John in the past." I flinched at the mention of the name and abruptly changed the subject.

Now I sit in the dark, not doing much of anything. I reach over to where I had dumped my camera and backpack. I pull the camera close to me, and turn it on. Immediately, I flip to the pictures I had taken. I sigh as I look at my face. I look a bit nervous, but my smile is genuine.

"How much of me is genuine anymore?" I mutter, sitting up. I continue to flip through the pictures, stopping at the picture of the man.

The picture is on a beach back in America. The man is grinning happily. His green eyes smile at the camera. He has a muscular build , and the gray t-shirt reveals his abbs. His shorts show off his legs bronzed from the sun, he has a sandal tan, and his dark hair has highlights.

"John." The word comes out as a whisper and I am shocked to find that I'm crying. A tear rolls down my face and lands on the bedspread.

No! Stop crying! Put that behind you! But this only makes the tears come faster, and soon, I am just a hunched, puffy-eyed, tear-stained mess. I curl up on the bed, taking in deep breaths of air.

"Never let them see you cry," I say to the empty room. "If you do cry, do it where there is no one else, because if you have to trust someone to help you through it, then you open yourself up for more hurt."

I turn off the camera, and set it on the bedside table, resting my head on my arm. What kind of messed up morals do I have? I find myself thinking. This is the stupid stuff that gets you stuck in a rut.

I laugh bitterly, letting out a heavy sigh. "Too late to change that now."

Exhausted, I let myself drift off to sleep.

And with sleep comes dreams.

"Alice! Hey, Alice!"

I look up from the crab I am taking a picture of and see John jogging down the beach. I stand, straightening my yellow beach dress after taking a few quick pictures, smiling at the man in front of me.

"What's up?" I ask as John comes forward, wrapping his arms around my waist and gently bringing me to him. He bends down and kisses me lightly and I laugh a little, locking my hands around the back of his neck.

"The sky?" John mutters between kisses. I pull away, an eyebrow raised.

"Really, dad jokes? Already?"

John chuckles and tangles his hands in my long hair, combing through the caramel-colored strands with his fingers. I reach up and cup his face lightly, feeling a few days-worth of stubble on his chin.

John hums lightly, bringing his forehead down to rest on mine. I close my eyes and just stand there, at peace with the whole world.

"I love you," John murmurs, running a hand down my back.