Stay With Me

chapter 12

                              *Will*

Jem looks worse than I did, I should have sucked it up and gone with him, maybe if I had, he'd be conscious right now. I look over at him. He really looks awful and I feel like crying and screaming and throwing things, but I don't have the energy for that, so I just bury my face in the pillow and cry.

                            *Tessa*

I rub Will's back and stroke his hair.

"Shh, Will, don't cry, he'll be Okay."

"This is my fault." He sounds miserable. 

"No it's not."

"Yes it is, I wasn't there and now he's hurt."

"Will, You're sick, There's no way you could have gone out there."

"I should have just sucked it up, I should have gotten up and gone with him."

"Will, stop, this is not your fault, Okay?  Accidents happen, and...."

"William?" Jem sounds really weak.

"James." Will gets up and goes to where Jem is lying.

"Don't blame yourself, it's not your fault."

"I'm going to draw an izrate rune. is that Okay with you?"

"Anything to stop this pain."

                             *Jem*

"Now that you've taken care of me, it's my turn to take care of you." I look over at Will who's slumped on the couch, fighting sleep.

"No, Jem You're still too weak, I'll be Okay. I'll just go to sleep."

"No, I'm Okay, and I'm taking care of you."

"If you insist, I'm too tired to argue."

He mumbles.  I go over to the closet and get a blanket.

"Lie down." I cover him up.  "Do you need anything?"

"An extra blanket? I'm really cold. And more pillows? Please."

"I'll be back."  When I come back, Will is asleep. I cover him up and place the pillows under his head. I sit in the chair because I feel dizzy. I see a folded piece of paper with my name on it. The note reads:

"Jem, So I just wanted to say, thank you. For everything. And with everything that has happened the past five weeks, I've learned something, and that is, no matter what happens, we'll always be there for each other, it's almost like we're married, but we're not, because I'm married to Tessa, but you get the point." I smile and look over at Will's sleeping form. He may be hard to handle, too sassy for his own good, and arrogant, but I don't know where I'd be without him.