Around and around we go

Chapter 9 - Jared

My Person was here. She came back to me.  

I woke up with my arms wrapped around a wonderfully curvy figure, my head resting on the most ample chest I've ever had the pleasure of resting on. It took me a moment to realize where I was and who I was with. She had changed so much since I last saw her, I almost didn't believe it when she crashed into me.

When my brother had exploded into my room earlier, claiming that she was here and that he must be losing his mind, I didn't believe him. He was drunk and higher than a fucking kite. I kicked him out of my room and back to the harem he had brought with him.

The only thing we've ever REALLY fought about was her. I banned him from ever speaking to me about her. He lost the right to even mention her name after what he did. But at the end of the day he was still my brother, so we both put aside this piece of contention and moved on with life. He chose to hit the booze and drugs even harder than before, while I hid in my work.  Lately though, he's been a little more out of control than I've ever seen him. I seriously don't know what to do with him anymore.

I had laid awake beside the lady of the evening, sleep evading me like the mother fucker that it was. I'm not really sure how I ended up in that stairwell.  I needed somewhere quiet to think, where I could be alone. I sat down and began working out a plan on how to deal with Shannon and his issues, when she body slammed me.

I couldn't believe it.

Shannon wasn't hallucinating, he was right. I might owe him an apology for telling him off earlier.

I lift my head and see that she's still asleep, her one hand lightly tangled in my hair, the other with a bag of now mostly melted ice resting on it.

Aw poor Nat, always hurting herself.

I reach over and lift off the bag to see that her wrist is now a nasty shade of purple and is still very swollen. I inhale sharply at the sight, this looks like it needs a doctor. This causes her to rouse lightly, and she rolls over on her side so her back is now pressed up against my chest. I can't help but pull her in closer to me, holding her tighter without waking her. Her little body moulds perfectly into mine. I breathe in her sweet scent, taking in as much of her as I can. It's almost time for us to get up and go our seperate ways for the day. I move the arm that's wrapped around her to run my fingers up her arm, cursing the fabric that is preventing me from touching her soft skin. I had this indescribable need to be in direct contact with her at all times, like she might disappear completely if I couldn't touch her. Leaving the suite to go find my phone was the longest 5 minutes of my life. I was worried I was actually dreaming and that I'd wake up when I tried to get back into her room. But the door unlocked, and she was still there. If this was a dream, I did not want to be woken up.

EVER.

I start humming gently as my hand traces up around her shoulder, tucking her hair back I kiss her neck lightly and she stirs with a little moan and pushes herself into me further.

Think unsexy thoughts.

THINK UNSEXY THOUGHTS.

She stretches her arms and legs out in front of her with another moan that was half delight, half disgust at being woken up. She pulls her arms and legs in to form a little ball of Natalie.  She rolls over so she's got her face snuggled into my chest and just sighs with contentment as I wrap my arms around her once again. Smiling down at her I kiss the top of her head and push the hair from her face. She opens one perfectly green eye and smiles up at me. 
"Good morning sleepyhead." 
"MMMhhhmmmmm" is all she can manage. Even though we just met the sun and this was just a nap, she's still not a morning person. Then, like a bolt of lightning, she's sitting straight up, looking at me incredulously.

"OH MY GOD! JARED!?!? JARED! You're actually here?!? I thought that was a dream!!!! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!" And she shoves my shoulder so hard, I'm surprised by her strength, and I fall back. I don't have a chance to react as she jumps on me, wrapping her arms and legs around me in a big bear hug. Burying her face in my neck she's laughing. Pure, joyous, laughter. I wrap my arms around her back and laugh too. 

"Yes, I'm here! YOU'RE here!!! I can't believe YOU'RE here Nat!" 

She's just nodding, her face still buried in my neck, but then that nodding turns into shaking her head side to side and she's making a move to get up off me. I refuse to let her up, wrapping my arms tighter and pinning her down on top of me. I could feel her begin to go into full blown freak out mode.

"No.. No... Jared.. No!...oh god! Where is he? He's here.. I saw him...he saw ME... I can't do this...I can't...No..."

"Shhhhhh Nat, it's ok, shhhhhhhh just breathe. I'll take care of it. Don't worry love, it's just you and me right now. I've got you, I won't let anything happen to you. I promise...sshhhhhh"

I try to calm her down, rubbing her back with one hand and cupping the back of her head with the other. Her hyperventilating stops a lot sooner than I thought it would, so I loosen my hold on her. She looks up at me with tears falling down her cheeks and my heart breaks for the millionth time; I've never been able to handle her tears. 

"Nat, listen to me," I wipe the tears from her cheeks with my thumb. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Please don't cry." 

She stares at me, with a rare expression that I'm unable to read, for what feels like an eternity. Terror grips at me. What is she thinking about? Is she going to leave now? Every fiber of my being is screaming at her to stay with me. To let me protect her like I wasn't able to the last time. 
"Nat? Say something..." 

With a sniffle, she nods and rests her head back down on my chest. 
Our peace lasted only a few moments, as both of our phones started ringing at almost the exact same moment. I reach around her, not wanting to have her move away from me just yet, and grab both phones. 
"Nat... why is Emma calling you?...how...?"

"huh? I dunno...gimme that.." and she all but snatches her phone away like she's hiding something. I check who's calling me as she answers Emma's call. It's Shayla... Sigh, time for the day to begin. 

We both sit upright immediately as both Emma and Shayla are telling us the same thing. I can see my look of terror reflected in her own shocked expression. 

Something had happened to Shannon.