Feeling the warmth of the sun on her face Beth slowly tries to stretch only to relies she couldn't go far. She had forgotten where she was but quickly remembers. She had been with Justin the whole night keeping an eye on him and making sure his fever didn't get to high. Cocking her head a little bit Beth smiles as Justin starts to stir.
Sitting up as he does Beth gives a stretch now that she can. Her back was a little stiff from sleeping in the same position but it was worth it being able to keep her eye on Justin.
"Morning, and you shouldn't be going anywhere. Your still sick. You should be resting still."
Seeing Justin shiver again Beth takes the blankets and puts them back on him lifting them up to his chin. Tucking it in around him a little more she gives a smile.
"You are sick. You've been sick all night thats why I am here. Let me go make you some tea and a little breakfast I'll be right back."
Following Kip into his room Karla sinks down on the bed with him. She wished he would of eaten a little more but if he didn't want to than he couldn't be forced. Karla was also thankful that she had been given permission to stay here the night with Kip. She didn't want to leave him. Not now with everything that was going on.
"Hey, I bet your own bed is gonna feel good tonight."
Giving a little smile Karla cocks her head to try and look at Kip's face a little more. Seeing the tear in his eye though Karla's smile fades a little and heart breaks even more. Scooting back on the bed so she was behind him she softly drapes her arm over him holding him close to her while her other hand plays with his hair.
"It's going to be ok Kip. I promise you its going to be ok. Shhh....we will get through this, I wont let you face the dark alone."
Looking to Kyle once the rest of the room clear Alice gives a smile. She was tired, but never to tired to shair time with Kyle. Seeing the glazed glint in his eye she could see he was tired too. They had all had a long say with stress and worry that just seemed to make it worse.
"I'm ready whenever you are babe!"
Coming over to Kyle Alice slips her arm around his wast. It wasn't often they showed a lot of affection around others but this was one of those days that was just not like the norm. A little extra comfort was ok, and needed to mend broken hearts.
12/2/10
Unable
Being drawn closer to Beth, Justin doesn't resist. He was too weak in mind and body to fight anything at all, so he simply leans into her, trying to soak up any comfort she had to offer. He'd felt so alone this whole time... he no longer had the strength to continue on his own.
His shouts of agony subside, though the tears continue for a while longer. Just keeping his head resting against Beth and feeling her arm around him seemed to help form a shield in his mind - a shield to protect him against the torrent of mental attacks. Soon, the tears begin to slow as well until once more, his breathing has calmed and his body's rocking has ceased. Exhausted and drenched in sweat, there's not much else Justin's body can do but give in to sleep again.
So sleep he does, still leaning against Beth, oblivious to the time of night or anything else going on.
The rest of the night is only interrupted once more by a less frightful nightmare without the tears. It's enough to wake Justin and cause him to have another slight panic attack, but it doesn't take him long to calm down once more and sleep again, still close to Beth...
...The morning sun peeks just over the horizon, sending red-orange light across the sky. Mellow beams of light stream in through the living room windows, creating a warm glow. Justin stirs and tries to open his eyes, though his mind was still trapped in what felt like a thick layer of cobwebs. What time was it? Come to think of it, what day was it? He really had no idea.
Moving a little, it surprises him to find that there's a warm body under his head. Then he realizes that it's Beth and they were both lying on the couch. His head was near her shoulder and one arm was draped around her, the blanket keeping both of them warm. When had she gotten there? Had she been there all night? How? Why? His head hurt too much to try and figure it all out.
Though his fever had gone down a few times, he could feel it was still high, making his whole body ache. He didn't even want to move. There was something he needed to do though, he was sure of it. Something he'd forgotten... something...
"I gotta get up," he comments lethargically. "Too much to do... Bein' fine to go and up..." He furrows his brow, knowing that whatever he'd just said made no sense at all, but he really had no idea what he'd been meaning to say anyway. "You know what I mean."
Feeling a chill, he shivers and burrows himself into the back of the couch a little deeper. "I must be sick," he muses.
The lights were still on at Gram and Gramps, and Gram appears at the door, smiling and waving for Alice to come in. Once inside together, she explains that she and Gramps knew about Kip and were waiting up for the others to get here so they could make sure Kip was okay and settled.
It was only a few minutes later when the other two cars finally arrive. Erik parks by the curb and glances to the backseat. "We're home, Kip," he mentions gently.
Kip had been half asleep and nods lamely but takes a few moments to actually sit up. After not moving for several hours, his body hurt even more, and he almost wishes he could just stay in the car all night. His gaze drifts to Karla in the dark but he doesn't say anything. He manages to get himself out of the car, and Erik was right there to help him.
Walking slowly up the sidewalk, Kip leans on Erik, his bandaged arm wrapped around his ribs and his sights making sure Karla was still there, too. The porch steps were agonizing, but he bites back the pain. Once they're inside, part of him was relieved, and part of him was not. Though he glued his gaze to the floor, he could feel pairs of eyes on him, making this whole thing even more uncomfortable.
Turning from her place at the window, Gram puts a hand over her mouth, tears glistening in her eyes at the sight of Kip. Kyle had told her what happened, but she still hadn't been prepared for him to look this bad. He hadn't been living here all that long, but already he was like a grandson and her heart went out to him. "Oh, Kip..." Approaching him slowly, she reaches out with a gentle hand to lay on his shoulder. "Your room is all ready for you, and I've got some tomato soup keeping warm on the stove."
Kip swallows hard, feeling his emotions starting to churn again. He'd just felt the wrath of hate, and now the love he was being shown was almost too much to handle. Bravely, he lifts his head to look back at Gram. "Thank you. I... I think I just want to go to bed."
Gram nods knowingly. "Well, if you change your mind, I'll be up for a while, okay?" She looks back to Karla and gives her arm a loving squeeze. "It's fine if you want to stay here the night," she offers. Her eyes told that she knew how close Kip and Karla were, and she trusted them both - in this situation, neither her or Gramps would object if Karla wanted to stay near overnight.
Erik fiddles with the keys in his hand, wanting to stay but knowing that Kip would prefer to be left alone. "You gonna be alright?"
Kip nods numbly.
Erik didn't believe him, but he returns the nod. Heading for the door, he gives Karla a look that said he would probably be up for a while yet too, so if anything happened, he wanted her to call. It was better if he left though - any pressure and Kip wouldn't take it well.
Hearing the door open and close, Kip's eyes lower again and he starts slowly for the hallway and towards his bedroom. He didn't say anything to Alice or to Gramps on his way... he just wanted to get away from everyone else. Reaching his room, he eases down on the edge of the bed. Though his line of sight was on the floor, he knew that Karla had followed him, and could sense her eyes on him. A tear wells up and trickles down his battered face and he sniffs, unable to hold it all in any longer.
Kyle had come in behind the others and just stood back out of the way, wishing there was more he could do. When Kip and Karla are gone from the living room, he gives his grandma a grateful look. "Karla will see to it he's okay," he assures. "He's just gonna need a little time I think."
Gram nods sadly. "I just can't imagine... it's just..."
"Yeah."
She sighs. "Well, I'm going to make some hot tea." When she heads to the kitchen, Gramps is on her heels.
Left alone with Alice, Kyle finally looks to her, his eyes giving away that he was pretty worn out from the long day. His lack of smile was unusual. He maybe wondered if he should go home and go to bed himself, but his mind was still pretty active and he'd rather unwind first. "Ready for coffee?"
Hearing Amanda's voice, Reese tenses. He sat on the edge of the easy chair in his living room, and quickly reaches for the television remote to mute the sound. Amanda's tone indicated stress, and her initial words made his shoulders sink. They'd known Hope had very little time left, but it was still a blow.
He's just about to reply when Amanda continues. Shocked, Reese's eyes widen, his jaw dropping. They'd all been praying for Hope, but even so, this kind of response was certainly not what anyone had really expected. A little chill runs down his spine and he closes his eyes, overcome with thankfulness. "Praise the Lord," he breathes. "That is wonderful, wonderful news. Thank so much for calling me, Doctor Fuller." Completely overwhelmed, he really didn't even know what else to say. "I know she'll have visitors tomorrow - me included. In the meantime, if you talk to her, let her know we're overjoyed and we'll see her soon."
Ending the call, Reese just sits and stars into nothingness for several moments until he finally folds his hands, leaning to rest his elbows on his knees. "Thank You," he whispers. It had been too long since anything had gone right, and this was some of the best news he'd ever received. He hadn't been all that close to Hope, but she'd been a part of his team, and a vital one at that. Having thought about losing her... it had been heart-wrenching. "Thank You so much."
His shouts of agony subside, though the tears continue for a while longer. Just keeping his head resting against Beth and feeling her arm around him seemed to help form a shield in his mind - a shield to protect him against the torrent of mental attacks. Soon, the tears begin to slow as well until once more, his breathing has calmed and his body's rocking has ceased. Exhausted and drenched in sweat, there's not much else Justin's body can do but give in to sleep again.
So sleep he does, still leaning against Beth, oblivious to the time of night or anything else going on.
The rest of the night is only interrupted once more by a less frightful nightmare without the tears. It's enough to wake Justin and cause him to have another slight panic attack, but it doesn't take him long to calm down once more and sleep again, still close to Beth...
...The morning sun peeks just over the horizon, sending red-orange light across the sky. Mellow beams of light stream in through the living room windows, creating a warm glow. Justin stirs and tries to open his eyes, though his mind was still trapped in what felt like a thick layer of cobwebs. What time was it? Come to think of it, what day was it? He really had no idea.
Moving a little, it surprises him to find that there's a warm body under his head. Then he realizes that it's Beth and they were both lying on the couch. His head was near her shoulder and one arm was draped around her, the blanket keeping both of them warm. When had she gotten there? Had she been there all night? How? Why? His head hurt too much to try and figure it all out.
Though his fever had gone down a few times, he could feel it was still high, making his whole body ache. He didn't even want to move. There was something he needed to do though, he was sure of it. Something he'd forgotten... something...
"I gotta get up," he comments lethargically. "Too much to do... Bein' fine to go and up..." He furrows his brow, knowing that whatever he'd just said made no sense at all, but he really had no idea what he'd been meaning to say anyway. "You know what I mean."
Feeling a chill, he shivers and burrows himself into the back of the couch a little deeper. "I must be sick," he muses.
The lights were still on at Gram and Gramps, and Gram appears at the door, smiling and waving for Alice to come in. Once inside together, she explains that she and Gramps knew about Kip and were waiting up for the others to get here so they could make sure Kip was okay and settled.
It was only a few minutes later when the other two cars finally arrive. Erik parks by the curb and glances to the backseat. "We're home, Kip," he mentions gently.
Kip had been half asleep and nods lamely but takes a few moments to actually sit up. After not moving for several hours, his body hurt even more, and he almost wishes he could just stay in the car all night. His gaze drifts to Karla in the dark but he doesn't say anything. He manages to get himself out of the car, and Erik was right there to help him.
Walking slowly up the sidewalk, Kip leans on Erik, his bandaged arm wrapped around his ribs and his sights making sure Karla was still there, too. The porch steps were agonizing, but he bites back the pain. Once they're inside, part of him was relieved, and part of him was not. Though he glued his gaze to the floor, he could feel pairs of eyes on him, making this whole thing even more uncomfortable.
Turning from her place at the window, Gram puts a hand over her mouth, tears glistening in her eyes at the sight of Kip. Kyle had told her what happened, but she still hadn't been prepared for him to look this bad. He hadn't been living here all that long, but already he was like a grandson and her heart went out to him. "Oh, Kip..." Approaching him slowly, she reaches out with a gentle hand to lay on his shoulder. "Your room is all ready for you, and I've got some tomato soup keeping warm on the stove."
Kip swallows hard, feeling his emotions starting to churn again. He'd just felt the wrath of hate, and now the love he was being shown was almost too much to handle. Bravely, he lifts his head to look back at Gram. "Thank you. I... I think I just want to go to bed."
Gram nods knowingly. "Well, if you change your mind, I'll be up for a while, okay?" She looks back to Karla and gives her arm a loving squeeze. "It's fine if you want to stay here the night," she offers. Her eyes told that she knew how close Kip and Karla were, and she trusted them both - in this situation, neither her or Gramps would object if Karla wanted to stay near overnight.
Erik fiddles with the keys in his hand, wanting to stay but knowing that Kip would prefer to be left alone. "You gonna be alright?"
Kip nods numbly.
Erik didn't believe him, but he returns the nod. Heading for the door, he gives Karla a look that said he would probably be up for a while yet too, so if anything happened, he wanted her to call. It was better if he left though - any pressure and Kip wouldn't take it well.
Hearing the door open and close, Kip's eyes lower again and he starts slowly for the hallway and towards his bedroom. He didn't say anything to Alice or to Gramps on his way... he just wanted to get away from everyone else. Reaching his room, he eases down on the edge of the bed. Though his line of sight was on the floor, he knew that Karla had followed him, and could sense her eyes on him. A tear wells up and trickles down his battered face and he sniffs, unable to hold it all in any longer.
Kyle had come in behind the others and just stood back out of the way, wishing there was more he could do. When Kip and Karla are gone from the living room, he gives his grandma a grateful look. "Karla will see to it he's okay," he assures. "He's just gonna need a little time I think."
Gram nods sadly. "I just can't imagine... it's just..."
"Yeah."
She sighs. "Well, I'm going to make some hot tea." When she heads to the kitchen, Gramps is on her heels.
Left alone with Alice, Kyle finally looks to her, his eyes giving away that he was pretty worn out from the long day. His lack of smile was unusual. He maybe wondered if he should go home and go to bed himself, but his mind was still pretty active and he'd rather unwind first. "Ready for coffee?"
Hearing Amanda's voice, Reese tenses. He sat on the edge of the easy chair in his living room, and quickly reaches for the television remote to mute the sound. Amanda's tone indicated stress, and her initial words made his shoulders sink. They'd known Hope had very little time left, but it was still a blow.
He's just about to reply when Amanda continues. Shocked, Reese's eyes widen, his jaw dropping. They'd all been praying for Hope, but even so, this kind of response was certainly not what anyone had really expected. A little chill runs down his spine and he closes his eyes, overcome with thankfulness. "Praise the Lord," he breathes. "That is wonderful, wonderful news. Thank so much for calling me, Doctor Fuller." Completely overwhelmed, he really didn't even know what else to say. "I know she'll have visitors tomorrow - me included. In the meantime, if you talk to her, let her know we're overjoyed and we'll see her soon."
Ending the call, Reese just sits and stars into nothingness for several moments until he finally folds his hands, leaning to rest his elbows on his knees. "Thank You," he whispers. It had been too long since anything had gone right, and this was some of the best news he'd ever received. He hadn't been all that close to Hope, but she'd been a part of his team, and a vital one at that. Having thought about losing her... it had been heart-wrenching. "Thank You so much."
No longer here...
Lost in her own dreams Beth wakes with a start as Justin starts to twist and turn in bed. Doing her best to try and keep her arms around him so try and show she was still there is was hard. As Justin bolts up on the couch Beth can't help but jumps a little moving to sit on the edge of the couch herself. She'd never delt with this or helping anymore before and it scared her a little. What if she did something wrong? What if she didn't do enough?
Watching just and not moving for a moment it was almost like she was frozen. Though her own mind took hold and reminded her of the time when her own nights were filled with dreams and shouts as she woke. Justin's words had sounded so close to her own she could only wonder what was going on inside of him.
Not wasting another moment longer Beth figured something was better than nothing and friendship was the key to almost anything. Just to know someone really was there for you could be a help. Sliding next to Justin a little closer Beth slips her hand around his shoulder and pulls him a little closer to her.
"Ok, I'll see you in a bit than."
Getting off the phone with Kyle Alice gathers a few things together and lets Twila know she is leaving before heading out into the chilly night. It would be a nice drive and not take to long to get to Gram and Gramps.
...Pulling into the driveway twenty minutes later Alice shuts the care off and puts the keys into her pockets. It had been a few days since she had seen Gram and Gramps that even if Kyle wasn't here yet it was ok.
"Mr. Reese, this is Amanda Fuller. Sorry to call you at home but its about Hope Garrison."
Amanda stood in the nurses station papers. Tears filled her eyes and it was hard for her to even talk. Even if you didn't know the person well when something like this happened tears could just not be helped.
"Hope is no longer with us in the critical unit..."
Pausing for a moment Amandra didn't let the silence linger to long knowing her choose of words was not the best but the truth.
"We moved her down to the recovery unit. She woke up about five hours ago and the only sign she was ever sick is how weak she is. Some test were run and there is no sign of any cancer in her body anymore."
Holding the papers up in front of her once more Amanda looks over them for the tenth time just to make sure she herself was reading it right. Something like this didn't happen in the medical field every day.
"I can't explain it, and by all medical terms this is not possible. But knowing who has our backs I have to say God had his hand in this whole thing. Hope will still have to stay with us for a while so we can keep and eye on her and she can continue to recover but the storm is over. She can have visitors tomorrow if anyone wants to come and see her."
Watching just and not moving for a moment it was almost like she was frozen. Though her own mind took hold and reminded her of the time when her own nights were filled with dreams and shouts as she woke. Justin's words had sounded so close to her own she could only wonder what was going on inside of him.
Not wasting another moment longer Beth figured something was better than nothing and friendship was the key to almost anything. Just to know someone really was there for you could be a help. Sliding next to Justin a little closer Beth slips her hand around his shoulder and pulls him a little closer to her.
"Ok, I'll see you in a bit than."
Getting off the phone with Kyle Alice gathers a few things together and lets Twila know she is leaving before heading out into the chilly night. It would be a nice drive and not take to long to get to Gram and Gramps.
...Pulling into the driveway twenty minutes later Alice shuts the care off and puts the keys into her pockets. It had been a few days since she had seen Gram and Gramps that even if Kyle wasn't here yet it was ok.
"Mr. Reese, this is Amanda Fuller. Sorry to call you at home but its about Hope Garrison."
Amanda stood in the nurses station papers. Tears filled her eyes and it was hard for her to even talk. Even if you didn't know the person well when something like this happened tears could just not be helped.
"Hope is no longer with us in the critical unit..."
Pausing for a moment Amandra didn't let the silence linger to long knowing her choose of words was not the best but the truth.
"We moved her down to the recovery unit. She woke up about five hours ago and the only sign she was ever sick is how weak she is. Some test were run and there is no sign of any cancer in her body anymore."
Holding the papers up in front of her once more Amanda looks over them for the tenth time just to make sure she herself was reading it right. Something like this didn't happen in the medical field every day.
"I can't explain it, and by all medical terms this is not possible. But knowing who has our backs I have to say God had his hand in this whole thing. Hope will still have to stay with us for a while so we can keep and eye on her and she can continue to recover but the storm is over. She can have visitors tomorrow if anyone wants to come and see her."
Stop it
Kip opens his one eye to see the buzzing chicken nugget and he smirks a little. If it were anyone else, he'd be upset and assume they were making fun of him, treating him like a little kid. But he knew Karla was just trying her best to get him to eat. He also knew that if he didn't give in, she'd be even more worried about him, and he didn't like doing that to her.
After a little sigh, he pulls himself up to sit, trying to ignore the pain as he leans against Karla. Reaching over he takes the chicken nugget and nibbles on it slowly. It hurt to eat. His lip was still tender and his jaw was sore. But he couldn't deny that the chicken tasted good, and his stomach was indeed grateful.
Erik watches in the rearview mirror, pleased that Karla had gotten him to eat at least a little. She had a way with him, no doubt. They had started out with Kip finding purpose in helping out Karla - now she was helping him. Who knew the purposes God had from the beginning?
By the time the food was gone, Kip had eaten two nuggets and sipped a little bit on the milkshake. It wasn't much, but it was enough to settle his stomach for a while. Lying down again, he wouldn't sit up for the rest of the ride home, falling in and out of sleep as they drove.
"Yeah, I'll let you know when we're in town." Kyle is quiet for a moment as he drove, smiling at Alice's final statement. "I love you too," he replies softly. "I'll drive safe - no worries."
Ending the call so he really could be safe on the road, he keeps driving behind Erik, hoping that his friend in the front vehicle was doing alright. Kyle really hadn't had a whole lot of time to sit and think about this situation, but now as he drove alone, it was starting to bother him. He wasn't as close to Kip as the others were, simply because he hadn't known him as long. But he was certainly a friend, and they'd really clicked, as far as personalities and interests went. It burned Kyle up inside to think about what Kip's father had done. And they still didn't even know why. It didn't matter though... Kip's father's actions were inexcusable.
Realizing he was gripping the steering wheel quite tightly, Kyle loosens his grasp a little. He'd lost his father that had been so caring and loving. Kip's dad was still around and he was a monster. Why did things have to be that way?
It was that question that plagued him on the drive back home. As they entered town though, he had a nice distraction as he had to call Alice once more. "It's me again," he greets cheerily. "We're gonna be at Gram and Gramps in about fifteen minutes and we'll have to get Kip settled in. You can meet us there if you want."
Justin relaxes under Beth's touch and though his eyes are closed, his lips turn up into just a slight grin. "Always a first.... for everything," he mumbles groggily.
Pulling the blanket up a little more, he stays where he is as long as Beth seemed willing. He was too sick to care about being proper or ultra careful.
Falling sound asleep, he's unaware of just about everything. Even when woken for some more tylenol, he wouldn't remember a thing, falling right back to sleep as his body tried to combat the sickness and his mind tried to combat his emotional war. It wasn't until the middle of the night when the nightmares return, running rampant through his imagination.
He was a kid again, but not really, though the surroundings were those of when he'd grown up and everyone else was young like when he'd been a child. He was with his family part of the time, but part of the time it was people he didn't know. As the dream shifted and turned, his father was killed, though this time he was witness, standing back to watch the car collision. Someone to his left began to mock him, taunting him and laughing, reminding him that it was because of him that his father was coming home early. It was because of him that the accident had happened. Justin tried to fight it off, telling the man he was mistaken. Then he was at the funeral, staring into the casket at his father, so still. His brother came up beside him and began to shout at him, blaming him and telling him it was all his fault. His mother stood behind Jared, glaring at him, agreeing with her eldest son. Justin backed away from the casket, overwhelmed, angry and guilt-ridden. No...no... it wasn't me. It wasn't my fault. No... Stop it... stop it...
Thrashing about on the couch, blankets tangled and twisted, Justin's hand had somehow found Beth's wrist, putting it in a vice grip as he mumbled incoherently. Sweat poured down his face and neck as he fought against an unseen enemy.
In a final effort to wake up, he shoots up, letting go of Beth. "Stop it!" he shouts. Putting his head in his hands, he rocks back and forth, trying to rid his mind of the horrible images. "Just stop it!" Tears spring into his eyes and a sob catches in his throat. "I didn't do it," he insists as he cries. "It wasn't my fault... it wasn't my fault." Rocking and crying, his mind is trapped in a fever-induced fog while his emotions tried to sort through his past trauma. Any witness who was not aware of what had happened recently would have no idea what was tormenting him so badly. But his surroundings were lost in the fog as he desperately tried to claw out of the nightmare.
After a little sigh, he pulls himself up to sit, trying to ignore the pain as he leans against Karla. Reaching over he takes the chicken nugget and nibbles on it slowly. It hurt to eat. His lip was still tender and his jaw was sore. But he couldn't deny that the chicken tasted good, and his stomach was indeed grateful.
Erik watches in the rearview mirror, pleased that Karla had gotten him to eat at least a little. She had a way with him, no doubt. They had started out with Kip finding purpose in helping out Karla - now she was helping him. Who knew the purposes God had from the beginning?
By the time the food was gone, Kip had eaten two nuggets and sipped a little bit on the milkshake. It wasn't much, but it was enough to settle his stomach for a while. Lying down again, he wouldn't sit up for the rest of the ride home, falling in and out of sleep as they drove.
"Yeah, I'll let you know when we're in town." Kyle is quiet for a moment as he drove, smiling at Alice's final statement. "I love you too," he replies softly. "I'll drive safe - no worries."
Ending the call so he really could be safe on the road, he keeps driving behind Erik, hoping that his friend in the front vehicle was doing alright. Kyle really hadn't had a whole lot of time to sit and think about this situation, but now as he drove alone, it was starting to bother him. He wasn't as close to Kip as the others were, simply because he hadn't known him as long. But he was certainly a friend, and they'd really clicked, as far as personalities and interests went. It burned Kyle up inside to think about what Kip's father had done. And they still didn't even know why. It didn't matter though... Kip's father's actions were inexcusable.
Realizing he was gripping the steering wheel quite tightly, Kyle loosens his grasp a little. He'd lost his father that had been so caring and loving. Kip's dad was still around and he was a monster. Why did things have to be that way?
It was that question that plagued him on the drive back home. As they entered town though, he had a nice distraction as he had to call Alice once more. "It's me again," he greets cheerily. "We're gonna be at Gram and Gramps in about fifteen minutes and we'll have to get Kip settled in. You can meet us there if you want."
Justin relaxes under Beth's touch and though his eyes are closed, his lips turn up into just a slight grin. "Always a first.... for everything," he mumbles groggily.
Pulling the blanket up a little more, he stays where he is as long as Beth seemed willing. He was too sick to care about being proper or ultra careful.
Falling sound asleep, he's unaware of just about everything. Even when woken for some more tylenol, he wouldn't remember a thing, falling right back to sleep as his body tried to combat the sickness and his mind tried to combat his emotional war. It wasn't until the middle of the night when the nightmares return, running rampant through his imagination.
He was a kid again, but not really, though the surroundings were those of when he'd grown up and everyone else was young like when he'd been a child. He was with his family part of the time, but part of the time it was people he didn't know. As the dream shifted and turned, his father was killed, though this time he was witness, standing back to watch the car collision. Someone to his left began to mock him, taunting him and laughing, reminding him that it was because of him that his father was coming home early. It was because of him that the accident had happened. Justin tried to fight it off, telling the man he was mistaken. Then he was at the funeral, staring into the casket at his father, so still. His brother came up beside him and began to shout at him, blaming him and telling him it was all his fault. His mother stood behind Jared, glaring at him, agreeing with her eldest son. Justin backed away from the casket, overwhelmed, angry and guilt-ridden. No...no... it wasn't me. It wasn't my fault. No... Stop it... stop it...
Thrashing about on the couch, blankets tangled and twisted, Justin's hand had somehow found Beth's wrist, putting it in a vice grip as he mumbled incoherently. Sweat poured down his face and neck as he fought against an unseen enemy.
In a final effort to wake up, he shoots up, letting go of Beth. "Stop it!" he shouts. Putting his head in his hands, he rocks back and forth, trying to rid his mind of the horrible images. "Just stop it!" Tears spring into his eyes and a sob catches in his throat. "I didn't do it," he insists as he cries. "It wasn't my fault... it wasn't my fault." Rocking and crying, his mind is trapped in a fever-induced fog while his emotions tried to sort through his past trauma. Any witness who was not aware of what had happened recently would have no idea what was tormenting him so badly. But his surroundings were lost in the fog as he desperately tried to claw out of the nightmare.
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