Danger Zone

Chapter 31: "Here Comes The Rain Again"

Tom had just woken up because his phone had buzzed: McQ had been trying to get a hold of him. "Hate to disturb you in whatever you're doing, but you need to give me a call. It's urgent!"
He freed himself from Jules's embrace and went to the living room, as he didn't want to wake her up.

"So, what is it?" he asked.
"Bad news, we need to reshoot a whole scene and you need to be there for it. You think ...?"
That didn't sound good at all. He pulled a face. "How long do you think you need me for?"
"A week, maybe one and a half. Hopefully." Short pause. "And you need to get here as soon as possible. As in, preferably yesterday."
"Shit."

In that moment, Jules came out of the bedroom, still a bit sleepy, her hair still totally ruffled. She knew immediately that something wasn't okay. She looked at Tom, tilted her head and waited for him to finish his call.
When he was done, he looked at her: "Bad news, babe, I need to fly out asap." He quickly told her what was going on, and of course neither him nor Jules were in any way or form excited. "You think you can survive without me for a week, ten days maximum?"
"I mean, we've gone without seeing each other for longer periods of time before..."
"...but that was before we were a couple", he finished her sentence.
Jules sighed and pouted. Just when she had gotten used to fall asleep in Tom's arms, he had to leave her. "Yeah ...well ..." A single tear trickled down her cheek.
"Hey ..." He lifted her chin and looked at her. "I know, it sucks, but maybe it's also a test for us to see how strong our relationship already is? And if you really can't bear it any longer, let me know and I will fly you in." He kissed her. "I love you, Jules."
"I love you, Tom", she replied, but still felt sad that she would have to let him go again for a while.

Tom got ready to fly out again, only packing light, and making sure that he sprinkled the hoodie with his aftershave, as he had promised Jules. He also grabbed her t-shirt and one of her caps before they both left for the airport. Jules felt all over the place. She didn't want to let him go, and could only barely avoid the crying fit at the airport.
"Ich liebe dich", she whimpered, clinging onto Tom.
He cupped her face with his hands and looked deep into her eyes. "You got this, babe. I will be back sooner than you know, okay? I believe in you ...in us. We can do this!"
"I miss you already and you haven't even gone through security yet", she sniffed, her eyes wet.
Tom pulled her in an even tighter hug and held her close to his body. "I'll call you every day, okay? I know, it's not the real deal, but still better than not talking at all." He caressed her face and kissed her.
She looked at him, her eyes still wet. "Just ...please take care of you, okay? I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
"I will. Love you!"
"Love you!"
One last kiss, and Tom had to head to his gate.

Jules shoved her hands into her pockets and was completely done with everything. She scuffed all the way to the train stop to go back home to her loft, her tears flowing. She felt as if a very important part of her had been ripped out. Yes, they would only be apart for a couple of days, but she already felt lonely and incomplete without Tom. She plonked down, took out her phone and texted Nora: "Can you come over in a bit?"
"Uh oh", Nora only thought. That didn't sound amazing at all, and she already feared for the worst. Namely, that despite their young love, Jules and Tom had gotten into another fight and broken up once and for all this time around.

Jules was sitting on her couch, arms around her legs, chin resting on her knees, and staring into nothing. She was snuggled into Tom's hoodie, but it didn't help anything. She was heartbroken even though they were still a couple.
The moment Nora had arrived, she saw that something was missing. Or better, someone. "Wait. Where's Tom?"
"Back on set. They need to reshoot a scene, and well ... for now, I am a grass widow. He's only gone for a couple of hours, and I miss the shit out of him." She swallowed hard, and her tears kept flowing.
"Oh sweetie ..." Nora put an arm around her friend and did her best to comfort her. "How long will he be gone for?"
"A week to maybe ten days. We try to see it as a test how strong our relationship is, if we can manage somehow, but when I tell you that I am about to have a breakdown, I ain't even remotely lying."
"Understandable, Julesy." She looked at her. "You two are just so adorable together. Of course you miss him."
"More than that. I need him." She hung her head. "I never thought I'd ever feel this way again, and then I meet Tom and everything changes. Having to let him go again, even if it's just for a reasonably short amount of time, hurts more than I ever imagined!"

"Made it to the UK and already miss you like Hell. Can't wait to hold you in my arms again. Love you forever! :-*" Jules sighed when she had read his text. Nora looked at her friend and tilted her head. "Tom?"
Jules only nodded. "It's empty without you. I need you here... <3" She clenched her jaw. "Nora, I have no words HOW much I love him! And I want him back. Now."
"Julesy ..." Nora hugged her bestie tightly. "I am here for you. Always."

Later, when Jules went to bed, she found a little note on her pillow: ICH LIEBE DICH! <3
"I don't deserve you, Tom ..." she muttered and texted him "Good night, my lover. Ich liebe dich!" A single tear rolled down her cheek, and she prepared herself for a lonely night. The first one since she and Tom had become a couple. And just like she had done back when he had visited her for the first time, she rolled over to his side of the bed. Because that was what it was – his side. In their bed. It had become way too big for her alone.

Nora had just come in with some pizza when Jules's phone rang. "Your man?"
"Hey babe", he greeted Jules.
"God, I miss you ...and still some days to go!"
"I miss you, too. But looks like we really should be done soon now, and I'll be back."
"Where you belong", Jules added. "It's fucking empty without you."
"I know", he sighed. "I miss falling asleep with you in my arms."
"Tell me about it!" She paused for a moment. "Fortunately, my Ride or Die is with me a lot, otherwise, I'd go nuts here because I miss you so much ... It's actually unhealthy how much I miss you."
"I love you, babe."
"I love you, too." She sighed. "Next time, I am coming with you, that's for sure."
"Haha, yeah, I am kicking myself for not taking you with me!" He looked at her. "Then again, maybe it is a good thing in the long run that we're sort of separated right now, so that we won't get too used to each other too early in this? Yes, it hurts, but ..."
"Good point!" Nora mouthed, and Jules nodded. "Yeah, who knows? But still, I am counting down the days when you're back here."
"Okay, sweetie, I gotta run now. But rest assured, I love you more than words can say."
"Love you, too. Bye!"

"Why is he so goshdarn adorable?" Jules asked Nora after she had hung up.
"Because that man is head over heels for you, Julesy." She grinned. "Just like you are for him!"
"I am so going to kiss him until I am blue in my face when he's back!"
"You two lovebirds, seriously!" Nora said with a grin and handed out the pizza slices.
"You know", Jules said while nibbling on her pizza, "when I slept with him for the first time, I knew for sure that he's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with."
"You sure?"
"Absolutely. He wants the same – spending his life with me." She smiled. "I wasn't even looking for love, and yet, I found it when I least expected it." She sighed again. "I ... everything just feels so good and so ...right... with him. As if he was sent by an angel as an atonement for the pain and the hurt I went through." She ran a hand through her bangs.
"Well, Julesy, all I can say is that I am more than happy for you. You deserve it!"
Jules grinned. "Remember the Phoenix shirt you and Nick had given me? SOMEONE decided it's his now. Because that is how he saved my number – Phoenix."
Nora looked at her, wide-eyed. "Are you kidding me?"
Jules shook her head. "Nope. He did that. Way before there were feelings, let alone love. He saw the phoenix on my helmet and decided it's my ID." She chuckled. "Have I mentioned that I love this absolute dork?"
Nora smiled and replied: "You guys really had to fall in love ..."

Meanwhile on set ...
Tom was about to really dive into the scene again, when Simon stopped him: "So, how's the girl?"
"Well, we're madly in love, and I can't wait to hold her in my arms again."
"She's got you really bad, didn't she?"
Tom just nodded. "I need her in my life." He grinned. "Look at this ..." he said and showed him the video of their skydive.
Simon smiled widely. "Looks like you got yourself an extremely amazing girlfriend."
"I did! That kiss during free fall was her idea, by the way." He grinned. "She's sassy, too."
"In as much?"
"She deadass said I was going to sleep on the couch if I didn't kiss her during free fall. Well ..." 
"You two", Simon replied and chuckled. 

"I want to breathe in the open air
I want to kiss like lovers do
Want to dive into your ocean
Is it raining with you?"