With Love...

16: One Show At A Time

JoJo walked into the boy's dressing room to see Josh doing some crazy trick as the other boys cheered him on.

" What are you doing?" JoJo crossed her arms like a disappointed mother.

" Nothing." Josh smiled.

" Uh-huh. Let's not break ourselves five minutes before curtain." JoJo shook her head.

" Okay MOM!" Nick shouted. Ben walked over to JoJo, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

" Hi." She smiled.

" Hi." He grinned tiredly.

" You okay?" She turned in his arms.

" Just tired." He nodded, kissing her forehead. She lifted her hand up, feeling his forehead.

" Ben, you have a fever." She stated.

" Just warm in here." He shook his head.

" Then why do you have goosebumps?" She tapped his arms.

" Because..."

" Ben, don't make me get Meredith." JoJo warned.

" I'm fine. I'll rest tomorrow." He stated.

" Fine. Just please drink at least your entire water bottle before you go on stage." JoJo said.

" I will." He nodded as they got called for places.

-INTERMISSION-

" Ben." JoJo rushed in the hallway to see him sitting on the floor, forehead against his knees.

" Oh, hey JoJo." He tried to look better than he felt.

" Uh-uh, you aren't fooling me." JoJo wagged her finger as she knelt in front of him.

" You really aren't looking good, babe." JoJo placed her hand on his cheek, surprised by how warm he felt.

" I'm fine." He gently pushed her hands away.

" I can't be on for the first act and not in the second." Ben stated.

" Bet." JoJo stood.

" No." Ben grabbed her hand.

" Please." He begged, giving her the look that he knew would break her.

" Fine but, take some medicine." JoJo sighed.

" Do you have any?" He asked.

" No but, Meredith will." JoJo began to turn on her heel but was pulled back again.

" Either, I go talk to Mer. Or I don't let you on stage." She said sternly. He sighed in defeat.

" Okay." He released her hand.

JoJo jogged down the hall to her dressing room.

" Mer, do you have Advil?" JoJo asked.

" I have acetaminophen." Meredith produced a bottle of pills from her bag.

" Why?" She asked before she gave JoJo  the bottle.

" Ben's sick and he's being stubborn so I told him he either takes something or doesn't go on stage." JoJo sighed.

" He shouldn't be going on." Meredith shook her head. 

" I know but, he can't be on stage for the first act and not in the second." JoJo  said.

" Fair point." Meredith nodded.

" Here, give him two. They should take about 15 minutes to activate." She handed JoJo the bottle.

JoJo jogged back down the hall to see Ben still sitting there, water bottle in hand.

" Take two." She passed him the bottle. He did as told, not looking too happy about it.

" Ben, I'm only being so intense about this because I don't want you to get hurt. Please, if you're hurting, I'm hurting." She leaned down a bit to meet his eyes. He took a moment before looking at her.

" I know Jo but, I know my limits. And I know I can be a bit stubborn but, I need you to trust me." He said.

" I know, I'm sorry." She looked down.

" Don't be sorry. I'd be the same way if you were sick." He shook his head.

" I love you." She looked at the interlocked fingers that had somehow found their way to each other.

" I love you so much." He smiled.

" But if you go on stage again when I tell you not to, I will tie you to a tree." She threatened playfully. Ben chuckled lightly, leaning his forehead against her's.

" I don't doubt you for a second." He smirked.

Ben went on stage, feeling more lively than before. JoJo didn't let him do stage door. The next day, JoJo woke feeling awful and Ben stayed with her all day.