The dark paneled walls are slowly closing around me. The stench of cheap cologne and a failed justice system fill my nose.
"We the jury find the defendant, not guilty."
My head sags in bereavement, as cheers erupt from the opposite side of the court room. A familiar hand pulls my hollow shell from the hard backed chair and away from the mocking stares.
As I'm pulled from the room, I give one final glance over my shoulder and meet the gaze of a repulsively triumphant Jason. He slowly smiles at me, the corners of his mouth mirroring the Cheshire cat.
My eyes become glued to the menacing stare, unable to look away. I feel my chest become heavy, incapable of taking in necessary breaths. Jason's smile continues to widen, and his eyes begin to expand. My heart races with a mixture of overwhelming fear and an all-consuming rage.
Life floods my lungs before releasing the most dauntingly visceral sound my body has ever produced. Ripping my body from the grips of comfort and straight into darkness.
My eyes snapped open from the fever ridden dream as frantically fought to regain a sense of cognizance. My breathing felt erratic, my skin covered in a sheen of sweat.
Just a dream...a very bad dream.
I rubbed the back of my neck, peeling the damp hair from my skin. Sleep had been evading me, stress and anxiety taking its place. Jason's trial was only a week away and I'd been a nervous wreck for days.
To top it all, I gotten the flu. I began to feel it that night at Eddies, after the party. That uncomfortable tickle in my throat, the slight ache in my bones. I shook it off, disregarding it as exhaustion from a long, exciting day.
The next day however, my head was foggy, and I felt like I'd swallowed barbed wire coated in gasoline. My bones felt like they were between vice grips, and the amount of pressure I felt in my sinuses was enough to end it all.
I heard the front door open and close before the familiar heavy footsteps entered my bedroom. Eddie was wearing his well-loved Black Sabbath concert tee and grey sweatpants with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder.
The second his bourbon eyes met mine, his face fell with sadness.
"Hi" I croaked.
Jesus, I sound like just chain smoked a carton of Newport's.
"Oh no" Eddie sighed.
"I'm not gonna lie to you, Ed's. I think I'm dying."
"Like hell you are. Come here" he muttered, making his way to my bed.
I threw my hand up, pressing it against his hard chest. "No. I don't want you to get sick."
He scoffed and shook his head, causing his mocha waves to crash around his chiseled jaw. "Allison Reed, if you think a little snot is gonna keep me away from my girl, you obviously don't know me as well as I thought you did."
Eddie softly touched the back of his hand to my forehead, cheeks, and neck. The chill of his rings, like ice on my fevered skin.
"You're burning up. When's the last time you had any medicine?"
I watched in admiration as Eddie pressed his tongue to his upper lip in concentration, carefully measuring out my dosage. He had several mannerisms he did on a regular basis, but this one I found particularly endearing. I felt the corners of my mouth twitch upwards as he handed me the tiny plastic cup, filled with the precise amount of unpleasant liquid.
"What?" he asked, noticing my grin.
"You're cute" I whispered, unwilling to force a louder volume through the soreness.
A soft shade of pink danced across the bridge of Eddie's nose. "Flattery won't get you out of taking this, sweetheart."
I pouted and blew raspberries. "Fine, but can I at least have a chaser?"
"Already on it, princess" he replied, handing me a bottle of Gatorade. "No excuses."
I groaned and threw back the foul syrup, frantically chasing it down, and pleading with my stomach to keep it there. "So dramatic" Eddie teased, throwing himself down on the bed beside me.
I tossed an empty box of tissues at his annoyingly perfect head. "Shut it! I'll remember that the next time you get sick" I added, "Which will probably be within the next week since you insist on being nurse Eddie."
"Say you wouldn't be doing the same thing if the tables were turned?" he smirked, raising from the bed to move my damp hair from my face.
"I guess you're right" I resigned, leaning into his palm.
"Let me help you, baby." he whispered, rubbing small circles into my cheek.
"Run me a bath?"
Eddie's POV
I held my fingers against the running water, testing the temperature. I didn't want to risk raising her already elevated temperature, but also didn't want her to freeze to death. I added a couple capfuls of bubbles, lit one of the candles by the sink, and made my way back to Ali.
She had removed her oversized pajamas and spilled into a plush robe. Her nose was rubbed raw, and her hair thrown into a disheveled, messy bun on top of her head. She looked absolutely pitiful. Stunning...but pitiful.
I took her hand and led her to the bathroom. The air now warm and steamy from the running water, and the tub nearly overflowed with bubbles.
"Shit!" I sputtered, quickly turning the silver knobs to a close. Ali giggled, wasting no time to face the tub and slowly remove her robe.
Though I had seen her body numerous times before, I still felt the familiar lump of nerves form in my stomach each time. Something about knowing she felt comfortable enough to bare it all...body and mind, sent my heart into overdrive.
I cleared my throat and quickly turned my head, a small and incredibly difficult effort to maintain and my gentleman complex.
She's sick, Munson.
With her back still turned, she slowly submerged her body beneath the opaque cloud of white suds. I quietly cursed myself for adding one too many capfuls of bubbles as Ail released a small sigh, closing her eyes, and relaxing her body into the water.
"Want me to wash your hair?" I offered, any excuse to be near her.
Without opening her eyes, she shook her head and hummed "Mmhm."
I couldn't withhold my foolish grin, nor the twitch of excitement in my jeans as I knelt to the hard linoleum floor.
In attempt to stay dry, I reached for the hem of my shirt, pulling it over my head, and tossing it onto the counter. As I turned back, I noticed Ali staring at my exposed skin. I felt a smirk cross my lips as she quickly closed her eyes again, sinking further into the water.
"I added too many bubbles" I complained, teasingly swatting at the mounds of foam. "I can't see a damn thing."
Ali playfully slashed me. "Edward Theodore Munson!"
I threw my head back, laughing loudly at her use of my full name. "Oh, don't give me that! If you get to ogle, so do I."
We grew quiet again as I began to lather Ali's sweetly scented shampoo into her hair. Her eyes were closed, head completely relaxed, and lips slightly parted. I fought against every one of my senses pleading for me to lean down and kiss her.
She's just so beautiful.
"I wish you could see yourself through my eyes...Just once" I muttered.
"Ditto, Ed's" she whispered, glancing down at my guitar pic necklace that had begun to submerge itself. She grasped it with her delicate finger, pulling me into a warm wet kiss.
I felt my entire body tingle with relief from the crown of my head to the tips of my toes. I was so deeply in love. So much so, that it physically hurt. An intoxicating, delicious ache that I craved every second of every day.
After her bath, Ali felt strong enough to get herself together so that I could answer the door. Admittedly, the knock couldn't have come at a better time. I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep my hands and thoughts to myself.
Dustin and Steve stood in the living room with what looked like a weeks' worth of groceries sagging from their arms. Ms. Henderson made her famous chicken noodle soup, as well as insisted on going to the store and picking up additional essentials like tissues, cough drops, vitamin C supplements, and Vick's Rub.
"How's she doing?" Steve asked.
I sighed and ran my fingers through my tangled main. "With the flu or the trial?"
He shrugged his shoulders, giving me a sympathetic look "Both."
"Well...we haven't talked much about it, but I can tell it's there...worrying her" I replied, feeling a knot of guilt in my stomach.
I've noticed it there for days, slowly eating away at her mind. Ali insisted she didn't want to talk about it, and therefore I've respected her wishes. I'd given myself numerous ulcers from biting my tongue so often. I wasn't sure how much longer I could stand by and watch the worry consume her.
"I talked to my dad about it. He says the lawyer seems to be confident" Steve added.
Soon after the series of events took place, and it was obvious we'd need legal support...Steve stepped in. With his family being well known and wealthy, his father was more than willing to recommend a heavily endorsed lawyer. Mr. Harrington also offered financial assistance as well as genuine sympathy and concern for everyone involved in the matter. Even Steve was surprised by how willing he was to help.
I ran my hand across the back of my neck. "I hope so, man."
Dustin had been uncharacteristically quiet since their arrival. Without a word he threw his arms around me, squeezing me tightly. I felt the sting of tears threaten my eyes. It was almost like Dustin had a six sense. Other than Ali, he was the only other person that could read me.
"She's going to be okay, Eddie" he mumbled into my chest.
I hugged him back tightly, clearing my throat and messing up his Thinking Cap hat. "Thanks, Henderson."
Dustin and Steve said their goodbyes, and I fixed Ali a bowl of soup before heading back to her room. Her golden hair had almost completely air dried, soft waves flowing down her back. She wore one of my old sweatshirts that I'd left here, so oversized in nearly came to her knees. She sat at the edge of the bed sliding on a pair of fuzzy socks.
"Only you could have the flu and still be fine as hell" I teased.
She let out a small, scratchy laugh. "Thank you, but I definitely don't feel fine" she replied hoarsely.
I winced, despising her discomfort as I sat the tray of food on her nightstand. "Try and eat something. It will help."
I carefully helped her back into bed, adjusting the mountain of pillows behind her so that she was in a comfortable position.
"Jesus Christ your hands are freezing. Let's get you back under the covers" I insisted after feeling the chill of her skin against mine.
Once tucked snugly beneath the comforter, she wiggled her hips and asked. "Is this Ms. Henderson's infamous chicken noodle soup?"
"Mmhm" I replied, slowly sliding the tray in front of her. "I'm genuinely convinced it has healing properties."
"Are you saying she's some sort of dwarf cleric, neutral and good?"
I'm certain my jaw brushed the floor, as I processed what she had said. If I'd had a ring, I would have proposed right then and there.
Ali giggled, pressing a finger to my chin, closing my mouth, and placing a spoonful of soup into hers. "What? I listen."
I love her. So fucking much.
"I'm totally telling Henderson you called his mom a dwarf" I laughed.
After Ali finished eating, I made sure she had everything she needed before climbing under the covers with her. I wrapped my arm around her as she sweetly nestled her head to rest against my chest, waiting for her medicine to kick in.
"Read to me?" she whispered.
"Anything for you, sweetheart" I replied, grabbing her copy of The Return of the King. I removed the photo strip from the fair that Ali used as her bookmark and began to read. Cradling her body, I ran the fingers of my free hand through her silky hair. She soon became still, and her breathing heavy.
I placed the bookmark back at the beginning of the chapter, knowing she'd make me start over since she'd fallen asleep. I then reached up, turning off the bedside light, and pressing her tighter to my side.
"I'm never letting you dance in the rain again" I muttered into the top of her head.
"Try and stop me" she lazily quipped as we both fell into peaceful, much needed sleep.
A/N: There is absolutely no purpose to the chapter other than I really wanted to write Eddie as a caregiver. With less than five chapters left in their story, I just needed to add a little fluff! I hope you all enjoy.