Alisa didn't like the idea of visiting Hawthorne Island. Oren liked it even less. But there was no stopping now.
"Fine." Oren gave Avery a look. "I will arrange security for you." His eyes narrowed. "And only you."
Beside me, Xander jumped to his feet. "I object!"
"Overruled." Oren's reply was immediate. "We will be flying into a high-threat situation. I want at least an eight-person security team on the ground. We can't afford a single distraction. Avery is the package—the only package—or I will duct-tape all four of you to chairs and call it a day."
All four of us. I waited for Jameson to argue with Oren. Jameson Winchester Hawthorne had never sat out a race in his life. He wasn't capable of it. So why wasn't he attempting to negotiate with Oren now?
Jameson noticed something about the way I was looking at him. "What?"
"You're not going to complain about this?" I gave him a questioning look.
"Why would I?" he said talking to Avery but looking and smiling at me.
"Fine." Avery turned to Oren "I'll go alone."
Even after they left no one wanted to be the first to leave. Which left for a very boring time, Xander and Jameson were in some odd backwards version of putting together a puzzle. So, I did the sensible thing and chose to recline on one of the numerous couches and succumbed to a much-needed nap.
Jameson's Pov
As the room settled into a quiet lull, with Xander and I locked in a 'friendly' challenge, I couldn't help but notice Catalina's decision to take a nap on one of the couches. Her serene repose drew my attention, and a soft smile crept onto my lips.
"She looks so peaceful," I whispered to myself, my gaze lingering on her form. The chaos around us seemed to fade into the background as my thoughts became consumed by her presence.
Unable to resist I left Xander who was giving me a amused look and approached Catalina with a gentle expression, crouching down beside the couch. "Hey," I said softly, reaching out to brush a strand of hair away from her face. "You must be exhausted."
She stirred slightly, blinking her eyes open. "Jameson?" Her voice held a hint of surprise.
I chuckled, "Yeah, it's me. You looked like you could use some rest."
A small, appreciative smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Thanks. It's been a hectic day."
"You can say that again," I replied, sitting down beside her. The proximity felt comfortable, and I found myself wanting to share more than just the silence. Luckily, she did just that.
"You know, you surprised me back there."
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Surprised you? How?"
"I half-expected you to argue with Oren, to refuse to go alone," she explained. "But you didn't. You let go of the idea."
My expression softened. "Sometimes, you just have to go with the flow, right?"
She nodded, with a small smile. "You're full of surprises."
Her gaze met mine, and for a moment, the unspoken connection between us transcended the chaos of the situation. As I sat there, I couldn't help but wonder where this unexpected journey would lead us and what challenges awaited us on Hawthorne Island. I turned back to Xander, deciding to let Catalina continue her peaceful slumber.
As I settled beside him, I caught his gaze, and he was giving me an amused yet knowing look. "What?" I asked, curious about the unspoken communication in his expression.
Xander chuckled, shaking his head. "Jameson, my brother, you're not fooling anyone. The concerned, protective act? It's a dead giveaway."
I raised an eyebrow in mock protest. He didn't know about the kiss, about the promise I made to myself that I wouldn't be the first to mention any relationship. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
His grin widened, and he gestured subtly toward where Catalina was still peacefully sleeping. "Sure, sure. Just like you have no idea why you always end up next to her whenever there's a chance."
I felt a flush of embarrassment coloring my cheeks, but I tried to play it off with a nonchalant shrug. "Coincidence, Xander. Pure coincidence."
He chuckled again, clearly not buying my feeble attempt at denial. "Right, because every time we're in a high-stakes situation, you just happen to be the one watching over her. No ulterior motives there, Winchester."
I sighed, realizing I wasn't going to escape his teasing. "Fine, maybe I'm a bit protective. Can you blame me? We all are."
Xander's expression softened, and he nudged me playfully. "No blame here. Just admit it—you care about her more than you'd like to admit." Before I could come up with a witty retort, he leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "Besides, it's not like it's a secret. The way you look at her says it all."
I rolled my eyes, trying to mask the truth with a grin. "Alright, Sherlock, keep your deductions to yourself."
Xander laughed, "Don't worry, Jameson. Your secret's safe with me, although it's not a very big secret. Just make sure she wakes up to find a charming hero by her side."
As he returned his attention to the puzzle, I couldn't help but reflect on Xander's words. Maybe it was time to confront the feelings I'd been trying to ignore—the undeniable connection that seemed to be growing stronger with each passing moment.
Catalina's Pov
After sleeping for a while and waking up to find the puzzle done, I decided it had been long enough to call Grayson. After a couple rings he finally answered.
"We're on our way back to the plane," I heard Avery say something before Grayson switching to video chat
Avery held up a small metal disk "What do you think this came to join me. The disk was gold and maybe an inch in diameter. It looked like some kind of a coin, but not any I'd seen before, its surface engraved with nine concentric circles on one side and smooth on the other.
"It doesn't look like it's worth much," Jameson commented. "But in this family, that means nothing." Grayson switched back over to just voice and explained the rest of the details he knew before suddenly I heard a bang.
"Gray?" No response, I looked at Jameson. "Gray what's going on? What was that noise!" He hung up. I tried to call again. and again. "Do you think-
"They're fine." Jameson said, we all sat there for who knows how long. I kept calling Grayson and Avery no answer until finally he picked up.
"Gray." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "What happened, you stopped answering. I heard a-
"There was a bomb." He said cutting me off.
"Is-
"I don't know, they took her to the hospital. Oren called Alisa she's headed here."
"Are you ok?" I asked, he didn't sound ok at all.
"I just stood there" he whispered. "She was on the ground injured and I just stood there."
"It's ok Gray, she'll be ok."
Silence.
"I should go." he said hanging up.
"What happened." Jameson asked.
"The plane exploded. Avery's in the hospital." All of a sudden everyone started moving until Jameson and I were the only people left in the room. I watched as he paced on the phone with Oren. I felt numb.