Chapter Five


    "Angie, NO!" JC yelled when he saw her disappear under the raging river. He trotted along the riverbank, waiting for her head to pop up, and when it did he yelled her name again and ran as fast as he could. "Hang on, Angie!"
    Angie tried to keep her head above the water, but the current was too strong. The water was like ice, and she couldn't feel her body. She caught a glimpse of JC runing, through the splashing water and yelled his name, but was pulled under again. Help me, JC...Help me.
    JC ran along the bank, trying to get ahead of her; dodging through trees, and leaping logs that were in the way. When he saw a flat boulder rock that strechtched out onto the river, he made his legs go just that much faster. He lept up on to the boulder and crawled on his hands and knees to the edge. He laid on his belly and waited for her Angie to show. When he saw her, he yelled her name and stretched out his hand.
    Angie saw JC and swam as hard as she could towards him. Their eyes locked as she got closer and they both knew that this was the last chance, because if he didn't catch her, he would have to go after her. He just didn't know if they would come out alive.
    Angie's eyes widened and she lifted her arm out of the water and clasped it tightly with his. "I got you, Angie," he said as he started to pull at her.
    "JC, I'm slipping," she said as she felt the raging river pulling at her, desperate to swallow her whole.
    "No, Angie, hang on," he cried and grabbed her other arm. Angie gripped on to him and closed her eyes as he pulled her to saftey. JC collapsed on his back and Angie fell on top of him.
    “Are you all right?” he asked softly he stroked her wet tangled hair. She didn’t answer, and he noticed she was shivering. He quickly sat up and pulled her on his lap. She was shivering and her lips were blue. Her eyes were open, but they were almost glazed as she stared off. “Angie, just hang on,” he said as he lifted her up and carried her off. “You gotta get out of these clothes, you’ll freeze to death.”
    She still was silent, she just was too cold to move. He took her back to the open field. He carefully sat her down on the grass. “Just stay there,” he said and ran over to the pack. He got one of the sleeping bags and two wool blankets and ran back over. “Angie?” She didn’t say anything. “Angie you’ve got to get out of those clothes. Wrap yourself in this blanket, Angie please.”
    “J…JC…c…cold,” she shivered. “So…cold.”
    “I know,” he said. “But if you don’t get out…” She didn’t hear the rest of his words, because she blacked out and JC caught her before she fell. “No, Angie,” he said as he laid her down. “Okay, just hang on,” he said as he lifted up her pull over and tossed it aside. He quickly undressed her, trying to ignore that her skin was cold as ice and her lips were turning blue.
    God, please, he prayed as he quickly wrapped the wool blanket around her delicate, naked body. He left her only long enough to unfold the large sleeping bag, and then lifted her up and zipped her up tight. He knew he should of put up the tent, but there wasn’t enough time. All he could think about was getting her warm again.
    She was still shivering, he noticed in fear. This wasn’t going to work, he knew she would freeze to death if he left her like that. Body warmth, he thought all of the sudden. He was about to crawl in their fully clothed, but realized he got wet from holding Angie close to him. “Dammit,” he cursed out loud. “Hang on, Morgan.”
    He tore off his hat and tossed it aside and pulled his sweat shirt over his head. As soon as he removed his damp jeans and sport shorts, he quickly wrapped the other blanket around him and slipped inside the sleeping bag next to her.
    He zipped the sleeping bag up and pulled it over both of their heads to block the cold wind. He slipped his arm around her slim waist and pulled her back against his chest. “I’m here, Angie,” he whispered and not satisfied pulled her tighter. “I’m right here.”

    The icy cold water hit her like a thousand needles piercing her needle and she disappeared under the surface. Everything around her was black; she couldn’t see anything around her. She tried to kick her tired legs to the surface, but the force kept pulling her down; trying desperately to take her down under. When she finally broke the surface she saw a man standing at the edge of the river. The man was JC. He was looking for her, but he couldn’t find her. She tried to yell out his name, but when her mouth opened nothing came out. But she kept on calling.
    “Angie,” JC said as he shook her. “Angie wake up, you’re having a dream.”
    “JC, JC,” she kept mumbling over and over again. “Don’t leave me, don’t…”
    “I’m right here, Angie,” he said softly as caressed her hair. “I’m not going anywhere.”
    JC saw her eyes flutter open, and he could tell she was still out of it. “JC,” she cried all of the sudden and flew her arms around his neck and pulled him down on top of her. “Don’t leave me, please, don’t leave me.”
    “Hey,” he said softly. “It’s okay, I’m not going to leave you.” He then slowly rolled over on his back bringing her comfortably against him. He repositioned a part of the blanket that had slipped off her shoulder and without thinking kissed the top of her head. “Go back to sleep.”
    Feeling safe and comfortable again, Angie snuggled closer to him. Her cheek was resting on the crook of his shoulder and her arm was lying comfortably on his bare chest. Fully aware of every part of his body she touched; he let out a little groan. He had a feeling he wasn’t going to sleep anytime soon.

    The next time Angie woke up, she felt wonderful. Something warm and comforting was up against her and with a tired sigh she cuddled closer. She slowly opened her eyes, but it was still a bit dark. Where was she exactly, she wondered as she tiredly lifted up her head. She was wrapped up in some blankets in a sleeping bag, and she just realized she wasn't alone.
    She froze when she saw JC's face. His eyes were closed and his mouth was half opened while he breathed in and out. It all started to come back to her, the cold river and the look of desperation in JC's eyes as he held on tight to her, while the river tried to take her away. She remembered her curled up in his arms as he told her to hang on. But after that, her whole mind went blank.
    She looked down at herself and gasped. "Holy crap, I'm naked," she realized as she consiously began to cover herself up with the blanket. "And lordy, so is he," she gasped as she covered her mouth with his hand. "Okay Angie," she said quietly. "No need to panic your just lying naked in a sleeping bag with JC Chasez. No biggie." She slowly edged away from him, hoping not to wake him up. When she completely turned away from him, she thought she was free, but JC then turned to his side and pulled her back against him.
    She tensed up, and chills ran through her body when she felt his warm breath on the back of her neck. "And we're back at square one," she mumbled. "Let's try it again." She lightly gripped his wrist that was drapped over her waist and carefully moved it aside.
    She finally managed to get out of the sleeping bag without waking him, and she almost wish she was back in, where it was warm. She wrapped the blanket tighter around her and quickly ran to her clothes to dress.



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