Redemption Ch. 01

Natalie bit down on her lower lip, both to hold back a soft moan from the endearing tone and stuffiness of Justin's voice and from a strong concern for his well-being. Knowing she would regret it, she decided to be insistent. "No, you're not fine here," she contradicted him, easing one hand between the couch and his back and gently guiding him into a sitting position. "Justin, you need some care. You… yuh… ihh… ittishhooo!! Ehh… eh-kisshhh!! Eshhooo!! Huptcheeww!! You know you would do the same for me; in fact, you did the same for me yesterday," she reminded him, gathering up his bag and other various belongings. "You'll feel better, trust me," she stated, the tone of her voice revealing that the battle was over, and she had won. Taking his hand, she helped him to stand, catching his blanket before it fell. "Come," she instructed.

Sighing, Justin was as much forced as helped into a standing position, but didn't have the strength to both fight against it and stay conscious. He was still shaking, his clothes practically drenched with cold sweat, his eyes staring dead straight ahead. "I'b... I'b ok," he tried to tell her, his voice faltering. Again his entire face seemed to curl up upon itself as he stifled something again. Judging by the way he rubbed his nose with his sweater, it was most likely a sneeze.

Natalie did not even bother to contradict him again, knowing it would do no good. Instead, she concentrated on supporting him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and holding his things in her free hand. Eyeing the nose-rubbing, she hoped the room would come with a few boxes of Kleenex, and opted to wait until later to give him her lecture on the evils of stifling. Her entire body shivered at the possibility of another sneeze from him, though he likely did not notice between his own shivering and his fevered state. She just shook her head and led him up the stairs and down the hall, pausing to check the room key for the number.

Justin fell into a barely noticed silence, the trek to the room seeming to take forever to his barely-working muscles. The shaking of his body seemed more pronounced without the cover of the blanket and with the added exertion of walking. By the time he made it to the room, he had wiped sweat from his eyes several times, the droplets running down his face in little rivulets. Natalie inserted the key into the door marked with a large seven and heard a quiet click, then pushed the door open to reveal a small but rather quaint room containing a bed, a dresser, a nightstand, a chair, a closet, and a door that presumably led to a bathroom.

He noted the bed and all he seemed to think about at this point was dying for a few days or so as he dropped onto the covers face-first, softly enough not to hurt but heavily enough to show his extreme lack of energy. Natalie watched him fall onto the bed and suppressed the urge to sigh. She glanced around the room, then shut the door behind her, turning to rummage around in the dresser. "No," she admonished him, "You are soaked with sweat, and you need to get into dry clothes before I let you get under the covers." Her voice was calm but firm, leaving no room for disagreement or refusal. She walked to him and helped him turn so that his head was not buried in the blankets. Giving him a few minutes to rest and catch his breath, she then eased him back up into a sitting position, leaving him there just long enough to bring him some spare clothes from the dresser. She set them on his lap and went into the bathroom to fill a glass with water for him. A series of soft, half-muffled sneezes could be heard from beyond the bathroom door as Natalie still struggled with her own cold. "Ehh… eh-kisshh!! Hep-tchooo!! Huh… huh-eshhhoo!! Eh-kisshhoo!! Heptisshh!!"

He blinked slowly at the clothes, as though they were alien objects, as he resisted the urge to close his eyes and fall back again. The room seemed to spin around him as blood rushed to his head from the rapid change of altitude, which again he fought, swaying just a tiny bit. With his mind as distracted as it was, he found it difficult to suppress his sneezes, which escaped with a light, wet tone, into the air as he could not be bothered to cover his mouth. "Heh… hehCHOO!! Huh… heh-ISSHH!!" He made no motion to get changed, still eyeing the clothes on his lap questioningly, his eyes showing the weariness that he had brought upon himself during the last few weeks.

Natalie emerged from the bathroom carrying a glass full of water and balancing a small basin, also filled with water, against her hip. She set the glass of water on the nightstand, rested the water-filled basin on the floor at the foot of the chair, then looked over to Justin and paused, realizing he had not moved. She looked from his eyes to the clothes and then back to his eyes, seeing that he was too weak to dress himself. Approaching the bedside, she placed a hand on his forehead and found it hot to the touch, then rubbed his back lightly. "You need to get changed," she murmured, unsure if she would have to help or not.

Nodding slowly and grabbing his stick, Justin put the clothing over his shoulder. He used the stick as something of a crutch, making his way to the bathroom and taking a full five minutes to change, at least. When he opened the door and exited, he wore a pair of grayish flannel pants, baggy and comfortable-looking, and a white shirt that was just as baggy as the pants. Again, he moved to the bed, and sat on the edge of it with his eyes trying to close. His balance was obviously off; that much was plain to see as he was walking, though he then carelessly let the stick fall to the floor, forgotten.

Wincing as she watched him sit on the bed, she noticed just how dizzy he seemed. She placed a hand on his back and rubbed up and down his spine, her movements slow and deliberate. "Justin, how are you feeling?" she asked, her voice lined with worry and her eyes taking in his apparent weariness and lack of focus. She placed her free hand on his forehead once more, very thankful for her Goddess training in the care of humans. If only she could remember how fast their heartbeats were supposed to come. Her head hurt from trying to remember and she removed her hand, waiting for his answer.

Justin nodded slightly, his eyes closing fully. "Cold, I'b bery cold," he whispered in a scratchy voice. His temperature had yet to drop, though thankfully it had not gone up much from the effort of walking around. Somewhat surprised by the feel of Natalie's hands, but not pulling away, he gave a light sigh, followed by a barely muffled "Heh... hetCHOO!!" into his cupped hands. The sneeze was wet and harsh, almost as grating as the coughs had seemed, bringing tears to his eyes with the way it tried to rip through his nose.

She listened to his words, realizing that she needed to get him under the covers. Somewhat surprised that he did not pull away from her touch, she mainly attributed it to his state of ill health, deciding not to dwell on it too much. About to ask him to lie down, she halted her words at the sound of the sneeze, her entire body shivering. A flush crept over her face and she hoped he would not notice through the wateriness of his eyes. "Bless you," she whispered, her voice trembling a bit, but not too noticeably. Reaching over and grabbing a Kleenex from the box on the top of the dresser, she brought it to Justin's nose and wiped gently, then pulled the covers back and eased him into a horizontal position, allowing him to get comfortable before she drew the covers over him.

He looked more motionless than comfortable, though either seemed to be acceptable at the moment. Sniffling a bit at the feel of the tissue at his nose, he again attempted to stop the sneeze that wanted to build, managing to do so before laying down. In a sudden surprise, the sneeze returned, forceful and wet, though it was channeled through his mouth and therefore less painful. "Heh… hehh… hehCHOO!!" After easing himself back down to the bed, he reached both hands behind his neck, trying to work the latch on the cord that held the dragon pendant. He failed to find the catch, which had made its way to the front, and was resting next to the circle holding the small pewter dragon to the cord.

Natalie trembled quietly and took a few deep breaths to control her voice before offering a soft, "Bless you." Reaching down to arrange the covers, she drew them up over his body, her fingers brushing up his legs and to his chest, where she stopped and tucked him in rather tightly, leaving it hard for him to move. She noticed what he was trying to do, and placed her hands atop his, guiding them to the clasp so he could undo it, helping him to make sure the pendant did not fall off as he unlatched it. Taking the necklace from his fingers, she set it on the nightstand next to the glass of water, then seated herself on the edge of the bed, her fingers tracing over his cheeks, measuring the heat of his skin, as her other hand rubbed inconspicuously at her slightly reddened nose.

His body continued to shake slightly as the sheets warmed from his body heat, dissipating the cold air that had been trapped underneath previously. The sweat still ran from his skin slightly, notably running off of his forehead and catching in his hair. Somewhere in the back of Justin's mind, beyond the Voices which still refused to go away, past the overwhelming sense of cold brought on by the initial shock of the sheets, he felt the necklace being removed from his neck and managed a subdued, "Thank you." His cheek pressed slightly against her fingers appreciatively, though his skin had yet to cool down in the least.

She felt something inside of her ache at the sight of him so helpless like that, so weak and unable to resist her touches. "You're welcome," she replied, rising slowly from the bed and disappearing into the bathroom, returning a moment later with several strips of fabric that appeared to be washcloths. She paused in the middle of the room and took a few shallow breaths, then turned to the side and sneezed freely, the spray visible in the dim light cast by the candles. "Ihh…. Ihhhh… ittchooo!! Hup-tissshhh!! Ishhhh!! Ishhhooo!!" With a few cursory rubs to her nose with her free hand, she sniffled and continued to the bed, a little embarrassed by her display. Moving the basin from the foot of the chair to the seat, she perched on the edge of the bed, sliding the chair closer and dipping a cloth into the water, then wringing it out. Placing the cloth on his forehead, she gently dabbed, her other hand stroking his neck, her touch cool and dry.

Instead of his usual response of tensing up or pulling away, he actually seemed for once to be comforted by her touch, relaxing visibly. The shaking started to slowly fade as the sheets warmed, despite the fact that the shirt he had put on had managed to collect a rather large amount of sweat, though that seemed the farthest thing from his mind right then. He felt far more tired than he had in a long while as he fought off an oncoming sneeze by squinting and massaging the tip of his nose with the back of his wrist.

Natalie somehow sensed that he was not pulling away nor resenting her touch as she half-expected. Relieved that the shaking was reduced, she re-dipped the cloth into the water, again wringing it out, then bringing it back to his forehead and swabbing tenderly. Taken by his immense vulnerability, she leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, then straightened, running her fingertips over his features, tracing the warmth of his cheeks, the curve of his lips, and the bridge of his nose.

Opening his eyes again, he looked up towards her, his eyes showing confusion within their tired depths. She registered the confusion in his eyes and was immediately repentant for caressing him, thinking that perhaps he was still a bit leery of her touch. Unable to think of anything to talk about, Justin tried to say the first thing that came to mind. "I'b sorry. I shouldn'... shou…." Suddenly, a plethora of sneezes erupted from his flaring red nostrils. "HehCHOO!! Heh… ihhh… Heh-isshh!! Chhissshoo!!" he sneezed uncovered, up into the air, narrowly missing Natalie's fingers. Following this with a series of sniffles, he reached out for the Kleenex, but found himself unable to reach. "I'b sorry aboud dis."

Natalie's thoughts were interrupted by the profusion of sneezes he emitted. Trembling quietly and just barely, barely able to keep a moan from escaping her lips, she soundlessly reached for the tissue box and withdrew a few. Bringing them to his nose and wiping ever so gently, she tried to avoid any chaffing as she rubbed. Finally confident that she could speak without betraying herself, she swallowed hard. "Blessings, and you don't have to be sorry at all. You can't help it."

Shaking his head slowly, he tried to find a way to defend himself, out of instinct, and found that he had none. His eyes closed once again, and he was forced to breath through his mouth as his nose was too plugged to be of use. "Bud I don'dged sick," he whined, plainly irritated at himself, despite the fact that he could understand why. "I shood be able tobead these things." He took a moment, catching his breath before continuing. "Id shouldn'd madder thad I'b gedding hurt so much, and thad I'b sleebing oudside. I can handle de cold, and I'b odly goddenreally hurd once."

She tried very hard not to laugh at the adorableness of his words, coupled with the sweet, stuffy way he was talking. She dabbed at his nose again with the Kleenex, then paused, setting the washcloth on the chair and using her now-free hand to stroke his hair tenderly. "Sweetheart," she began, then paused, feeling as though he might resent her use of the word, "I mean… well… it's understandable. You've been sleeping outside, you've been injured, and it's cold. Your mind has been concentrating on other things, and it's only natural that your health would take a backseat to more pressing matters." Her voice was soothing and she continued to stroke his hair lightly, loving the way it felt between her fingers.

Justin shuddered, more angry now than irritated, though it was directed inwardly. "Dose damned voices. I wish dey'd neber come to me. I wouldn'd hab to be sig." His breath stuttered lightly and he shook his head. "Dey aren'd eben leabing be alonedow, when I'b sig," he complained in that same stuffy voice, then frowned as the anger seemed to instantly drain from him, replaced by immense weariness. He showed it outwardly with one of the largest yawns in his life, accompanied with a loud, stuffy groan.

Natalie would ordinarily be afraid of his angry tone, but felt the anger diffuse a bit between his inability to speak clearly and the completely helpless position that he was now in. She touched her fingers to the side of his face as he spoke, her cool skin contrasting with the fieriness of his own. The yawn rather surprised her, but it was a pleasant surprise and she smiled to herself, her other hand resting on the covers atop his chest as she searched for words. "It's okay to be sick," she soothed, her voice gentle and relaxing, though still a bit stuffy. "The less you fight it, the sooner you can get well. Let it take you over, let it leave you weak and vulnerable, and soon it will pass," she advised, looking into his deep brown eyes, her own lit with care and kindness.

Blinking a few times, his eyes watered slightly. "Bud I don'dged sick. I jusd... don'd," he tried again, sighing slightly, his form relaxing farther into the bed under the covers, trying to pull them around him more tightly. "Maybe you're righd, bud I don'd like feeling like this." He tried to scowl but didn't realize that he was managing just barely a slight pout. "Id's all their fault. Id's the voices thad did this do me." He nodded to this and attempted to laugh, but simply ended up coughing slightly, his head jerking forward a bit with each one.

Natalie shook her head slightly at his refusal to accept the situation, then watched as he seemed to slink lower beneath the bedcovers. She tucked them tightly around him, almost pinning him there, making movement nearly impossible. Wincing slightly at the rough sounds of his coughs, she rubbed his chest tenderly, as if to relax him and ease the pain. "Shh… don't try to talk, it will just make your throat hurt more," she advised, then remembered the water. "Would you like a drink?" she asked, not wanting to un-tuck him to get him into a sitting position, but knowing that his throat was probably very sore and also knowing that he needed lots of fluids.

Justin nodded slowly, and he realized that he felt terrible for putting her in a position like that, though honestly it was not as bad as he had imagined it would be, despite the being sick part. "Blease. Dose coughs really do hurd a lot more den I'd like dem to," he explained, sniffling a little and rubbing at his nose with the back of his wrist yet again. He gave a soft laugh at his own words, trying to find a way to take his mind off of the burning sensation the coughs left in his throat and the incessant tickling that plagued his nose.

She smiled at the cuteness of his words and carefully un-tucked him, placing one hand at his back and the other on his chest, gently easing him into a sitting position, re-arranging the pillows so that he would be more comfortable. Taking the glass of water from the nightstand, she gave it to him but kept one hand on it, just in case he could not quite hold it. She used her other hand to smooth the covers over his body, stroking his legs through the blankets, trying to be a reassuring presence. "Here, drink this. It will help your throat feel better, and might even stop the coughing," she instructed, her fingers still on the glass, for good measure. Using her other hand to softly rub at her nose, she tried valiantly to hold back the sneezes that threatened to overcome her small frame, as she did not want to upset the glass.

"Maybe," he replied dubiously, lifting the glass to his mouth and sipping at it slowly, taking deep breaths between each as his nose is all but useless. He tried desperately to hide the wince that contorted his face as she stroked his leg, her hand passing over spot on his leg that would have been beneath the rather obscene tear in the pants he had been wearing earlier. The contortion was quickly suppressed, however, and he resumed his drinking with a slight sniffle as he tried to free his nose from its self-imposed shackles.

Natalie was pleased with his drinking and hoped that the water was helping, though she realized it was rather slow going since he had to stop every few seconds to breathe through his mouth. Her own nose was only slightly stuffed, the sensation barely noticeable, and she was grateful that she was a quick healer, though a somewhat tickling feeling reminded her that she was not entirely well. Seeing the barely perceptible wince, she suddenly remembered the tears in his pants and knew there must be a wound (or several) beneath those tears. Quickly removing her hand from his legs, she shivered at the sound of his sniffle and apologized. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you," she mumbled, feeling as though he might rather just want her to go away at this point.

"Id's alright. Id was more surprise dan... den.…" he began, suddenly glad that she was holding the water, as he was forced forward violently, wracked with a loud, spraying sneeze. "AATCHUU!! den pain." He sniffled and rubbed his nose a bit embarrassedly, realizing that he almost sprayed her with the sneeze. "I'b sorry dat I'b making you do dis when yor nod beeling well, Dadalie. Bud I do abbreciate you being here." He gave as much of a warming smile as he could; though it was not as much as he would have liked, it was the best he could muster under the circumstances.