Chapter Eighteen
The mists swirling at JC*s feet did nothing to calm his already beyond frazzled nerves. He knew he was dreaming. Well, if not dreaming then certainly in a different world than the one he had just blacked out of. But something was different about this. Something was wrong.
He was alone. And he wasn*t moving. Not because he didn*t want to. Because he couldn*t. It was like some extreme magnetic force was pulling him to the ground. He literally couldn*t budge his feet even one inch. It was only when he heard her voice that his heart rate began to return to normal and his breathing relaxed.
"Lex," he whispered. "What*s going on? This doesn*t feel right."
"You*re dying, Josh." Her voice was barely audible as she came into sight before him. Her curls shimmered and framed her face beautifully, falling down around her shoulders. She was wearing a beautiful white gown. The small tiara on her head sparkled like a million diamonds. But she wasn*t smiling.
"I*m*dying?" he managed to choke out, his eyes growing wide with horror. He couldn*t die. He had so much left to do. He was at the height of his career. This couldn*t be happening.
Alexa nodded slowly and reached out for him. When he touched her hand he knew.
"You*re already dead." Not a question. A statement.
This time she shook her head. "No. I*m just moving on, Josh. But it*s not time for you to do that yet. There*s so much left that you haven*t accomplished. You need to go back. The guys need you. Alona*s gonna need you."
Suddenly the thoughts of everything he had left to do fled from JC*s mind. He could only think of one thing. "I can*t live without you."
Alexa had to chuckle. "Of course you can. You did it for 24 years."
"But that*s before I knew you*"
"No," she interrupted. "You always knew me. And I always knew you. We were just searching for each other, Josh."
"But we just found each other, Lex. Now you have to leave?"
"There are no guarantees, you know that. We*re just a small part of a much bigger plan. The story doesn*t end the same every time. Granted, this ending sort of surprises me too. But we can*t change our destiny. We have to go where we*re being led."
JC wanted to cry. But it seemed that tears weren*t allowed in this place. They just hung on the edge of his sad blue eyes, refusing to fall. "Will I ever see you again?"
Alexa smiled and moved in to hug JC closely. "Of course you will. You might not remember me, but you*ll see me again. I can*t say when or where, but I*m certain our story isn*t done."
"I want a happy ending next time," he mumbled into her hair, trying to memorize the scent of her. Trying to memorize all of her. Her hands clutching his shirt. Her thighs pressing against his. Her lips on his neck. Everything.
"Me too," she sighed. "Me too." She had a momentary flashback of having done this before. She couldn*t decide how many times, but she knew it had been done. She prayed silently that this would be the last time. She longed for happily ever after just as much as JC did.
Pulling away, Alexa kissed JC*s lips softly. "It*s time for me to go. I love you, Josh."
Gripping her hand, JC shook his head adamantly. "No. Please. Not yet, Lex. Just a few more minutes."
"I*m sorry," she whispered, somehow slipping her hand from his. "Remember I love you. Always."
"I love you, too," he confessed sincerely as she began to fade from his sight. "I love you so much."
When she was gone, the tears finally fell. They came in floods, impossible to stop. He screamed out in agony cursing everything he could think of. And then the pain came back in his shoulder and he found Joey standing over him.
"Hey C," Joey said softly, a grim look on his face. "Welcome back. You had us pretty worried."
JC glanced apprehensively at his surroundings. He was in a hospital, that was obvious. He saw Joey, Chris, Lance, Dre and Lonnie. But no Alona or Justin. And no Alexa. He swallowed hard. He didn*t want to ask. "Lona and Justin?"
"They*re okay," Lance reassured him, looking none too happy and a little distracted. "Justin*s nose is broken but that*s about it. Alona has a few broken ribs and a concussion. The doctor*s say she*s pretty lucky considering*" he trailed off suddenly.
"Lex?" he said pleadingly. He wanted to believe that this one time the dream or vision or whatever it was hadn*t been real. But he could tell by the looks on everyone*s faces. She was really gone. He squeezed his eyes shut and inhaled deeply, sending another sharp pain through his shoulder. He knew he had been shot. And he was thankful to be alive. But he wasn*t happy. "Did they at least get Tyrell?"
Dre nodded his head. "The LAPD showed up just in time. That man isn*t gonna be hurting anyone else for a very long time, I promise you that."
JC nodded. At least something good had come from all of this misery.