Chris wiped her face on her towel. She was lucky she had brought it. Even though the pavilion was air-conditioned, the past four hours were the hardest she had ever worked. She didn't understand how the five of them could do it for 60-plus shows a tour.

Thankful they had decided to take a break, Chris went into the bathroom and put on her bathing suit. There was going to be about a two hour or so "recreation time" as Brian had enthusiastically put it, and the water sure looked inviting right about now. As she pushed open the door, she saw Emily already in her suit.

"That was a fast change," Chris said, going into a stall and closing the door. "Yes, well, I kinda knew when you guys would be done, so I snuck out of there to change quick I also brought another suit in case you didn't have one, " she added, tossing a black one-piece over the door. "Thanks. I was wondering where you went when you didn't come back."

Emily laughed. "What? Did you think I'd leave you all alone with those five?"

"Ha! I'm so grateful that you didn't. I can't believe that they want me to be a dancer for them."

"Well you certainly have the moves down. Is it true that you had never seen them perform before that night?"

"Yes, that's right. I just learn quick, I guess," Chris replied, coming out of the stall in the suit. Emily turned to look.

"Wow, girl! You look better in that suit than I do!"

Chris began to blush. Indeed, the color of the suit made it sexy at the start. But even though it was a one-piece, it was cut high in the legs and had a triangular shape cut out at the sides. The straps were about the width of a standard tank-top strap, and there were criss-crosses in the back. Chris looked in the mirror.

"Nah, I don't think so, but thank you anyway," she said, putting her shirt and shorts back on.

"What're you doing that for?" Emily asked, watching Chris dress.

"I don't want anyone to see me."

"Why not?" "Let's just say I'm not comfortable." "But you are going to go swimming, right?" "I'm not much of a swimmer. Maybe a dip to cool off, but that's it." Emily shook her head and smiled. "You know that if you don't show it off, then they'll throw you in with every stitch on." Chris put on her sandals and headed for the door, holding her bag. "I'll think about it." When she reentered the pavilion, it was empty except for AJ, who was standing by the table with the boombox on it. Hearing her steps on the concrete, he looked up and smiled. Then he walked toward her with his hand outstretched.

"Didn't you change?" he asked, taking her bag in one hand and putting his other arm around her waist. They walked out into the sun and towards the dock.

"Did you?"

"Hey, I'm a guy. I can just jump in with my regular clothes and not feel weird about it. And just so you know," he continued, "I'm too hot to think about changing. I'm jumping in in my boxers."

Chris wrinkled her nose. "I'm afraid to ask about the others."

AJ laughed. "Well, let's think about this for a second. Howie's the only one who knew we were coming to the lake. Emily always has a suit or two with her so that she can lay out while we're doing our thing. Nick doesn't care one way or the other, and I don't see Kevin just jumping right in. I could be wrong, but usually that's the way it is."

They reached the dock. At the edge were Brian, Kevin, Nick, Howie, and Emily. Howie and Emily were the only ones in actual swimwear, the others were just wearing their shorts. Nick turned and spotted Chris and AJ first.

"Why aren't you guys changed?"he shouted. "It's boiling hot. I'm ready to dive in."

"Then why didn't you?" AJ asked, letting go of Chris and coming up beside Nick.

"We told him to wait until you guys got here," Brian said. "But now that we're all together, I think we can have our break." "Whoopee!" cried Nick as he jumped off the dock and into the water. There was a huge splash and everyone laughed, one by one jumping in after him. Soon, five out of the seven were in the water, and Chris and Kevin were sitting on the edge. "Why aren't you in?" Kevin asked. "Why aren't you?" Chris countered. Kevin shook his head.
"You got me there. Actually, I wanted to talk to you.''
Chris cocked her head to look at him. "About what?"
"I, well, we can wait until later. When we're alone. I'd rather the rest not hear."
"Okay," Chris said slowly. Then she stretched. "You know what? I think I'm actually going to get wet."
Kevin looked at her in surprise. "No! Really?"
Chris rolled her eyes. "Ye-es. And to top that surprise, I'm going to strip down right here in front of everyone."
"Oh please don't."

But it was too late. Chris was already standing up and slowly unbuttoning her shirt, swaying to her own song. It was obvious she wanted someone to look, but no one was. Kevin found someone's shoe and threw it into the water, nearly hitting Howie in the head.
"Where'd that come from?" he cried. At his remark, everyone turned their attention to the dock, where Chris was standing, shaking her head. Nick whistled.
"Woo-hoo! Take it off, Chris!" AJ splashed him and began to swim toward the ladder, as Chris resumed her shedding of clothes.

Once she unbuttoned her shirt, she pulled it down off her shoulders, revealing the straps of her suit. Brian and Nick began to sing I'm Too Sexy and Chris began to move her body as invitingly as she could. She didn't notice AJ climb up the ladder, and gasped when he put his cold, wet hands on her ribcage and moved them down to her hips.

Moving along in time with her, AJ reached around in front of her and put his hands on the button of her shorts. With one deft movement, he had undone her shorts, and was slowly inching them down her legs until Chris stepped out of them and flipped them into the water with her foot.

Everyone in the water, and Kevin who was sitting in shock on the dock, began to whoop and holler, swimming like Olympic competitors towards the ladder and climbing up. They surrounded Chris and AJ in a circle, dripping wet and making puddles on the wood.
"My God, Chris!" Brian said. "If you weren't my cousin, I'd be after you in a minute."
"You are so smooth!" exclaimed Howie. "Wow!"
"You know you're closer to my age," Nick said, putting an arm around a very embarrassed Chris. "Why don't we go out sometime?"
"I'm sorry you guys," AJ cut in. "But she's with me."

Chris looked at him standing in front of her. The way he was looking at her and the way she felt made it seem like they had been together for longer than eight hours. Somehow she could sense that their relationship was going to be one of those that only happens in the movies. That everything would be perfect and they would be together forever and ever.

AJ reached over and removed Nick's arm from around Chris's shoulder. Then he put his hands on her waist, lifted her up, and threw her off the dock.
"AHHHHHH!" she screamed as she hit the water. It was very cold compared to the air, but it felt good. Still, it wasn't nice of AJ to do that, and she was running out of air. But somehow, Chris was becoming disoriented, and instead of being able to flip over and swim to the top, she kept sinking quickly to the bottom. It was like a magnet was pulling her there.

Back on the dock, Brian began to looked worried. Chris was a good swimmer, and she would have surfaced by now. Something was wrong, and by the look on Kevin's face, he knew it too. Before either of them could say anything, AJ grabbed a pair of goggles that were hanging on a nail, ran, and dove off the dock into the water, at precisely the spot where she had landed.

Oh my God, AJ thought as he swam deeper into the lake. Please let me find her. Please let her be okay. I didn't mean to hurt her. I was just playing. Oh my God. Please.

He opened his eyes for a second under the water and AJ could see Chris was stuck. Something was wrapped around her ankle and whatever it was was pulling her steadily down toward the bottom and away from him. It was like something was dragging her.

The murky water made it difficult for him to see, but he kept his eyes open so that he wouldn't swim past her. As AJ got closer, he could see Chris was out of breath and straining not to breathe in the water. She opened her eyes when he touched her arm, and he felt a wave of relief. She's alive.

But just barely hanging on. Chris felt like her lungs were going to burst and try as she might, she knew she wasn't going to be able to not breathe in something very soon. She was very afraid, even more so since she realized that the chain she had gotten caught in was growing tighter around her ankle. I'm going to die.

Chris looked at AJ under the water, and AJ felt adrenaline rush through him. The look in her eyes was so young and afraid. He put his finger to her lips and then continued to swim to her feet to check things out. There was a chain wrapped around her foot in the oddest way, but it wasn't coiled. It was attached to something far away, and that something was continuing to move away, thus the chain slowly becoming tighter.

AJ used both hands the best he could to try and unwind the chain. It was hard without any light, and he was running out of air himself. But she's been here longer than I have, and I can do without.

With that thought in his mind, AJ rose a bit to Chris's face. She opened her eyes again, and he motioned for her to breathe out. Chris's eyes widened and she violently shook her head. AJ reached out to stop her shaking and motioned again. Chris looked into his eyes and released the surpressed breath. She didn't know why she did it, but something else had told her to trust him.

After all the air was out, Chris instinctively went to draw another breath. AJ took that moment to put his mouth on hers and let her breathe in his held air. He was hoping she would hold it, and she did.

Knowing he had to hurry, AJ swam back down to her feet and pulled on the chain as hard as he could, trying to give Chris some slack so she could surface. He was able to get some, and then more, as he continued to pull.
Feeling some release in the chain, Chris began to swim upwards toward the surface. She was almost there when she couldn't move anymore; it was practically in arms' reach. Chris pushed up her arm as far as she could, praying it would break the surface.
"Look! There's a hand!" Emily cried, pointing. "For God's sake, someone go help him!"

Howie was the first one to jump into the water, and with lightning speed, reached Chris's hand. He grabbed a hold of her forearm and started to pull. With AJ pulling on the chain and Howie pulling on Chris, she soon broke the surface, unconscious.

AJ couldn't stand it anymore. It was all getting dark and his head was feeling fuzzy. He had to get some air. Swimming with all his might, he went right past Chris without noticing she was already above water.
"AHHH," he breathed in, then out.
"Bone! You alright?" AJ heard a voice say distantly. He turned in the direction of the voice.
" 'D! Oh, my God!" he gasped. Howie was treading water and holding Chris's head back so she wouldn't drown.
"Is she still caught?"
"I couldn't get it undone. Is she breathing?" he asked, silently praying. Please let her be okay. Please. But the look on Howie's face was enough for him.
"Keep her head up! I'm going back down!"

AJ dove back down to where Chris's ankles were, and tried to pull her foot out of it. Since there was some more slack, the grip was loosened, and after a few grabs and twists, AJ was able to free her leg. He threw the chain down from his hands and surfaced again.

"Did you get it?" Howie asked, panic in his eyes.
"Yeah," AJ replied. "Give her to me. Get ahead of me so you can help me up."

Howie guided Chris's head to AJ's arm, and took off. AJ cradled her head in the crook of his arm, as he strongly swam toward shore.

When he finally got there, Howie already had a blanket laid out. AJ picked up Chris, limp and blue, and put her down on the blanket on her back. Tilting her head back, he started CPR.
"One...two...three...four...five," Howie counted, pressing her chest. "Breathe."

AJ held Chris's nose and breathed into her mouth. Howie began chest presses again, and again AJ breathed. Vaguely, he noticed the crowd that was beginning to form around them. But he didn't let that stop him from trying desparately to save Chris's life.
"Come on, Chris! Breathe damn you!" AJ cursed, then breathing again. Please don't let her die. Breathe!

Emily came over and put a hand gently on Howie's shoulder. He looked up at her and shook his head, but kept pressing the frail chest of the young girl. AJ breathed into Chris's mouth again, and then stopped.
"She's not dead," he shouted. "She's not dead!"
"AJ," Howie said, "I think it's over. We've been trying for over seven minutes."
"You listen to me, Howard," AJ said, with a tone of complete menace, "I'm not letting her go. And if you won't help me, then I'll do it myself."

He pushed Howie out of the way and began to do CPR himself. One, two, three, four, five, breathe damn you. You have to live. I'm in love with you. Breathe, Chris, please breathe. I'm not letting you go. Not now not ever. Breathe, Chris.

With one final attempt, AJ bent over and put his mouth on hers. He didn't even get to finish before Chris's chest heaved and she began to cough up water. The crowd began to cheer.

"Thank you God!" AJ cried. "Thank you!" He rolled Chris over onto her side so she could cough up without drowning. After a few moments, he moved her onto her back. Her eyes were open, but unfocused and darting around wildly. Soon they rested on him, and AJ knew Chris saw him, even though there was no expression on her face.

"Oh, thank God," Kevin said, kneeling down.
"Chris, can you hear me?" AJ said. "Blink twice if you can understand me."
Chris blinked once, then twice.
"Are you okay?" One blink. No.
"Do you know what happened?" No blink. She doesn't know.
"We've called an ambulance, Emily said. And it's on its way. You're going to go to the hospital." One blink.
Move back, give her some air you stupid people," Brian said, shooing the crowd away. AJ picked up Chris's hand.
"Chris, do you know who I am?" Two blinks. Yes. Chris opened her mouth and tried to say something, but her throat hurt too much. AJ placed a finger on her lips. "Just wait until we get to the hospital." One blink.
Chris tried to whisper, but it came out all scratchy and gurgly. Then blackness came over her, and she closed her eyes. AJ started to panic.

"Where the hell's the ambulance?" Just then, the sound of a siren filled the quiet area. Two paramedics ran over with a stretcher and a first-aid box. After checking Chris over and inserting an IV, they put her on the stretcher and into the back of the ambulance. AJ tried to get in with them, but they held him back.
"Can't come. No room." AJ stood dejectedly as the doors closed and the ambulance sped off, no sirens, but plenty of speed. He didn't even turn when someone came up behind him.
"It's okay, AJ. We'll all go." Brian said, pulling him toward the Jeep. "Come on!" Nick yelled, jumping into the Jeep, Howie behind the wheel.

No sooner did AJ and Kevin get in did Howie slam on the accelerator, making the Jeep race along at full speed, reaching the highway and heading toward the hospital.

In the ambulance, Chris was semi-conscious. Her throat hurt and her ankle felt like it had been cut off. She tried to turn her head, but couldn't. Instead, she tried to relax her breathing enough to focus on where she was.

From the smooth and rapid motion, she determined she was in a vehicle. There was something scratching and squeaking far away, and it sounded like voices. Where am I?

Shortly thereafter, the ambulance stopped and the doors opened. The paramedics pulled her out and began to wheel her into the Emergency Room. She was able to turn her head, almost fully awake now, and saw where she was.
"Wadda we got?"
"Female, eighteen, possible attempted drowning. Blacked out after rescue. Vitals stable."
A doctor leaned over Chris with a little flashlight and shined it in her eyes.
"Pupils fine." He pulled out his stethoscope and put it up against her chest. "I'm Dr. Warren. Can you tell me your name?"
"Chris," she managed to croak in a raspy voice.
"Do you know where you are?
"Orlando General."

The doctor continued to check her over. "Do you know what happened?" She shook her head. "Well, we won't worry about that right now. Do you hurt anywhere else besides your throat and your ankle?"
"No," Chris whispered, shaking her head with tears in her eyes.
"Okay. I'm going to give you something for the pain, but it's going to make you sleepy and we have to get an X-ray of your ankle," Dr. Warren said. "So we're going to wheel you to Radiology and get that over with so that you can feel better. Okay?"
"Not really." Chris tensed her body as Dr. Warren ever so gently felt the area around and including her ankle. "Ow!"
"I'm sorry, Chris. I think you've broken it."
"Then could you please fix it or give me something for the pain?" Dr. Warren carefully put down her foot and pulled out the gurney. As he wheeled it out into the hall and towards Radiology, Chris closed her eyes. This was something she didn't want to be awake for.

"Where is she?" AJ cried, running into the Emergency Room at Orlando General. The nurses at the desk looked up sharply when they saw him run in.
"May I help you, sir?" one of the nurses asked.
"Chris! Where is she? Don't you understand English?"
Kevin came up and put a hand on AJ's shoulder. "Did they bring in a young girl just a few minutes ago?"
The nurse flipped through her chart."Yes, they just gave her something to sleep. Poor dear."
Kevin's face turned pale. "Can you tell us where she is?"
"In room 2B. There should be a doctor in there with her. Go that way," she said, pointing behind them. The two of them ran toward the room without a second glance.

Kevin stopped short of the door and looked in the window. He couldn't see anything much because of the doctor standing over the bed. But he knew she was in there. He knocked on the door and another nurse came over.
"Can I help you?"
"Yes, we'd like to see Chris," AJ said.
"Oh, okay. Can you wait outside for a second and the doctor will be with right with you."

Kevin paced and AJ stood against the wall by the door. Oh, please let her be okay, he thought, fiddling with his watch. They had been out there in silence for about five minutes when there was a rushing noise coming down the hall. Looking up, AJ saw Brian, Howie, Nick, and Emily running toward them.

"Is she okay?" Emily asked.

"We don't know yet. The doctor's still in there," Kevin said, a catch in his voice. Just then, the door to Chris's room opened and Dr. Warren came out. A quick look of surprise crossed his face as he took in the group standing in the hallway in wet clothes and sandals. But it faded just as quickly when he saw the looks of worry on their faces.
"I'm Dr. Warren. Are you related to Chris?" Kevin and Brian stepped forward.
"We're her cousins," Kevin said.
"What's wrong with her?" Brian asked.
"Well, despite the fact that she almost drowned, she also seems to have broken her ankle. The X-ray showed that it was just 'snapped' broken. From the bruises around it, I assume that something grabbed her tightly around the ankle and, because she's so tiny, it just snapped." "Oh, my God," Emily said. Howie put his arm around her. Nick put his arm around Howie.
"What'd you do that for?" Howie asked.
"I want to comfort someone, too," Nick replied. AJ rolled his eyes.
"Get off me," Howie said, pushing Nick's arm off him.
"She's lucky she got out when she did, or she would have died," Dr. Warren continued. "But all her signs are stable. I took her off the IV and gave her some painkillers. Her ankle is already set and casted, and she should be ready to go home as soon as she wakes up. I think she'll be okay. A little traumatized, but she'll be okay."

"Can we see her?" AJ asked quietly. Dr. Warren look at him, seeing AJ as an extremely worried young man, despite his outward appearance.
"Please, doc," AJ begged. "I have to see her."
"Yes, but she's asleep, and probably not responsive. But you might want to be there when she wakes up, which shouldn't be too long. Be sure to page me when she wakes up so that I can check her out before she goes." He held the door open."Go on."

AJ weakly smiled his thanks and rushed into the room. He was still wet and his shoes made squishing sounds on the floor. His shirt was stuck to his body in spots, but AJ was unaware of it as he walked to the side of the bed.

Chris's hair was still wet and brushed from her face. Her eyes were closed and her face pale. She had a bruise forming on her hand from the IV.

AJ noticed a chair by the wall, and pulled it beside the bed. Sitting down, he put his hand upturned underneath Chris's, holding it gently. With his other hand, AJ reached up and began to smooth back some stray pieces of her hair from her forehead.
"I'm so sorry," AJ said softly. "I don't know how to tell you how sorry I am. I never meant for you to get hurt. I would never do anything to hurt you.
"I know I've only known you for a few weeks. But in those weeks I have become drawn to you like you'd never imagine. Everywhere I go I see you...or smell you," he choked. "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you." He put his head on his arm, his hand no longer smoothing her hair, but resting on her cheek.

Chris had heard every word AJ said, and she felt the tears fill her eyes and begin to flow down her cheeks. She was more aware than when they had first brought her in, and Chris so wished she could open her eyes and tell him it was all okay. That it wasn't his fault.

AJ lifted his head when he felt something on his hand. He saw the tears on her face, and then he felt her squeeze his hand. Not very hard, but squeezed it just the same.
"It's okay," she whispered, crying. "It's okay."
AJ stood up and held her hand tighter. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't apologize. Just hold me." AJ needed no invitation. He bent down, wrapping his arms around her. Her hair smelled like the lake water, but she still smelled like herself. Chris carefully put her arms around AJ, pulling him closer. She felt his lips graze her own, and she didn't hold back.

"Looks like she's ready to go home," a voice said from the doorway. AJ pulled back quickly and turned to face the door. The whole group was standing in and around the door, looks of relief and amusement across their faces.
Chris smiled. "Hey, you guys," she whispered, holding out her hand. "C'mere."
Kevin reached the bed first. "How you feeling?"
"Not too good. My ankle hurts."
"You have no idea how worried we've been," Emily said. "We're so grateful you're alive."
Chris looked at her. "What do you mean?"
"It doesn't matter now. We just want to take you home." Brian said. He looked at Nick. "Go get Warren."
"Will do," he said, leaving to get the doctor. Howie came over and joined the others.
"Chris," he began.
"Don't," she said, holding up her hand. "Later, please."
Howie shook his head. "No. You have no idea how scared we were."
AJ looked at him. "Howie, you crying?"

"Don't worry. I'm here now, and fine. I just won't be able to dance for the entire summer, that's all." Chris said, trying to make light of the situation.
"You're right about that," said Dr. Warren, coming in through the group. "How are you feeling, Chris?"
"A little queasy and my ankle's throbbing."
"Well, that's normal. Just don't operate any heavy machinery while taking this medicine."
"I think you can count that out," muttered Nick. AJ gave him an evil look.
"You'd be surprised," AJ replied.
"Can I go home?" Chris asked.
"I think so. But come back in four weeks to get it checked. Maybe we can take it off early if you're good and take care of it."
"So let's go already," Nick said.
"I think we should let AJ wheel her out," Emily said, pushing the others out the door. When they were gone, AJ helped Chris sit up, and turned her toward the edge of the bed.\par \tab His hands were gentle, but trembling, as he tried not to hurt her. Once she was sitting up, AJ got the wheelchair from the other side of the room, opened it, and wheeled it to the bed. Putting one arm around her back and the other under her legs, AJ lifted Chris up and she cringed.

"What?"
"Nothing. Just my foot."
"I'm sorry," he apologized, placing her gently in the wheelchair. Chris still clung to him, but he didn't pull away. Instead, AJ put his arms around her again, for a moment. Then he stood up and wheeled Chris out of the room and out of the hospital to the car, while Kevin took care of signing Chris out.

Once they reached the Jeep, Howie jumped out and pushed the front seat up. AJ lifted Chris up again, feeling her cringe, and put her in the back. Then he ran the wheelchair back into the lobby, meeting up with Kevin who was on his way out. The two walked back to the Jeep together in silence, each lost in his own thoughts.

Back at the Jeep, Chris's eyes were closing again, and AJ jumped into the backseat with her. She leaned toward him and rested her head on his shoulder. Kevin got back into the front seat and Howie started the Jeep, turning on the radio.

"Where's Nick?" Kevin asked.
"He's hitching with Bri and Emily. There was no room here." Howie replied, pulling out of the parking lot and back onto the highway. End of the Road was playing on the radio and Chris began to sing softly in her sleep.
"It's so natural. You belong to me, I belong to you."
It was at that moment that AJ knew that he and Chris were meant to be together. And nothing was going to tear them apart. It was so natural that they belonged to each other.