NEVER ALONE
by 0TwistedAngel0

Summary: "I'll hold tight to what I know, you're here. And I'm never alone" Angsty Jawni one-shot.

Her eyes gathered pools of moisture as she glared at the ground. She was weeping pathetically and uncontrollably. She refused to believe it, why wasn't he here? There had to be another reason than the one her friends had given her. He promised that he would always be there when she needed him. Tawni hugged herself tightly wishing it was his arms that were protecting her from the autumn wind. She knew she should call somebody to take her home, but she didn't want to leave. She didn't want anyone but him picking her up. If she left the park with someone else, it would be admitting that he wasn't coming.

Tawni's shaking hands reached into her purse. She moved her hand frantically through the clutter. After a minute of searching with no success, Tawni shouted in frustration and flipped out her purse, spilling its contents to the floor beneath the bench she was sitting on. Her blue eyes landed on a shiny, pink phone glittering in the moonlight. Tawni knelt down and picked it up. She flipped open her phone and pressed the number one speed dial. She pressed the phone to her ear and tried to take deep breaths to control her sobbing. 'Please pick up…please…' Tawni thought urgently as she waited a moment after each ring hoping that if she waited just a little longer, he'd pick up. Suddenly, she heard a noise. Tawni's heart almost stopped in that mere moment of agonizing anticipation.

"Hey, you've reached James. I'm too busy being awesome to answer the phone right now. Leave a cool message though and I might get back to you…And if its Tawni, sorry I didn't pick up, hon. Love you."

Tawni's sobbing picked right back up again. He told her he'd always be there! James would always tell her that he was juts a phone call away! As the tears rolled down her cheeks, Tawni held her phone to her heart. She couldn't stay in the park any longer. She couldn't stay where they had been so many times, and stolen so many kisses.

With her hands shaking, the teen dialed her phone again. The phone rang twice and was quickly picked up. More tears escaped her eyes as she wished the same had been done with her previous phone call.

"Tawni?" the voice on the other end of the phone asked worriedly.

"Sonny..." Tawni started. She didn't even know what to say to the girl.

"Tawni, where are you?" Sonny asked urgently. Tawni sighed. Of course, she was worried. Tawni had left the prop house in a mad daze. She had run out so fast that nobody had any idea what she was doing to do or where she was going. All her friends had gathered together to let her know...the hospital called. There had been an accident. Tawni's sobbing continued and she could barely utter a word.

"Tawni!" Sonny shouted. "Please, Tawn. Where are you? Chad and I will come get you..."

"P...p-park..." the blonde managed to utter through her breakdown.

"O-okay. Tawni, I need you to calm down, okay? Ch-" Suddenly there was a shuffling noise as the phone was transferred from Sonny to somebody else.

"Blondie, Don't. Move. Sonny and I are leaving the studio now. We'll be there soon." Chad ordered sternly. Even though his voice was rough and cold, Tawni knew he was worried out of his mind. Chad didn't show emotion for other people pubicly...well except for Sonny but that didn't mean he didn't care.

Hearing the worried murmur of her friends, Tawni sniffled and wiped her eyes. "O..okay, Chad." she whispered before saying goodbye and hanging up the phone. She picked up her things from the ground and put them back into her purse. She then numbly got up and sat back on the bench. All her emotions were draining her, she couldn't stay awake...she knew it was dangerous to fall asleep in the park after dark, but she couldn't muster up enough energy to care. As she drifted off, she heard a voice calling to her.

'Tawni? Babe...look at me. Tawn...please.'

She knew that voice...she knew that voice so well...why couldn't she picture the face it belonged to? She was so tired...it hurt to even breathe...all she wanted was for the pain to go away...why would this voice not let her sleep?

'Tawni...please, look at me.'

The voice sounded like it was in so much pain and it hurt her. Why? She forced her eyes to open and she saw him. The wound in her chest bleed freely as her eyes landed on him...

"James..." she whispered. It was him, she was certain of it. She had admitted to herself that James had passed away...died in a car crash. And yet she was staring into his chocolate brown eyes and he was glowing...he was glowing with such a radiance that seeing how beautiful he was made her eyes spring fresh tears. He moved closer to her to sit next to her and Tawni lifted her hand to touch him...

He stared at her waiting for her to do it...but her recoiled her hand. She was too scared that her hand would pass through him and that all her fears would be confirmed. If her hand passed through him, she wouldn't be able to handle it. There would be no way to deny the truth then.

"James...say something..." she whispered pleadingly as she looked into his eyes. His beautifully intense eyes...they were still the same. And when she looked into them her heart still pounded loudly.

James smiled sadly at her. 'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I hurt you...I'm sorry.'

"I...I don't know what to do without you, James. It hurts too much to even think..." Tawni whispered as her tears fell freely.

'I know, baby...and I'm so sorry that it's all my fault. But...I have to leave you...I just wanted to see you...and to tell you I'm sorry. I wanted you to know that I love you so much...and I'll be with you, always. I'll be waiting for the day when I can hold you again'

"Hold me now..." Tawni pleaded.

'I can't...'

"Please, don't leave me alone..."

'I won't, Tawn. I will always be with you...I'll...I'll be your guardian angel. You just have to be strong for me...you'll heal in time. I know you will.'

"I love you, James...I love you so much."

James smiled at her. 'I know...I love you too.'

And then, he started to fade and Tawni started sobbing again. She wanted to reach out and touch him but she knew she couldn't. She settled for staring at him and calling out his name...she watched him until he was completely gone. She watched him until she was alone in the dark again. Her entire body began shaking as she curled up on the bench and continued crying. James was gone. Gone. Gone. He wasn't going to come back...but he promised he was with her.

"Tawni?" she heard a voice call out. Her heart skipped a beat...but when the voice registered she realized it wasn't James' voice...the voice was too soft-spoken and high pitched. It was Sonny.

Tawni whimpered out her best friend's name and felt arms wrap around her. "Chad! I found her! She's over here!" she caled out. "Tawni, it's going to be okay. I promise you, hon. Everything is going to be okay...." Sonny whispered as she rocked the blonde, sobbing girl in her arms.

Chad rushed forward and Sonny moved allowing him to the gather Tawni up into his arms. Tawni wrapped her arms around his neck and cried into his neck. He squeezed her close in a comforting gesture and then he and Sonny silently took her back to his car.

The night wind blew and Tawni's crying quieted down as she fell asleep. The wind blew again running gently moving her hair but instead of feeling the cold, Tawni felt warm hands caress her face and kiss her cheek. She felt those same hands embrace her while she was in Chad's arms...and she felt better knowing whole-heartedly that James would keep his promise.