As Jake drove home from Fallyn's house his heart erratically in his chest. He couldn't wait to get home and talk to Fallyn and get her back. Still he was trying not to get his hopes up too high. There was still a large possibility that he and Fallyn weren't going to get back together. Fallyn had never been his girlfriend; in fact he had no idea what to call her. All he knew was that short time he was able to call her his was some of the happiest of his life. At the moment Jake was willing to do anything to get her back. Jake's eyes were heavy and he was having an extraordinarily hard time keeping his eyes open and focused on the road. It was nearing midnight and Jake had, had a very long day. As he drove Jake felt as if he was in a distant hazy space between reality and his dreams. The traffic began to slow and it did nothing to help Jake stay awake. The car lights in front of him shined in his face making Jake squint uncomfortably. His eyes and head began to droop; and he saw no more.

He was on the Cornelia Marie. The coiler was broken and Jake was the unlucky member of the crew selected to coil by hand. He was hunched over and his back was slowly beginning to ache and twinge. His back dripped with sweat and his t-shirts were starting to stick to his body. Jake looked up towards the wheel house and saw his father smiling down at him. "Pops." He said aloud incredulously. Jake dropped the rope he was holding and hurried inside; ignoring the disgruntled mumbling from his fellow ship mates. Jake hurried past the galley and up the wheel house stairs. He hurried into the wheel house and stumbled over his own feet. His mouth fell open in surprise upon seeing the captain's chair empty. "Pops." He repeated. This time it was less audible. He slowly walked to the menacingly empty chair and gripped the soft cushion tightly and closed his eyes. Burning tears snuck out from under his eye lids. "Pops."

Jake's eyes flickered open and he rubbed them wearily. "What the hell?" Jake said aloud as his dream flooded back to him. His chest began to tighten uncomfortably. And his eyes burned with tears. Jake was distracted and his shoulders began to shake with dry sobs. His vision was blurred and he realized much too late he was going to slam into the car in front of him.

"Fallyn wake up!" Josh said loudly.
"I'm not asleep." Fallyn said as she pushed herself up on her knees. Fallyn peered at Josh through the darkness of her bedroom and could tell something was wrong. "What happened Josh?" She asked.
"It's Jake." Before Josh could even finish his sentence Fallyn felt sick to her stomach.
"He crashed his truck. He's in the hospital." For a moment Fallyn's mind went completely blank and she was torn between the urge to vomit and pass out.
"Is he ok?" Fallyn asked breathlessly.
Josh shrugged, "I spoke to him for a second but he sounded like he was in a lot of pain." Fallyn flung herself out of bed and clumsily crammed her feet into a pair of flats. She searched for Josh in the darkness and finally seized his arm. "Let's go!" She said hurriedly, "I need to see him!"

The ride to the hospital Jake been admitted to was a complete blur for Fallyn. Just hours before she had been exceedingly happy; Her parents were going to become part of her life again and it was all thanks to Jake. She had spent the last few hours aching with anticipation of getting back together with him. Now she was filled with nothing but dread. 'Please let him be ok.' She pleaded with anyone and anything who could possibly be listening. Jake had gotten hurt while doing something for her and the guilt consumed her like a rapid hungry flame. Why did everyone she loved always end up hurt?

When the reached the hospital Fallyn hovered impatiently at the front desk while she waited for the nurse to tell her and Josh where Jake's room was. After what seemed an eternity they were given directions to Jake's room. Fallyn walked as fast as she could and unconsciously broke into a run every few feet. When they reached room D133 Fallyn burst inside the room without bothering to knock. Jake was propped up on several pillows and he gave her a small smile. He had several long gashes on his face, his right armed seemed to be broken, and he had bandages wrapped tightly around his torso. Fallyn was at a loss for words; seeing Jake in that state shook her. Fallyn opened her mouth to speak but seemed to have forgotten how to form words. Jake's smile widened, "I know I'm breathtaking but your staring is making me uncomfortable."
Fallyn smiled and relief swept over her. The man lying in he hospital bed was still her Jake.
She rolled her eyes, "what a shame that accident didn't knock some humbleness into you."
Jake snorted in disgust and waved her over to his side. Fallyn tentatively walked over to his side and Josh plopped down in one of the room's several vacant chairs. Fallyn bent over and placed a soft kiss on Jake's forehead. As she straightened and looked down at him she had to fight the overwhelming urge to cry. "I'm sorry." She choked out.
Jake frowned, "what are you sorry for? You didn't make me fall asleep at the wheel."
"But still you were on your way back from taking my parents home.
"Jake shrugged, "it was worth it."
Josh burst into laughter and Fallyn waited for him to contain himself before she responded. Fallyn ran her finger's through Jake's untidy hair. "Well... At least you made a good impression on my parents. Usually they don't like my boyfriends."
Jake's face lit up, "boyfriend?"
"Well... Yeah... Unless of course you don't want to be my boyfriend."
Jake shook his head rapidly and then winced from the pain he caused himself.
"You know I want to be your boyfriend Fallyn."

'Tell her you love her.' Jake told himself. But the thought of professing his feelings for Fallyn in front of his brother was cringe worthy. Still he was now Fallyn's boyfriend. Finally. If he hadn't had a broken arm and multiple cracked ribs he would have jumped out of bed and held her as tightly as possible. Jake smirked up at Fallyn as she fluffed his pillows and ruffled his hair. The arrogant look on his face did not go unnoticed by Fallyn. "Really soaking it up aren't you?" Fallyn asked as she placed her hands on her hips. Jake released an airy sigh, "I'm just so fragile."
Fallyn snorted and turned her back on him. "I'm going to get a bottle of water." She said over her shoulder as she left the room.

Josh stood up and took Fallyn's place beside Jake's bed. "You fell asleep at the wheel? What the hell man?" Usually Jake would have gotten defensive and started yelling but he could tell Josh wasn't angry; he was just concerned. "I'm sorry bro." Jake replied, " I thought I could stay awake but the next thing I knew I was out."
Josh shook his head, "You need to be more careful man. We leave for Dutch in a few months and what if you can't go?"
"Don't worry the doctor said I'll be fine." Jake paused, he was unsure if he wanted to share what was on his mind. Finally Jake made a decision, " dude when I fell asleep I dreamed about pops."
Josh raised his eyebrows in surprise, "what happened?"
"He was watching me on deck from the wheel house so I ran inside to see him... But when I got upstairs he was gone... What do you think it means?"
Josh sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily, "I think it just means you miss him."
"I miss him so much dude." Jake replied softly. He was overwhelmed and surprised by the wave of emotion that had just hit him out of no where.
"I miss him too." Josh said slowly, "I want him back as much as you do... But there is nothing we can do besides try and make him proud."
Jake nodded and looked down at his weathered hands. They bore the signature calluses and scars of a fisherman. They did little else besides remind him of his father's hands.
Jake smiled weakly "I don't think he'd be very proud if he could see the way we've been treating each other these last few months."
Josh nodded in agreement, "he'd kick our asses."
"Let's try getting along... For once. Starting now?"
"Agreed."
Jake smiled; although he and his brother had tried and failed many times to get along this time Jake had a suspicion that it was for real.

"What's going on?" Fallyn said as she entered the room clutching a water bottle.
"Nothing." The boys replied in unison. Fallyn narrowed her eyes suspiciously as identical grins spread across both boys faces. She rolled her eyes and sat down in the rickety chair closest to Jake's bed. For the next few hours she sat with Jake and Josh and laughed so hard her stomach muscles hurt. It wasn't until a nurse came in and said laughing wasn't good for Jake's ribs that Josh finally stood up and announced he was leaving. Fallyn decided to stay the night with Jake and the nurse brought her a flimsy cot to sleep on. As soon as the nurse left the room however Jake carefully shifted his weight to the edge of the bed and patted the empty spot next to him. Fallyn bit her lip and carefully lifted herself into the narrow space; and leaned back on Jake's pillows. Fallyn turned her head and looked at Jake. Even covered in wounds Jake was beautiful to her. Before she could stop herself words began to spill out of her mouth. "Jake you don't know how much bringing my parents to see me meant. Nobody's ever done anything that... Amazing for me before. I never thought I was going to see them again. I know all of our problems are still there but I feel like we're going to fix them this time and its all thanks to you Jacob."
Jake gave her a small shrug and soft smile. Fallyn could see that she had embarrassed him; but she didn't care. He meant so much to her and he needed to know what she felt. It was then that Fallyn realized exactly what it was that she was feeling.
"Jake..." Fallyn continued.
"What?" He asked.
"I love you."
Without hesitation Jake placed his hand on her cheek and rested his forehead against hers, "I love you too Fallyn."
Fallyn smiled and placed a tender kiss on his lips.
"Who would have guessed?" Jake whispered. Fallyn grinned and gave him another kiss.
"No one." She replied.
Never would anyone have thought that Jacob Harris and Fallyn Kovalevsky would fall in love with each other.

PLEASE REVIEW
I'll love you more than Andy Hillstrand loves his cowboy hat!