**************************************************************************************************************************************
"You are such a simple creature,"
"Are you guys at it again?" Allison rolled her eyes in annoyance, she turned her attention from the lovely pond before her and focused it on the two men.
"Ever the *simple creature*." Teased Leo to both Allison and Jeff.
Groaning, she laid her head down on his bare back, eyes heavenward. "This is what I get for enlightening them in a comedy that actually has intelligent, yet crude, humor in it!"
"No," Jeff said, smiling at Allison, "This is what you get for trying to introduce us knuckleheads to a comedic universe *outside* of Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler."
"Even though," Leo added, "You knew well enough that Carrey and Sandler are two icons we are fully dedicated to. And that viewing others is a mortal sin in our eyes,"
"Chris Rock… Jay and Silent Bob…" Jeff counted off.
"Need we say more?"
"I'm sorry I asked," Moaned Ally. She closed her eyes, resting silently on Leo's back.
Leo glanced behind him, feeling the lightness of Ally's head, "This is scary, Ally. Your head is really light! Could this mean that something is missing inside that pretty little head of yours?"
With that response, Leo earned himself a slap from the attractive tomboy.
Jeff stifled a laugh, knowing full well that if he said anything , he would be feeling the same infliction that his friend was put through.
"That's it!" Standing up, she removed her shirt and jeans to reveal a blue bathing suit underneath. "I'm not going to stand for anymore of your loose banter. Gonna go in for a swim,"
Her shoulder length brown hair seemed to glow in the sunlight. She placed her hands on her waist, which the suit seems to compliment. Jeff and Leo just stared up at her, practically gaping. A single though ran through their minds… when had their Ally become such a hottie?!
"What? What are you guys staring at?" She already knew the answer, but she hoped she was just reading their eyes wrong. It made her uncomfortable knowing how their one-track minds worked, especially when it's aimed towards her.
"Boys!" She groaned, "If only they would just thinking with their…"
"Hey!" Jeff was the first to snap from his trance, "Give us men some credit. Little Jeff doesn't always do the thinking for me!"
Not wanting to get deeper into the conversation, Allison shook her head, leaped off their hand-built plank overlooking the still pond and headed towards the "jumping branch."
"Little Jeff?" asked Leo. He managed to pry his eyes off Ally to focus on his friend.
A small blush covered his face, "Like you don't call yours 'Little Leo'?"
"Who said it was *little*?" He retorted. Leo glanced over towards Allison, who was now climbing the tree.
An unsettling feeling washed over him as he watched her. Something wasn't right as she climbed higher. It wasn't until she walked onto a branch that *wasn't* their designated jump point.
"Ally!" Leo gazed up at her, "What the hell are you doing?!"
"What do you think, Einstein? I'm going to jump!"
"Allison!" Jeff called out, finally realizing just how up she was. "Are you crazy?!"
"Depends!" She held onto the branch above her, slowly rocking the one she was on. "Was Rufus the thirteenth apostle?"
Meanwhile…
Fiona and Luke had to bear witness to this little event. Fi shook her head in disbelief.
"What is she doing?! She's too high up!" She looked down at the pond, "And I *know* that that pond is not as deep as it looks!" Fi moved closer to the edge of where she and Luke had appeared, cupping her hand, "Hey! Allison!"
Luke placed a hand on Fi's shoulder. "She can't hear you, Fiona. They can't see us. We're invisible to them."
Fiona turned around, facing him in total shock and disbelief. "Don't you realize just how dangerous that jump looks?! She could seriously hurt! Isn't that why we're here?" She spun to look at Allison again, "You don't think she'll… you know…"
"Jump? Most likely. Allison was always a risk taker."
Her mouth going dry, she glanced at Luke, "That's not what I mean…"
"ONE… TWO…" They all heard her shout.
"Allison!!!" Leo cried out to her.
"Oh my God, no!" Fiona gasped, finding herself grasping onto Luke's arm, fear filling her soul.
Luke was calmly still, his eyes glued on Allison. Confusion stirred with relief, "It's okay, Fiona." He comforted her, especially at the scene her eyes were now witnessing.
Allison boldly jumped, her body falling fast and graceful towards the watery realm before her. An enormous splash broke the still surface, her body breaking the boundary that is air and water.
"Ally! Allison!" Jeff called out to her. The two boys broke into a run, and halted at the bank of the pond. Their eyes searched the now recovering surface, terror engulfing their hearts, as it became still and unmoving. Their fear grew as heavy as the silence that fell upon them.
Unbeknownst to them, the two unseen witnesses watched the water as well. Both waiting for a life to emerge from its watery depths. Luke knew in his heart the truth, but unfortunately, Fiona didn't. She escaped from Luke's grasp, but he reached for her and held her tight. "Fiona…"
"Luke! Let go!" She searched her eyes, "We have to help her! That's why we're here, right?! Right?! Please tell me that we're here to help save her!"
His gaze held steady, filled with love and assurance. "We *are* here to help her, Fi. But not at this moment. Not now."
Tears began to form in her eyes, "Why not?!"
He slowly turned her towards the two boys, who were now in the water in a desperate search for their dear friend. "Just watch, Fiona. Watch closely."
"Ally! Ally! Where the hell are you Allison?!!" Leo, who was usually the one least likely to shed a tear, felt his own eyes start to well up. His heart began to slowly break… this just can't happen!
"Where is she, Leo?! Where the hell is she?!" Jeff couldn't shake this feeling of death looming in his soul. His Allison… *their* Allison couldn't be…
"So… how's the water?"
Relief swiftly began to fill Fiona's heart. She smiled at Luke, until she noticed a small grin on his face.
"What?" Luke asked, noticing that expression of disbelief on her face.
She began to hit him, "You jerk! Some angel! You knew that she wasn't going to die… and yet you lead me to believe that she was going to!"
Luke chuckled, attempting to shield her punches. He finally grabbed her hands, "Fiona… I had no idea myself until a few seconds ago. I was just as scared for her as you were."
"But still…" She turned around, back facing him. Placing her arms in a huff, "I almost had a heart attack."
Luke hugged her from behind, comforting and holding her tight as she began to shake. "I'm sorry, Fiona. I promise to warn you ahead of time." Smiling down at her, causing her to smile back, "It's okay to watch now. No big surprise…"
"For now…" she mumbled, but grinned despite herself.
Allison had the biggest smile on her face. Her onyx eyes dancing mischievously at her boys. Her body was wet, and she was shimmering due to the sunlight hitting the silk dewdrops on her soaking self.
An image of an angel was what she was, which made it hard for her two guys to believe that she was indeed alive and well.
"Please pardon my dear self, for I seem to have a penchant for the dramatics." She joked.
"Now who's taking a line from 'Dogma'?" smirked Leo. His eyes were flaring, as were Jeff's. They slowly stalked up to her, menacing smiles on their faces.
Allison knew that she scared them half to death with one of her stupid stunts, but for once she actually regretted carrying this one out.
"Guys… c'mon, you know me." She meekly grinned at them. "You know how I love to do stupid things like this. I thought by now you'd be used to my stupidity."
Towering over her now, they stared down at her, eyes unwavering.
"Guys?"
Leo met eyes with Jeff, "Count of three?"
"What?" She glanced from one to the next.
"You start, Leo."
Panic in her voice, "What are you guys talking about?"
"Okay," Leo began, mischief twinkling in his eyes, "Three!"
"No!!!" She squealed.
Fiona and Luke watched in silent amusement as both males picked up their unwilling victim, who just happened to be wiggling her way out of their grasps.
"Guys—Leo—Jeff… NO!"
A piercing scream filled the air as Jeff and Leo toss the ever adventurous Allison into the water.
The Matt Damon of the duo held out his hand, "Outstanding work!"
Mr. Ben Affleck took it and also congratulated his friend on a job well done.
**************************************************************************************************************************************
The rest of the afternoon went by smoothly. After the little "incident", the trio decided to lazily spend most of their time under a tree near the pond and just sleep.
Fiona and Luke sat on the plank, eyes focused on the three musketeers.
"Why did she do that, Luke? Doesn't she realize that stunt almost had cost her own life?"
Luke sighed, his eyes gazing over the sleeping beauty wedged between her two princes. "Allison has always felt the need to look at death right in the eyes."
Allison stirred for a moment, her body moved and she rested her head on Jeff's chest.
"They're just as young as me, Jack and Annie. I don't get it, Luke." She looked up at him, "I mean, what makes this case so special? What makes *them* so special that God had to send them an angel?"
Luke met eyes with Fiona, beaming at her. "Did you know that this might be their last year together? They're about to graduate high school, about to move on from the title of *young* adults to just adults… for them, life hasn't even begun."
A quiet smile formed on Fiona's lips, "I think that Allison might disagree with you on that one, Luke."
An equally amusing grin formed on the angel's face, "She certainly does live life to the fullest." He paused, then added, "All of God's children are special in their own way. For Annie, it's music. For Jack, it's his gift to capture the moment with his photographs. And for you, it's your heart and your uncanny dedication to find the truth."
He turned back to Allison, his eyes beginning to cloud with foreboding knowledge. "For Allison, well… it's her courage. Which brings me back to why Allison always places her life at high stakes."
Fiona didn't like where this conversation was heading. "What is it, Luke?"
"Ally is a lot like some people when it comes to dealing with their own fear of death…"
Allison stirred again, this time her head had found its way to rest on Leo's body.
*"Facing it head on…"*
A content sigh escaped her lips, causing Leo to awaken for a brief moment.
*"Taking control of her actions, though the price may be her life…"*
He looked down at the dreaming princess and gently caressed her cheek.
*"Is Allison's only way…"*
Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead.
*"Of dealing with the fact that she is dying."*
"Sweet dreams, Ally."
**************************************************************************************************************************************
"You are such a simple creature,"
"Are you guys at it again?" Allison rolled her eyes in annoyance, she turned her attention from the lovely pond before her and focused it on the two men.
"Ever the *simple creature*." Teased Leo to both Allison and Jeff.
Groaning, she laid her head down on his bare back, eyes heavenward. "This is what I get for enlightening them in a comedy that actually has intelligent, yet crude, humor in it!"
"No," Jeff said, smiling at Allison, "This is what you get for trying to introduce us knuckleheads to a comedic universe *outside* of Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler."
"Even though," Leo added, "You knew well enough that Carrey and Sandler are two icons we are fully dedicated to. And that viewing others is a mortal sin in our eyes,"
"Chris Rock… Jay and Silent Bob…" Jeff counted off.
"Need we say more?"
"I'm sorry I asked," Moaned Ally. She closed her eyes, resting silently on Leo's back.
Leo glanced behind him, feeling the lightness of Ally's head, "This is scary, Ally. Your head is really light! Could this mean that something is missing inside that pretty little head of yours?"
With that response, Leo earned himself a slap from the attractive tomboy.
Jeff stifled a laugh, knowing full well that if he said anything , he would be feeling the same infliction that his friend was put through.
"That's it!" Standing up, she removed her shirt and jeans to reveal a blue bathing suit underneath. "I'm not going to stand for anymore of your loose banter. Gonna go in for a swim,"
Her shoulder length brown hair seemed to glow in the sunlight. She placed her hands on her waist, which the suit seems to compliment. Jeff and Leo just stared up at her, practically gaping. A single though ran through their minds… when had their Ally become such a hottie?!
"What? What are you guys staring at?" She already knew the answer, but she hoped she was just reading their eyes wrong. It made her uncomfortable knowing how their one-track minds worked, especially when it's aimed towards her.
"Boys!" She groaned, "If only they would just thinking with their…"
"Hey!" Jeff was the first to snap from his trance, "Give us men some credit. Little Jeff doesn't always do the thinking for me!"
Not wanting to get deeper into the conversation, Allison shook her head, leaped off their hand-built plank overlooking the still pond and headed towards the "jumping branch."
"Little Jeff?" asked Leo. He managed to pry his eyes off Ally to focus on his friend.
A small blush covered his face, "Like you don't call yours 'Little Leo'?"
"Who said it was *little*?" He retorted. Leo glanced over towards Allison, who was now climbing the tree.
An unsettling feeling washed over him as he watched her. Something wasn't right as she climbed higher. It wasn't until she walked onto a branch that *wasn't* their designated jump point.
"Ally!" Leo gazed up at her, "What the hell are you doing?!"
"What do you think, Einstein? I'm going to jump!"
"Allison!" Jeff called out, finally realizing just how up she was. "Are you crazy?!"
"Depends!" She held onto the branch above her, slowly rocking the one she was on. "Was Rufus the thirteenth apostle?"
Meanwhile…
Fiona and Luke had to bear witness to this little event. Fi shook her head in disbelief.
"What is she doing?! She's too high up!" She looked down at the pond, "And I *know* that that pond is not as deep as it looks!" Fi moved closer to the edge of where she and Luke had appeared, cupping her hand, "Hey! Allison!"
Luke placed a hand on Fi's shoulder. "She can't hear you, Fiona. They can't see us. We're invisible to them."
Fiona turned around, facing him in total shock and disbelief. "Don't you realize just how dangerous that jump looks?! She could seriously hurt! Isn't that why we're here?" She spun to look at Allison again, "You don't think she'll… you know…"
"Jump? Most likely. Allison was always a risk taker."
Her mouth going dry, she glanced at Luke, "That's not what I mean…"
"ONE… TWO…" They all heard her shout.
"Allison!!!" Leo cried out to her.
"Oh my God, no!" Fiona gasped, finding herself grasping onto Luke's arm, fear filling her soul.
Luke was calmly still, his eyes glued on Allison. Confusion stirred with relief, "It's okay, Fiona." He comforted her, especially at the scene her eyes were now witnessing.
Allison boldly jumped, her body falling fast and graceful towards the watery realm before her. An enormous splash broke the still surface, her body breaking the boundary that is air and water.
"Ally! Allison!" Jeff called out to her. The two boys broke into a run, and halted at the bank of the pond. Their eyes searched the now recovering surface, terror engulfing their hearts, as it became still and unmoving. Their fear grew as heavy as the silence that fell upon them.
Unbeknownst to them, the two unseen witnesses watched the water as well. Both waiting for a life to emerge from its watery depths. Luke knew in his heart the truth, but unfortunately, Fiona didn't. She escaped from Luke's grasp, but he reached for her and held her tight. "Fiona…"
"Luke! Let go!" She searched her eyes, "We have to help her! That's why we're here, right?! Right?! Please tell me that we're here to help save her!"
His gaze held steady, filled with love and assurance. "We *are* here to help her, Fi. But not at this moment. Not now."
Tears began to form in her eyes, "Why not?!"
He slowly turned her towards the two boys, who were now in the water in a desperate search for their dear friend. "Just watch, Fiona. Watch closely."
"Ally! Ally! Where the hell are you Allison?!!" Leo, who was usually the one least likely to shed a tear, felt his own eyes start to well up. His heart began to slowly break… this just can't happen!
"Where is she, Leo?! Where the hell is she?!" Jeff couldn't shake this feeling of death looming in his soul. His Allison… *their* Allison couldn't be…
"So… how's the water?"
Relief swiftly began to fill Fiona's heart. She smiled at Luke, until she noticed a small grin on his face.
"What?" Luke asked, noticing that expression of disbelief on her face.
She began to hit him, "You jerk! Some angel! You knew that she wasn't going to die… and yet you lead me to believe that she was going to!"
Luke chuckled, attempting to shield her punches. He finally grabbed her hands, "Fiona… I had no idea myself until a few seconds ago. I was just as scared for her as you were."
"But still…" She turned around, back facing him. Placing her arms in a huff, "I almost had a heart attack."
Luke hugged her from behind, comforting and holding her tight as she began to shake. "I'm sorry, Fiona. I promise to warn you ahead of time." Smiling down at her, causing her to smile back, "It's okay to watch now. No big surprise…"
"For now…" she mumbled, but grinned despite herself.
Allison had the biggest smile on her face. Her onyx eyes dancing mischievously at her boys. Her body was wet, and she was shimmering due to the sunlight hitting the silk dewdrops on her soaking self.
An image of an angel was what she was, which made it hard for her two guys to believe that she was indeed alive and well.
"Please pardon my dear self, for I seem to have a penchant for the dramatics." She joked.
"Now who's taking a line from 'Dogma'?" smirked Leo. His eyes were flaring, as were Jeff's. They slowly stalked up to her, menacing smiles on their faces.
Allison knew that she scared them half to death with one of her stupid stunts, but for once she actually regretted carrying this one out.
"Guys… c'mon, you know me." She meekly grinned at them. "You know how I love to do stupid things like this. I thought by now you'd be used to my stupidity."
Towering over her now, they stared down at her, eyes unwavering.
"Guys?"
Leo met eyes with Jeff, "Count of three?"
"What?" She glanced from one to the next.
"You start, Leo."
Panic in her voice, "What are you guys talking about?"
"Okay," Leo began, mischief twinkling in his eyes, "Three!"
"No!!!" She squealed.
Fiona and Luke watched in silent amusement as both males picked up their unwilling victim, who just happened to be wiggling her way out of their grasps.
"Guys—Leo—Jeff… NO!"
A piercing scream filled the air as Jeff and Leo toss the ever adventurous Allison into the water.
The Matt Damon of the duo held out his hand, "Outstanding work!"
Mr. Ben Affleck took it and also congratulated his friend on a job well done.
**************************************************************************************************************************************
The rest of the afternoon went by smoothly. After the little "incident", the trio decided to lazily spend most of their time under a tree near the pond and just sleep.
Fiona and Luke sat on the plank, eyes focused on the three musketeers.
"Why did she do that, Luke? Doesn't she realize that stunt almost had cost her own life?"
Luke sighed, his eyes gazing over the sleeping beauty wedged between her two princes. "Allison has always felt the need to look at death right in the eyes."
Allison stirred for a moment, her body moved and she rested her head on Jeff's chest.
"They're just as young as me, Jack and Annie. I don't get it, Luke." She looked up at him, "I mean, what makes this case so special? What makes *them* so special that God had to send them an angel?"
Luke met eyes with Fiona, beaming at her. "Did you know that this might be their last year together? They're about to graduate high school, about to move on from the title of *young* adults to just adults… for them, life hasn't even begun."
A quiet smile formed on Fiona's lips, "I think that Allison might disagree with you on that one, Luke."
An equally amusing grin formed on the angel's face, "She certainly does live life to the fullest." He paused, then added, "All of God's children are special in their own way. For Annie, it's music. For Jack, it's his gift to capture the moment with his photographs. And for you, it's your heart and your uncanny dedication to find the truth."
He turned back to Allison, his eyes beginning to cloud with foreboding knowledge. "For Allison, well… it's her courage. Which brings me back to why Allison always places her life at high stakes."
Fiona didn't like where this conversation was heading. "What is it, Luke?"
"Ally is a lot like some people when it comes to dealing with their own fear of death…"
Allison stirred again, this time her head had found its way to rest on Leo's body.
*"Facing it head on…"*
A content sigh escaped her lips, causing Leo to awaken for a brief moment.
*"Taking control of her actions, though the price may be her life…"*
He looked down at the dreaming princess and gently caressed her cheek.
*"Is Allison's only way…"*
Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead.
*"Of dealing with the fact that she is dying."*
"Sweet dreams, Ally."
**************************************************************************************************************************************