Andre yawned loudly as he stretched and took in his surroundings. Same as ever; dark cave, Beck and Jade, birds chirping. Wait, birds chirping? Andre jumped to his feet and ran to the opening of the shelter. It was dark out because it was nighttime, but sure enough the storm had stopped and the air was still and warm. Andre felt a tiny bit of relief pulling at him, wanting to grow into something more, like hope. But Andre wouldn't allow it. He had been here for long enough to understand, almost to expect that every time there was a chance at escaping, a glimmer of possibility on the horizon, it would quickly be ended by anything and everything. Nonetheless, Andre walked back over to Jade and Beck to get Beck's help with rebuilding their fire. As he approached them, he noticed Jade was actually awake. He wondered if she had just woken up, but as he got closer and closer he saw her eyes were bloodshot and she looked absolutely exhausted.
"Jade?" He asked cautiously. "What are you doing?"
Jade's neck whipped around to see Andre coming towards her, and she gasped at the pain from the sudden movement. She quickly recovered though and regained composure.
"What do you mean?" She replied innocently, with some effort on her part.
"Well why are you just lying here, wide awake? I mean do you want some food or something…why didn't you wake us up?" Andre was baffled. Jade was acting so strange lately. It was like she felt fine, but heaven knows that couldn't be the case. Jade looked nervous. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. "Jade, you can tell me anything. We're in this together."
At that, she broke. Jade was not as strong as she wished she was, not as strong as others thought they knew she was. She was weak, broken and pathetic.
"Andre…I don't know what to do." She whispered. She really didn't want Beck to wake up and see her like this. "It just hurts so much! It's like, it's like I don't even know how to explain it but my head feels like someone is jack hammering it constantly while someone else is rubbing alcohol on it with sandpaper. It's excruciating." Jade paused and drew in a shaky breath. Andre knew he wouldn't like what was coming next. "And I just don't think I can do this anymore."
Andre took her cold hand in his own much bigger one. He looked into Jade's eyes, his best friend, ex-crush, now basically his sister. "Do what?" Andre asked, holding back his tears. He already knew the answer but he needed to make it clear.
"Live." Jade said, so softly that Andre couldn't hear, but he knew exactly what she said by the look of complete agony on her face. These were the moments that Andre had no faith in this world. How could Jade deserve this? Her description of her injury was mind numbing to Andre, and he would've gladly taken the pain in her place. He couldn't bear the thought of her being dead. He didn't want to think of walking into school without seeing her scissor encrusted locker, of having no one to tell Cat to shut the hell up about her brother, of never seeing that rare but pure smile she got whenever she sang.
"No Jade, no." He said firmly, but his shaking voice took away his authority. "You cannot give up right now. Not after everything that's happened! We are so close, I swear to God you can do it Jade. I believe in you."
"Don't." Jade said. She already felt dreadful about how Beck would feel; now Andre was adding to her guilt. "Don't do this. Don't make it harder than it needs to be. Just let me go, and take care of Beck. You two better get home."
"Jade!" Andre screamed now, causing Beck to wake up and Jade to flinch away from the loud sound. Beck held her protectively, unaware of why Andre was yelling at her, but he didn't get a chance to ask before Andre continued. "Stop it! Just stop! Stop acting like you're already gone, like there's no chance for you! There is Jade; you will make it through this! Think of Cat! What will she do without you? You know she probably blames herself enough for us getting lost because it was her idea to come to the beach in the first place! If you died? She'd hate herself!"
"Whoa whoa whoa what?" Beck was suddenly alert, If you died? What the hell was he talking about? Andre didn't even acknowledge Beck, he was too caught up in his little speech. He was getting angry; this was not the Jade he knew. She could do anything, he admired her courage. Ever since they got on this island though, she had been a different person almost. He hated it, he hated what had happened to her and he hated she could die any second now. She just couldn't though, she couldn't leave him and Beck like that. Oh God, Beck.
"And what about Beck huh? How do you think he'll feel, after you've given up and let yourself die? He would never be the same without you, and you know he would never let himself fall in love with anyone else! I wouldn't put it past him to kill himself, because that's how much he Goddamn loves you! Jesus Christ Jade, there is so much to live for and you just want to take the easy way out."
"The easy way?" Jade shrieked back at him, her voice shooting up to a painfully high octave. "There is no fucking easy way! Every second is torture; every blink of my eyes brings more pain! And do you honestly think I haven't thought about everyone else? I've been lying here with Beck for the past three hours trying to sort everything out and convince myself I'm strong enough to pull through, but who the fuck am I kidding? We don't even have a way to get off here, much less any plan once we do! I'm trying Andre, I'm trying so hard!" Jade was panting now, and near tears. "I'm sorry." She whispered and turned and buried her face in Beck's shoulder. Andre breathed deeply and calmed himself down from his rant. He was already an emotional guy and this island had added to his stress level. He knew the last thing Jade needed was a screaming match right now.
"Jade, I'm sorry too. I know you're hurting, and I know you're doing your best, and I know it's hard. This is hard for me and I don't even have a severe head injury to consider, so I really and truly understand why you think it's time to give up. But you just can't." Andre said, and finally dropped her hand from his. He stood up and went to get the fire started himself, Beck needed some time with Jade. Andre sank to his knees and prayed as soon as he was out of sight, and let a few slow tears roll down his cheeks, because if Beck couldn't save her, nobody could.
Beck was shocked. He couldn't speak, he couldn't even think. All he knew was that Jade was his and he loved her. He loved the dying, yes dying, girl that was clinging onto him and sobbing, apologizing to him for not being strong enough. He loved her so much that the force of her pain slammed into him like a train that just kept coming and coming, smashing him and breaking him, but making his love for her grow even stronger. He looked at her tear streaked face, the most beautiful face he had ever seen. He brought his hand up ever so slowly, and gently cupped her cheek. She leaned into his palm, and he brought her closer to kiss away her tears. His lips were feather-light on her watery skin. Unexpectedly, Jade brought her own lips up to meet his. She kissed him so passionately and he could feel that ever present spark they shared growing hotter and hotter as her mouth moved on his. Her fingers lost themselves in his hair and she pulled herself even closer to him so that their bathing-suit clad bodies were completely pressed together. Beck's mind was leaving him as it always did when he and Jade kissed. But he restrained himself from the kiss as much as his body protested, and gently kissed her back for a few seconds before carefully pulling away.
"Jade I love you so much." He choked out, and he hadn't realized he was crying until Jade reached up and wiped his own tears away. Beck could've gone on a rant like Andre had, but what good would that do him? What else could he say? All he knew was that he couldn't stand to see her in this much pain, but he couldn't bear to live without her. "Jade I love you. Please baby please…"
He trailed off, and Jade looked up into his deep warm coffee-brown eyes. They were brimming over with tears. Beck's voice shook with emotion and his arms tightened around her, as if he held her just a little bit tighter, everything would be alright. Jade bit her lip and stared unblinking into his eyes. If she blinked, her tears would spill out and she was so sick of crying.
"I love you too, Beck." She said, subconsciously pulling herself closer still, making it harder and easier to breathe all at the same time. Just being in his arms made her feel the slightest bit better and she almost smiled when she smelled his 'quality shampoo' that she loved still somehow lingering in his hair. She loved him more than life itself, and here was her chance to prove it. Nothing could come in between them now, not after all that she'd endured to get this far. She snuggled her head into Beck's shoulder and looked up at his worried expression. "And I can't wait till we get home." She finished, finalizing her pact to just stay alive.
A/N: AHH ok im rushing out the door right now but i really wanted to update this! Thanks for all ur great reviews and please please review they really make me smile!:) HAPPY EASTER! Hope you enjoyed this idk ahhhh g2g! xoxo