Chapter 2: Oh, Jem

Guys, no commenting on how short any of this story's chapters are. The first one was over 2,000 words and this one is 1,358. If I decide to make one chapter short, just get off of my case. I will try to make it so the total amount of words can be divided by how many chapters there are and still get over 1,000, but I might lack inspiration some weeks.

Again, I don't own TMI or TID. If you thought I did, I have a unicorn, too. Get it? Because if you believe me you, apparently, are gullible. Ha. I'm just so funny.

By the time that the youngest of the group had to go, the game calmed down and everyone was so tired that we were all just doing truth. Only Magnus, Alec, Jem, Jace, Isabelle, Maia, and Cecily stayed. Cecily was the youngest, but this is her party. Honestly, the only reason the new kids left was because they didn't want to come home separately. Most everyone, not Jace, decided to sleep over since Mom and Dad were spending the night in the city.

"I need to sleep." Yawned out Izzy while she curled into Maia's neck.

"Everyone does, cupcake." Magnus stretched sleepily.

"Yeah. I'm going. Goodnight, losers." Jace stood up weakly and spread his arms over his head before waddling out of the house with a quick wave and his shirt in his hand.

Almost everyone ended up with missing clothing, since Magnus came up with some pretty severe dares. Izzy as wearing a long tank top, practically a dress, but she had to take off her shirt and pants. Maia was missing her shirt, but she had put her jacket on top of her sports bra. I had taken off my shirt, same as Magnus. Jem always chose truth, so he had only lost his belt. Alec was missing his socks, sweater, necklace, and belt but refused to lose the shirt or pants. Cecey had lost her slippers and that's it. She isn't the kind to turn down a dare.

"Maybe we should go to bed..." Jem muttered, not even opening his eyes.

"Truth." I said anyway, whispering so I won't wake anyone up.

"Finally. Are you a virgin?" Magnus asked, but he was still too tired to be enthusiastic.

"Yup." I grinned, knowing he was too tired to hear my answer. "Time for bed, everybody." I said a little louder, getting several tired groans in returned. Alec stood up and stretched hastily. Without pause, he lifted Magnus into his arms, putting him on the love-seat while he took off the cushions of the big couch and pulled the handle that made the bed come out. Quick as possible, he pulled the pre-made sheets down and put some pillows on it. "Wow. You must really love him to be willing to make a bed for him" I commented, breaking the silence.

"Shah!" He pointed to the couch where Izzy, Maia, Cecey, and Magnus were. They were all fast asleep. I knew Jem was a heavy sleeper, so I didn't even worry about waking people up.

"Sorry." I whispered sheepishly, watching while Alec picked up Magnus and set him in the bed thing, wrapping him in covers sweetly. I carefully pulled myself out from under a mostly-asleep Jem and joined Alec, who was trying to get the girls off of the other sleeper couch. Gently, I brought Cecy to her room, carrying her easily. She was as light as a feather. The second she touched the covers, she was way out. You could have dropped a bomb on her. I closed the door and went back to see Alec struggling to separate Maia and Isabelle. Even in their dozing state they were inseparable. Somehow we managed to get them apart and put them next to Jem. They wouldn't have fit normally, but both girls were trying to get as close as possible to each other in their sleep.

"Sleep lesbians." Alec scoffed, startling a laugh out of me.

It took forever to get both girls in the bed, but the second they hit it they cuddled close to each other and fell fast asleep. I sighed, watching as Alec got comfortable with Magnus in their bed. I sat down for half a second, getting Jem back on my lap even though I knew I would wake him up when I stood. I sighed inwardly and put Jem back down so that I could stand.

"Hmm... Will. Come back." He whispered, gripping my wrist before I could walk away.

"The chair is too small for me, James." I leaned down to talk in his ear.

"I'm cold, Will." I noticed the goosebumps running up his arms.

"Oh, Jem. It's hot in here. You must be getting sick again." I felt his forehead with the back of my hand, not surprised to feel how burning hot it was. "Come on. Let's go lay down in my bed." I stood up quickly to open the door ahead of time. My stomach bounced when I heard a soft bang coming from where the chair was. Like a shadow, I ran to it, aware that Jem wasn't on it anymore. Not again. "Jem." I groaned. "Don't you know better yet?"

"Oh, Will. Good thing you're here. I think I may be getting sick again." He whispered from the floor. This would have been comical if it weren't so scary.

"Shhh. Just relax and try to sleep. I'm going to carry you to my room." I slid one arm under his knees and the other on his back before I stood up fully, staring at the floor, scrutinizing it for bottles of water or anything else to trip over. Jem was very delicate when he was sick. I knew from experience.

Thank god my room is on the first floor, I thought to myself as I slowly crept into my large room and set him on my bed.

"Will. I'm not feeling well." He whispered through chattering teeth. "I'm cold."

"Shh, James. I will be right back. Promise you won't get up." I knelt by his head.

"Promise."

"I love you, James." I kissed his forehead and got up to get the supplies I knew I'd need for the next 12 hours.

I came back with a solid trash can that was filled half-way with toilet paper, an ice-pack that I put in a little fridge in my room, a heated blanket, some water, some apple juice, a thermometer, a mint, some medicine, and a pillow since Jem had taken both of them. Silent as I could, I put everything where it would be needed. The drinks went on the table next to the bed, the trash can right next to the bed, the heated blanket on Jem, the pillow on the other side of the bed, and everything else next to the drinks. I climbed over James and watched as he, still asleep, curled towards my warmth. Even sick, he was beautiful. I reached my hand out to caress his soft face. He had gotten really sick with some unknown disease a while back, turning his hair and eyes silver. Just like the parasite bee. The thing is; the disease was fought off, but it made him sick. Over and over he would get sick randomly, coughing blood until he couldn't breathe.

"I love you, James, honey." I pulled him as close as I could get him to me and set my hand on his cheek, careful not to mark his pretty face.

"I love you, too." He muttered before falling into a deep sleep.