Caleb watched helplessly as Ben plunged into the icy water of the Delaware.
"Ben!" he yelled. Caleb reached out to his friend and Ben scrambled trying to get back in the boat. He felt the icy water surrounding him and it made his movements slow. The longer he struggled, the colder he felt. He started to feel himself slipping unconscious. He fought it but eventually couldn't help it.
He awoke briefly to Caleb standing over him trying to get him to wake up.
"Wake up ya dumb bastard," Caleb said. "I told Elizabeth I was bringing ya back alive and I ain't gonna let ya go out like this." His words sparked realization in Ben and he fought harder to stay awake. It didn't last long and he found his solace in darkness once more.
The next time he woke up, it was dark. Caleb was skinning a rabbit near the fire and was mumbling to himself.
"Ya know why ya can't die?" Caleb asked Ben though he assumed him to still be sleeping. "Cause you're a virgin. The big man upstairs don't take too kindly to virgins over the age of twenty."
"Not a virgin," Ben grumbled not realizing he'd said it aloud.
"What?" Caleb looked up so suddenly, he dropped the rabbit. Coming to a little, Ben responded.
"I said I'm not a virgin." Caleb smiled widely.
"Welcome back," he said. Caleb laughed incredulously as he moved closer to his friend. "So you and Elizabeth then?" Ben coughed wretchedly but nodded.
"The night we left," he answered.
"Little Benny Boy's not a virgin…" Caleb said aloud. "Who'd a thunk?" Ben coughed again and Caleb became concerned. Ben shook him off and tried to sit up. He became instantly dizzy and laid back down.
"Obviously not you," Ben replied starting to feel faint once more. Caleb saw that his friend was starting to go again.
"You have to stay with me, Ben," Caleb commented sounding mildly desperate.
"Just another hour." Ben's voice sounded far away.
"If ya don't do it for me, do it for her," Caleb pleaded. Ben nodded but slipped into darkness anyway.
He started to dream rather lucidly. It was more of a memory, though.
Ben had set out early in the morning to head to the Brewsters. It had been several weeks since the passing of his mother but he still preferred not to spend too much time in his own home. Luckily, Caleb had invited him to help pick apples in the Brewster orchard.
Elizabeth answered the door when he knocked. She looked pale and he immediately knew something was off. Before he could ask, Caleb had appeared.
"Benny Boy!" he exclaimed. "Glad you're here, it's going to be a long day." Elizabeth took a step to let Ben in and suddenly stopped. She grabbed the door firmly so as to steady herself but her grip faltered and she collapsed. Ben just barely managed to catch her.
"Elizabeth!" he said in surprise. He felt her forehead which burnt his hand on contact. Caleb ran over to Ben and Elizabeth.
"Ben, go get the doctor and I will get her upstairs," Caleb said. He gathered the unconscious girl in his arms and carried her to her room. Ben took off down the road to the doctor's house.
By the time Ben returned with the doctor, both Lukas and his wife had returned from the orchard and were sitting in the parlor waiting. The doctor was only with her for a short time but it felt like an eternity to Ben and Caleb as they stood waiting.
"It's only a simple fever," the doctor announced after he had descended the stairs. "Nothing to worry about." Caleb saw Ben stiffen significantly. His mother only had a "simple fever" and now she was dead. Ben found himself unable to speak or move.
"The harvest," Lukas said quietly remembering that there was work that needed to be done.
"I would be more than willing to help," Ben offered finding his voice again.
"That's very kind of you Benjamin," Mrs. Brewster replied. "I can take care of Elizabeth then." But her hands began to shake and Caleb noticed.
"Aunt, you need to rest. Look, your hands are trembling." Mrs. Brewster looked at her hands and sighed.
"But Elizabeth," she started thinking aloud.
"Benny Boy'll look after her," Caleb offered causing Ben to nearly choke.
"Oh, would you?" she asked and Ben smiled.
"Of course," he answered.
Next thing Ben knew, he was alone in Elizabeth's room with her sleeping soundly in her bed. She still looked extremely pale. He gently laid a cool damp cloth across her forehead. Slowly she opened her eyes. She blinked a few times and smiled at him but suddenly looked confused and tried to sit up.
"Don't do that," Ben whispered placing his hand on her shoulder to guide her back down.
"What happened?" she asked weakly.
"You have a fever and you passed out." Elizabeth looked hard at him for a moment. He didn't really notice because he was too busy thinking about his mom.
"I'm going to be fine," she told him. Her hand found his and she squeezed it weakly.
"I know," he said in reply though he still had uncontrollable doubts. He reached up and removed the cloth from her forehead. He dipped it in the cool water and rung it out. He then took his free hand and held the side of her face in it as he patted her forehead with the cool cloth. She leaned her face slightly into his hand. He knew it was a very intimate gesture but it felt too good for him to pull back. Besides, they had known each other for so long it didn't seem out of place. She closed her eyes and started to fall asleep once more. On impulse, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. It was still hot to the touch but he didn't care.
"Thank you for this," she whispered almost silently.
"Of course," he whispered back. He took her hand in his once more and held it, drawing comfort from the fact that there was still life in it.
When Caleb had found and woken him up later that day, he was sitting in the chair by her bed, holding her hand delicately.
Ben opened his eyes and it was light outside. He felt significantly stronger than he had the last time he woke up. He even managed to sit up a little and when Caleb saw this he was greatly relieved. Ben was like his brother and losing him would have been too much to bear. He also knew that Elizabeth would never forgive him if Ben were to not make it.