Chapter 22 - Fears

"Oh shit!" I said sitting upright as the alarm made me come too. Clasping my head I heard a low manly chuckle beside me, I jumped forgetting where I was or that he was even there.

"God damn!" I held my chest with the other hand to steady my heart.

"Morning Beautiful!" He grumbled stretching out sleepily.

"What the fuck happened? Was I drugged?" I winced as my head only pounded louder. Things slotted into place and I groaned, flopping back down on my pillow.

Craning my neck to look at the clock beside me I saw it was 7.49.

Way too early to be awake yet!

My eyes cast back around the room past my neatly hung dress on the wardrobe door, complete with wine stain. He must have hung it back up for me when he put me to bed. I didn't even remember even taking it off.

"I don't remember taking that off!" I said looking back at Marcus, before lifting up the duvet to see what I was wearing.

Yep! Just my knickers.

"I had to carry you to bed and undress you!" He rolled towards me smirking. "Such a chore! It fucking killed me let me tell you!"

"Did we..." I couldn't say the word out loud but used another similar word in my head.

Shag?

"Have sex? No! I refuse to take advantage of you in that state. Although I did have to..." He flushed.

"You didn't!" I sniggered, and then held my head again.

Ouchy!

He put an arm around me and slid me closer to him.

Mmm, he smelt nice. Smelling that nice first thing in the morning was surely illegal?

"You got me in a bit of a state myself wearing that dress with suspenders and no bra!" He grinned and I felt his morning glory touch my bare thigh.

Daaamn! I thought inside my head with a heavy American twang.

"I'm sorry!"I winced.

"Hey, no apologies, it was your special night, you deserved it. My horniness could wait!" He planted a soft kiss on my lips. I raised my leg and ran it up his. He let out a low growl and grabbed my bum pulling it closer to him.

"Or not as the case maybe." I smirked happily.

Now that's what I call an early morning wakeup call!

.

"Jen! You ready?!" Tasha called from the main room.

"Yes! I'm coming!" I said irritated, joining everyone in the main lounge fighting with my case behind me.

"Let me!" Marcus chuckled watching me struggle.

"OK! Let's go!" Sam called.

I put on my sunglasses to block out the bright morning when we hit the fresh air. Steve was waiting at the bottom of the steps with the limo doors and boot open.

Marcus put the cases in the boot and slid in beside me. Tasha and Sam got in the other side a slid in the side seats.

The doors closed and we made our way to the airport.

"How's the head now?" Tasha sniggered.

"Better." I nodded. "But not gone completely."

"You went over so quickly. One minute you were there and then you were on your back giggling like a pixie!"

"Shut up Tash!" I hissed.

"You are so funny when you're pissed."

"Well it made a change from hauling your drunken ass to bed!" I spat, but it was hard to remain angry with Tasha, so I sniggered a little too.

"You weren't far behind!" Sam tattled on her. "You tripped over the case and went flying!"

I laughed out loud at that.

"Shh!" She scolded him playfully, and then kissed him.

Marcus stared out the darkened window in silence as we drove along. I was hoping he wasn't regretting our morning together.

"What are you thinking?" I asked resting a hand on his thigh. He still looked incredibly sexy in his suit from last night.

"Hmm?" He said looking back at me from his daydream.

"I asked what you are thinking. You OK? No regrets I hope?"

He smiled. "No! Never. I was just thinking about what I do when I get home."

"How long are you going to be here for?" I asked in a soft tone.

"Bout' a month? We have an album to sort out. I'm thinking about getting a visa or something to stay with you a bit longer." He raised his arm and slid it down behind me slipping it perfectly around my waist. "I'm not really sure yet, but the guys can always come out here to record if necessary." He shrugged.

"Hmm." I rest my head down on his shoulder, feeling sleepy again with the motion of the car. "Marcus?" I said questioningly.

"Yeah?"

"What would you have done if I had refused to see you? You came all that way on a Whim. With no Luggage, no hotel."

"I hadn't planned that far. I guess I was hoping you would. Thinking about it now, I probably would have just flown home again after the movie."

I raised my head from his shoulder. "Seriously? All that way to just see my movie?"

"I told you the day I met you I was a fan." I smiled sleepily and rested my head back down on his extremely comfortable shoulder and closed my eyes.

"If we hadn't have got to know each other I probably would have gone anyway, regardless."

"That's so sweet."

"You sleepy?" He said pulling me closer and kissing the top of my head.

"A little." I said softly feeling myself drift with the rocking of the car.

"I'm not surprised; you can sleep on the plane a little if you want huh?"

I didn't reply. I'd already drifted off, in search of my dreams.

.

"Baby." He called gently as we arrived at the airport.

"Huh? Did I drift off again?"

"Yeah. We're here now." I sat up and stretched a little, at least my head felt better. Sam was waking Tasha up too; she was laid out on one of the side seats like on a bed. I thought it was sweet Marcus didn't want to let me go. Sleeping in his arms was perfect.

We pulled up to the VIP entrance and our doors opened. Marcus climbed out and held out a hand for me. Then he helped Tasha out. She blushed.

"Thank you"

"You're welcome." Marcus smiled. He and Sam grabbed the cases and bags and we made our way towards the entrance.

"You OK?" Tasha linked her arm in mine.

"Yeah." I smiled at my best friend in the world. I was OK, more than OK.

"You look really happy Jen, and that makes me happy too."

"Thanks, and I am." I kissed her cheek.

What would I do without her? It didn't bear thinking about.

I stopped and waited for Marcus. Tasha walked on ahead with Sam, guessing I needed to talk to Marcus alone.

"You OK with this?" I asked. "There will be press inside; I can speak to security..."

"Don't be silly! It's out now, and I don't regret it. I love you with all my heart and I don't care what anyone thinks. I'm tired of pretending. I can do this."

"As long as you are sure?" I smiled at him.

"1000%"

"OK. Let's go home." I placed a small peck on his lips, getting in my half-hourly quota of skin contact, before we had to refrain inside departures. We entered the building and Tasha was waiting with Sam.

"Everything all right?" Tasha looked at us both.

"Perfect." I grinned.

A huddle of press was gathered behind barriers and began clicking straight away. We walked quickly surrounded by security. Questions were fired out to us, but we remained silent.

"Marcus! This way! Marcus!"

"Mr Perdy! Are you and Jen together?"

"Jen! A quote for the Sentinal?"

"Did you enjoy the premiere Jen?"

.

"Phew!" Sam sighed once we were safely in the VIP lounge.

I looked back to Marcus. "All right?" I mouthed.

He nodded with a smile, and I saw him whispering to a member of security.

Wonder what that's all about?

He came over to me and handed me his passport and said he'd be right back and disappeared back out with a guard.

"Where's he gone?" Tasha queried.

I shrugged in answer.

I handed over our passports and we waited to be shown through to the waiting aircraft.

Marcus reappeared with a suit bag slung over his clicked then; he'd been to collect his clothes. Amazingly they were still there.

"Lucky I guess." He said reading my mind.

He stood nearby and tickled my back with his hand. It was amazing how the littlest of things made me love him all the more. I was never letting this man go again. Ever.

With our cases loaded we were called forward. We walked the short way to the plane and ascended the steps. Three members of crew greeted us as we entered.

"Thank you." I said politely.

"You're welcome Ms Austen. Four of you travelling to New York?" One lady asked.

"Yes." I nodded.

"Perfect! Sit wherever you like for takeoff. We'll be pushing back in five minutes."

"Thanks." I said again. I stowed away my bag and his suit and sat on the front row of three seats. Tasha and Sam went to the rear. Marcus made himself comfortable beside me, but still looked a bit quiet.

"What's the matter Marcus?" I asked with a painful look. "You haven't been right since this morning."

"It's nothing, I'm fine."

"Something's wrong, is it all too much for you? Because I know I come with lots of baggage." He silenced me by holding my chin in between his finger and thumb and looked into my eyes.

"Stop! I meant what I said. At the piano, at the premiere and just now. I love you. The only thing I regret was walking out on you."

"Then tell me what's wrong?" I begged, fighting to stop myself tearing up.

"OK!" He sighed dropping his hand into his lap. "I just have this thing about flying."

"What?" I said half pleased he wasn't regretting us. Half shocked at his confession.

"I don't like flying." He said in a loud whisper.

"Oh my..." Then it dawned on me. "But you flew from London through to Florida?"

"For you Jen. I'd go to the end of the earth..."

My heart just melted. He had a fear of flying; yet he flew thousands of miles for hours on end to be at my premiere, on a hunch I may speak to him. He did all that, for me.

"Oh Baby! It's OK. I'm here now." I took his clammy hand in mine and leaned close and placed a kiss on his lips.

The door slammed closed and he jumped in his seat.

"It will be fine." I tickled the back of his hand with my finger to calm him. "I promise."

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I returned to work recently and have little spare time.

Thank you for all sticking with me.

Big thanks to my wonderful Beta twihard till I die. xx

Enjoy x

DeathToBeReborn xxx