Forever and a Day (37 page)

“Ah, touché!” He groaned and closed his eyes exhausted, the adrenaline now used up leaving him feeling like a wet, wrung out dishcloth.

“Xander?” She asked softly, scooting close to him. He opened one eye at her and she continued, “Thank you Xander, I owe you my life.”

He nodded and whispered to her, “I keep my promises…” Then closed his eye.

“Xander?” She shook his shoulder, “I’ll let you rest, but there is one more thing…” He opened his eye again slower this time and looked at her, “I get seasick, like bad.” She said worriedly.

He nodded and pointed to a pouch in the raft, “Should have Dramamine, somewhere… so tired, beautiful Halo… sorry.” He muttered and fell asleep where he lay.

Beautiful… Halo repeated to herself with a smile and watched him sleep for several long minutes. When his chest began rising and lowering in a deep rhythmic pattern, she reached over and ran her hand over his forehead, pushing his dark damp hair to the side, he did not even flinch. She then leaned close and hovered over his lips with hers, with a soft sigh she moved up and gave his forehead a gentle kiss then whispered, “Thank you for saving me and my friends. I don’t know how Mr. Mystery man, but I’ll settle up if it takes the rest of my life…” She reached into Joel’s bag and fished out a clear plastic wrapped red Virgo Air blanket, opened it and covered her hero up.

She rubbed at her sore back with her hand then began digging through all the compartments in the raft, finding the Dramamine she downed some. She looked out to the horizon and saw the Captain’s raft in the distance. The first one with JJ was nowhere to be seen. She remembered seeing Sarah fall into JJ and heard the impact, she prayed her friend was ok.

Joel was such a fucking coward, she thought. She knew things would never be the same when they got back to Pago Pago, worse yet when they all return to LA. She noticed the dark ominous clouds in the distance, reached for the placard showing how to get the plastic roof engaged and set out to get it done.

It was difficult working around her sleeping Mystery man without disturbing him, but she got the orange plastic top fully secured and tightly fastened. Then she organized their bags and tied them all down to the raft. When she was done, she opened up her waterlogged suitcase and found her satellite phone was soaking wet. She dried it off, got a Ziploc from Xander’s carryon, and sealed it up. She placed the box of Ziploc’s back and saw his phone resting in its plastic bag, the idea of checking out the pictures on his phone intrigued her. She resisted the urge, admonishing herself in the process. She zipped up his bag, looked out of the plastic window, and saw the sky was darkening with the setting sun. The ominous clouds, which seemed distant earlier now, looked closer and angrier.

She sat down and her back reminded her that it was still injured and she winced grabbing at it. She found a comfortable position and began wondering about being rescued. Surely, the authorities knew where they went down, all planes had secondary beacons of sorts… then she recalled Xander’s look when he mentioned they might be out here a few days and that worried her.

She recalled the Emergency transmitter that Teuila handed JJ. Surely, JJ would activate it. She reassured herself that it probably would take some time but she was sure the rescue party was already searching for them. They would more than likely find them by tomorrow. Hell, she knew her father would spend every dime he had looking for her. That thought made her feel better as she turned towards her Mystery man.  

His lips were full, but not so much to be feminine; they looked so kissable and inviting. His thick dark eyebrows hinted at his being Greek as his name suggested, his skin had that sexy Mediterranean tone. His bio had said something about being half Greek and he spoke the language. She looked down his torso and remembered she had gotten a look at his abs when he pulled out that gun and they were so very well defined, with sex lines too… and holy hell! He was strong! Her arm was still throbbing from his grip and her flight over his head. She rubbed it and flinched, she knew a bruise would be forthcoming and it would be a big one.

She reached over and pulled the blanket up to cover him, exposing his left hand and saw his silver wedding band for the first time. She wondered what his wife was like, more than likely very attractive and tall. She wondered if he had kids… if so they must be very afraid hearing about their plane disappearing.

A jab of anger stabbed at her, if it wasn’t for Joel and that fucking asshole Johnny, they would be close to being done filming and Xander would be on his way safely home soon to his is wife. With that thought, a sudden sour feeling in her stomach surprised her. She did not care for that thought nor the feeling…

She scooted close to him and brushed her fingertips softly over his cheek, she liked how it felt, “Xander? Wake up honey.” Oh hell, she thought, did I really just say that out loud? I really must be tired she decided. With a sigh, she gently shook his thick shoulder, “Xander!”

He came awake with a start, “Wha! Oh! Halo are you ok?” He rubbed his eyes and saw her smiling down at him.

“Hey sleepy head, I’m fine, I found the Dramamine. I really am sleepy and it’s getting dark. She reached back, grabbed her half-empty water bottle, handed it to him, and winced as her back twinged in pain.

He sat up sleepily and accepted the partially drained water bottle, took the cap off and took a big swig. He realized with a start that this was her water bottle and her lips were at one point right where his was resting. He choked and began coughing and tried hard to clear his throat.

“Easy there!” Halo reached around and patted him on his back, “You ok?”
 

He gave her a nod, took another sip, and savored the thought of her lips so close to his. He looked out towards the window with alarm, “Where is everyone?” He crawled over to the window and looked out, “Hey you got the top secured!” He saw the bags were secured as well, “You’ve been busy! Damn, you’re good!”

Halo giggled, then answered, “You have no idea… uh Xander, I didn’t see JJ’s raft and the Captain’s raft was so far away. I was too sore and tired to try to paddle to them. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, Halo, don’t be sorry. I should have paddled us to them. I don’t understand why they didn’t come to us and I’m sure JJ is ok…”

“I hope so. Maybe something was wrong with Doug or the Captain…”

“Yeah, maybe. Uh… Halo? I just want you to know, I… uh, ordered Pete to come with us so you wouldn’t have to be alone with me. Uh, since we just met and all…” He saw her smile at him, she seemed to enjoy seeing him being uncomfortable, “I saw him sitting next to David… ah they were holding hands.”

Halo covered her mouth and giggled, “Set secret. They’ve been boyfriends for a while. They did good keeping it undercover, due to David being the Assistant Director and Peter being just a sound guy.”

“I see. Too bad they thought they should be secretive.” He gave her a shrug.

“Xander, I don’t think I have anything to worry about with you. Or do I?” She gave him a wry smile and a wink.

“What! Uh no!” He replied all flustered, “I will do anything to keep you safe and secure, like I said.”

She wanted to play with him and suggest that maybe ‘he’ should be the one to have to worry. She let it go, and smiled instead, “Xander I trust you with my life… if fact I owe you twice now.” She nodded at him and continued, “As you pulled me out of the water I felt a rough scrape pass by my leg, and then you yanked me out. I told myself it was the wing of the plane but I’m not so sure.” Xander frowned, and now she knew for sure it was not the wing’s surface after all.

Xander’s heart began pounding with the realization that a moment more in the water and Halo might have suffered a shark bite. He showed Halo the skin under is forearm, “I landed on a shark, its skin is rough and it did that.” He pointed to what looked like a rash.

She nodded with her full lips in an “O” her eyes wide with the truth hitting home, “I can’t believe you dived in after Doug… I know you figured you had no choice. Weren’t you afraid?” She asked.

Xander laughed, “Hell yes! Pucker factor ten plus!” He laughed and saw her look at him then squint in confusion, “Uh it’s a saying so to speak… uh a bad one.”

“I don’t get it, explain it.” She insisted.

His face turned hot as he tried to explain, “Uh… hmm. Ok let me put it this way: So scared that the sphincter is so tight that nothing can come out. Its severity is measured…” Halo began laughing and covered her mouth with both hands, “Really?” He laughed along with her, “You know?”

“Of course I do silly!” She patted his arm, “Sorry, just having some fun at your expense.”

“Ha! Payback…” He said with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh, you’d do that to little me?” She retorted in a sweet voice, tucked her hands under her chin, and blinked rapidly at him.

He paused at hearing her voice, it was so adorable but sexy at the same time, “You know it!” He smiled.

“Promise?” She retorted with a chuckle.

He stared at the odd little grin she was displaying on her gorgeous full lips. It had him wondering if it was an innuendo or if it was wishful thinking on his part, “Sure, why not?” He replied with his own arched eyebrow.

She so wanted to tease him with ‘…but you are married’ but that would be going too far she decided at the last moment. Instead, she smiled wordlessly. Ok, I really must be tired, she thought. Hell, I just met this guy, “Ok, Mr. Superman, mind if you take watch while I get some sleepy time?”

“Oh! Yes, please take my spot. I think it was comfortable.” He chuckled.

“Xander, one more thing,” Halo pulled out the Ziploc plastic bag, which held the satellite phone and handed it to him, “it got all wet. I didn’t turn it on, but I shook out what water I could and put it in here for safe keeping.”

Xander sighed, “I’m sorry about that… I kinda just reacted when I saw you fall. I’ll check it out.” He accepted the bag as Halo gave him a sorrowful look. She then settled down on the webbing and he covered her up with his blanket.

She looked up at him as he brought the blanket up to her chin, “Can you fix it, if we need it?”

“Well, if I had a bag of uncooked rice… and my tool kit, maybe. Don’t worry, probably won’t need it anyway, if so I’ll figure something out.” He stated as confidently as he could, “Get some rest.” Xander watched her nod sleepily to him.

“G’night, Mystery man.” She murmured, yawned and closed her eyes.

Xander crawled his way to the plastic window then pulled out the Sat phone. He recognized immediately that it would need a jeweler’s screwdriver to get it open as several very small screws secured the battery cover. He sighed when he saw the water damage to the small green screen. With the waves beginning to bounce the raft around harder, he stowed the phone back in his carryon for later.

He turned to look at Halo, as now she was fast asleep. He sat in wonder at how in the hell he got here, all alone with ‘The’ Halo Raines. He wondered briefly if he had really died in the plane and he was in some afterlife, like the people in the show “Lost”. His thoughts drifted to Athena, he worried how she and Evie were faring. Evie would more than likely be pissed off and the longer he was alone with Halo Raines, the more crap he was going to get from Evie, that was a given.