TWO WEEKS LATER

I, ONE-HUNDRED PERCENT regret the decision to go out last night. My head is pounding, my mouth tastes like carpet and I am beyond thirsty, I feel like I might die.

I hadn't been out in ages. I hadn't been out like this in ages, which I think is why I went as crazy as I did. But now, as I hear something buzzing next to my head, I still regret my decision.

"Go away," I mumble into my pillow as the buzzing persists.

Opening one eye, I see it's my phone on the bedside table making the god-awful noise. I groan, wondering who the hell would be calling me so early in the morning.

But then my eyes fly back open again, realising it could only be one person.

Quickly sitting up in bed, pinching my cheeks, I grab the phone before it rings out, putting on my best 'I am definitely not drunk' voice as I answer.

"Heyyy!" Oh Jesus. I smack my forehead.

Jamie chuckles before greeting me. "Morning babe. Listen I know it's early there... and I'm sorry for waking you up."

Straight into it? Okay. Something must be bothering him.

"It's okay," I tell him, propping myself up against the headboard. I pull the duvet up to my chest as a cold chill settles over me and sigh. "I was basically awake to pee anyway. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Everything's fine. I just..." He's having trouble getting his words out, which means it's not all okay.

"Jamie." I say it flatly because I'm tired, I'm really hungover, and I can't be bothered for him to beat around the bush.

"Okay, okay." He sighs. "I've been asked to stay a few extra weeks."

I can't help but feel a little relieved that it wasn't anything worse than that if I'm being honest, but I worry a little bit that the relief might be about something else.

Jamie had already extended once, and in those two weeks, I'd gone down to The Hamptons with everybody, staying with one of Archie's college friends, as well as seeing New York City from a local's point of view. These last two weeks had been great, but if he's extending again, he had to understand that things would be different here now. 

The difference is that Charlotte is leaving in a couple of days, and then Millie and Greg are heading back off to continue their West Coast trip. I couldn't push in on their trip any more than I already had, which left two choices.

One: go home and be utterly bored for the next however many weeks it takes Jamie to come home.

Or two: stay in New York... just me and Archie.

"Are you... Will you be going home?" he asks, his voice hopeful.

I frown. I could, and I would love to spend time with Dad again, but I would be bored. He works all day, and even though I have applications and job stuff I should be sorting, the thought of being on my own most of the day is depressing. Having spent the last two weeks surrounded by my favourite people, being on my own will take some getting used to.

"I'm not sure. Dad's working, and things are still weird with Mum, so I would be on my own."

It wasn't a yes, and it wasn't a no.

He sighs. "Do you want to come out here? My manager has said it's okay. Because I'll be here for a while lon-"

"A while longer?" I cut in. "How long is a while longer?"

He sighs again, taking his time in answering me. "Two months."

Two months? I groan inwardly.

"Baby?" he asks and I realise he had said something.

"Sorry, what?"

He tuts and I am starting to think I should have just let the call ring out. I am way to tired and hungover for this conversation.

"Tess, I've been moved into a self-catered place, a house, so you could join me? Come live here until we're finished?"

As fun as living with him would be, as it has, the only thing I could think of was that I would just be trapped there.

"What happens if you're extended again? You know, I can't stay out in Australia forever?"

It would be the same as at home. He'd be working all day, and Australia is massive. I wasn't about to start exploring the Outback on my own.

I realise, again, that my voice sounds harsh. But then he's chosen to tell me this when I've only had two hours' sleep, so he deserves the grumpy version of Tessa he's getting.

"I'm really sorry," he says, and just like that, I'm willing to roll over and forgive him.

I smile in the darkness. "Forgiven," I whisper down the phone. "But only because I miss you so much."

I hear him smile. "I know it's annoying. Believe me, it's annoying for me as well." He sighs. "But, you could... You could stay where you are?"

My eyebrows raise. He had suggested I stay on last time, but I don't think he quite realises what he's suggesting now. I don't think he knows it'll be me staying with just Archie by myself... because he wouldn't be suggesting it if he knew.

"Jamie, you do realise if I do, it'll just be me and Archie."

Honesty is the best policy in this situation, so I decide it's best to show him the whole picture.

My heart twists after I've said it. I hadn't told him about my slip a couple of weeks ago. It hasn't happened again, but that doesn't make it any less awful. It was so awful; awful enough that if he ever found out I know he would throw me aside and I would deserve it. I know how selfish I am in not telling him, but I didn't know what else to do. Besides, what happened between Archie and me had been a one-time thing, never to be repeated, so what more was there to worry about?

"Just you two?"

"Yeah. Jamie, I'm just wanting to be honest." The silence that follows is absolutely deafening. "But he's back at college now, and is out most days," I add. "I would be doing my own thing."

He sighs, and I can tell, even from here, that he's torn.

He knows as well as I do that I would be miserable if I came to be with him in Australia, because he knows he'll be working all hours. He also knows I don't want to be home because no one will be there, so I'd be just as miserable.

"You would tell me if anything was going on right?"

A dagger shoots through me as he says it, and for once I'm glad he hasn't called me on video. If he saw my expression, the tears in my eyes, the hurt in my chest, he would know.

"Nothing is going on, Jamie, I promise."

I feel like my heart has stopped beating, or that it's frozen because of how much I've now lied over the last two weeks.

"He's apparently the lesser of three boredoms..."

Except that was a lie too.

The last three weeks with Archie have been anything but boring, and since he's been back at college, he sits out in the living room whilst doing his assignments, asking for my help. We talk whilst he's working, we talk whilst we're cooking, and when he does have class, he's only gone for half the day, which means I go out and explore, meeting him on campus, allowing me to live out my college student fantasies.

"Lesser of three boredoms, eh?" Jamie chuckles. "Nice." His voice doesn't sound mad, so I giggle.

"But if you're any longer than three weeks Jamie... I'm coming to get you, because Australia has taken you away from me for too long. I miss you." That much was definitely true. Day by day things are becoming more distant because he is so far away. "I really miss you."

"I miss you too. Especially when I bet you're in my favourite PJs, am I right?"

I look down at myself and realise I am.

It's just an old t-shirt, the first one he ever let me wear when I first stayed over at his flat. It's got holes all over it, but every now and again I'd make him wear it, so I could keep the smell close to me. I sniff at it now, but my smile disappears as I realise the smell had long gone.

"Maybe," I say, trying to keep my voice light.

He laughs before he sighs. "Okay... stay. Have fun in New York. I don't like it, but I trust you. And I love you."

A pang shoots through me as he says it. "I love you, Jamie. And I miss you. And regardless of whether you're finished or not, I will see you in three weeks."

"Three weeks isn't that long."

I roll my eyes, knowing he's about to do the maths, because he's that kind of person.

"It's only five hundred and something hours. Five hundred and four." My handsome genius. "Which is not that long if you think about it."

"It isn't is it. Five hundred and four hours and counting then," I smile, genuinely excited.

"Anyway, now that the heavy stuff is over with. What plans have you got today?"

"I'm not sure. It's Charlotte and Danny's last day, so whatever they want to do. Probably a pretty chilled day, given everyone will be hungover."

"You included?" He asks, laughing. I knew he'd figure it out.

"Maybe," I roll my eyes as I answer. "But yeah. Chilled I think. It's been so nice to be with Charlotte though."

"I bet. You don't get the spend three whole weeks with her that often."

"Never. Not since school. It's been amazing."

Snuggling down into the duvet, Jamie asks me what we've been up to, so even though I've given him debriefs most days, I tell him everything all over again.

I tell him about our trip to the Hamptons, the white party where Greg turned up wearing red. The jury is still out on whether he did it on purpose, but I enjoyed myself. I told him about our Central Park tour, our trip down to Florida the weekend before last to do a couple of theme parks and the trip we did to Albany, to a couple of art exhibitions.

"Well at least you're getting your money's worth, right. I hope you've left some stuff for us to do together when we finally make it there."

"I'm sure we'll find something. Haven't done the financial district to be fair," I laugh. "That's right up your street. I also haven't done the Stat-"

I'm stopped in my tracks as I hear a horrible blood-curdling shout coming from across the apartment. It pierces straight through me, making my entire body go cold.

"Jeez, what was that?" Jamie asks, which means it wasn't just my imagination.

"I..." I hear another shout, not quite as blood-curdling but still terrifying. "Jamie I have to go, I'll call you back."

I hang up the phone before he can say anything, flying out the door and down the corridor as fast as I could into Archie's room. Tears are in my eyes as I see him, thrashing under the covers, shouting, screaming for help at the top of his lungs.

"Archie?" I call out, standing at the edge of the bed. "Archie?!" 

Nothing; he can't hear me. He shouts again, and the thrashing gets worse.

"Archie!" I shout again, this time much louder, grabbing and shaking his shoulders. "Archie, wake up. Wake up!"

That doesn't work either, so I try the only other thing I could think of.

Getting up on the bed, I sit with my legs either side of his torso, running a soft hand up his arms, his chest and up onto his cheek. He thrashes again, although now lessened by my weight on top of him. I continue saying his name, running my hands up and down his arms, across his chest, up into his hair. I don't know how long I'm doing it for, but eventually, the thrashing and shouting stop.

He whimpers as I take his hand in mine and kiss it. I place a hand on his chest and I can feel how fast his heart is racing.

"Archie?" I whisper when he finally stills. "Arch, can you hear me?"

I lean down closer to him before moving, lying down next to him, keeping a hold of his hand, tucking it into my chest.

"I'm here, Arch." I kiss his hand again and it tightens in response. Shuffling a little closer, I lean up on my elbow and place a soft hand on his chest. It's slick with sweat, same as his forehead and neck, and his eyes are still dancing furiously behind his eyelids.

"Archie?" I whisper to him, planting a soft kiss on his chest.

I speak his name once more and breath a sigh of relief as his eyes finally open. For a moment, I see that terrified sixteen year-old boy I knew all those years ago, but as his eyes meet mine, as calm and realisation washes over him, I see his strength return.

As he searches the room, his eyes fill with something else. Panic and dread, then confusion and sadness as he reaches out to cup my cheek. As soon as he touches me, relief flushes through his expression, and I suddenly realise he may have seen me like this before...

"What... What happened?" His voice is shaky as he asks the question.

I stroke a finger over his eyebrow and his temple, wiping away the sweat. I know my touch is helping, so I don't stop. He's still gripping my hand, holding it tight,.

"I heard a scream," I start.

His eyes suddenly widen as he realises what's happened and he sits up. He drops my hand as he puts his head in his hands, his breathing picking up again.

"I didn't want you to see this."

I frown as I sit up to join him. I put what I hope is a reassuring hand on his damp shoulder and my heart jumps for him. His heart is still racing, panic still etched on his features. He still believes he's dreaming... clearlt unsure if this is real. However as he turns and strokes my fringe behind my ear, he blinks, finally realising I am really here.

"You're real," he gasps, his voice filled with relief.

"Of course I'm real."

I shuffle closer still and put my chin on his shoulder, wrapping my arm around the other one. I prove I'm real by showing him I am, and slowly but surely, his heart rate slows, the panic in his eyes disappearing.

"Why would you think I wasn't...?" I ask quietly after he's lying back down. He takes my hand and kisses it, holding it close to his chest, idly fiddling with my fingers. "Archie?"

"It's embarrassing."

I don't say anything in response. I wait for him to tell me, not wanting to force it out of him.

"I dreamed about you for a while," he finally says when he realises I won't let it go.

"You dreamed about me?"

He nods sheepishly. "It's stupid really..."

"Dreaming about me is stupid?" I ask, trying to make my voice light so he knew I was joking.

"Well, not stupid. Just... well, stupid." He swallows. "These dreams, where I was back in the accident, weren't all of the dream. Nightmare. I would wake up like I did just now, only I wouldn't actually be awake. I'd still be dreaming."

"And I'm there?"

He nods. "Yep. Exactly as you are now. Sitting, holding my hand. Calming me. Only..." he strokes a soft finger over my shoulder and I visibly shiver. "I could never touch you in my dream. If I did, you would start to disappear." His voice is small, sadness creeping in. "Calming and tormenting at the same time."

"Tormenting?" I gasp, hating the idea of me hurting him.

"All I would want was your arms around me... and yet it was the only thing I couldn't have." His voice sounds so pained, I can't bear it.

After what happened between us a few weeks ago, this is the first time he's mentioning this. We've spoken about the accident, and why he left, but he hasn't spoken about lasting effects. He's never told me about these nightmares.

"How often would these dreams... nightmares happen?" I ask, keeping a hold of his hand as I bring it between us.

His eyes go dark for a second, but then he swallows. "It used to be every night. Then most nights," he admits.  "Eventually they stopped... but every now and again..."

"They come back."

He nods.

"I didn't mean to wake you," he says quickly.

I shake my head quickly. "I was already awake."

He frowns but I don't elaborate. I don't want to make him feel worse by saying I'd been talking to Jamie.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask softly. "About the dream..." I clarify when he frowns.

He shakes his head. "It's nothing I haven't told you already. I dream," he pauses as he swallows, his hands starting to shake. "I dream I'm there again. Re-living it all."

Having told me exactly what had happened, detail after excruciating detail, I couldn't fathom how he's still able to function. Dreaming about something as traumatic as that accident every night would cripple what strength I had left, and it makes me realise just how strong Archie truly is. Those kinds of horrors live with you forever, haunting you, and it's safe to say that Archie still has his fair share of demons. He's still shaken, I can tell, but I know he's trying to put on a brave face for me.

I wanted to help him, but I couldn't. How could I? I can't invade his dreams and tell him it would all be okay. I wish I could...

"What's going on in that head of yours?" He asks quietly, his voice piercing the noise in my own head. I can see a smile growing on his face as he reaches his other hand up, smoothing his thumb over the crease of my frown.

"I just wish there was something I could do."

In the darkness, I see his smile falter slightly. "Hey, you being here is helping."

I look up at him and his eyes are full of sincerity.

"You still have the nightmares though. You still go through all this pain..."

"Tess, hey. I'm okay." His rests his forehead against mine. "I'm okay."

I close my eyes and shuffle closer to him, encouraged by his arm around me. I kiss his hand as I tuck my head into his chest, burrowing deep.

"See."

I smile, knowing he means his heart rate slowing to normal.

"This helps."

I lift my head up and stroke his hair away from his eye. "Well, it seems you have a few more weeks of this."

His eyebrows frown in the darkness. "This?"

I nod. "It's why I was awake. Jamie rang." His eyebrows raise, as if asking the question. "He's got to stay on, so... if you'll have me..."

His smile widens before it contorts in mock disgust. "Ugh, I can't think of anything worse," he jokes, his face completely serious.

I shove him and he chuckles, making me relieved the heaviness of his dreams are starting to lift.

"Tess," he adds, this time with sincerity. "You know you're always welcome here."

His brown eyes are alight in the darkness. I didn't always know I was welcome, otherwise I would have come a lot sooner. Especially if I knew what he had been going through all this time.

"If I'd known..." I start and his smile disappears slightly. "If I'd come sooner..."

He shakes his head before kissing my nose. "You weren't to know. Even I didn't know, so could you know."

I put my head back on his chest and I feel his lips press against the top of it.

"Knowing that you were there when I needed you, when I called for you... that's more solace than anyone could ever bring me." He swallows. "Knowing I wasn't alone."

Before I can think about it, I lift my head up and lean forward, placing my lips on his. I don't move, and neither does he, our lips not really moving, but I know that this kiss is helping comfort him just as much as it's comforting me.

There's no fire behind it, no pressure, just a platonic kiss on the lips between friends, and it's what we both need. To know that the other is there, to know that they always have been, and that, no matter what, they always will be. That connection I always thought was crazy, that voice in the back of my mind, it's there, and it's real, and I'll always have it. The thought makes me happy that, no matter where I am, no matter what I'm doing, I know he will always be there for me, just like I will be for him.

For a long while, we just lie here, staring into each other's eyes, but finally, as I spy the sun coming up through the window behind him, he sighs.

"You want to watch a movie? Seeing as we're both up and... I don't know about you, but I'm not going back to sleep."

I nod, smiling as I sit up. "Yeah, a movie sounds good. Something uncomplicated and light. The Notebook?"

"The Notebook?" He scoffs. "That neither uncomplicated nor light."

I giggle at his answer.

"Okay the first bit is. We can just watch the first bit."

He chuckles but shakes his head, pulling a t-shirt over his head as he leaves the room. "You want a cuppa?"

I nod. "You make the tea. I'm just going to get my phone and then I'll get the movie ready."

He nods and disappears down the corridor.

When I get back to my room, there's a solitary message from Jamie.

Everything okay? x

I type a message back quickly.

Yeah, all good. I'll call you tomorrow, I promise :D love you xx

Leaving my phone in my room, I come back in to find Archie setting up the film anyway. I can smell peppermint coming from the side, and I love that he remembers.

"Peppermint?" I ask.

"Do you not...?" he frowns.

"No, I do. I'm just impressed you remember."

"How could I forget? Same thing every night since I've known you, basically."

"Not every night."

"Close to it. And digestive biscuits?" he asks, pulling a pack of them out from under the crook of his elbow. My eyes widen with glee. "You know I never understood how you actually liked dunking them in peppermint tea though. I never got that at all."

"What?!" My voice comes out loud and squeaky. He chuckles as he shushes me, giggling. "Okay, you know what, I dare you to try it. I'm going to prove you wrong."

I hold out half the digestive for him, and my tea, and he looks from me to the cup shaking his head.

"Do it. Come on. How do you know it's crap if you've never tried it?"

I can sense his resolve cracking as I shake the packet at him. He wants more biscuits. The power of the digestive is strong.

"Do I have to?" he groans.

"Yes. Come on." I shake the biscuit again and he takes it, taking a step forward to dunk in my tea at the same time I do. "Just try it."

"Fine." He actually makes a disgusted face as he dunks it, but I laugh as his expression changes to surprise as he finds he actually likes it. "Oh my god, how?" He dunks again and groans in delight.

"Right!" I squeal as he takes another one.

"How is that even possible that that's nice. Peppermint tea and biscuits..." He shakes his head. "Well, consider me stood corrected."

I give him a shove as I take a seat, both of us sitting at opposite ends of the sofa. As the movie starts he opens his arm for me to shuffle up, so I lean into him, embracing and enjoying the warmth coming from him and the blanket.

Within minutes, my eyes start to droop, and soon, sleep takes us both, snuggled and wrapped in each other.