Trust Me?

by Bridgid and M

Jason Morgan and his friend Natasha

(she will end up being his significant other)

Natasha Scott picked up the phone and punched in the number.  She hadn't heard from Jason in weeks and had no idea if he was even in The Glen.  She jumped when she heard him pickup.

"Jason? Hi it's Tasha," she paused to sneeze, "sorry I've got this damn flu bug that's doing the rounds, listen, I don't suppose you might be in the city on Friday?"  It was a long shot she knew but, there was no-one else she could trust with the delivery she was expecting from China and after waiting this long for it she really didn't want to cancel.  She would have dragged herself to the gallery if her legs didn't feel like jelly and her head like a piped band was practising in it.   

The sound of her voice brought a smile to his face then it sank in that she was not feeling up to par.

"I am sorry you are ill, my darling. Of course I can be there to help you. In fact, my sister has rushed out for some reason and I'm here alone. I'll come now. Perhaps I could provide you with some..."

He paused, twirling the cord of the phone tightly around his finger. "..tea and sympathy?"

"I'll take the tea, you can keep the sympathy for someone who might appreciate it but I would be grateful if you could take the delivery for me, you can't be too careful with a tea set that cost a quarter of a million."  She sneezed again. 

"Bless you, if I am qualified to do so."

Concern was evident in his voice. "I'll be there shortly and I'll take the delivery on Friday. Kisses for now, love."

He put down the phone and made short work of packing. It was a long drive to Sydney but the next flight from Coffs would have got him there the next day. He'd endure the drive.

By the time he arrived at her place he was dog tired and feeling pretty crook himself. Standing at the door, it took him several moments to find her key on his scrap yard of a key ring. Finally, opening the door he called to her.

"Tash, love. I'm here."

Not hearing a response he said "Okeedokee then," before setting his bags down. Double timing it to her room he knocked lightly.

"Tash?"

As soon as she knew he was coming Tash had walked slowly to her bedroom, shucked off the bunny slippers her brothers had bought her for Christmas last year, climbed into bed, and gone straight to sleep. It would have taken a battalion of Australian soldiers to have woken her.     

The door creaked loudly as he opened it and the first thing that hit him was the heat coming from her room. He could see her figure prone on the bed but there was no movement. If she had not been snoring like a sunbathing walrus, he'd have been more worried.

Easing up to her, he placed the back of his hand on her cheek and the fever was evident.

"You're burning up, love. Tash…can you hear me?"

Somewhere, in the back of her very fuzzy mind she heard a voice calling her name. Trying to make sense of the noise she formed it into a half dream.  Her father was calling her to get ready for school and dammit, she had only just gone to bed. "I'm up dad," she said sleepily, you don't need to wait for me, I'll catch the bus."

Unconsciously she pulled the duvet over her head but felt suffocated and pulled it back again.  "Just let me sleep." She thought before drifting off again.  

Kissing her cheek, he backed out of the room with intentions of preparing something for her. Soup, perhaps. He had to go to the kitchen to figure that bit out.

Half way down the hallway, his cell phone vibrated. He dug it from his pocket and flipped it open.

"Jason, its B. Listen to me. Jack is not well, he's sick and he's at someone's cottage in the woods. I won't be home."

"God damn, B is he okay?"

"I don't know yet. I'm on the way. I'm with Maximus."

"Good that he's with you. I'm down in Sydney. Tash is sick too. I'll come home though."

There was a moment of silence before she ordered "No, no, stay with Tash. There's nothing you can do here. Tell her to feel better. We're at the cottage now. Love you."

Then the phone went silent.

Now Jason has more worry than he bargained for. His brother in law was ill and poor Tash. What about Tash? He cared about her more than he professed for sure. He loved her yes but there was never a thought of being 'in love'. Not on her part anyway.

A half hour later he entered Tash's bedroom again, this time with a bowl of tinned chicken noodle soup and a glass of iced tea. What did he know?

Tasha stirred and opened her eyes briefly.  Her throat ached, her head ached, her stomach ached, in fact there wasn't a part of her that didn't ache.  Closing her eyes again she reached for the water she knew was by her bed but missed and the glass tumbled to the floor. Cursing under her breath she turned over, opened her eyes again and saw him.

Jerking herself up she started into a fit of coughing, in between bouts she managed to talk. "Jason, are you real or just a figment of my flu ridden imagination?"  She had absolutely no memory of the phone call she had made earlier.    

Setting the tray he was carrying down on the dresser he picked up the water glass and set it back on her bedside table. He took the iced tea he brought off the tray and sat down beside her.

"I'm really here, love. It seems The Glen is not the only place riddled with this flu. Here, drink some of this. It's cold and there's fresh lemon in it. Antioxidants. It will help you feel better."

He held her head up as he tipped the glass to her lips. "Have you taken anything? Night-Nurse or paracetamol? You seem to have quite a fever, my darling."

She sipped the liquid and made a face.  "I don't understand, why are you here?" As she looked at him with unbelieving eyes she was suddenly aware of how she must look and her hand flew to her hair. "Jason, did you drive all the way from The Glen? Oh my goodness you must be exhausted, let me get up and make you something."  Trying to get out of bed she started to cough again and her head began to whirl.   "If you are real you'd better get out of here I'm infectious," she managed to say before falling back on the soaked pillows.    

"You called me, love. To handle the shipment because you are ill. Bloody hell, Tash. Why didn't you call me sooner? I think I should call your doctor."

Setting the glass down he placed his hands on her cheeks then kissed her mouth.

"There, there. I'm about as infected as I can get now so there is no point in me leaving you. I wouldn't anyway. So, is the information about this shipment on your laptop? I'll manage everything. Don't you worry, Tash."

She tried to remember calling him but she simply couldn't.  Trawling through her messed up head she recalled the shipment he was talking about.  "Coming from Hong Kong, Friday, tea set, what day is it?"

"Thursday and you have nothing to worry about. I'll take care of everything. You, love, need to eat something then rest and recover. Feed a fever? Starve a fever? Whatever the hell it is I would feel much better if you could get some of this soup into you."

Lifting the bowl, he swirled the spoon around in it before blowing light on it. He offered her a bit of broth. "Come on now. Give it a try. Half a bowl then I'll leave you be."

"Im not hungry." She said knowing how petulant she sounded.  "The details of the shipment are on my laptop, the password is pies4us.  Jason, I should get up and take a shower, I'm sure I'll feel much better then."

She reached up and stroked his face.  "Thank you, really, it's a set for a very important client and I can't mess up on it.  What time is it?"  

"No worries," he said with a smile. Setting the bowl down he looked up at the clock on her table."It says 11:30 and by the lack of light I reckon that would mean PM. I'll help you to the shower, love. I'll wash your back; hold you upright so you don't fall but then its straight back to bed with you. Leave Hong Kong to me."

He could change the sheets while she dried off and then perhaps he'd check to see how things were at home. This was going to be a long night for Jason.

Shrugging, he pulled the covers off of her and lifted her from the bed to carry her to the shower. Stumbling slightly as he went through the door, he held her tight when he heard her cry out.

"I won't let you down, Tash. Trust me?"

TBC