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A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes Chapter 21 Kevin readjusted the pillow under his head, but knew he wasn�t any closer to sleeping than he had been all night. He and Kristy had continued to talk about what had happened on the bus for several hours before she�d finally drifted off to sleep. Logic told them both it was out of their control, but Kristy couldn�t help but wonder if something during her earlier encounter with Allen had triggered the event. Kevin reassured her that it had nothing to do with her. After she�d fallen asleep, he continued to think about what the police had told him after they�d taken Allen into custody. How the unbalanced crewmember had confessed that he�d been formulating a plan to hurt each of the Boys... Kevin being his first and most important target. Kevin squeezed his eyes shut. Nothing Allen could have ever done directly to Kevin could�ve hurt him like endangering Kristy had. It had been a turning point. Kevin thought back to seeing Kristy huddled in a ball in his bunk and felt the knot in his stomach just as he had that afternoon. It was then that Kevin had realized just how important she was to him. He also realized how vulnerable loving her made him. And by loving him, Kristy had been put in danger. He gazed at the woman beside him as she slept - her forehead creased and her breathing was becoming faster. Kevin brushed her hair off her forehead in a soothing gesture, but Kristy turned her face away from his touch. She lay completely still, but her breathing continued to become more labored and she let out a small whimper. Kevin pulled her to him, and she struggled against him in her terror-filled dream. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered soothing words, �Kristy, it�s okay. I�m here.� She stilled slightly. �Shhh, Princess. You�re safe. I won�t let anything hurt you.� Kristy finally relaxed in his arms, and after several more minutes, her breathing returned to normal. Kevin continued to hold her, thinking about what he�d said to comfort her. In reality, he couldn�t guarantee her safety. And that ate him up inside. He ran his hand over her silky hair as she snuggled against his chest. Just lying in bed together like this felt so right to him. He kissed the top of her head and smiled as she sighed in her sleep. He knew he�d fallen for her quickly... probably from the first time he�d read her story. They had a connection that was difficult to explain or define � but he knew they both felt it. To some extent, the power of his feelings for her scared him. He liked to be in control. It was part of his personality � the perfectionist in him. That was what was making this hard on him � he hadn�t been in control of what had happened to Kristy. Kevin frowned as a myriad of emotions pulsed through him. Love. Anger. Fear. Vulnerability. Guilt. He�d promised her they�d make it through this together, and he was confident they could... but SHOULD they? Kevin accepted most of the things that happened around him... he�d wanted this life. But once again he realized that just because he lived his life in the public eye, it didn�t mean Kristy should have to. It wasn�t fair to her. �What now?� he thought to himself as he stared into the darkness of the night. There was the obvious choice � simply end it now. If Kristy didn�t love him, she wouldn�t be in danger from people who would want to hurt her because she was with him... either because they �loved� or hated Kevin. And if he stopped loving Kristy, he wouldn�t leave himself open to anymore pain or fear. Stop loving Kristy. He might as well try to stop breathing. He�d die either way. And he knew Kristy would never agree to it. She knew him too well � she�d proven that in her story. �But what if she didn�t know me?� He began to formulate the plan in his head. If he could push her away � slowly distance himself � she�d realize that she wasn�t in love with him. If he could convince her that the Kevin of her dreams, and her story, wasn�t real � wasn�t him � and that life didn�t end �happily ever after�... then she could get away from him without him breaking her heart. The fact that his own heart would break didn�t matter. She�d be safe.Kristy stirred slightly then opened her eyes slowly to unfamiliar surroundings. The sound of a shower running in the next room and the indented pillow beside her brought a smile to her face. �Kevin.� She remembered falling asleep, with his voice being the last thing she�d heard. She could definitely get used to that. 'Kevin�s voice. In the night.' She couldn�t put her finger on it, but she felt like there was something important about that. The phone on the nightstand rang and Kristy hesitated before answering it. �Hello?� �Kris?!� Nick asked, his voice betraying his surprise. �Uh, yeah. What�s up, Nicky?� Nick smirked as he pictured Kristy�s blush. �Kev up yet?� �Mmhmm. He�s in the shower.� Just then Kristy heard the water shut off. �Oh really?! Did I interrupt something?� �Nickolas, behave!� Kevin entered the room to hear Kristy scold the youngest member of the group and correctly guessed the theme of Nick�s conversation. �Gimme the phone,� Kevin instructed. Between Nick�s innuendoes and Kevin�s towel clad body, Kristy felt like her cheeks were on fire. She handed Kevin the phone as he sat on the bed next to her. �So much for the separate rooms, huh, Kev?� �Shut up. Is there a purpose to this call, Nick?� �Me and the guys were simply wonderin� if you two would be joining us for breakfast... or are you thinking room service?� �We�ll be down in a little bit,� Kevin said abruptly and hung up the phone before Nick could tease him any more. He turned to Kristy and paused as he saw that she was staring at him. �What?� She leaned towards him, her smile warm and inviting. �Sometimes I can�t stop myself from staring at you. You�re just so beautiful!� she said as she brushed her lips across his. Kevin pulled her to him slightly, her body still warm from sleep. He kissed her leisurely, his body and heart savoring the sensation. Unfortunately, Kevin�s mind argued that this wasn�t part of the plan. �But it should be slowly. I have to distance us gradually or she won�t believe it.� He broke off the kiss and forced a smile. �The guys are expecting us to join them for breakfast. Why don�t you go to your room and get ready, and I�ll meet you downstairs.� Kristy�s brow furrowed slightly, but she rationalized that Kevin wasn�t much of a morning person, and must have been anxious to get some coffee so he could function. �Okay. I�ll see ya in a bit,� she said as she scrambled out of bed, pausing to kiss him. �I love you.� Kevin returned her kiss, then pulled away. �Go on, otherwise we may never get to breakfast.� Kristy giggled and headed back to her room. Kevin watched the door close behind her. �I love you, too, Princess.�Next: Chapter 22 |