We were about two hours from Sean's cabin. I was making good time Johnny was awake but still drowsy. He leaned back in his seat and talked while I drove. It wasn't very often he talked about before so when he does I let him. He was telling me how when him and Sean were in the sandbox they weren't proud if the things they did but they had to do it. He told me how Sean and I were the closest thing to family he'd ever had. He wasn't making a lot of sense he was exhausted I reached over and tubbed his leg, it seemed to reassure him and he settle in and relaxed a bit. I knew he'd struggled over the last year with how we left things with Sean. I had to tell him "Johnny he was wrong" he looked up at me "what do you mean" I glanced at his tired face. " I mean Sean was wrong, you didn't let me down you came after me and you saved me Sean's the one who never came he didn't answer the phone cause he was to drunk to care and he almost lost me not you." Johnny sat up and shook his head "I promised Sean that I'd never let anything bad happen to you" I sighed and smiled "baby don't you get it? Sean lashed out at you because for the first time ever I didn't need him! And if I had needed him he wouldn't have been there! It's not you it's Sean and his damn pride!" I could see that he knew it was true but he still shook his head a laid back in his seat.
I decided to pull into truck stop to eat and use the bathroom. We got out of the car and stretched. It was cold and getting dark. Johnny could see I was shivering he came around the car and put his jacket on me and wrapped arms around me to keep me warm. "So what would you like from the menu m'am?" He smirked. "Hmm let's try something different and get a burger and fries" I laughed and buried my face in his chest. "Okay let's go my turn to cook!" He went in to get the food and I decided the bathroom was what I needed right now. When I came out I could see flashing lights in the parking lot. I froze I didn't know what to do. Were they here for Johnny? I started to back up when some one grabbed me I went to scream but he put his hand over my mouth "shhhh babe it's just me" I looked at him terrified "what's going on why are they around our car?" Johnny looked at me with that 'are you for real' face and said "well a car in a parking lot with a broken back window and bullet holes is pretty suspicious love" he laughed slightly "lets go" we went around the back of the building and into the woods at the side of the highway. "Don't worry chances are the police will think it's an abandon vehicle and tow it away." I looked at him concerned "so we're stuck here?" I shivered and moved closer to Johnny. "No we'll wait for dark and call your brother he can come get us. Come on we need to get in the tree line."
A while later, I'm not sure how long I was shaking uncontrollably in his arms I tried not too but couldn't stop. Johnny looked like he was in the sun. He held me between his legs and wrapped his body around me to keep me warm. "How are you not freezing?" I finally asked. He looked at me and smiled "mind over matter I hold my body still and tell my brain its not cold. If my brain doesn't think it's cold it's not!" I was envious "can you teach me?" He leaned into my neck and whispered "ok so concentrate on your chest breath deep and long. The slower your breath the slower your heart beats and it's easier to control" I started taking deep breaths as he breathed with me to show me what he meant. "Ok now close your eyes and and loosen up your body let the blood flow through your arms and legs and keep breathing deep. When your heart slows down and you relax your arms the blood will flow through your body and well story short make you warmer" I shifted slightly in his arms and let my body relax as he rubbed my arms and tried to cover my head with his neck. "Ok I'm relaxed" I said sarcastically "he grunted and said "it takes a bit to work just trust me. Relax your body and breath deep and slow!"Again he breathed with me to show me how. " ok now lean your body back into me. " I did as he said and after a few minutes it actually started to work I was feeling warmer "I still feel a bit cold Johnny" he held me tighter "it doesn't take the cold away it just makes your mind think it, did you're body stays cold but you don't feel it." I was amazed "did you learn this in the army?" He smiled "hell no. I learned this hunting without a cabin! Now relax and lay back" I did as he said and we spent the next god knows how long talking so I'd forget about the cold. I was getting tired so I leaned in closer to his chest to hear his heat beat. The soft slow pound lulled me to sleep while I listened to Johnny tell me one of his stories.
Johnny was yelling my name he kept saying "wake up! Don't sleep baby! Omg no!" I felt like I was dreaming everything was a haze and why the hell was he telling me to wake up I wasn't cold anymore! "WAKE UP NOW GET ON YOUR FEET!" He sounded desperate so I tried as hard as I could to get up! Johnny was pulling me up toward him. I let him drag me up. He put his arm around me and started walking toward the truck stop I was struggling trying to ask him what he was doing, but I couldn't talk. He picked me up and carried me to the outside washroom and laid me on the ground. He locked the door and started taking my clothes off. He took off his shirt and sat on the floor near the baseboard heater pulling my body with him. He pulled me into his lap "oh god baby please wake up I'm so sorry please be ok I need you to look at me!" I laid back in his arms I could feel how cold I was against his warmer chest, my head lulled and he looked at me 'babe open your eyes' I slowly opened them and looked into his face. He looked down at me " Im so sorry I left you there I had to go call Sean and you were so peaceful. I should have taken you with me!" I was so confused I'd only been asleep for a few minutes "Johnny I just closed my eyes for a minute" he looked me "babe you were asleep for hours! It's almost daylight. I had to wait to call Sean, it was busy here and I was on the phone with him a while" he looked down "to long. When I got back I thought you were sleeping" I looked at him confused ' I was sleeping' "no baby you were freezing your, your breathing was laboured I couldn't wake you up" he shook his head and looked away from me "Johnny it's ok I'm fine!" He leaned back against the corner of the wall not wanting to talk anymore "we can stay here until your warm again. Sean's on his way he should be here by dawn" he kissed my neck and put his head on my shoulder as I leaned my head back against his chest. "I love you Johnny" he turned to face me "I love you too"
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