Page 57 of Finding Jess

Jess nodded, still looking around the apartment.

“You probably shouldn’t be in here either,” Sam muttered. “You might get sick.”

“I doubt it,” Jess said dryly. “Unlike you, I get more than four hours of sleep a night, so my immune system is still intact.”

Sam smirked, keeping her eyes closed.

Jess was quiet for a moment before she asked, “Do you want me to go?”

Sam opened her eyes, turning her head towards her. She didn’t, even if she really should be focusing on work. It felt nice to have someone there. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had come to check on her when she wasn’t feeling well.

“No,” Sam said softly.

Jess’s small smile wavered as her gaze caught on something behind Sam. Her expression shifted as she looked back at her with an incredulous glare. “Were you seriously working before I got here?”

Sam followed her line of sight to the glowing computer screens, casting a faint, blue-tinged light across the room. “I had stuff to do,” she muttered as a cough clawed its way up from her chest.

She bent forward, the cough rattling through her lungs like it had been waiting for its chance. By the time it finally subsided, her body felt impossibly heavy. A shiver rolled through her, and she crossed her arms over her chest for warmth.

Jess didn’t say anything, but Sam could feel her watching. A moment later, Jess leaned forward, reaching out to rest the back of her hand gently against her forehead.

Sam’s eyes fluttered closed as she leaned into the cool touch.

“You have a fever,” Jess stated, pulling her hand away.“You should be sleeping.”

Sam let out a sigh. “I already tried.”

The couch dipped, and she opened her eyes to find Jess sitting beside her, brows drawn into that same familiar crease of concern. It was the look Jess always wore when she cared more than she let on.

“Want to watch a movie, then?” Jess asked softly.

A small smirk formed on Sam’s lips. “Yeah, but I swear, if you put on a scary movie, I’ll get right back up and start working again.”

Jess chuckled, reaching forward to grab the remote off the coffee table in front of them. “No scary movies.” She clicked the power button on the remote. “I can’t deal with you squealing every five seconds.”

Sam smiled to herself, closing her eyes once again as she turned her body and settled further into the couch. Her shoulders shook lightly as another round of chills moved through her body.

“Do you have blankets somewhere?”

Sam hummed. “On the bed.”

Jess’ footsteps padded away on the hardwood floor, then returned a moment later.

Warm fabric draped down gently over her legs, and she opened her eyes again when she felt Jess sit back down beside her.

She watched her, too tired to care that she was blatantly staring as Jess clicked through the TV.

And it struck her how lucky she was to have someone like her in her life. Actually, she couldn’t quite imagine how she’d gone so many years without her. It hadn’t felt like a long time when it was happening, but now that they were in each other’s lives again, it felt impossible to have ever gone without her. Or anyone that truly cared about her in that way.

Jess set the remote down on the couch beside her as something began playing. Then she pulled her knees up to her chest, leaning back into the couch.

After a moment, she turned, looking back at her. “What?” she asked with a curious half-smile.

There was so much she wanted to say. So much that built up inside her. But it was just a feeling. And she didn’t know which words would do it justice.

“I’m just—” Sam paused, the fogginess of the fever making it near impossible to think coherently. She blinked, letting out a breath. “Thank you for being here.” She swallowed against the raw burning in her throat. “Thanks for being such a good friend. Even after all this time.”

Jess gave her a small smile before looking back at the TV. “You don’t need to thank me.”

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