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Chapter 26 - Rejuvenated Spirits

Jamelet, Kevin, Ana, Brian, and Howie had traveled for about a week straight in search of their friends. Each day became the same routine. Traveling through the day, taking breaks for rest and sleep. Each seemed to be in better spirits, now they that knew their lives were safe. Their group had bonded for the past seven days, finding each other quirky and entertaining. The boys were having a hard time trying to understand what might happen after they found the others. The possibilities that the girls might depart from the boys’ lives made them apprehensive about leaving. Brian, Kevin, and Howie made the most of spending the time with the two women. They seemed cheerier than ever, and Ana’s personality had grown on all of them. She seemed more important to each boy than before.

“Okay, okay, I’m done with the silence between us. There’s only so much a chick can take before she goes insane!” Ana announced as they walked through the thickest part of the woods. She found herself annoyed that they were crossing into another section of woods. The farther they traveled towards Washington, the hotter it seemed to get. Ana had basically stripped the dress she was wearing into large pieces. The top half of her dress had been slit into a tube-top and the skirt inched its way above her knees. Jamelet had teased Ana about the dress for several days. Ana became annoyed quickly, but knew as soon as she got back to her cabin that she’d be dressed like a bum for days.

“You do seem to be the most talkative of the group,” Brian teased with a genuine smile.

“Shut up, Littrell. You know I’d tear you up if you didn’t pose the threat of the Bubonic Plague. However, I’d be willing to see it in another person. Do you realize what it does to a person’s body? Now that’s a true medical blooper! Those thick black welts filled with decaying pus! The pus is thick and black, putrid smelling. The skin literally rots from the inside out. You smell death everyone for days. Finally, you’re body fills with blood and you die. Now that’d be something to see! I’d be willing to risk contamination to see someone with that,” Ana spoke with interest.

Everyone else went pale and quiet from Ana’s enthusiasm for the disease. Jamelet gave a weary sigh, groaning at the thought. Her stomach churned for a moment. Ana seemed extremely excited about the disease. Howie, Brian, and Kevin passed the girl uneasy glances. Jamelet smirked as Ana looked at them with question. “You would actually want to see that?” Jamelet asked, already knowing the concept Ana had in mind.

“Of course,” Ana quipped with a smirk.

“Why?” Kevin asked with horror.

Ana frowned for a moment as she led the way through the woods. She glanced back at him, her blue-green eyes sparkled in the brightness of the hot sun. Howie felt his throat dry as he gazed upon her. She immediately launched into her explanation, “Ever since I was little, I really liked medicine. I always thought it’d be neat to sit down and work with a patient and try to help them. I developed a keen interest in the horrors of the medical world. Infectious diseases, amputations, body trauma. It all seemed like something I’d like to do. To me, that’s the neatest thing in the world. I’d even be willing to take care of someone with gangrene.”

“So you want to be a doctor?” Brian asked, now understanding her idea.

“Yeah, I think it’d be neat to work in the Emergency Room. But it’d have to be a big city, you know? Where they get all the messed up cases of gerbils in the rectum or crazy wives that shove knives through their husbands’ heads. The chaos appeals to me,” she answered truthfully.

“Sounds like a good plan,” Kevin agreed.

“She’s smart enough,” Jamelet approved with a funny smile. In CAPPA, Ana had always been the girl constantly reading and looking up things in their facilities. She always made Jamelet bring her the medical textbooks. Ana had a keen eye for the medical directions. Jamelet figured if given the chance, Ana might aspire to be a doctor or better. Now that Ana had the chance, there would be nothing stopping her. The idea of the girls being able to have normal lives made Jamelet’s fears disappear.

“So, you’ll be going straight to college once we find the other girls and get settled?” Howie asked carefully, hiding the dark look in his eyes. He shifted his gaze toward the fallen leaves against the ground. Kevin and Brian noticed the frown set upon Howie’s face. Brian smirked, knowing that Howie was thinking of the possibilities of Ana disappearing again. It was obvious that Howie cared a great deal for Ana. The idea of never seeing Ana again made Howie sick.

Ana seemed too focused on the idea to notice Howie’s downcast features. She eagerly smiled, causing Jamelet to break into a small laughter. “I would love to start college as soon as I get settled. I don’t know if I can manage to get accepted being kept in a basement for my entire life, but I sure as hell can try. I’d like to look into college as soon as possible. I think I can get into the pre-med program. I think I’m smart enough.”

“You’re definitely smart enough, Ana,” Jamelet confirmed.

“Thanks, Jamelet,” Ana answered with an affectionate smile. Jamelet laughed, bringing the younger woman into her arms for a tight squeeze. Jamelet had developed a close affection for the girl. She was so special in Jamelet’s eyes. She was filled with the potential to conquer everything. Jamelet kissed Ana’s golden curls.

“No problem, Little One,” Jamelet retorted as Kevin hurried to jump into the girls’ conversation. Brian and Howie frowned, scrambling up to the front of the group. Inadvertently, Howie slipped himself between Ana and Brian. He offered Brian a funny smile, causing Brian to roll his eyes. Jamelet slipped her arm through Kevin’s arm as they walked. “So, what are you boys planning on doing once we find everyone?” she asked.

Kevin thought for a long moment. “We’ll have a lot to explain for, that’s for sure. I don’t know how exactly we’re going to field the question as to why we were kidnapped. Obviously, showing up on our front doorsteps without any consequences will be odd. We’ll have to think out a proper statement to release.”

“Why can’t we tell the truth?” Brian asked with confusion.

“Do you really want the world to know that you guys have freakish powers?” Ana asked, not really wanting to hurt the boys’ feelings. But it was the truth. The world wouldn’t understand the uniqueness of the boys’ powers. She watched the boys offer her hurt expressions. Ana sighed, shrugging her shoulders. “Just think about it, Brian. You guys have odd powers. I mean, when I was little, I was freezing everything in sight. My mother flipped out and sent me to CAPPA. She asked me to give her a kiss and she’d be back. She never did return for me. So, if my mother couldn’t handle the fact as to why I was different – how are your fans going to react?”

“We’re sorry your mother did that to you,” Howie told her thoughtfully.

“It was a long time ago, I’m over it,” she replied with a careless shrug of her shoulders.

“Thank you for bringing up the facts, Ana. We will have to think about it,” Brian answered.

“We’ll talk with Nick and AJ when we find them,” Kevin approved.

“Will you go back on tour when you get home?” Jamelet questioned.

“I don’t know, really,” Kevin admitted with a bashful smile.

“I don’t want to go back on tour,” Howie replied.

“Why’s that?” Ana asked curiously. “Tour would be hilarious. I know I could never be a singer – I’d never focus on my work. I’d want to have fun all the time. I’d be such a slacker! I’d be out creating havoc every night.”

“World, please welcome Nick Carter Jr. to the pack,” Brian muttered playfully.

“I don’t want to go on tour, because I don’t think we should be apart from you girls again,” Howie answered, staring into Ana’s dark colored eyes. He found himself falling into the pools of sea blue-green. The color allured and tempted Howie. He found himself conjuring up the picture of Ana’s unexpected kiss. The color reddened on his cheeks as Kevin’s jaw and Brian’s jaw dropped at his comment.

“Apart from us girls?” Jamelet asked with surprise. She found them coming upon a large field of grass. She sighed with relief, thankful for a change in scenery. She held her hand up to the others, signaling that she would like to take a rest. Her stomach was churning violently again. She had been coming down with terrible bouts of fever and nausea for the past week. She tried to keep the information concealed in her heart. She leaned against a tree as Kevin plopped down beside her, letting her rest her head upon his shoulder.

“Yeah, I don’t think we should part ways,” Howie explained, staring at Ana (who seemed preoccupied with other things) “Every time we’re apart from the girls, it seems like we get into trouble. Maybe we should just all live together or something. It’d be nice to have all of you with us all the time. You know?”

“That’s sweet.” Jamelet smiled as she watched Howie’s gaze fall upon Ana. Jamelet traced her eyes to see that Ana was staring out into the field. Ana seemed in a daze as she walked a few feet into the high grass. Jamelet took the opportunity to comment about Howie’s idea. “You really want all the girls nearby?” she asked him.

“Of course,” Howie answered with a blush.

“More or less he just wants Ana fully occupied in his own home,” Kevin muttered.

“Shut up!” Howie blushed.

“That’s my thoughts exactly,” Brian answered wryly.

“He only wants the girls around so he can get more kisses from Ana,” Jamelet agreed.

“So? What’s so wrong with that?” Howie fumed with a wry smile – still blushing terribly.

Before anyone could comment – Ana gave a whoop of delight. Kevin and Brian jumped to their feet, preparing to fight whatever Ana had found. Jamelet trembled from the cold as she leaned against Kevin for support. They all watched Ana tear off against the high grasses. “ALISON! PAIGE! OH MY GOSH!” Ana cried out with happiness.

“Paige and Alison?” Jamelet asked softly with hope.

Ana hurried through the grasses, seeing the two younger girls running toward her. Ana felt her heart slam against her chest with excitement. She saw the entire group staring at the three. Ana crossed the threshold and tackled the younger girls with extreme energy. It had been far too long since Ana had seen Paige and Alison. The two girls seemed like her little sisters. She wanted to protect them from everything. Ana immediately layered the younger girls’ cheeks with fresh friendly kisses. “I’M SO GLAD YOU GUYS ARE OKAY!” Ana laughed happily.

“ANA!” Paige cried, throwing her arms around Ana’s neck.

“We’re so glad you’re okay!” Alison finished. The two younger girls couldn’t believe they were staring at Ana. This woman had done so much for them. Alison could only think about the horrible tape that Cyrus had shown. Ana seemed perfectly healthy as she hugged the girls again as they sat upon the soft grass. Ana seemed as if she were her same old self. Nothing could stop them from being happy again. Alison shrieked with happiness, tackling Ana back to the ground with Paige for more exuberant greetings.