Tarzan & G.I. Jane (Complete)

Part 22

It's Saturday. Again. It's been a week since my fall into the dark abyss. Most of my week was spent in the hospital but now that I'm back at Sam's things are weird. A big part of me wishes we could all go back to the way things were. 

Sam is sweet and attentive, always making sure I'm okay. Ever since he confessed his feelings for me I have seen him in a new light. Hundreds of what ifs are constantly popping into my head. Maybe the emotional connection is enough to try being something more than friends.

Tarzan has been just as concerned with my well-being as Sam. Now that we have kissed, whenever we are in the same room it is hard to keep hands away from each other. I enjoy having him here but a part of me feels like he should be back home. Maybe we are blinded by our intense physical attraction that we can't see how wrong we are for each other.

There is a slight knock on my bedroom door before Sam pushes it open more and steps in. I smile up at him. He walks over to my bed and sits down next to me, leaning against the back wall. I look up at him from my horizontal position.

"Any plans today?"

"Besides staying in bed...nope!"

I see him roll his eyes at me.

"Come on, what's up? The Gabi I know would never spend a whole day in bed let alone a Saturday. I know the guys are dying to see you again."

I cringe at the thought of seeing the pitiful looks on their faces.

"I just have a lot on my mind and I don't feel like being social right now."

I need someone to vent to but it's hard when your best friend is part of the dalima. 

"Well I'm not leaving your side until either one you tell me what's on your mind or two the weekend is over and I have to return to work."

Now it is my turn to roll my eyes.

"Can I guess it has to do with a certain brooding figure that seems to be popping up all the time?"

"He's part of it."

"And the other part?"

I don't know how to say it. I just stare at the ceiling. That is until he moves his face over mine and he is all I can see.

"Please tell me I'm not the other half."

I let out a sigh and look away from him.

"Gabs look at me. I meant what I said last weekend when we talked. Your friendship is more important to me than anything else. I accepted it a long time ago that you didn't feel the same way."

"But what if I did?"

"As much as I would love to believe that we both know it's not true. I never crossed the line because I didn't want to confuse you like this. I don't want you to try feeling more. I don't want a half relationship that could ruin our friendship . Neither one of us deserves that."

"But…"

"No Gabs! You are just worried about my feelings. And I promise you I'm ok! I just want you to be happy and safe." 

"I love you."

He chuckles as he hugs me.

"I know and just because you are falling for your mysterious jungle guy doesn't mean you will be getting rid of me any time soon!"

I smile up at him, relieved.

"I'd have it no other way."

"You know mine's not the only heart you will be breaking."

He laughs at my confused look.

"Please you're gorgeous, funny, and a badass; I say seventy-five percent of every base we've ever been stationed at has been in love with you."

We both laugh at his teasing. I smack him in the chest. He pretends to be hurt which just makes me laugh more. Relief washes over me as I realize we are acting like we did before everything went sideways. 

"Now…"

He wiggles down next to me and holds me on his side.

"...that we solved one problem, let's start on the next."

I groan.

"Oookay...I will start with what I know. He found you and helped you during your time in the jungle. So you basically spent a week...alone together…"

"I get what you're hinting at and nothing happened between Tarzan and I. He didn't speak a word the entire time. But I guess we did somehow connect on a different level."

"So you do call him Tarzan."

"Well I didn't know his name and he didn't talk at the time. It seemed to fit and just stuck."

"Hmmm…"

"What?"

"That explains the Jane part."

"Yeah it was the first thing he ever said to me...but I had told him my name so I didn't get it right away."

"Okay so you guys find a way back and he got shot. I had a feeling something happened between you two because you never left his bedside."

"He got shot because of me! How could I not make sure he was ok?!"

"I get it. Then you left and I just kind of figured he would have left too. But he didn't. He stuck around. I noticed he was fitting in more and more. I almost didn't recognize him when he cut his hair."

"I didn't at first either." 

"When we got back and he was gone I won't lie I was kind of relieved. I didn't know if you had come back to be here with me or for him. It made things easier."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. A man is allowed a moment of weakness. Even if that weakness is false hope."

"I never meant to give you the wrong impression."

"I know. So things were good until last Saturday. I didn't even know he was back on base until he hit me."

"Again that was my fault."

"Gabrielle please stop, I know. Then when I saw him at the hospital he was a mess and furious when I said he couldn't see you. It took three soldiers to get him outside. I knew how he felt. I was just as scared and confused and angry as he was. I don't regret it, whether intentional or not he caused it." 

He squeezed me tighter.

"I didn't want him anywhere near you. Even after you told me a little about what happened. But you're a big girl, you make your own decisions."

"Thank you."

"I can't stand the guy and I don't trust him, but if you do I will try to hold my tongue."

I smile at him before grabbing the remote and turning on the TV.