Vorfreude // Jake Riley

Chapter 10

Weeks later

After finding out I was immune Cannerts created a treatment from my blood to slow down the virus. It turned out others inside the cordon had the same special immunity I did which helped Cannerts.

The cordon was still in action but every day less and less people needed treatment so much so me and Jake were hopeful it would be over soon.

"What's the plan when it's all over?" Jake said looking down at our intertwined hands.

"I was thinking of sticking around."

"Well I happen to have a place that you could stay at, if you wanted to?" Jake offered and I grinned at him. After it was over we would move in together, like a normal couple. The idea thrilled me.

"I would love that." Jake and I spent our days together, helping the sick. Some days I would be so weak from donating blood Jake would have to pick me up and take care of me, as shitty as I felt he always managed to make me smile.

"I probably look like shit." I whispered to him once, he looked at me with furrowed brows.

"Not at all you look as beautiful as ever." Truthfully, the moments I spent with Jake had been my happiest. Of course there was always an underlying fear of what if he got sick.

I had dealt with this too once, there was one patient so sick he couldn't be helped. Jake and Cannerts did everything they could, and he almost got Jake sick. I lost it, I was ready to donate all my blood to save him. Jake was put in quarantine for 24 hours.

24 of those hours, I spent sitting outside the cell leaned against the door. Jake leaned against the door on the other side talking to me through it, reassuring me.

"I'm gonna be fine." He said calmingly. I could still feel myself losing sanity.

"Yeah I know, but-" My voice cracked at the end and Jake cut me off before I could say any more.

"I'll be fine." After the 24 hours passed and he was okay Cannerts woke me up from my position against the door so he could open it.

As soon as Jake came out, I jumped into his arms. Cannerts had given up trying to make us keep our distance but he still rolled his eyes. Jake put his arms around me and held me tight, I lived for his hugs.

His strong built arms made me feel safe but his careful grip made me feel loved, I couldn't get enough of Jake Riley.

"You're okay we're okay." He whispered into my ear after I held him tightly. I was sure that I would lose him 24 hours before, but with a miracle he survived.

+++

A day came, when Cannerts had almost given up. The other immunes and I were all weak from blood loss and Cannerts had been trying harder for a cure. He spent 19 hours in the lab working on a cure.

We were sure it would be a dead end, like it had been the many attempts before. But then, he came out with a smile on his face.

Cannerts stuck the vaccine into one of his last remaining lab rats. He said it would take a couple hours to work, if it did in fact work.

We all paced the lab anxiously, waiting for something, anything to happen. Finally after what seemed like forever it was time for the results.

Cannerts revealed the rat in its cage and we stood shocked. It was alive and well.

After the initial surprise we all cheered and Jake pulled me in for a hug. When we pulled back I met his lips with mine. We're okay.

+++

Some time later
"Babe can you help me with this?" I was in the process of moving my stuff into his place, and one box was too heavy to attempt. Jake was wearing a tank top that showed off his arms so I asked him to carry even the light stuff just to see his arms strain even the slightest.

After the cordon was lifted thanks to Cannerts's cure, Jake and I started living together. Only after a week had passed off me wearing only his shirts I decided to get my stuff from Florida and move in.

"Yeah sure." Jake had been so sweet and strong through it all. I admired his strength even I, the immune, started to lose it towards the end, wondering if the cordon would ever be lifted.

Hours later we were done moving the boxes in and I fell back onto our shared bed. Jake fell down next to me. Simultaneously we turned towards each other.

"Now what?" I grinned while bringing my hand up to rake through his hair. I had learned soon after the cordon was lifted, Jake loved when I did this, and when I scratched at his bed, but that was in a different situation.

"Now I should ask you out since we haven't left this apartment too many times." Anyone rational would want to be as free as possible after a cordon but me and Jake wanted to live in our own bubble for a while. Not that we had been apart during the cordon but out here we were free, less careful and definitely more alone. However, a date with Jake sounded lovely after everything we had seen together.

"So would you like to go out with me?"

"I would love to. You can pick me up around 8." I joked and Jake chuckled. I loved the sound and I started to realize I loved him. Perhaps I had always known, it wasn't like these feelings felt new but now I was sure of them. I decided I would tell him at the date.

After seeing Jake get ready I figured out it was semi-formal so I wore a cute dress. I didn't let him see me get ready since I didn't want to spoil the surprise so I walked into the living room and Jake opened his eyes.

"Beautiful as ever." He almost whispered but I heard it. Heat went straight to my cheeks and I smiled.

"Thank you Jake Riley you don't look too bad yourself." He rolled his eyes but chuckled anyways.

The date was amazing, and some people even stopped us for pictures. It seemed our cordon time had made us famous. Jake and I knew our stories were well known but not on a picture taking level.

After the date Jake and I walked to a nearby park. We sat down on a bench and I snuggled into him as a chill blew past.

"Jake Riley can I tell you something?"

"Anything." He said softly.

"I love you, and I know we didn't know each other a couple weeks ago but I've never felt like this about anyone before." I turned towards and looked him in his warm eyes. The side of his mouth turned upwards, which I took as a good sign.

"I love you too, and I have for a long time, in some ways I'm grateful for the outbreak because maybe I would have never met you otherwise." I couldn't help but grin and he found himself grinning too.

"We would have still met, and I would have still thought you were hot." I teased him, teasing him was my second favorite thing after kissing him. Jake's cheeks turned slightly pink in spite of his smirk.

"You know what they say about men in uniform..." It was what my mom had said when I introduced her to Jake. I thought he was too far away to have heard it.

"How did you hear that?!" Jake laughed at my exclamation and just kissed me in response. For the first time in years I was entirely happy again.

A/n: sorry for not updating I'm the worst I know, anyways this is the last chap as the show has ended and I honestly don't have time to write so many fics, if you want I can post a conclusion/epilogue chap but I hope you guys enjoyed this one!
All the love, keep sharing, voting, and commenting X.