\\You kidnapped me to protect me?// - Private

"Doesn't really matter... You're gonna be there. Dustin, please promise me you'll be there."

Dustin closed his eyes and sighed. "Yeah, of course....It's the least I could do. I can't guarantee I won't drool when I see you in a wedding dress.." he said, smiling weakly.

She smiled and sighed. "Alright. That's okay. I just want you there."

Dustin sighed, closing his eyes tightly. This was a nightmare. "Yeah, just tell me when the rehearsal is and I'll be there....So, what else is happening?"

"Jake's appendix burst yesterday." she said softly. She knew he wouldn't want to hear about him, but, Jake was her world, he was what was going on.

Dustin hissed, not liking how it sounded. Burst? Ouch! "Damn...that must've sucked for him. He ok?" he asked, acting a bit concerned, especially since he anchored over Charisma's emotions.

she nodded. "He is now. " she said softly.

"Good...and uh, how are you? Still taking medicine?" Dustin asked, though knowing it was a touchy issue. He wasn't even gone that long from her life, but he had to ask.

"Yeah, but... But they're talking about taking me off the medicine. The doctors... They want to know if the pills have built up in immunity. It scares me. My mom died screaming, Dustin, In pain... I don't want that." she said saoftly.

"Well, try it for like...a month. You don't need to stop taking it altogether." Dustin said, sighing. He knew how her mother died, he wouldn't want the same fate for her. "Does Jake know?"

"Yeah and he said the same thing you did. That maybe it'll work. And maybe it will, but it still scares me."

"I know. But..what other choice do you have? This thing's killing you, Charisma..." Dustin said, biting his lip.

"The disease or the pills?" she asked.

"Both practically." Dustin scoffed, shaking his head. "Just try it. At least for yourself." he said, sighing.

"no, I'll try it for you." she said.

Dustin felt his heart stop right there. He didn't want hope. Not now. Not when she loved another like this. "Don't say that...." he said, gulping. "You mean it for yourself...for Jake. Not me."

she shook her head. "no, Dustin. For you. you're my best friend."

Dustin sighed, his hands gripping into fists. "I know...but, still. I hurt you, bad. You shouldn't care so much."

"We were teen agers..." she said softly. "It's okay."

"Yeah but, man I was a bastard. I don't know how you still can forgive me." Dustin muttered, shaking his head.

"And you never will." she said. She didn't understand heself.

"Heh..good point." Dustin nodded, smiling. "I love you, you know that. So, I'll be with you every step of the way." he said, giving support to whatever she wanted to do.

She nodded. "I love you too, Dustin. Thank you."

"So, what are you up to?" Dustin asked as he watched a bit of TV in his living room.

"I'm packing my stuff to move into Jakes." she said.