I'm Giving Up, So Just Catch Me (c)

[Tag Along]

Tag ascended the stairs leading to the attic, hoping she wasn't extremely late for the very last reading of Pride & Prejudice. She had taken what was meant to be a quick nap about 3 hours ago... She really hadn't meant to sleep for so long, but she'd been feeling so tired lately.

As her head became level with the floor of the attic, she saw Specs waiting by the window.

"I'm so sorry." She started off, her voice still filled with sleep.

[Specs]

Specs looked up from his seat to find a very tired Tag. Standing up and rushing over to her, he offered her his hand.

"Everythin' alright? What's wrong?" he asked, his voice full of worry. Tag wasn't one to show up late, especially when they had their Pride and Prejudice readings.

[Tag Along]

"I'm fine, I'm fine." She assured him, chuckling a bit at his overprotective-ness.

"I'm just tired. Must not have gotten much good sleep last night."

She opened her eyes widely in attempt to wake herself up before sitting down by the window and opening the book.

[Specs]

"Y'know we can reschedule this for another time," said Specs with concern, noting how exhausted Tag looked. "I'd rather not have you read when you're not feeling well..."

[Tag Along]

"Specs, don't be ridiculous. I'm fine!" She shot him a pleading look that clearly said she wished he would drop the subject.

"Now, come sit down. We've only two chapters left."

[Specs]

Knowing it was a losing battle, Specs simply nodded. Despite his actions, his face was full of worry and concern.

"Just let me know if you need to stop or anything."

[Tag Along]

Tag just sighed, stopping herself from rolling her eyes. Weren't newsies tired all the time? Why was he so worried?

Pushing down her annoyance, she began reading. She sincerely hoped Specs was paying attention to the story and not to her state of being.

[Specs]

Trying his best to pay attention to the story, Specs leaned back in his seat as he patiently listened to Tag. Secretly, he was trying to remember what Tag had done for him when he came down with a cold. Tea, sleep, aspirin and food? Was that what it was?

[Tag Along]

Before she knew it, she'd finished the second to last chapter. She took a breath in preparation for the very last chapter, but before she could start reading again, a small spasm of coughing overcame her.

[Specs]

Once Tag started coughing, Specs immediately made his way next to her, his hand rubbing her back gently.

"Maybe that's a good place to stop for today..."

[Tag Along]

Tag shook her head, her coughing starting to subside.

"No, it's fine." She replied, her voice strained. "I think some dust got into my throat."

Clearing her throat, she swatted at Specs to go back to his seat.

[Specs]

"You want me to get you some water?" he asked, standing up and ignoring her objections.

[Tag Along]

"No, it's fine! Really! Just sit down, we're almost done." She reopened the book, staring at the first sentence of the last chapter. It had just been dust. This attic was absolutely covered in dust, so that was the obvious reason for her coughing. And the dust was now settling in her lungs, which is why they felt so constricted. Very obvious reasons.

[Specs]

Frustrated, Specs sighed and sat back down. He hated that he couldn't do anything but he knew Tag would have a fit if he kept on pushing her.

"Okay," he said hesitantly. "Just keep on reading."

[Tag Along]

She read on, trying her best to mask how shallow her breathing had become. Thankfully, the last chapter was quite short, so Tag was finished reading in almost no time at all.

She closed the book slowly and looked up at Specs. "We're finally finished. What did you think?"