The Way, oneshot: "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made."
A short oneshot of Little James and my OC, Jaycee, inspired by this qoute: "You were born with an ability to change someone's life. Don't ever waste it."
Every step he took made the ache in his joints worse. Even though they had just stopped to rest and to eat second meal bearly fifteen minutes ago, his legs and even his back started to hurt even more then before. "James!" He heard his name being called. He turned his head around at his friend, Jaycee, walking toward him with a smile and a quick wave. "Yes?" He asked, he briefly closed his eyes as his leg throbed. Jaycee fiddled with one of the bags she was carrying. "Do you want me to carry that?" She asked, mentioning to the bag James had on his back. "Uh- no, I'm alright. Thanks." James said, forcing himself to smile at her. He didn't want to be more of a burden then he already was. Jaycee and their other freind, Thaddeus, had stayed behind the rest of the group with him just incase he needed a rest. "You sure?" Jaycee asked. "Yes, really. I'm fine." Jaycee nodded and ran back to Thad.
"Alright!" The Master clapped His hands together as they walked into a large clearing. "This is where we'll stay for the night. Sons of Thunder, take everyone's bags and start setting up the tents. Matthew, Phillip, and Little James, please gather some firewood and bring it to Mary, as she will be in charge of cooking tonight. Everyone else, please help in any way you can." They all nodded. With Matthew, Phillip and Little James going into the forest to get some firewood, and the Sons of Thunder setting up the tents, it was quite peaceful for once, with everyone in small groups. Jaycee, Nathaniel, Aamani, Mary and Thomas were setting up the tables and getting last meal ready, the Sons of Jonah were helping the Sons of Thunder, and Zee, Judas, and Thad were unpacking, and Jesus had gone off to pray, saying He'd be back later. In the forest, Matthew and Phillip were talking about Torah so intensely that they hadn't noticed that Little James was lagging behind. Finally, Phillip turned around to see James limping. He quickly tapped Matthew on the shoulder and noded his head toward James. They both stopped and waited for him to catch up. "You didn't have to do that," James said, "I'd eventually catch up." Phillip waved a hand in the air to dismiss James' statement. "That's alright," he said, putting a hand on James' back. "We wanted to wait. And besides," he pointed to James' small figure, "if we left you behind, we'd have to face Thaddeus's wrath." That made James laugh. Phillip grinned. "Whoever collects the most fire wood is excused from cleaning up after last meal." He said. And with that, he ran ahead. "Cheater!" Little James laughed.
Jaycee was in a little world of her own. She didn't even even hear when Big James called her name from across camp. "I think someone's calling you, Jay." Mary teased. Jaycee's head snapped up to look at Big James annoyingly waving his hands over his head, "Jaycee!" he called. Jaycee sighed, "I'm coming!" she yelled. She walked over there (slowly, just to annoy James), "What is it?" she asked. James looked at John and said, "We've noticed you've been a little.. how do I put this? Stressed? Lately. Just wanted to check up on ya." Jaycee paused. In the little over two years that they've known each other, they all have become like family, even welcoming a Gentile like Jaycee. She smiled, "I'm fine, big guy," she said. "Just a little overwhelmed with everything that's been happening." John grinned, "Somehow it was quiter with John the Baptizer." he laughed. "It was," Jaycee agreed, remembering her short time with the Baptizer. "I miss him." John put his hand on Jaycee's shoulder, "I do too," he said, pulling the Gentile he hated when they first met but know loved like a little sister, into a hug. James joined the group hug, "What's going on?" they heard a voice saying. They looked to see Nathaniel with a bowl in his hands. He raised his eyebrows. James grinnied and quickly pulled Nathaniel into their group hug. "Ah, James!" Nathaniel said. "Your squishing me." John, Jaycee and James laughed. When Matthew, Little James, and Phillip returned from the woods, everything was suspiciously quiet. The women were making last meal, and the men were talking quietly near the fire place. Phillip rasied one of his eyebrows, "Everyone's quiet," he laughed. "Unlike them." Little James smiled, "Unheard of." he agreed. They walked over to where the women were making the food. "Delivery of fire wood!" Phillip exclaimed. Aamani smiled, "It would do much better over near the fire place the men have set up then here, don't you think Phillip?" she teased. Jaycee grinned. "I can help. I'm no use here anyway," she said. Back home, her family had a cook, so she wasn't really a chef. "Thank you." Phillip said, giving Jaycee some wood to take over to the fire place. "I can help cook instead," he said. Unlike Jaycee, Phillip was actually a good cook.
After last meal, when Mary and Matthew were cleaning up, the rest of the group were talking around the fire place. But Little James had wondered off to the side, and sat on a rock a little ways away from camp. He looked back at his friends and smiled. They were having yet another one of their arguments, about Adonai knows what. Jaycee noticed that James was gone and walked over to where he was, "Shalom." she said, grinning. "Your getting good at saying that." he teased. When they first met, Jaycee couldn't say 'shalom' if her life depended on it, and the others liked to tease her about it. "I know," she said proudly, sitting down next to him on the rock. "Matthew's been teaching me." Matthew was teaching all the women how to read and write, and apparently been teaching Jaycee how to say 'shalom' correctly. "Why did you come out all the way out here by yourself?" she asked. "It's dangerous to be alone at night, that's why Zee made that border of torches around camp. It's supposed to scare anything away. Apparently." Little James folded his hands in his lap and thought for a second. "Guess I just wanted to be left alone," he said. "It's been so busy lately, with Jesus preaching nearly every day now." "Oh," Jaycee stood up. "I can go-" James smiled up at her, "Its fine," he said. "I like your company." Jaycee smiled and sat back down. A few minutes of small talk later, James' hip started to hurt. It had been playing up all day, but tonight it was worse. Jaycee tilted her head to the side, "What's wrong?" she asked. "It's nothing." Little James said. Jaycee raised her eyebrows. "Alright, but you know you could tell me if something was wrong." she said. "I'm really okay," he said, "Don't want to be more of a burden." he murmured. Jaycee heard that and immediately said, "Your not a burden, James." James turned his head around to look at her, suprised she had heard him. She smiled, seeing the suprised look on his face. She leaned in, "Your bad at whispering," she whispered. James forced a laugh. "Stop saying stuff like that," she said. "It's fine, I hear it all the time. I'm used to it." "You shouldn't be 'used to it'." Jaycee said. "No one should." She put her hand on James'. He looked down at their hands and pulled his out from under hers. "It's fine," he repeated, a bit quieter then before. "I'm fine." he sniffed and rubbed his eyes with the back of his sleeve. "Your not 'fine,' James. You can talk to me if you want." Jaycee said, pulling her friend into a side hug. "I asked Jesus why He hadn't healed me." he said quietly. Jaycee raised her eyebrows but didn't say anything. "He said he trusted me with it. He said He and Adonai trust me with it. But.. it's just hard sometimes. I know how easy it is to quote the Pslam of David: that I'm fearfully and wonderfully made, but it doesn't make this-" he gestured to himself- "any easier." "Oh, James," Jaycee said, hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry. I should have noticed." "It's alright, I tend to keep it to myself most of the time." James said. Jaycee looked up into the starry night sky and said, "I get that. I used to think I was being a burden if I brought up something that make me uncomfortable," she looked back down at James. "But I wasn't. And neither are you. If your hurting, tell us. That way we can stop to rest," she smiled. James looked up at her, "You sure?" he asked. "I'm sure," Jaycee said, hugging him. "I think the others would like to take a rest on those long walks, too." They both laughed.