We all cross over the bridge, and as the clearing comes closer and closer, my nerves start to build up.

But this is for everyone in camp. I have to give this my all.

*****

Emma P.O.V

"Welcome back gladiators! Please stand on your podium - Emma and Malique, please come and join me."

Malique and I stand beside Dec and Holly, whilst Noel and his Inner Circle make their way to the top of the Colosseum. "So, Malique and Emma, you two are facing the trial today. How are you feeling about it?"

"A bit apprehensive, but I'm feeling ok." I flood out my feelings.

"Well, we have a bit of a surprise. You two won't be the only people doing the trial today."

Holly and Dec turn around to face James, Nick, Anne, Emily and John, who's expressions are all ones of shock horror. "The Emperor and his Inner Circle will now pick two gladiators to face Emma and Malique. The winning pair will join the Inner Circle."

The Emperor is asked to deliberate, and he and his Inner Circle decide to put Emily and John against Malique and I. Two of my best friends - how lovely of him.

"Well, then John, Emily, Malique and Emma, this ... is Drown and Out."

Holly and Dec point towards two adjacent rectangular tanks. Up the walls of the tanks are some levers, and at the top are some taps.

"Now, in your pair, you will use the keys at the bottom of the tank to unlock the padlocks on the levers. When you manage to unlock a pair of padlocks, pull the coloured lever down, and that coloured tap will start to fill the opposing tank. For example, if the yellow lever in the right-hand tank is pulled, water will start to fill through the yellow tap in the left-hand tank."

"But of course, you won't be alone in there, and most of the keys at the bottom of the tank are dummy keys. The first team to flood out their opponents wins the challenge and a place in the Inner Circle."

Malique and I are guided into position after confirming we want to do the challenge. I give John and Emily a hug, before I climb down the metal ladder into my water tank.

Once Malique and I are both in the tank, Holly announces, "You will start on the klaxon."

There are four seconds before the clackson rings, and as soon as it does, water begins to rush in from circular cavities in the wall.

Malique and I scoop up all the keys chucked across the floor and throw them in our pouches, therefore when we've used a key, we can just drop it back in the water.

I pull out maybe 4 or 5 keys from my pouch and begin to try the padlocks on the bottom black lever. None of them seem to work, and therefore I move up to the pink lever, and try all the keys, managing to tug one padlock off.

"Well done Emma, that's the first padlock."

After I've tried those five keys, I grab another handful from my pouch and try the same again, managing to unlock one padlock on the black lever too.

As the water reaches knee level, the biggest water python I've ever laid eyes on swirls around my feet. My adrenaline picks up, rushing through my blood vessels. "Keep focused Em," Malique shouts to me whilst climbing down the ladder. "Try your keys on the top levers."

I scale the ladder up to the red lever, and once again try 4 keys. None of them work, therefore I move to the yellow lever, and the green lever at the top.

I manage to pull one padlock from the green lever, and when I look downwards, Malique has managed to activate the pink lever. He presses it down with almighty force, and the sound of Emily's scream arises from the tank next door.

When I go to step back down to the bottom to grab a few of Malique's keys, I realise that the water is at head height, and from here on out, I'm going to have to dive under.

"Give me some keys," I shout over the gushing water. He swims up, his head emerging where a small croc has decided to swim about. He hands me a few, and with a big breath, I dive under the surface.

The black lever is by far the headrest now as it's so far down, but I scramble through the keys and manage to release the final padlock.

"Emma has the black lever now, Emily and John have to get a move on!"

I swim back up to the surface, and I'm met with the yellow tap in our tank spurting our floods of water. Only a few seconds later, the red tap gushes out too.

"Wow, Emily and John have caught up."

Malique and I dive back under the water with the mud crabs and the hundreds of eels.
We're so close to winning now, as there must only be thirty centimetres before flooding the tank out.

I try one final key, and luckily enough, the padlock on the red lever opens. With all the force I can muster, I pull it down, and pull myself up the ladder to the surface of the water.

"That's it! John and Emily have been drowned out!"

The mesh at the top of the tank opens, and Malique and I clamber up the ladders and out of the tank. I'm dripping wet head to toe, but the good news is that Malique and I have earned our place in the Inner Circle.

"Commiserations John and Emily, you were drowned out!" Holly gives her condolences when we all line back up. "But well done Malique and Emma. You are both now members of the Inner Circle!"

I give Malique a quick soggy hug, before belting it up the stairs where we're both crowned by the Emperor.

"Welcome to the Inner Circle-,"

"That's my line, Harry!"

"Sorry Emperor." Harry rolls his eyes when Noel looks away, causing me to chuckle.

Back at camp...

I'm trotting around in my bikini top and shorts, but I don't even care. On my way back from the shower, I take a quick detour to the Telegraph to update those at home.

"James, Anne and Nick, please get ready to leave camp immediately." I read off a laminate whilst walking into camp. "Ohhh, you guys are getting out of -,"

When I look up, James and Malique are led on one of the yoga mats, doing press-ups and sit-ups. James is glistening in sweat, his abs on full show.

James jumps up from the mats and looks from Anne to Nick. "Cmon then, let's go face the beast."

As Anne and Nick are preparing to leave camp, James spots me. He craftily makes his way over to me.

I notice his eyes go to my chest and my bikini top, but I don't say anything.

"I forgot to tell you how great you did in the trial earlier." He chuckles, hugging me into his bare abs. "Congrats on becoming part of the Inner Circle."

"Thank you," I smile. "Now go smash the trial, soldier."

I'm about to walk away, but James grabs my hand and pulls me back. His mouth moves to my ear, and he whispers, "Just to let you know, I like your bikini top."

A bit later on ...

"What do you think Anne and the boys are doing right now?" John asks whilst whipping up dinner for everyone who's due to eat rice and beans. I'm just sat beside the fire in my shorts and raincoat, watching him cook up a masterpiece.

"Not a clue." I shake my head. "I hate the thought of him getting hurt though."

"Him?"

I turn to look at Noel. "Why did you say him?"

"I said them." I frown.

"No, you said him," Sair nods. "I swear that boy is on your mind 24/7."

I just snigger and look away, trying to hide myself from blushing. "You know, me and my wife, we've been together 57 years now." Harry pipes up. "My Sandra is my life."

"Awhh," I coo, listening to Harry's heartwarming story. "That's so lovely, Harry."

Harry is a man that always knows how to cheer up the camp. He's never in a bad mood, and his stories are so random and incredible that they're an honour to hear.

"We're back!"

I turn around from the fire to see Anne and James walking back through the bushes, covered from head to toe in smelly gunk. "It was a challenge to win care packages."

I gasp. I've been wanting to hear from my sister and loved ones since I've come in the jungle. Just to hear the concept is overwhelming, so much so that it makes me tear up a little.

"Awh, Em." Emily spots me tearing up and runs over from her hammock. She throws an arm around my shoulder and hugs me into her chest. "It's ok."

My shaking and silent sobs are interrupted by the sound of a bell. The bell in the Roman Palace.

Harry and Noel pace up to the Chamber and descend behind the curtain, tending to whatever business it is they need to sort.

"So how many packages did you win?" I wipe the tears away. James comes and sits beside me once he's thrown his dirty shirt to the side and slipped on a fresh-smelling one.

"We got 8 out of 11."

"Well done." I wrap my arms around his waist and hug myself into his chest, half as a congratulatory hug, and half as a comforter. "So what did you have to do then?"

James and Nick describe the 'Terrorcotta' Trial - how they had to shoot little bullets out of a crossbow at some green/red clay vases.

By the time they've finished explaining the challenge, Noel and Harry emerge from the Chamber with 8 brown-paper wrapped packages, and 8 envelopes attached to them.

"So we've had to allocate the care packages. As Emperor, I'm automatically assigned one." He gloats irritatingly, "but we've decided to give the following to these people. First-,"

Noel and Harry give the first three packages to Emily, Sair and Fleur - three very deserving campmates. The next go to Anne, and the two after to John and Malique, leaving one left.

Alternative campmates read out the letters, with James reading out Emily's and Anne reading Malique's. Soon enough, it's time for the final care package.

"And the final campmate to receive a care package ... is Emma."

My heart stops momentarily, and the tears begin to flow down my face. I'm handed the package to rip open, and James is handed my letter to read.

But I look at James, and tears are starting to well in his eyes.

James has been talking non-stop about his family too. And he won the challenge after all, so why am I deserving of this? Why should I have my package when someone else needs it more?

"James, stop!" I put my hand out and take the letter from him. His face is red and tear-stained, but he still cracks a sentence in the smallest voice.

"What are you doing?"

"Emperor?" I ask. "Can I have a word?"

I pull Noel aside, up to his Royal Palace. "Are you ok, Emma?"

"I beg you to reconsider." I clench my hands together. "Don't give me my care package. Give James' his."

"But why-,"

"Please, Noel," I beg with no sense of dignity. "Please do it, Emperor."

He huffs, and takes my envelope from my hand. "If that's what you really want!"

We both exit the Royal Chamber, and the rest of the campmates have gone awfully quiet. They're just staring up at us, and their eyes stick on me when I sit and don't say a word.

"We've had a change of plans," Noel whispers down the microphone on his Royal Podium. "Emma, a brave gladiator, has forfeited her care package."

There's a chorus of quiet gasps; I must sound like I've gone crazy. "And she's decided that the final care package, should instead go to ... James."

I hear a short inhale of breath from beside me. His head shoots round to look me dead in the eye. "But Emma, I can't-,"

I put my hand on his thigh and squeeze it lightly. "You can, James. You need this more than I do. Plus, you won them for us, so you deserve it."

He's staring me so dead on that I can study every curve of his jaw, every freckle on his cheeks.

"Take it."

James' arms wrap around my middle and pull me so tight that I end up almost being pulled onto his lap. Even though he doesn't smell the most appetising - mostly of blood and fish guts - I can't help but be like putty under his touch. The whole camp choruses in many 'that's so sweet' comments and 'Awhhh's' and I don't care about any of them.

"Would you read my letter for me?" He hands me the envelope.

"Of course," I chuckle, opening up the envelope. "Are you ready?"

He nods, and shuffles closer so we're thigh to thigh. His hand retreats to my leg, and caresses my bare skin when I read.

"James,
Wow. To see you on TV every single night is so strange as we all miss you so much. We can't believe how well you're doing in the trials. You never fail to make anyone happy, to laugh or smile, and we've never been so proud of you. Dad, Sophie, Tristan, Connor, Brad and I sit on the sofa every single night to see you get covered with cockroaches and chat up the all the girls in camp. Keep it up. We'll see you so very soon, we're just over the bridge. All my love and kisses, mum xxx"

When I look back up from the paper, James has broken down into floods of tears. I wipe the tears off his cheek with my fingers, and he hugs himself into my chest.

"Thank you." He musters between hitches in his breath. "Thank you so much."

Just before bed ...

I walk back from the dunny, all cosy and ready for bed after a lovely Inner Circle dinner in Snake Rock. Everyone else is sound asleep, as the time is really knocking on.

"I'm surprised to see your still up," I whisper when I walk back into camp to see that James is still sat beside the fire.

He looks up from his letter, sees that it's me, and taps the seat beside him. "There's something I want to show you."

I walk over to James and sit down slowly onto the log beside the fire. It's so dark out that the flames dance stunningly against the darkness.

In James' hands, there is not only a letter, but a picture.

"This is a photo that came in my care package."

It's a very old photo, back when James was only a baby. It's a family photo: a picture of his sister, his mum and dad, all sat around at Christmas dinner with their Christmas hats on and tree up in the far corner of the dining room.

"It's a beautiful photo, James... I'm sure they're so proud of you."

My head turns from the photo to look back at him. He's staring straight back at me. James' eyes are luminescent baby-blue, but still a misty red from the teardrops. Every single freckle on his cheeks has a placement - every single one is perfect. I can hear his chest rising and falling with every breath he takes, and the only other sound is the spitting of the fire.

I'm so lost in his eyes, in his looks and in my own thoughts, that everything feels like a blur.

James' face moves closer and closer, until our lips are brushing against one another's. It's soft, subtle and emotion-filled, and it's the perfect time. I feel his subtle lips caress my own, when his hand slips into my hair and pulls me even deeper in.

I'm kissing James McVey, and I like it.

*****

I hope you all liked this chapter! I will try to upload again tonight to try and catch up but I'm not sure if I'll be able to, but fingers crossed I can get it up. If not, it'll be up in the morning.

Thank you to the incredible ChloeStrachan for the lovely comments!

Xoxo