will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“So loved he fell off a roof.” Sally said quietly. 

She looked down at him and sighed.

“I’ve had a crush on him since I was twelve years old.” she suddenly said.

A crush? She bit back a gasp, not having expected this development. Jack had told her she was like this was all the guy’s. Perhaps he didn’t know…Why was Sally even telling her this? To his girlfriend?

She bit back a retort, trying to fight the bile from her throat. God this was painful.

“He doesn’t…He loves me though…”

Sally turned her head away.

“I know that. It’s obvious isn’t it?” she looks back at Jack, watching his face. “The way I saw him looking at you in the market. I’ve never seen him look at anyone like that before. I used to want him to see me like that but all he saw me as was ‘one of the boys’. Even when I grew up, all he saw was the dirty faced little girl from down the street.

I knew if he went to the city he’d find one of you city girls. The fast moving ones. Quick to fall into bed, promising everything.” Sally looks at Katelynn, frowning. “If you turn out to be one of those women…” she started but stopped, since Jack suddenly began to stir.

“Nngh.” he groaned, hands moving. “What…”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“I told him it was dangerous.” Sally mumbled. “That he belonged here, home, where he was safe. I mean. I know he’s been hurt. I saw a lot of it happen.” she reached out and ran her thumb against his eyebrow. “Figures he comes home and breaks a leg…”

Frowning, she takes Jack’s hand gently and stares at Sally. “It seems he was safer in the city. He told me…about his past…how he was treated…but with me and our friends..he’s safe and accepted.”

Looking down at his face, her eyes are filled with love. “He’s also so loved…by me..”

“So loved he fell off a roof.” Sally said quietly. 

She looked down at him and sighed.

“I’ve had a crush on him since I was twelve years old.” she suddenly said.

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Sally narrows her eyes sightly, before looking back down at Jack and sighed sadly. “Poor Jack… you know, he was so excited about moving to Metro City. I could see he was scared, but he wanted so badly to see more of the world. To get away from here, to… to make a name for himself.”

“Oh but he has,” Katelynn mended, putting a hand to her chest. “People love his art! He does so many commissions for people and he even had his art up in a gallery!”

She tried to lower her voice, she really did. “He…he’s wonderful. He’s so brave and all because he moved to Metro City.”

“I told him it was dangerous.” Sally mumbled. “That he belonged here, home, where he was safe. I mean. I know he’s been hurt. I saw a lot of it happen.” she reached out and ran her thumb against his eyebrow. “Figures he comes home and breaks a leg…”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

The other woman blinks and looks up at Katelynn, expression one of shock before its replaced with a frown. Her hand on Jack’s presses closer. “What? What do you mean it’s your fault? What did you do, did you push him? Did you make him fall?”

“N-No! No” Katelynn cries, eyes wide. The implication, the mere accusation has her shaking her head rapidly, hair flying about. “Of course I’d never push him! He slipped on some ice. But I’m the reason he was out there and if I hadn’t been out there he might not have fallen!”

Sally narrows her eyes sightly, before looking back down at Jack and sighed sadly. “Poor Jack… you know, he was so excited about moving to Metro City. I could see he was scared, but he wanted so badly to see more of the world. To get away from here, to… to make a name for himself.”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Sally nodded and walked past Katelynn and looked into the room and gasped. “They said nothing about a neck brace!” she said in a hushed, worried tone, before hurrying into the room and stood besides the bed.

As told, Jack is asleep in the bed. His leg is still in its cast and elevated, and the neck brace in is place. Sally bites at her hand, shaking her head.

“Oh. Look at him. Star gazing. On a roof? Jack…” she reaches out and just touches his hand gently. “Heights were never your friend…”

Standing by the door, Katelynn felt the same burning sting of guilt in her heart, knowing it was her fault. And Sally being here was just making the feeling worse. She didn’t want to see her here or have to make conversation, remembering what Jack told her about the woman.

Stepping into the room, Katelynn made her way to his bedside, the side opposite Jack, and touched his other hand. “It’s my fault he fell but I’m going to make sure he’s okay…I’m here for him.”

The other woman blinks and looks up at Katelynn, expression one of shock before its replaced with a frown. Her hand on Jack’s presses closer. “What? What do you mean it’s your fault? What did you do, did you push him? Did you make him fall?”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Can I see him?” Sally asked quietly, eyes wide. “Please? I, I just. I’m so worried. He’s been doing so well and now this…”

She doesn’t want to but being the kind person she was, Katelynn sighed, scuffing her feet against the ground a bit. “A-All right…follow me..”

She began to lead Sally down the halls to Jack’s room, not talking at all and mentally trying to prepare herself for whatever Sally was going to do. When they reached the door, Katelynn stood there awkwardly and nodded to the door. “He’s in there…”

Sally nodded and walked past Katelynn and looked into the room and gasped. “They said nothing about a neck brace!” she said in a hushed, worried tone, before hurrying into the room and stood besides the bed.

As told, Jack is asleep in the bed. His leg is still in its cast and elevated, and the neck brace in is place. Sally bites at her hand, shaking her head.

“Oh. Look at him. Star gazing. On a roof? Jack…” she reaches out and just touches his hand gently. “Heights were never your friend…”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Sally turned her head when she heard her name and she stared at Katelynn for a few seconds, as if trying to remember who she is. Then she remembers, and she gasps.

“Katelynn!” she rushes to her, grabbing at her arms. “Oh my Go what happened to him? Please, tell me! Did he really fall off a roof? What was he doing on a roof?”

“H-He fell off yes..” she replied, trying to get her arms out of the girl’s grasp. “We were stargazing and he fell..”

Details didn’t matter at this point. It wasn’t any of Sally’s business anyway.

“You don’t have to worry about him. He’s healing…”

“Can I see him?” Sally asked quietly, eyes wide. “Please? I, I just. I’m so worried. He’s been doing so well and now this…”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

She had just walked out into the main entrance to the clinic when she saw someone unfortunately familiar come rushing in through the doors.

Sally.

The woman rushed up to the front desk, eyes wide. “Where is he?” she asked.

“Where’s who?” the woman asked.

“Jack! Jack Maple! News is going around he fell off a roof is that true??”

Katelynn blinked, watching the prettier woman come into the clinic and tried to fight back a groan. She tried to squash down the feelings the woman’s visit was giving her and approached her. “Hello Sally,” she greeted, hoping to calm her down. “Jack’s sleeping right now but I can tell him you came by.”

She still hoped the woman would leave. She didn’t want to see her pawing him.

Sally turned her head when she heard her name and she stared at Katelynn for a few seconds, as if trying to remember who she is. Then she remembers, and she gasps.

“Katelynn!” she rushes to her, grabbing at her arms. “Oh my Go what happened to him? Please, tell me! Did he really fall off a roof? What was he doing on a roof?”

will-never-be-a-swan:

She had watched the news of all the crime currently happening back home with apprehension, scared for herself and especially Jack. She seemed almost afraid to return but her friends were all in the city. They could survive without her, sure, but she was still worried for them and didn’t want to abandon them. They were too important to her.

Plus she couldn’t allow fear to rule over her.

Standing by a window in the clinic where Jack was staying, Katelynn watched the peace that seemed to rain out in the country. She loved it here but she was used to city life now and missed home. She missed her friends. She had made promises to a few to always be there for them. Plus she wanted to contact Rapunzel as soon as possible so she could heal Jack and she still had to deal with Mathan in her apartment.

She frowned deeply at the memory of that man. He had told her he was a hero yet he went around carrying her panties in his pocket. What kind of hero did that? She wanted to make sure and have some words with him when she got home.

She sighed, moving away from the window and went off to find something sweet to eat. Hopefully she’d feel a bit better with something in her stomach.

She had just walked out into the main entrance to the clinic when she saw someone unfortunately familiar come rushing in through the doors.

Sally.

The woman rushed up to the front desk, eyes wide. “Where is he?” she asked.

“Where’s who?” the woman asked.

“Jack! Jack Maple! News is going around he fell off a roof is that true??”