will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Katelynn what… you shouldn’t do that,” Jack said as he scooted closer in his chair. “No, leave that on…!”

Having seen him be so adorable, adding in from the song, the presents; everything, Katelynn couldn’t resist anymore, wanting to feel his lips on hers. The tape was easy to peel off and tube easy to remove as she lay there taking a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment, trying to breath on her own.

It hurt a bit, taking in a few gulps of air, but with shuttering breaths, she tried to lean forward to him, her mouth touching his gently.

He knew they shouldn’t do this. That she needed the mask to help her breathe. But his heart, how it ached. How it hurt over seeing her doing this, for him. Because she wanted to kiss him, to feel him like this. Despite the guilt going on within his heart, and his mind, he lets his eyes shut for a moment and he kisses her back gently; softly, not wanting to hurt her.

His hand finds one of hers easily, and he holds it gently. 

He wished they were anywhere but here.

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Jack collected the other one, nodding at her and saying he wouldn’t be long. He just stepped outside into the hallway when he saw in the room across from them an old woman laying there alone. She had no cards, no visitors, no nothing. It was pretty down right depressing, and upsetting, given the time of year.

He frowns, before he walks across the hall and slips into the room, glancing at the name on the door as he does.

Her eyes slowly open but its obvious she can’t see very well.

“…Jackson…?” she asks.

He hadn’t thought she’d wake up. He thinks fast. “Yes.” he said quietly.

“…I haven’t… seen you in… years…” she whispered.

“Then, then it’s time. Isn’t it?” Jack asked as he set one vase of flowers at the table positioned at the foot of her bed.

“…those are lovely flowers.”

“All for you.” he said as he set the other vase down.

“We… used to pick those… when we were young, remember?”

“I do, Lisa. They… they were good days.” Jack said as he arranged the flowers gently. He used to pick flowers with his own grandmother, before she passed away, so this was easy to talk about, surprisingly. “I’d make daisy chains.”

“…and… put them in my hair…” Lisa whispered as her eyes began to shut.

“Yes.” Jack said as he pulled some daisies purposely from one of the vases and began to quickly work with the stems, as he walked around the bed. “Because they suit you.”

The daisy chain made on the spot was easy to do. Jack reached out and set them on the old woman’s thinning white hair. “Merry Christmas Lisa.”

She said nothing. She was asleep.

He left the room, crossed the hall, and returned to Katelynn.

“All gone.” he smiled at her, before taking his seat again.

She looked back, smiling. ‘Thank you Jack.’

She could hardly contain herself any longer as she began to peel the oxygen mask off of her, taking it off.

“Katelynn what… you shouldn’t do that,” Jack said as he scooted closer in his chair. “No, leave that on…!”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Jack sat there quietly, reverting to his normal, shy, withdawn self in the presence of others. He held onto his guitar like a security blanket, especially when the man had eyed him like that. He watched them leave, before looking back at the flowers.

They were beautiful… and beyond anything he could afford.

“Wow.” he whispered as he looked at them. “From anonymous… that’s amazing…”

Katelynn wrote nothing for a moment, still looking at them. She wasn’t sure if telling him who she thought had sent them was a good idea. But she definitely didn’t want to see them.

‘Could you…give them to the nurse outside or something please? I don’t want them in here..’

“Huh? Why?” Jack asked, confused by her request but hardly one to argue since he set his guitar down carefully as he got to his feet and picked up one of the vases. “Don’t you like them?”

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

He chewed at his bottom lip once he was done, fingers tapping slightly against the black guitar. His face was that like a grape, of course, at her compliment even if it was just written words.

“‘m not that wonderful.” he admitted weakly. “I’m just… me. Just Jack. But I’m glad you liked it,” Jack said as he pulled a tissue from his pocket and reached over, and gently touched her cheek.

She shook her head gently, quickly writing, ‘You’re more than just Jack to me. You ARE wonderful. Don’t you see how amazing you are? I’ll also always remember this moment.’ And she tried drawing a heart at the bottom, blushing deeply and looking down at her lap, suddenly shy.

He smiled shakily before taking the red pencil from his new wooden pencils and easily colored in the heart on her paper, watching his hand as he does. Then he writes beneath it in clean writing, ’I’ll remember this moment too.’

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“No such thing as terrible students. Terrible teachers, yes.” he pointed out before suddenly lifting his black guitar case up off of the ground. Katelynn hadn’t seen it before, due to the angle in which he had greeted her, but now she saw. He patted it. “I brought a friend.” Jack said quietly. “This used to be my father’s guitar, back when he and mom were still courting.” he opened the case and lifted an old acoustic guitar out of the case. It was black, and looked well looked after.

‘It’s beautiful’ she wrote, looking at the guitar and admiring it. ‘They taught you to play it?’

She was really impressed and it showed on her face, looking at Jack in a sort of hero worship. To be able to paint and play an instrument was definitely winning him even more points of awesome with her. She wondered if he was going to play it here.

“Of course.” Jack said with a small smile. “Since I was ten years old.” he said as he ran a hand along the neck of the instrument, knowing every nick, every scratch to its paint job. He gripped the neck, created a chord, and strummed his fingers over them and gave out a soft, slow strum.

“…I. I was going to play for you, on New Years Eve. As a surprise.” he admitted, before looking up at her. “But I want to play for you now.”

She sucked in a breath softly, her hand resting on her notepad. All she could do was nod at him, wishing to hear him play. She hoped no one disturbed them or else the magic of the moment would be ruined.

Jack settled in his seat to get comfortable, before he began to gently strum at the guitar. It was a simple, easy tune, which almost sounded like a church hymn. Then he sang.

Quietly while you were asleep,
The moon and I were talking,
I asked that she’d always keep you protected

She promised you her light,
That you so gracefully carried,
You bring your light and shine like morning

And then the wind pulls the clouds across the moon,
Your light fills the darkest room,
And I can see the miracle,
That keeps us from falling

She promised all the sweetest gifts,
That only the heaven’s could bestow,
You bring your light and shine like morning

And as you so gracefully give,
Her light as long as you live,
I’ll always remember this moment..

[ooc: the song is The Sweetest Gift; Ewan McGregor does sing it but I can’t transfer it from my itunes so listen to this version instead!] 

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

He waved Alice off when she left, before turning back to Katelynn with a curious look to his face.

“What did she mean get to work?” he asked, since he hadn’t been here whilst the two girls had ‘talked’.

She looked up at him, a smiling breaking out. ‘Before..well when I first met her..we talked about things and I told her I wanted to learn to draw and that you were going to teach me to paint. So she gave this to me so I could sketch and practice.’

She wanted to practice already but the camera was calling to her and she was still stunned by it every time she looked at it. ‘Jack..I don’t know how I can thank you for this gift. It must have been so expensive! My present isn’t this nice…’

Jack couldn’t help but smile at her, before reaching out and gently pushed his fingers through her hair. ‘It’s not about how nice a gift is, or how flashy and expensive. It’s about the heart. That’s what my father’s always said.“ he said, "Speaking of they both wish you a full and quick recovery, and they’ll visit you once you’re home.”

Wherever that would be.

“And you know I’ll be more than happy to show you how to draw, a few techniques and all that fun stuff,” he added softly before going to grab a chair and carried it to the side of her bed and set it down. “I’m happy to do a-anything with you.”

will-never-be-a-swan:

scorched-dragonfly:

[Alice grinned at him.] Will do. I hope you enjoy those pencils, I’ve got some at home. they’re amazing.

[Looking over them both.] Well, I guess I’d better go. The cat is probably worried sick. [She smirked and leaned over to kiss Katelynn on the forehead.] Merry Christmas. I’ll be back tomorrow okay? In the mean time, [she tapped the notebook in her hands and said teasingly.] Get to work. 

Katelynn smiled at her, nodding. ‘I will Alice, thank you!’ She wrote, showing it to Alice and waving at her as she saw Alice go out the door. She would miss her friend but at least Jack was there, though she wasn’t sure for how long.

In the meantime at least she had her wonderful presents. She would definitely practice as laying in a hospital tended to give someone a lot of free time. She couldn’t wait to begin. Perhaps Jack would even help her.

He waved Alice off when she left, before turning back to Katelynn with a curious look to his face.

“What did she mean get to work?” he asked, since he hadn’t been here whilst the two girls had ‘talked’.

will-never-be-a-swan:

scorched-dragonfly:

[She couldn’t help but giggle at Katelynns enthusiasm.  She was glad to see her so excited.]  Yeah,[she turned to Jack.] I was just, uh, making a pit stop. [She grinned.]

I think I’ll get going though. Oh, I almost forgot! [She reached into the chair and handed him the smaller rectangular package.] Here, Merry late Christmas!

Katelynn dropped her arms, rubbing at her shoulder. That had hurt. Note: Muscles still hurt. But she still smiled, so happy to have her friends here with her, holding her own present close to her heart and watching Alice give her present to Jack.

He unwrapped the gift slowly after saying a shaky thanks, and stares in wonder at the wooden art pencils. Jack’s green eyes light up and he grins, brightly, before looking to Alice. “Thank you!” he said gratefully before pulling her in for a brief, and sudden, hug. “They’re lovely! Katelynn look, look!” he turned to his girlfriend, showing the pencils before he saw she was holding a gift in her arms too. “Oh, Katelynn you didn’t…” he said quietly, but on a small, thankful smile either way. “I have your gifts too! Oh, in my bag…!”

will-never-be-a-swan:

scorched-dragonfly:

[The door opened as Alice came back in, pausing when she saw Jack standing next to Katelynn.] Oh, you’re back. [She smiled. That would definitely make Katelynn feel better.]

Katelynn looked over at her, smiling. She wrote in her notebook and waved it around for Alice to see ‘Alice, Jack’s back!’ Her eyes were alive and bright, her smile bigger than before, showing how happy she was that he was there.

He smiled down at her still, barely noticing that Alice was here. But then he saw her looking at someone and turned his head, and grinned brightly when he saw her. “Alice! You’re still here!”