will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

*he knew he should sleep, but he knew Alice would be up soon to visit as well. he couldn’t be asleep when she came up, could he? still, he thanked Rhonda when she returned with the cot*

It was as if she were waiting for the nurse to leave. Katelynn groaned slightly, more of a whisper than anything, her finger twitching.

Her eyes fluttered open slightly, dark with confusion and slight pain. W…wha…?

*Jack was just getting comfortable in his seat when he saw her eyes open. he froze*

…Katelynn?

*up and out of his chair he was standing over her, eyes wide, reaching for the ‘call nurse button’ instantly*

Katelynn, its me, its Jack. remember me? please, look at me?

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

*Jack kept his eyes on Katelynn, having gotten over the initial shock of seeing her… now he didn’t want to look away from her. how could he? he swallowed dryly, blinking back the tears as best he could, before finally looking at Rhonda*

…i, i’ll be staying the night.. please… thank you, Rhonda… *he held his hand out to her, ignoring how it was shaking* i, i’m Jack. i’m Katelynn’s boyfriend…

She steps forward, shaking his hand gently. She was shocked to see that this man with blue skin was calling himself her boyfriend as she had never imagined a regular girl like Katelynn to have such a unique boyfriend.

But she’s a nurse and thus is not allowed to pass judgment. She puts the blanket around his shoulders and tries to smile for him. “She’s lucky to have you watching out for her. There was no one on her work file for an emergency contact. She left it all blank. Poor girl. Can’t imagine why.”

She walked over to press a few buttons on the heart monitor, checking her vital signs. “She’s remained steady since she got in here. That’s good news, right?”

she’s all alone in this city… she. she moved here, hoping for a new start on things… *Jack reaches out to touch her cheek again, gently, carefully* i only just… met her a few weeks ago but she’s done so much for me… it just… i can’t understand how this could happen to someone like her, this time of year…

*he shuts his eyes and groans, before pulling the blanket closer around himself, managing to nod for her*

i-it’s wonderful news. it is…

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

*he takes a step back, unable to stop a sharp cry coming out of his mouth before he smothers his mouth with his hands. oh my god. oh my god. her face. her beautiful face. Jack, despite his fear and horror, moves his feet forward. he walks up to the bed and looks down at her, eyes full of tears that already rolled down his cheeks*

oh god Katelynn no…

*Jack reaches out to touch her but he can’t. he stops. where is she hurt most? dare he touch her any where, any where at all? his eyes look over her poor broken body, the bruises, the tubes, the wires, the IV drips; everything. its like a nightmare. a horrific real nightmare that isn’t going away*

w-why Katelynn, why? y-you’re meant to come see me today a-and meet my parents and…

*he stops himself before finally reaching and just touches her unbruised cheek with his finger tips, he speaks softly*

it’s okay… it’s okay… i’m.. i’m here for you. i’ll look after you…

She is unresponsive to his touch, the room deathly quiet for a moment. Her lips are pale, chapped, and slightly parted, as if trying to draw more breath.

The door opens quietly, a petite nurse with mousey black hair entering. She’s holding a blanket. “Hello…I’m her nurse, Rhonda. Are you cold..? I imagine if the doctor let you in to see her you’ll be spending the night here? We have little cots for family members of patients.”

She loved to talk but tried being as quiet as possible, glancing at the girl in the bed. “I’m going to keep an eye on her all night, make sure she makes it through, so don’t worry okay?”

*Jack kept his eyes on Katelynn, having gotten over the initial shock of seeing her… now he didn’t want to look away from her. how could he? he swallowed dryly, blinking back the tears as best he could, before finally looking at Rhonda*

…i, i’ll be staying the night.. please… thank you, Rhonda… *he held his hand out to her, ignoring how it was shaking* i, i’m Jack. i’m Katelynn’s boyfriend…

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

*and so Jack was left standing there alone in the ICU department. room 3. room 3. he tried to steady his heart, calm his breathing, clear his head, but nothing was working. she was hurt, katelynn was hurt and there was nothing he could do. lifting his hands, he pushed them against his eyes*

stop crying. stop crying.

*he began to walk to the door and when he reached room 3 he stood outside for a moment, still trying to gather himself. giving up on that, knowing he may lose it the second he opens the door, he just slides the door open and walks in*

The beeping of a machine greets him, Katelynn laying immobile on the hospital bed, her hair a mess of a braid at her side, her arms hooked up with an IV drip and the heart monitor. Tubes stick out from her nose to a machine, helping her breath.

She looks slightly pale, a huge, purple bruise decorating her brow and scrapes along her cheek and chin. The light from outside makes her look slightly yellow as it casts it glow along her skin. Her legs are set in make-shift casts, wrapped as tightly as possible.

And the heart monitor continues to beep, showing stable numbers.

*he takes a step back, unable to stop a sharp cry coming out of his mouth before he smothers his mouth with his hands. oh my god. oh my god. her face. her beautiful face. Jack, despite his fear and horror, moves his feet forward. he walks up to the bed and looks down at her, eyes full of tears that already rolled down his cheeks*

oh god Katelynn no…

*Jack reaches out to touch her but he can’t. he stops. where is she hurt most? dare he touch her any where, any where at all? his eyes look over her poor broken body, the bruises, the tubes, the wires, the IV drips; everything. its like a nightmare. a horrific real nightmare that isn’t going away*

w-why Katelynn, why? y-you’re meant to come see me today a-and meet my parents and…

*he stops himself before finally reaching and just touches her unbruised cheek with his finger tips, he speaks softly*

it’s okay… it’s okay… i’m.. i’m here for you. i’ll look after you…

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

*his expression went from worried to down right terrified, tears already catching at his eyes as he listens to this news. if she makes it through the night? if? he felt his heart slowing to a halt, and all blood draining from his face. even the news of being able to see her, even if for a moment, isn’t enough to make him smile*

p-please i… i want to see her…

*a part of him doesn’t want to. what if this was the last he saw of her, broken and hurt in a hospital bed? what if she didn’t make it and the last memory he has is of her in a cold, empty hospital bed? but he has to see her. he has to*

“Follow me,” he instructed, walking swiftly down the halls, turning to make sure the blue boy was following him. The hospital was big and the last thing he needed was someone getting lost.

A few turns around some corners, passing another nurse’s station and they arrived at huge double doors. The doctor swiped his badge, the red light turning green to allow him access to ICU.

Opening the door for the young man, he instructed softly. “She’s in room 3, just down this way and to the left. Do not disturb the other patients, keep your head down and if you behave I might let you stay if you want. Don’t lose hope, son. I’ve seen worse conditions recover.”

And with these final words, the doctor walked off to attend to other important matters.

*and so Jack was left standing there alone in the ICU department. room 3. room 3. he tried to steady his heart, calm his breathing, clear his head, but nothing was working. she was hurt, katelynn was hurt and there was nothing he could do. lifting his hands, he pushed them against his eyes*

stop crying. stop crying.

*he began to walk to the door and when he reached room 3 he stood outside for a moment, still trying to gather himself. giving up on that, knowing he may lose it the second he opens the door, he just slides the door open and walks in*

scorched-dragonfly:

wrapped-in-shadows:

no, not. not really.

*he didn’t feel much of anything besides hollow. this wasn’t meant to happen. it was meant to be a good time of year, wasn’t it? his first christmas with somebody like katelynn in his life and look at what happened. why? why was this happening? what had he done wrong, what had katelynn done to deserve this? he bit at his knuckle, and shut his eyes tightly*

she doesn’t deserve this.

[Alice’s grip on the steering wheel tightened till her knuckles turned white.]

No,[she said very quietly.] She doesn’t. 

[She was not going to start crying again. It had been one thing in her apartment where there was no one to see it but the cat.  Here she needed to stay strong. They took another turn and there was the hospital coming up on the right. She turned into the lot and pulled up into the breeze way entry. She turned to Jack.] You go on in and find out where she is, I’ll find a place to park and meet you inside.

*he nods as he climbs out of the car and hurries up the steps, bursting into the entrance way of the hospital. there’s patients here and there, surprisingly it isn’t as busy as he would think it would be but his main focus is on the nurse behind the reception desk. he almost slams into it, almost unable to stop himself, and looks at her with wide eyes*

“Can I help you?” the woman asks.

katelynn veronica foster. i-i’m looking for katelynn foster.

“U-huh, and you are?” she asks as she begins typing at a computer.

h-her boyfriend, jack maple.

“Boyfriend?” she echoed. she frowned slightly, as she began to look through the records.

scorched-dragonfly:

wrapped-in-shadows:

m-metro mercy. i know where that is! i, i know i.. i think i know? oh god do i know? *he has no idea. his mind is a mess right now. he whimpers* i, i need to ask someone where it is…!

Jack! [She almost shouted into the phone to get his attention.] It’s gonna be alright. I think I know where it is. Why don’t you swing by my place and we can go together. [Tells him the address] Think you can find it?

y-yes, yes i.. i know where you are! okay. i. i’ll be ten minutes, five if i run. i, i’ll see you soon! *he hangs up, makes a right, and runs as fast as his legs can take him*

scorched-dragonfly:

wrapped-in-shadows:

*his phone began buzzing in his pocket and for a moment jack didn’t even seem to notice. he grabbed his phone and lifted it to his ear, not even looking at the name displayed*

yes hello?

Jack?! [She tried to get the shaking in her voice under control. The tears still flowing.] Jack this is Alice, have you seen the news?! 

*he’s stopping at a red light, waiting to cross* i-i have i’m just outside now i don’t… um. do you know what hospital she’s in i have no idea…

scorched-dragonfly:

will-never-be-a-swan:

“This is…Morgan Ridge and I’m reporting live where just moments after shooting from the scene of one accident, another has taken place. Our very own camera person, Katelynn Veronica Foster, was hit by a car.

“The vehicle had apparently hit a patch of black ice, spinning out of control. Right now an ambulance is on its way to take her and the driver to the hospital. The driver appears mostly unharmed but Katelynn..

“Her injuries look severe.”

Tears began to fall on Morgan’s eyes, the hand holding the microphone shaking.

“Reporting for KMCP…this has been Morgan Ridge…back to you guys…”

Not being able to hold it, Morgan cried, the image changing back to the news anchors.

[Alice had just settled on the big cushy couch with a steaming mug of hot chocolate when she switched on the TV. The first thing she heard.. “Katelynn Veronica Foster, was hit by a car.” 

Her eye shot to the screen. To see the reporter struggling not to cry. “Her injuries look severe.”  The mug of liquid fell to the floor spilling it contents but Alice was to busy running for her phone. Tears began to down her face as she dialed Jack’s number…]

*his phone began buzzing in his pocket and for a moment jack didn’t even seem to notice. he grabbed his phone and lifted it to his ear, not even looking at the name displayed*

yes hello?