One Shot – Jem/Rose – [Romance, Humour and Friendship.]
Song: The Kooks – Naïve, Eskimo Kiss and Ooh La.
Plot – Rose is a patient at the hospital 'Idris Royal' where Jem weekly donates his time to giving back to the community, as well as Tessa and William. What happens, when Jem finds out that Rose who he has become close to in the last few months is about to die?
Jem walked through the hallway, the sound of his sneakers squeaking on the white tiles echoing throughout the quiet ICU wing. He was wheeling around a cart full of blossoming flowers, novels and little quaint care packages donated from his school for the hospital. As a part of an extra credit program currently running at the Institute, each student had to participate in some form of community service at least once a week til they graduated in the following months. Jem had specifically asked to do his service at Idris Royal Hospital. When he was sick as a child he stayed here, at this hospital for weeks and at times even months. They had helped him get better and took care of him, allowing him to be where he was now and he wanted to give something back. He offered to take the ICU and Recovery wards whilst Tessa and William worked on the Children's wing on the other side of the building, which was at least double the size of the ICU.
As usual he left Rose til last, allowing him to spend some more time with her. Jem had met Rose around three months ago; she had been rushed into the ICU, and stayed there for at least a week with a tumour in her brain. She was rushed into surgery and ever since has been staying in the recovering unit, attempting to get better, but under the doctors watchful eyes, in case it decided to reappear. He befriended her, knowing how it felt to be cooped up in a hospital, day after day not being able to spend time with anyone your own age, or even talk to someone besides your doctor most of the time.
He spotted her number 8RC and walked up to the slightly ajar door excited and when he saw her he couldn't help but chuckle silently to himself. Rose had her IV drip in her arm, and was trying to reach the sketch book sitting on the side table that had happened to just be out of her reach. The tip of her tongue was peeking out between her lips, as she concentrated on getting the book; her eyes were focused on it, as though she had telekinesis and could just make it come to her. That's when he noticed the cheeky look on her face before she tried to pull out the painful IV drip, allowing her free movement and not having a needle stuck in her skin. He opened the door more; giving him space to walk in and cleared his throat gaining her attention as her other hand was just about to pull out the tube.
"Jem… Hi." She said, biting her lip before awkwardly dropping her hand and acting like she wasn't doing what it looked like. She ran her hand through the mass of curls, falling onto her shoulders and shrugged her shoulders slightly, ushering him into the room.
"Rose." Jem nodded respectfully, walking into the room and taking a seat next to her bed on the arm chair and raising his eyebrow, looking pointedly at her IV drip and hands.
"I wasn't-"but she was cut off by Jem.
"Rose do we really have to have this discussion again?" Jem asked seriously, and she shook her head, looking down embarrassed. He had caught her trying to pull out the drip a few weeks back, which wouldn't be good, it'd just be more painful to put it back in and it wouldn't be good for her health either. She had promised not to take it out again, but here they were.
"I couldn't reach my book." She said pouting slightly, leaning back on the fluffy pillows her mother had brought for her on her last visit, in an attempt to bring peace between her and her sick daughter.
"Why didn't you just press the button and ask for a nurse to come?" he countered, trying not to give in to the soft and innocent look her teal blue eyes were giving him.
"I hate that nurse; all she does is scold me and then not even do what I asked her." Rose said, huffing and crossing her arms and Jem couldn't help but laugh at her little temper tantrum, and he couldn't help his mind slip in the thought that she looked adorable when she was angry. He picked up the sketch book and handed it over to her along with the mechanical pencil sitting next to it.
"Anything else Miss?" he teased, folding the woollen blankets that were sprawled across the floor, most likely because of her adventures of trying to get the book.
"No thankyou good sir." She said, tilting her head down in mocking manner.
"How were your errands today?" she asked, changing the subject as she sat up a bit, crossing her legs. She was thankful that her doctor had allowed her to start wearing her own clothes as long as they were loose and in no way constricting of the blood.
"Good, as usual really quiet in the ICU, though Nigel was awake and did say hello." Jem relayed.
"Nigel, that cheeky bastard stole my sketchbook the other day. Look, it's ruined." She exclaimed, flipping the book open and showing Jem the horrible drawings and failed sketches of what seemed to be a duck pond. Most of the pages were covered in pen marks and the others were torn at the corners. Jem frowned, looking at her sceptically.
"How could have Nigel ruined it if he was in the ICU… unconscious for the last week." He said a confused expression on his face. Rose opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again a defeated expression falling upon her face.
"Well somebody, I don't know who it is… owes me a new sketchbook." She sighed, tossing it to the side and closing her eyes for a moment. Jem walked back out to his cart and looked along the shelves, he was sure that he saw a spare book somewhere… unfortunately it looked like it was missing, instead he picked out a gorgeous daisy from a bunch of flowers and walked into the room and handed it to Rose.
"Compensation for the ruined book." Jem smiled at her. Her heart warmed at the gesture. She accepted it with grins and all, sniffing the flower and smiling content with the flower and the company. She loved it when Jem came to visit her, it was relaxing, and she felt normal, not like a sick girl who was dying. This train of thought reminded her of the bad news that Doctor Branwell had delivered to her the previous day. Along with this she was given the task of informing her friend of her now serious condition. She moved to the edge of the bed, hanging her feet off and patted the spot next to her motioning for Jem to come and sit next to her.
"I've got some bad news." She said softly, her fingers playing with a piece of loose string on her thin grey jumper.
"Out with it then, it'll be ok." Jem said throwing a gentle smile her way, trying to ease her nerves and lift the frown that was on her face.
"Well I just thought you should know since- well I'd like to think we've become good friends an-and I have to tell you." Rose said her voice cracking and she tried so hard not to break down before she got the rest of the words out.
"The tumour came back. Doctor Branwell said this time he has to operate as soon as possible to get rid of it and prevent it from coming back again." She choked out, the tears running down her cheeks. Jem just started at her for a moment, frozen. He had certainly not expected that. The doctors had said that there was a ninety per cent chance that it would never come back. He pulled her into a hug, his arms holding her close for a while as she cried, rubbing circles on her back and trying to calm her down.
Jem pulled back from her, holding her face in his hands, and rubbed the tears away from her cheeks. He tilted her head up, so that her eyes were staring into his. He looked at her with as much strength and courage as he possible could and he told her it would be okay. He told her that they would get through it together, that he would be there along the way to help her through it, and that's when she started crying even more.
"But you don't understand Jem. He said that there was a high risk I wouldn't get my memory back." She said, letting the bomb drop in the room.
"T-that means, I'd forget everything I've ever known. Means that I'd forget you." She breathed out. She was so angry with herself, and she didn't know why. She just couldn't do anything about her condition, she was helpless. Either get rid of the tumour and forget everyone she's ever loved and everything she's ever done or leave it and well… then die.
"No-no Shh. It's going to be okay, I promise you Rose. I promise you that you won't forget me." He whispered into her hair and kissed her forehead. Moments later Doctor Branwell walked into the room, not expecting to see the two friends, hugging and well crying. Henry assumed that Rose had told Jem of her current condition. He left the two to their own resolve for another few minutes before knocking on the door politely and grabbing their attention.
"I'm sorry to disturb you two, but Rose we've got a scan scheduled, for well now and I need you to come with me for a bit. It'll only take a five or ten minutes." Jem detached himself from Rose, ruffling her hair slightly, and putting on a strong façade, for her sake. She needed someone to be strong for her whilst she couldn't be for herself.
After Rose left with Henry he was pacing the room trying to come to terms with the fact that one of his close friends, hell someone that he wasn't sure how he felt about was going to forget him. He was sure that he cared for her, that's for sure, but whether it was a simple crush or whether he loved her was something completely different and it made this situation all the more confusing. After a few minutes of running his fingers through his hair trying to keep his calm resolve he sat down on the chair in the private room Rose had here at the hospital.
Rose walked in a few minutes later, seeing Jem sitting down on the arm chair. She walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, gaining his attention.
"I want you to promise me something, no matter how much I don't remember or don't want to remember, I want you to promise me that you won't give up on me." She asked, hoping that he would do that for her. It was scary enough to go under this operation, but to go under knowing that if she lost her memory, that no one would remember her or bother to help her remember was far scarier.
"I promise you." Jem said and he ended up staying overnight with Rose. He had to leave the next day to go to the institute but every day after that he came over and visited her, leaving flowers next to her bedside table if she was asleep and when she was awake, they talked and laughed and tried to get through it. She had started to accept the situation she was in and she figured that if she had the support of Jem and even William and Tessa who had come to visit as well that she'd be alright.
Rose decided to start a video journal. Every day til the 21st of November which was the set date for the operation she would make an entry. Talking about how fun her day was and also about her past, so that if she did forget, at least she could remember the person she was before, the life she had before. Even though she didn't want to include some of the painful memories of her past she had to. It's what made her strong and not naïve. It's what kept her as her own person. She gave the tapes over to Jem, explaining what they were and that they were only to be opened if she didn't remember anything and if she wasn't cooperating properly with her treatments or anyone's help. Jem agreed and had promised to take care of them.
Before they knew it was the morning of the 21st of November. Rose had taken a shower that morning, making sure to clean her hair properly and scrub down, she wasn't sure when the next time she'd be able to have a shower on her own. She wasn't allowed to eat anything, so she simply had a glass of cold water and prepared for the operation that would take place in a mere hour or two. Once she was out and into the room, Doctor Branwell, Tessa, William and Jem were all sitting there along with Rose's mother. Her mother brought her into a hug and started crying, and Rose tried to reassure her as best as she could. Tessa was next hugging her and wishing her the best of luck with her operation, William too joined in on the hug and last but not least Jem. They didn't say anything, the two just stood next to each other as Mr Branwell went through the plan for the operation. They were about to move into the prep room when Jem wasn't by her side anymore.
"You're only allowed one family member in the operating room when you go under. You should let your mother go with you." He said, knowing what she was going to ask. The thing was though that she didn't want her mother there. Her mother's anxious exterior made Rose even more nervous and she wanted Jem by her side, he calmed her down and it made this all less frightening. Her mother seemed to notice how Rose was feeling and walked over to Rose.
"Honey, Jem can go in with you. I'm feeling a bit squeamish as it is." She said kissing her on the forehead and walking over to the waiting area, leaving Jem and Rose alone in the room, and Dr Branwell waiting outside for the two. She walked out of the room, hoping that Jem would follow, and when she heard the footsteps behind her, she sighed in relief. The time flew by and before she knew it, she was laying down on the gurney and being rolled into the operating room, she had multiple tubes and needles in her hand, connected to her arms. The doctor was prepping the anaesthetics and Rose turned her head to see Jem, looking nervous as hell. She reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing it lightly. He looked down at her, and he was scared for her.
"Hey, it'll be alright." She said her voice barely above a whisper.
"What if it isn't, what if you forget." He said a frown forming on his beautiful face.
"I could never forget you James, I promise." She lied, knowing full well of the chance of her memory staying, after all the doctor had discussed with her the high risk this operation came with. He smiled at her, kissing her on the cheek as the doctor injected the anaesthesia into her blood stream and slowly her world faded away into darkness.
If you would like a second chapter to this please do tell me in the review. Really hope you enjoyed this, and hopefully I'll have the second chapter up within the next few days at the latest.
Thanks for all your support guys! Til next time. x