Author's Note: This fanfic will be a collection of one-chapter fics set in season four. I saw that my fic count is already edging above 20, and decided it's probably best to put all the ones that won't get a second chapter into one fic entry, so people don't feel like I'm the world's biggest spammer when they browse the Blindspot fic list. :D

Hopes and Fears

Jeller, spoilers for 4x12

"Agent Weller? Are you awake?"

Kurt opened his weary eyes at the vaguely familiar voice, then immediately straightened in his chair. "Dr. Roga. Did—?"

The scientist nodded, sparing him the need to ask the rest of the question. "I synthesised the cure the moment the Stanton cells were brought in. Jane's neurologist has it now, and they're setting up for her treatment. They'll be here any minute now."

For the first time in days, Kurt felt a flare of real optimism. He hadn't dared to believe in Rich's so-called 'Book of Secrets'—he'd been too afraid to get his hopes up, especially since Roman had been unable to solve the map on his data cache. Now that Jane's cure was in the hands of her doctors, he finally let that hope begin to lift his spirits.

"Thank you so much," he told Dr. Roga, squeezing Jane's cold hand, then rubbing it between his own hands to try to transfer some warmth. Since her body's involuntary functions had begun to struggle, she'd been bundled up in a robe and extra blankets to keep in as much heat as possible.

Jane stirred, but didn't wake. He wasn't sure she could even muster the energy to stay conscious anymore. In case she could hear him, he told her, "Jane, Dr. Roga's here with your cure. You're gonna be fine. Just hold on a little longer, okay?"

Dr. Roga approached the bed, her expression regretful. "I'm just sorry she ended up like this in the first place."

Kurt shook his head. "We don't blame you. Really."

Before either of them could continue, Jane's neurologist and a nurse joined them in the room.

"Mr. Weller, we're going to take Jane to the operating theatre now." The neurologist, whose name was Dr. Evans, reminded him a little of Emma Shaw. She was comforting but practical, and was wasting no time right now in helping the nurse strip away the blankets from Jane's unconscious form.

Kurt reluctantly released his wife's hand and stepped back to give them room to work. "Is it possible for me to go with her?"

Dr. Evans shook her head with a quick smile. "I'm sorry. We'll need to inject the cells directly into Jane's brain, which means we'll need to gain access to the back of her skull. The procedure won't take too long, but I will have to ask you to remain here for now. We'll keep you updated, but time is of the essence."

Kurt bit down on the urge to protest, watching them transfer Jane from the bed to a stretcher. They were gone within a minute, leaving him to anxiously wait for news.

Dr. Roga sat on the edge of the empty bed as Kurt returned to his chair. "Don't worry. It's not as scary as it sounds."

"They'll be drilling into the back of her skull?" Kurt asked, a little lightheaded at the thought.

"Yes. The cure will need to go directly into the brain in order to be effective. It's not a risky procedure. If not for the skull getting in the way, it would be a simple injection." Dr. Roga reached over and patted his shoulder. "I know you're worried, but Jane's chance of survival is good once the cure's been administered."

"And her senses?" Kurt tried to sit still and be calm, but the separation from Jane felt wrong. "Will she get her vision back?"

Dr. Roga sighed. "I wish I could tell you. It all depends on Jane's brain, I'm afraid. It won't be immediate, but once the cells do their job, if all goes well…"

Kurt tried not to imagine how devastated his wife would be if her blindness was permanent. At least she'd be alive. Please, let her live.

"They don't need you in the operating theatre?" he asked.

Dr. Roga smiled. "No. I'd be like a spare part in there. I'm a biochemist, not a surgeon or nurse. There's nothing more I can do."

"Right." He would have put that together himself, if he hadn't been so exhausted.

"Take a break, Agent Weller. I'd tell you to sleep, but I know you won't, not until your wife is cured. But go take a walk outside, or get something to eat. Jane is in good hands."

"I guess I'll go outside, stretch my legs a little." He stood up, and Dr. Roga rose too. "Thank you. For everything," he told her.

"You're most welcome. Give me a call in a couple of days; let me know how things went." She gave him a quick smile, then left the room.

After a quick bathroom break, Kurt headed outside and stood in the sunshine. Summer was fading and fall drawing in, but it was still fairly warm outside. He leaned against a pillar and closed his eyes, trying to enjoy the warmth on his skin.

Dr. Roga seemed optimistic about Jane's chances, but Dr. Evans' urgency spoke volumes. Kurt was too anxious to contemplate eating or sleeping, his mind playing back his last couple of conversations with Jane.

She'd started talking about her death as though it were inevitable—saying that she wished she could see him one last time, and that she would always love him. Remembering the way she'd clung to him and cried brought tears to his eyes again, and he brushed them away with the back of his hand, breathing deeply. Don't fall apart, Weller. Not now.

His memory kept serving him heart-wrenching moments, however. Jane had briefly woken from her exhausted sleep a couple of hours ago to tell him again that she loved him, and the words she'd struggled to form had made him despair.

"Promise me you won't blame yourself for my death."

"Don't give up, Jane," he'd pleaded softly, kissing her hand. "You have to fight."

"'s okay," she'd murmured, almost under her breath. "If this is it, then at least I had this time as Jane. To make up for all the awful things I've done. I'm so grateful to have you in my life, Kurt. You made me the happiest woman in the world…even if we didn't have much time."

He'd fought back a sob, not wanting her to know how close to weeping like a child her words had made him. "There's still time. There's still hope."

"Don't let this eat you up inside…the way Taylor did. I…want you to move on with your life. Remember me and smile."

"I love you so much, Jane. Stay with me."

She'd been fading again, barely conscious as her lips moved. "Love you."

Kurt realised he was crying again, silently sobbing with conflicted grief. Had he done the right thing by asking her to fight, by refusing to have a conversation about what would happen after her death? Or had he just made it more difficult for her, made her worry about him instead of setting her mind at ease?

He refused to entertain the idea that she'd die, not now that the doctors were preparing to inject Jane with a cure. He just couldn't. Whether it was optimism or unhealthy denial, he had to keep hoping for a future with the love of his life.

Jane had been unconscious for the past four hours. Since the cure had been administered, a little of the colour had returned to her face, but she hadn't yet woken up. Dr. Evans had reassured Kurt that Jane's brain needed time for the cure to do its job, and that she'd wake up when she was ready, but he couldn't help but worry.

An IV kept her hydrated, and there was a sensor clipped to her finger to monitor her pulse, but she was breathing on her own, albeit with the help of a nasal cannula that delivered extra oxygen. Dr. Evans had explained that if things had gotten any worse, they might have had to put Jane on a ventilator, but the cure had dissipated the remaining traces of ZIP fairly quickly, halting the degeneration of her condition. She was going to live. The Stanton cells would hopefully do the rest, restoring the function lost.

He'd briefly spoken to Patterson, who was now en route back to the States with Rich in tow. She'd expressed relief that Jane would live, sounding a little choked up. Kurt knew the feeling. He still couldn't quite believe it himself.

Reade was in meetings for another couple of hours, but Kurt had texted him the good news. It seemed too soon to let anyone else know what was happening—they'd have questions about her condition that he couldn't answer yet.

She's gonna live. That's the most important thing.

Even if the cure didn't restore her vision, and her body had trouble with energy regulation and mobility, at least she would be alive. She'd find it hard to adjust, but Jane was strong. She'd adapt to her new reality and he'd be right there with her, supporting her every step of the way. He just hoped it wasn't necessary.

Jane's fingers twitched, and Kurt looked up, watching his wife for signs of consciousness. "Jane?"

Her eyelids fluttered, and she turned her head towards him. "Hmmm?"

"How are you feeling, baby?"

She frowned a little as she cracked open her eyes, then blinked a couple of times, her eyes still unfocused. "Things feel…easier. What happened?"

He squeezed her hand, smiling a little. "The cure got the ZIP out of your system. You're gonna live, Jane."

She gave a small, gasping sob and squeezed his fingers so tightly, it hurt. That was a good sign—she'd barely been able to hold his hand before. "I'm cured?"

"Yeah." His heart swelled as a genuine smile blossomed on her face, even as a tear ran down her cheek, He smiled back, wishing she could see it.

For a moment, Jane was speechless, absorbing the good news. Then she burst into tears, and he was unsure if they were born of happiness, stress relief, or disappointment at her lack of vision. He sat on the edge of the bed and held her, a few tears of his own slipping free as she sobbed in his arms.

"It's okay," he murmured to her. "It's gonna be okay now."

"I don't even know why I'm crying," she confessed, trying to calm down. "All my emotions feel muddled. And I… I still can't see."

"That doesn't mean anything. We've gotta give the Stanton cells time to do their magic, okay? Dr. Evans said it would take a little while."

Jane took a deep, shaky breath and nodded. "Okay. I guess we just wait and see, then."

Kurt kissed the top of her head gently. "No matter what happens, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

"I know." Jane reached over to take his hand, and pulled it to rest over her heart. "Neither am I."

Her heart beating steadily against his palm, Kurt closed his eyes, fighting another wave of exhaustion. A few minutes later, Dr. Evans had to gently wake him up so that she could check on her patient.

"Kurt, I can… I can see you!" Jane clutched his arm in excitement, her gaze still unfocused, but resting on his face for the first time in a couple of days. "Not that clearly, but it's so much better than it was."

Relief crashed into him in a wave. "Really? You can see my crooked smile now?" he teased.

"I could see it better if your face was closer."

Kurt shifted position until his face was just a couple of inches from hers. "That close enough?"

Jane cradled his face in her hands, gazing at him as though he was the most beautiful thing she'd ever beheld. "I was afraid I'd never see this face again," she whispered.

"I'm right here," he told her, committing the subtle joy in her expression to memory. He never wanted to forget this moment.

Jane leaned forward and kissed him, and he could almost taste her relief on her lips. He returned her kiss with one of his own, then drew back to watch her.

She opened her eyes again immediately, her smile growing. "It's getting clearer. I don't know how much better it will get, but at least…" She trailed off with a shrug, still gazing at his face.

"Maybe you should close your eyes again, give them a rest while your brain is fixing itself up?" Kurt suggested.

Jane stifled a yawn. "I do kind of need to nap again," she admitted. "Wake me up if Rich and Patterson get here, okay?"

He gave her a quick peck on the lips, then sat back in his chair. "I will."

"This is excellent progress." Dr. Evans said.

Holding onto Kurt with one hand and her IV pole with the other, Jane had managed to take four steps away from the bed. Her vision was still blurry, and the doctor had theorised it would take a couple more days to recover completely. Still, Dr. Evans wanted Jane to test her balance and motor skills a little more.

"Do you think you could make it around to the side door, to stand outside for a few minutes?"

Kurt began to protest, but Jane interrupted, "I'll try."

Leaning on Kurt a little every now and then, Jane made her way out of the room and down the hall. Her determination was palpable, and Kurt tried to curb his anxiety that she was ignoring her body's signals and overdoing it. Dr. Evans followed, observing her slow but steady progress and reassuring them both that she wasn't in any danger of collapsing.

Once they were outside, and he'd helped Jane sit down on a nearby bench, Dr. Evans smiled. "I'll leave you out here for a little while. When you're ready, Jane, just head back to your room, all right?"

Kurt sat beside his wife as the doctor left. "You feeling okay?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "Don't worry. I'm a little tired and shaky, but that's temporary. I'll be fine, Kurt."

"Told you that you could beat this." He brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, smiling down at her.

"Because of you," Jane said, her expression serious. "You didn't give up on me for a second. I'm so glad to have you in my life."

Kurt kissed her forehead gently, then blinked, his attention caught by a familiar couple of figures as they disappeared into the building. "Looks like you have visitors. Rich and Patterson just went inside."

Jane got to her feet immediately. "Let's not keep them waiting. They've already done so much for us."

Kurt put his arm around her, and they steadily retraced their steps, drawing strength from each other.

No matter what came their way, they'd handle it. Together with their team, they were unstoppable.