Title: Rising To The Occasion
Author: bubbles799 (Emma)
Show: Packed to the Rafters
Characters: Rachel centred, with lots of Jake.
Summary: What if Nathan had been rejected as a donor? What if it was up to another member to put their hand up to volunteer a kidney to save Chel's life?
Disclaimer: *Opens purse* Nope, no PTTR ownership here.
Okay, we'll disregard the fact that Rachel may not be the best contention given her history. This is fan fic after all.
*Warning* One slightly naughty word...
"I got rejected."
The deflation in Nathan's voice was clearly evident as the youngest male Rafter walked into the Rafter's living room. Nathan, the Rafter son who had put his hand up to be tested had been knocked back. He wasn't able to give Chel, the grandmother they had only just found, the ultimate gift of life.
"Oh darling, I'm sorry," Julie said sadly as she got up to hug him. Dave and Rachel watched as mother and son hugged, the look of sadness, deflation and rejection clear on Nathan's face. Rachel also noted what she believed to be a look a failure in his eyes.
Julie felt that slight part of relief that Nathan couldn't go through with it. The thought of her youngest son, or any of her children for that matter, going through with such radical surgery scared her. Scrap that, it terrified her. But she was also feeling the devastation that Nathan was currently experiencing. Julie knew how much it had meant to her son.
"We'll have to wait three months until I can be tested again then," Dave spoke up. Julie turned back to look at her husband whilst Nathan nodded slowly. Rachel looked blank.
"Let's hope so Dad. I don't know how many other options she's going to have after that," said Nathan, walking past Julie to go and plonk himself down on the couch.
*Karadonis House aka 'The Calamari Castle'*
"So he got knocked back?" repeated Ben in disbelief. While Nathan continued to talk things over with their parents, Rachel had slipped next door to give his housemates the heads up in regards to the situation.
"Yep," Rachel replied simply, nodding her head continually. She was standing, one arm leaning on the dining room table, whilst Ben stood behind the bench. Melissa was standing in front of the bench, with her back leaning against it.
"Did he say why he couldn't donate?" asked Melissa curiously.
"He didn't say a lot," said Rachel, her tone sad. "He's pretty gutted."
"I bet he is. He's been focusing on it so much," agreed Mel.
"His psych test," said Ben, causing Rachel to look up at him and for Melissa to turn her head back to look in his direction. "He'd been stressing it." There was silence for a moment as no one knew what to say. "What happens to Chel now? If Dad can't donate, and Nathan can't."
"Dad gets a re-test in three months," stated Rachel. "But I don't think anyone is feeling all the confident about it."
"What'll happen to her if she doesn't get this kidney, Mel?" Ben asked his wife. Melissa didn't look quite sure on what to answer.
"Well, you can only go on dialysis for so long," replied Melissa, her tone reluctant.
"Just tell us Mel," Rachel told her sister-in-law.
"And don't sugar-coat it," added Ben. "We want to know what she's going to be in for."
"Kidney failure. If that happens, waste builds up in the body and acts like a poison. The poisoning can cause vomiting, weakness, confusion and coma."
"Shit..." Ben couldn't comprehend a better sentence to sum it up. "Should I go and see him?"
"Just leave him for now. He's talking things over with Mum and Dad. He'll probably come back here after," replied Rachel. "I just wanted to give you the heads up on what's going on. In the meantime, I'm going to go to Jake's. Call me if anything happens, alright?"
"Yeah of course. Thanks Rachel," Melissa told her, forming a small smile.
"Thanks Rach," added Ben, as Rachel turned and headed for the front door.
*Jake's bedroom*
"So he got rejected?" Jake's response was very similar to Ben's, in disbelief. "Wow."
"Yeah," Rachel managed. She was perched on Jake's bed, whilst he was standing up next to it.
"How's he taking it?" asked Jake, watching Rachel as she looked forward towards the wall.
"Uh, he's pretty devastated," Rachel noted, this conversation being very like the one she had had with Ben and Melissa not half an hour ago. "She needs that kidney."
"I know baby. I know," Jake told her, easing his way down onto the bed next to her. "What's the next step?"
"For Chel?" Jake nodded. "Dialysis still I guess. And there's the hope that Dad might end up being accepted. Otherwise..." Rachel paused. "I can't believe this is happening. I mean, we've only just found Chel and now look." She sunk back a little further against the wall.
"Hey," Jake tried comfortingly, putting his arm around her and pulling his girlfriend closer. He wasn't sure what else to say; what else could one say in this situation. So he just resorted to hugging her tightly.
He wasn't sure how long they had been lying there like that, but when Jake opened his eyes, he noted that outside was completely dark. And that Rachel was still asleep in the exact same position they had both been when they apparently drifted off.
The buzzing of a mobile phone to his right made Jake snap wide awake. Looking over onto the bedside table to see whether it was his phone or Rachel's phone; both were side-by-side on the table. Catching a glimpse of the light flashing on the screen of Rachel's phone, Jake carefully untangled his arm to reach and answer it, only to find that it was actually a text message. Ben flashed on the screen.
Jake was torn between waking Rachel. Deciding that it was worth running the risk of some obscene language for being awoken from her slumber, Jake reached over to shake her.
"Rach, Rach wake up. You've got a text." Rachel sleepily opened her eyes and looked up at him. Her sleep addled brain not quite taking in exactly what he said. Jake held the phone up above her and repeated his words.
"You've got a text."
"Who from?" asked Rachel, sitting up to take the phone off him. "Ben." Flipping it open, Rachel read the message, a little slower than usual, before flipping it shut again. "He said he'd let me know about how Nathan was." Jake nodded, taking in a deep breath as he leaned his head back against the wall and stretched.
"Hey, I've been thinking."
"No, you've been sleeping," Jake interrupted, teasing. Rachel smiled.
"No. About Chel." Jake looked at her again, as she was still looking up at him from her half lying, half leaning position against him and the bed.
"Oh yeah," Jake told her in reply, unsure as to what else to answer.
"What if someone else tested to see if they were a match," Rachel said tentatively, looking straight ahead to the wall. Jake paused, registering exactly what she was talking about.
"You mean someone like you?" Jake questioned, although he was fairly sure on the answer.
"Yes, me. I want to be tested to see if I'm compatible."
That shall be all for now. What do we think? A different alternative to what it being played out on the show.
And like I said, Rachel's history could affect things if this were the real world. So lucky this isn't the real world and just fan fic.
Would love to hear what you think... Emma x x
