A/N: I tend to find it easier to get inside Lisa's head than Jack's, so I hope I got this all across ok, it got quite long so I hope I managed to stay 'in character' for the majority of it. Either way, I hope you like it, feel free to let me know what you thought.

"Grandpa, Grandpa wake up"

Jack was jolted awake at Amy's words. He had dozed off in the chair, Lisa's hand still in his. The lights in the room were off but the sunlight was seeping through the thin curtains behind Jack's chair.

"Huh?" he blinked up at Amy, then at the clock on the wall. It was almost ten in the morning, Jack couldn't remember the last time he'd slept that late. It took him a second to re-orientate himself, get everything straight in his head. It was Wednesday, he clarified, three days since the accident. He had slept in the chair at Lisa's bedside Sunday night, but Amy and Lou had insisted he go home to sleep Monday night. He reluctantly agreed and Ty stayed with Lisa for the night. If she woke up, Jack couldn't bear the thought of her waking, scared, to an empty room. Despite their protests though, he hadn't gone home last night, because even though his bed was much more comfortable, being away from Lisa the night before just led to him tossing and turning all night. At first light Tuesday morning he'd driven back to Foothills Hospital in Calgary. Ty had been awake ready to start his day of vet calls and Lisa had already been taken out for more tests.

The doctors were still optimistic. Lisa had undergone test after test, scan after scan. They were certain there was no additional damage affecting her brain or anywhere else. It was still just a matter of waiting.

"Dr Conrad wants to speak to you, he's outside." Her voice brought him back to the present day. She motioned towards the door where Jack could see the silhouette of the doctor through the frosted pane. "I'll wait here with Lisa if you like..."

Jack heaved himself out of the chair-his joints aching from sleeping in such a cramped, upright position-and slowly walked to the door. Amy squeezed his hand quickly as he walked past, understanding he didn't want to talk, before going to sit in the seat he had vacated.

"Good morning, Mr. Bartlett" Dr Conrad greeted him. Dr Conrad was a man in his thirties, one of the doctors in Unit 58 in the hospital, the unit for all neurological patients.

Jack just nodded in response, exhaustion sapping him of all but basic functions.

"I just wanted to let you know, for the moment we have done all the tests we can on your wife. We are still awaiting results of yesterday's latest tests, but for now it's just a matter of time. Although the first forty-eight hours have passed, all our tests so far show optimistic results."

"You still think she will wake up?" said Jack, meeting the young doctor's eyes.

"All coma patients are different, but from what we can tell Mrs. Stillman-Bartlett shows signs of brain activity and response, which tells us this is not a permanent state and it is possible she will make a full recovery" he gave Jack an encouraging smile. "From what I can tell, your wife is a strong woman, and she seems to have a whole load of people who love her willing her through this, I wouldn't underestimate the power of that either."

"Thank you, thank you for everything doctor." replied Jack, grateful for the kind words and all Dr Conrad was doing for Lisa.

"I do have to warn you though, partial or complete memory loss is a possibility, however this is often a temporary effect in coma patients and nothing can be said for certain quite yet. Good day Mr Bartlett." Jack just nodded in response, unwilling to even think that far ahead.

Before returning to the room Jack decided to go to the bathroom, if only to try and loosen his limbs by walking around a bit. The men's room was empty, harshly lit by fluorescent lights.

Exiting the stall he walked to one of the sinks to wash his hands. Catching site of himself in the mirror he sighed. What would Lisa say if she saw you? He had dark circles under his eyes, his beard and hair were looking especially unruly, not to mention his rumpled shirt. I've probably aged three years in three days. He half-heartedly tried to straighten his collar, to no avail, he must have slept on it funny during the night. A sense of frustration crept over him. He felt helpless and he hated it. Jack could feel the beginnings of his old temper flaring up in the back of his mind. All of this pent up emotion was cumulating in his mind and he felt on the verge of an explosion. He wanted to hit something, anything to release his anger. He was angry at the world for letting this happen. Angry at himself for being so helpless in the situation. He was just angry.

Just take a deep breath Jack Bartlett. Don't you go losing it now, Lisa needs you. Taking his own advice he took a deep breath and let himself calm down. He was anxious all over again being away from her side so he hastened back to her room. Ty was sitting outside with Mae on his lap and James in the seat next to him clutching a banana in his small hands. Catching sight of Jack rounding the corner James leaped up and rushed to greet him, holding out the banana.

"For you! For you!"

"We thought you could do with some breakfast" said Ty, standing up, Mae still in his arms. Jack could see the worry in Ty's face, he felt guilty about it and averted his eyes, smiling down at James instead. At least he hoped he was smiling, he tried not to grimace at least, for the children's sake.

"Thank you James, I was just starting to get hungry" said Jack taking the fruit from his eager hands. James beamed up at him and then returned to the little toy truck he had on his seat. Jack wanted to avoid Ty's eye as he walked over to greet him but knew he shouldn't, he'd been trying to avoid everyone too much the last couple of days.

"How're you holding up?" asked Ty in a low voice.

"I...well, how would you be?" shrugged Jack gruffly, unable to voice his feelings any further, knowing Ty would understand. He did and nodded earnestly to show it.

"Well we should probably be getting home, right Mae?" said Ty, after a moment's silence, seeing Jacks' nervous glances towards Lisa's door. "You can tell Amy we're right outside when she's ready."

"Sure will" sighed Jack, grateful for the escape back into the room. "I'll see you guys later, you hear?" Mae waved her little hand and James looked up from his toy long enough to smile again in Jack's direction.

Amy looked up as Jack quietly let himself back into the room, she had opened the curtains and cracked a window open to let some fresh air back into the room. She had Lisa's hand clutched tightly in both hers.

"Oh Grandpa..." Amy looked helplessly up at Jack, flailing for the right words to say, on the verge of tears, "I just... I don't know, I feel so helpless right now, I hate seeing Lisa like this, I hate that you're going through this...I-"

"Amy," Jack interrupted, walking to her side. Amy stood up and embraced him, burying her face in his shoulder, sobbing quietly. Jack held her, needing her support as much as she needed his.

"Just, just know that we're all here for you. You know that, right Grandpa?" she said once her sobs had subsided.

"I know Amy, of course I know. Lis- Lisa's strong, she'll be... she'll pull through, we've just got to trust her, trust she's in there somewhere, fighting this.." his eyes wandered to come to a halt at Lisa's face, once again silently willing her to open her eyes.

"I better go, the kids will want to be getting home now." Amy stood back, wiping her eyes. She's been so strong through this, marvelled Jack, Staying strong for her children's sake, she gets that strength from Marion.

"I'll talk to you later, ok honey?" said Jack as she turned to leave, he hated that he was adding to her stress by refusing to talk, he couldn't help it, he always drew into himself when things threw him off balance.

"Sure Grandpa," she smiled weakly back at him, her eyes flicking to the bed and back, "Lou will be down later, she said don't go buying any hospital food, she'll bring you lunch."

"Thank you, both of-all of you" said Jack, grateful for all of their support. He wasn't making it too easy on any of them, he knew, but all he could think about was Lisa.

"We get it Grandpa, you just need to be there for her, that's all you should be worried about right now, whatever we can do to help, we'll do, no problem." She gave one last glance at Lisa before returning to Ty and the kids, leaving Jack alone with Lisa.

The room was silent once again, silent but for the steady beeping of the monitors. Jack sank into the chair and picked up Lisa's hand, still warm from Amy's grasp. His eyes fixed on her face, her hair was pulled back from the bandage wrapped around her head, the dark tresses spilling over the white pillow case. Not as dark as before, Jack noted, she had gone a bit lighter again recently. He couldn't remember had he mentioned it to her at the time. He hoped he had, it looked nice, he should have said something.

Jack's own silence was killing him, he had to speak, "Oh Lis, I don't know, I just don't know anymore. Heck, I don't even know can you hear me right now, does it even matter? I've always told you everything, but somehow now I realise there's still so much I haven't said, should've said. Like how beautiful you look first thing in the morning, when you're only half awake, when part of you is still wherever sleep takes you, yet you still smile and look at me as if I've made your day just by being there. Or how before I met you I didn't think I needed anyone else, I never even stopped to think I could love someone after Lyndy. But you came along by chance and changed all of that. I can't picture my life without you anymore Lis, I don't want to…I don't want to..." Jack's voice caught and he had to look away from her closed eyes, but whatever gate inside himself that he had opened compelled him to continue, he couldn't stop now.

"I've been stubborn. For years I've tried to tell you that you shouldn't feel obliged to see me through my old age, you deserved more than that, you deserve more than that. I stand by that I really do, but now, I'm being selfish, a life without you in it... it isn't a life I want. I learned that once the hard way when I was too stubborn to admit I needed you after my heart attack. This, this is just bringing it all back. I need you Lis, I need to hear your voice... I need you to tell me it will be ok. "Jack struggled to blink back tears, but it was a futile attempt. They slid down his cheeks, into his unshaven beard. He couldn't bring himself to let go of Lisa's hand to wipe them away. Through his tears, the words kept flowing, he didn't even realise he was talking aloud anymore, he was just thinking, thinking for Lisa to hear.

"If you wak- when. When you wake up and if… if you don't remember me, I… I can't stop you from going and living whatever life you want to live, whether it includes me or not. But know that I love you, I will always love you and I will help you through this, whatever it takes. As long as you want me around, I'll be around. Until you don't want me anymore. You told me once you were all in, well so am I Lis, so am I. Just please, please don't make me endure a life without you, without telling you all this, you need to know how much I love you."

Jack's voice was thick with emotion and the words came slowly, he wasn't accustomed to speaking so much without another side to the conversation.

"Oh God I love you, since we very first met. Your strength, your energy-when you stood up for Amy that day of the open house, how much you cared for Ben even when he pushed you away, I was captivated, but I told myself I was being ridiculous, I was old enough to be your father for crying out loud, you're so beautiful I couldn't let myself think I even stood a chance. But I couldn't get you out of my mind. I can't tell you how much it hurt when I first thought you and Dan were still together, when I drove off from that auction, I couldn't even explain how I felt to myself… I was jealous, that's what I was. Because that first so-called-date on the side of the road, I was drawn in, I couldn't get enough of you, you were so beautiful and full of a love for life, there's no-one like you and I just knew, I knew… "

Jack had never spoken for so long uninterrupted in his life. He hadn't even known he could. There was nothing to hold him back, he was just letting his subconscious thoughts spill out, hoping on some level they were reaching Lisa.

"Come on Lis, you can do this, I know you'll fight, not for me, but because you're too damn stubborn to let something like this keep you down." With this thought swirling in his head Jack let himself fall silent once more, hoping, praying he would one day be able to look into her beautiful, startling blue eyes and say it all again.