Author's Notes:
Disclaimer: These characters are property of NBC and their own creators; as is any piece of an episode needed for the chapter. I make no money from this. Any song lyrics used are also property of their own creator.
Hereafter And Forever
Part 11: For The Rest Of My Life
(October 18, 2011-Later That Night)
"Jack?"
Jack looked up at the sound of Will's voice, his friend walking in to the hospital's emergency waiting room. Rosario had insisted on coming with him to the hospital, so Grace was watching Mia. Jack knew Will was home with Ben, who was sick with the flu, but he needed someone else with him.
Will called his mother to watch Ben until Vince got off of work, and hurried straight to the hospital when he heard.
"Jack, do you know anything?"
Jack sighed, "They're still checking things out."
Will sat down in one of the chairs beside him. He looked over to Rosario who was occupying herself with knitting, appearing like she was trying to keep herself distracted. He didn't blame her. Hospitals tended to make people nervous, especially in situations like this.
"I didn't know what to do Will. Karen's always been a big drinker, and I've always known she popped more pills than what a normal person should be able to handle, but she was always fine. I've never seen her…" Jack took a breath, his voice breaking, "And I think, god what if I wasn't there? She could've seriously hurt herself, Will. And I can't lose anyone else…not after…"
"I know. I know, Jack." Will put a hand on Jack's back and rubbed it reassuringly. "But that didn't happen. They're going to find out what's wrong, and everything will be fine."
~~~~**~~~~
Grace stepped out of Laila's bedroom where she had just finished putting Laila and Mia to bed. She was quiet as she walked back downstairs to where Leo was in the kitchen, putting away dishes.
"Is Mia okay?" he asked.
"I think so." Grace replied quietly, "I don't think she really knows what's going on."
"Did she see?"
"No. Thankfully." Grace sat down at one of the bar stools that surrounded her kitchen counter. "I was so scared. And I had to be the calm one. I was the one who had the call the ambulance, while Jack had a panic attack in the corner. Then I had to calm him down. I swear Leo, I've known Jack a long time, and I have never seen him like that. To know that he loves Karen that much…it's amazing."
~~~~**~~~~
Will and Rosario had gone down to the vending machines to find something to eat, not sure how long they would be here. Jack had stayed behind in the waiting room, and was pacing the floor back and forth. Every so often he would see a doctor hurry past and he would look up, hoping it was someone coming with some news, but nothing.
He heard footsteps approaching the room once again, and looked up hopefully. It wasn't a doctor this time, but a young girl. No more than twenty, looking rather disheveled and afraid.
"Can I…sit down?" The girl asked.
Jack shrugged, "It's not my hospital. I don't care."
The girl gave him a small smile, and sank down in one of the chairs. She crossed her arms, uncrossed them, crossed and uncrossed her legs, and drummed her fingers on the arm of the chair. She couldn't seem to sit still.
"What happened?" Jack asked, breaking the silence.
"Oh. My boyfriend was in a car accident. I just got the call."
"Where are his parents?"
"They don't live here." She answered.
"Is he going to be okay?"
"They don't know yet. The car flipped…they told me. I guess it was pretty bad." She looked up at Jack, her green eyes heavy, "Who are you here for?"
"My, um…." He didn't know what to call Karen. His girlfriend, his lover… "Someone special." He finished.
The girl smiled. She seemed to understand.
"I hope they're okay." She said, trying to sound positive. "I mean, I'm sure they will be."
"Thanks." Jack said, "I'm sure your boyfriend will be okay too."
At that moment a doctor walked into the room, his eyes meeting Jack's.
"Are you here for Karen Walker?" He asked.
"Yes." Jack replied, nervously approaching the doctor.
"Well…she'll be alright as soon as she gets all of this stuff out her system. We're not sure, but it seems to be a high trace of a new drug that really isn't publicly available yet, so I'm wondering how she got a hold of it. Would you know?"
Jack sighed loudly. Karen had her ways. She could smuggle heroin if she wanted to he imagined.
"I honestly don't. I didn't even know she was taking it."
"From what it looks like, she was taking a lot of it. A small amount wouldn't have damaged her at all, but from the looks of it, had she continued taking the dosage she was taking for another six months, she could've died. Tell your friend she's very lucky."
Jack nodded silently.
"When can she go home?"
"Not tonight. I need her to stay here for another day or so to make sure everything is okay, and run a few more tests."
"Can I see her?"
"Sure. She's been moved down the hall since she's not in any immediate danger anymore. Room 9A. She's still asleep so…"
9A? Jack pondered at the irony of his old apartment number being the number of Karen's hospital room. But he didn't stick around to think it out, grabbing the jacket he had brought off of the chair and heading for the door.
"I'm glad she's okay." The girl piped up. "I was right."
"Yeah, you were right." Jack said.
"So, her name is Karen? That's pretty. What's your name?"
"Jack."
"I'm Sadie." She said smiling. "Hey Jack, do you love her?"
"Yeah, I do."
"I think I love him. My boyfriend I mean."
"I hope he loves you too." Jack said. He paused in the doorway, "Sadie, what's his name? Your boyfriend."
He didn't know how he knew, but somehow he just knew what she was going to say.
"Elliott."
~~~~**~~~~
Jack hated hospitals. He always had. Life and death intermingling in one place. It wasn't right.
When he walked into Karen's room, the curtains to the outside were already drawn, making it appear even darker than it already was. Jack walked over to Karen's bedside, sinking down into the chair beside it, he reached out to take her hand.
It was still a hospital room, with its unpleasant hospital reminders. The unpleasant smell of the abundant use of cleaning solutions, the beep-beep of a heart monitor, the uncomfortable furniture…Jack thought, as he shifted in the chair. His eyes fell back on Karen, looking so serene as she slept. A stark contrast to her daily persona. Jack smiled, and squeezed her hand.
He was still a moment, when he felt Karen squeeze back.
"Karebear?" He said softly.
"Jackie?"
Her voice was like bells. And although one could easily argue that Karen did not have the most pleasant voice in the world to listen to, right now it was the sweetest sound Jack had ever heard.
"Jackie, what happened?"
"You don't remember?" He asked.
"Honey, the last few months are a bit fuzzy right now. Just tell me." Karen looked around the room, "Ugh, I hate hospitals."
"Karen, you have to stop." Jack said, his tone turned serious.
"Huh? Stop what?"
"The pills. The excessive drinking. Sure, have a drink now and then, ok. But not ten drinks a day, and don't chase them with a fistful of vicodin!"
"Jackie, where is this coming from?" Karen asked, sitting up in her bed.
"I know why you started with the pills and the alcohol before Kare, you told me. Because you were never as happy as you wanted to be. So you had to block out all the bad stuff. Pretend everything was ok. But you have me now. You don't have to pretend anymore."
"I'm not trying too."
"Then stop."
"Jackie, I had one little mishap. One mistake. It could happen to anyone."
"But it happened to you."
"I'm ok."
"This time."
"Jack, I didn't…."
"You could've died, Karen!" Jack yelled, standing up suddenly. "Don't you get it? The doctor said six more months of taking those pills might've killed you. And if I hadn't been there when you fell today….if I hadn't been there….Karen, I just lost Elliott, I'm not losing you too!"
Karen didn't know how to respond. She was quiet as Jack came to sit on the edge of the bed.
"I don't expect things to change overnight, and I know I might be asking a lot, but please Kare. I want you with me until we're old and grey and falling out of our wheelchairs. For the rest of my life. Don't do anything to take that time away."
Karen leaned her head against his shoulder, and Jack kissed her head, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. She brought her hand up to take his.
"Ok poodle…I promise. No more."
Out in the hallway, Will was quietly standing at the door. Marveling at the bond that still held strong between his two friends.
~~~~**~~~~
Once the hospital declared Karen okay to go home, she was so happy to be getting out of the dreadful place and back to her own house. Rosario was waiting at the door when they came in, Mia playing nearby at the couch.
"Mia!" Jack called out to her.
Mia immediately dropped her toys and ran to them, Jack expecting Mia to come straight to him. But instead it was Karen she ran too, wrapped her arms around Karen's legs. Karen picked her up and Mia smiled brightly at her.
Karen said nothing as the little girl hugged her neck tightly.
