A.N.: Wow, when I wrote this, I didn't realize that I'd make this as crazy as I did. Please review, guys!
Keith knew that it wasn't the end. While legally, things were all settled, nothing had happened emotionally yet. Jessica was still distant and didn't talk about her past. He knew it wasn't going to be fixed overnight, but she was hardly talking to him anymore.
One night about a week after he found the tapes, she was taking a "quick shower". However, she'd been in there for half an hour, and it was ten o'clock. Something was going on. He knocked on the door.
"Jess, hurry up!" nothing, "You know it's like ten-thirty, right?" again, nothing. He assumed she was just ignoring him (again), but there was a muffled gasp. It sounded like someone struggling for breath. Without even thinking, he was in there. A horrid sight met his eyes.
Jessica was in the shower, with her hand clenched tightly around her throat, a desperate attempt at suicide. He pulled her out of there and quickly threw her robe around her (It's Keith; what do you expect?). He pulled her into a hug, partially for comfort, partially to keep her from choking herself.
She was shaking in his arms. She was also sobbing.
"K-Keith, Ke-eith, please, don't," she wailed, barely putting the words together.
"Jessi," he began, using the nickname from their childhood, "I'm here. I love you. I don't care if you need to stay up crying all night long, I will stay with you. There's nothing you can ever do to lose my love. I will protect you until you die, and after your death I will still protect you," he said, speaking his mind. She didn't seem to notice that he'd said he loved her, though, because she continued sobbing. He held her.
"Let go," she whispered.
"Never."
"No, I mean, you're killing me. My side hurts."
He looked at said side, and it was if he'd been punched in the stomach. She was still battered and bruised, over a month later, from before he'd known.
"Jess, quick, get changed. You have to see a doctor."
"No!"
"Jessica, you're still bruised. Something is wrong. Come on!"
"Keith, I'm fine!"
"Yeah, right. Jess, please. You're killing me with this. First the lies, then the distance, and now…" he trailed off.
At the ER, the doctor confirmed that she had a broken rib. There wasn't too much to do for it, but at least it wasn't expensive.
P.J.'s POV
While Mom and Uncle Leo talk to the doctor, Keith tries to talk with Jessica.
Step one, you we need to talk.
"Jess, we need to talk." She tried to get up.
She walks, you say sit down, it's just a talk.
"Jess, don't worry; it's just a talk."
She smiles politely back at you.
It was a forced smile, the type she used when trying not to offend Danny Rebus.
You stare politely right on through.
Keith knew she was trying to think of different ways to get out of this. He knew the façade.
Some sort of window to your right. As she goes left and you stay right.
Jessica had changed, but Keith was still the same.
Between the lines of fear and blame,
Fear was from Jessica wanting to save him from who-knows-what. The blame was Keith thinking it was his fault.
You begin to wonder why you came.
He was obviously not getting anywhere.
Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend somewhere along in the bitterness.
The Jess he knew was gone.
And I would have stayed up with you all night,
She was a great person. He wouldn't have minded.
Had I known how to save a life.
He couldn't do anything, but Keith might be able to reach her.
Let her know that you know best, cause, after all, you do know best.
Keith was right when he said that she was losing herself.
Try to slip past her defense, without granting innocence.
He was speaking words of comfort, but not saying it would be okay.
Lay down a list of what is wrong.
"Jess, you just can't do this to yourself! You're hardly eating, not sleeping, you tried to commit suicide. You need help."
The things you've told her all along.
"You're worth more than this. You can't just give up. Persevere, ya know?"
And pray to God she hears you. And pray to God she hears you.
There really wasn't much more to do.
And where did I go wrong?
He kept asking himself that. Was it his fault?
I lost a friend.
He thought of her laying on the ground doing the finger puppets for that movie. It seemed like a forever ago.
Somewhere along in the bitterness.
She was still somewhere, but where?
And I would have stayed up with you all night had I known how to save a life.
If he could go back in time, he'd fix it. He'd fix it for her, but he couldn't.
As she begins to raise her voice,
"KEITH, I'M FINE!"
You lower yours and grant her one last choice.
"Jess, it doesn't have to be like this."
Drive until you lose the road, or break with the ones you've followed.
"We can fix it. All you have to do is let us."
She will do one of two things:
Jessica is predictable like that.
She will admit to everything or she'll say he's just not the same. And you'll begin to wonder why you came.
He left, deciding that they needed each other… not him.
Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend somewhere along in the bitterness. And I would have stayed up with you all night had I known how to save a life.