So, another different AU here. This one will only be a two parter and I will be going back to A Dramatic Entrance. Part two might not even come right away, but for now, here it is. An older AU that's been kicking around for awhile.
She felt sick and hadn't stopped crying for more than a few minutes at a time.
For the time being she had been led into a private room so she could make phone calls.
She had talked to Nanna, had told her father what had happened; crying the entire time, and told Flo that she and Jesse likely wouldn't be home for a long time.
She had calmed herself down as much as she could for her next phone call.
She knew she was going to sound like she had just been crying, but she couldn't do anything about that. It was just as likely she'd burst into tears while explaining anyway, if she could even get that far.
She nearly held her breath as she waited for an answer from who she was trying to phone.
"Smokey's Garage, how can I help you?"
She swallowed heavily, before shakily answering.
"Is- is this Henry Hudson?"
"It is."
"I'm sorry to phone you at work. I fear this is a personal call, not a business one. I- I wasn't sure how else to contact you and this seemed like the safest bet. I- I don't know the best way to tell this to you, but- I'm your brother's wife, he's been hit by a drunk driver, they- they don't know if he's going to make it or not, and he's still in surgery yet. I wish I had broken his silence before now. I should have broken his silence for him years ago, instead of only speaking to you for the first time now."
She tried stifling back a sob by bringing her free, trembling hand to her mouth, only for one to escape before she continued on.
"I might lose my husband and he's never even gotten back in touch with you." She had been able to rein her tears back in a touch.
"I'm sorry, I don't know who you think you are, but if you think this is some kind of joke, it's not funny. If it's some kind of ploy to get money, it won't work."
Whatever hold she had on her tears broke at his words.
"Please! Don't hang up! It's not some ploy, I have no need for your money and I'm not trying to be cruel. I just think my brother-in-law should know what's happening with his brother."
"Not once have you mentioned who you are."
"Oh... I'm so sorry." She sniffled.
"I'm just so frazzled right now... I'm Emily Hudson, though you'd know me by my maiden name better. Piston, I'm Emily Piston. It- it's just..." her tears were wanting to break through again.
"Jesse is in the hospital again, fighting for his life, and you should know. I've already talked to daddy and he's willing to fly you and you're family out here. I'm sorry. I'm just terrified that I'm going to lose him. He's in surgery right now and the doctors aren't sure if he's going to pull through."
"I'm not sure I'm following right now. You're saying that my brother Jesse Aaron Hudson, married you Emily Piston without the world knowing? And that my missing brother is currently fighting for his life, and is in surgery because of a drunk driver?"
"Yes I know it's hard to believe but it is true. We've kept everything quiet and used his middle name for anything more public like our wedding announcement. He doesn't want to be known."
"This is a lot to take in."
"I know it is, but you deserve to know. Jesse has avoided getting back in touch with you for too long and now he mightn't have the chance to anymore."
oOo
He was in a daze when he got off the phone. He wasn't sure he believed just what he was all told.
It didn't stop his heart from clenching at the news.
Closing up shop was the only thing he felt he could do.
He went through the motions mechanically. If he had closed up properly, he couldn't say.
It was a good thing he knew the route home so well, because he couldn't remember the drive home.
He came in through the back door, as it was closer to the phone. He didn't want Joan to be surprised by the expected phone call.
Joan was already prepping food in the kitchen.
"You're home early. What's wrong? You look dazed?" She put a hand on his cheek after he sat down heavily at the table.
"Where are the kids?"
"They're both at a friends and will be home for supper. Why? What's going on?"
"I..." he sighed. "I got a phone call about Jesse at work. I don't know what to think of it."
He ran a hand through his hair before pinching his nose.
"What were you told about him? Do you know where he is?"
"Sort of?" He looked up at her.
"Apparently he's married, as it was his wife phoning. If it's true... he's in the hospital again. In surgery after having been hit by a drunk driver. They're not sure he's gunna pull through."
"Oh, Henry... Did she give you a name at all?"
He didn't say anything, giving a slow nod of his head.
"Who-?"
"We should be getting a call from his father-in-law, Edward. He's willing to fly us out there, to where he is... If- if she's telling the truth- and this isn't all some elaborate ruse... he married Emily Piston."
oOo
It had been two weeks since Jesse's accident, two terrible weeks without a single response from him.
Not one sign of whether he would wake up or not.
It had been nearly a week since her brother-in-law arrived, not that she had seen him or his family since they got in.
The doctors had limited Jesse to having one visitor at a time currently, because of how severe his injuries were.
Honestly, she was still feeling physically ill from the whole thing. It hadn't tapered off since she was first given the news.
She had thrown up a few times, but she figured that was a given.
She hadn't taken his first accident well either, and they hadn't known each other then. It only made sense that she was taking it harder now that they had been married for years.
She wished she could be with him now, though she knew Henry would be there since she was not.
Instead she was out with her Nanna to have a nice meal.
At least that's what she was supposed to be doing. She was more listlessly playing with her food than eating it.
Of course that meant that the next time she did take a bite Nanna had to say something that nearly made her choke.
"That's it Emily dear, you need to eat. It's not good for you or the baby."
Her jaw nearly dropped open after struggling to swallow.
"Wh-What baby!?" Asking much louder than she intended, drawing some attention from the surrounding tables.
Nanna simply dapped the corners of her mouth with her napkin and smiled knowingly.
"Yours dear."
She started shaking her head lightly.
"No... no, no, no, no. Nanna, this isn't funny. I'm not pregnant. I can't be. Jesse and I can't get pregnant; we were told so... multiple times."
She could feel the tears starting to well up, she looked down at her barely eaten plate to avoid her Nanna's gaze.
"Emily, my dear girl, look up at me."
Nanna had slid her hand across the table to grasp one of hers. She slid her hand out to wipe her tears before looking up at her.
"I know that's what you might have been told my dear, but I have been watching you, and you are most certainly pregnant. You've been getting sick an awful lot lately. You're constantly tired, sensitive to certain foods you never have been before, and I don't think you can blame it all on stress like you have been. Some of those things are not related to extreme stress. Do you need more examples?" Her Nanna raised an eyebrow.
"No, because I'm not pregnant... I can't be..."
Not when it felt like her whole world was falling apart. Not when Jesse possibly wouldn't get to experience it with her.
"And why not?"
If Nanna had been standing she suspected her hands would have been on her hips instead of just her intense stare with her eyebrows raised.
"I don't want to hear an explanation that includes the phrase because we were told so. Now why my dear, do you think that you that you cannot be carrying a little one?"
"We- we lost hope that we will ever become parents... so we stopped trying."
She wiped away the couple of tears that escaped. Nanna's expression softened as she reached across the table to take her hand and give it a squeeze.
"Sweetheart-" Nanna's voice was soft and low. "That just makes it all the more likely. I've been around a long time. I've seen many couples stop trying, only to be surprised by starting to have children. Who's to say this isn't the same my dear?" Nanna patted her hand.
"We'll go and get you tested to be sure."
It was about a week after that meal with Nanna that she found herself waiting in a hospital room that wasn't Jesse's.
Her stomach was churning, she wasn't sure she wanted to know what the results were.
Nanna was still confident that she was pregnant.
She couldn't quite bring herself to believe it. There'd be less disappointment if she didn't get her hopes up.
Her symptoms were stress, literally worried sick about losing Jesse.
The doctor opened the door and sat down on his stool.
"Hello Mrs. Hudson, I'm Dr. Peterson." He offered her his hand, which she shook.
"Hello."
"I was sorry to hear about your husband's accident. The news of it spread throughout the entire hospital that one of our residents, so close to finishing his residency was in such a terrible event."
"Thank you." She said quietly.
"It's time to turn to better news now. Congratulations are in order. You are going to be a mother. You are pregnant."
"What?"
She had to grip where she was sitting and squeezed her eyes shut as her whole world started spinning.
"You are carrying a baby; in a few months, you and your husband will be parents."
With her eyes still closed she nodded in understanding, trying to hold back bile before failing.
As she started to wretch, the doctor gave her a bucket.
Once she was done he took it back from her, giving her a couple tissues to help clean up a little.
He gave her a moment to catch her breath, before going on to explain what she would need to do throughout her pregnancy to keep her and the baby healthy. She just nodded along to his advice, not really hearing it.
A baby.
She was carrying their baby.
Jesse's baby.
A moment the two of them had waited for, for years. One they had been thinking was never going to happen.
She was pregnant. Nanna was right; like she so often was. She was going to have a baby.
They were going to be parents.
Jesse had to wake up now, didn't he?
He had to meet their child. Their little one that they made together.
She had to tell him whether he could hear her or not.
She wanted to tell him so badly, though she knew that she'd be telling Nanna that she was right first.
That could happen after a visit to Jesse though.
oOo
Her brother-in-law and his family had been in town for a couple of weeks.
She hadn't been in Jesse's hospital room with him yet, at least she hadn't been until this point.
It hadn't been quite four weeks since Jesse's accident.
The doctors still weren't sure if he was going to wake up, or if he'd have too much brain damage to do so. It didn't help with his previous injuries being less than 15 years old.
The doctors wouldn't have any accurate way to tell until he woke up- if he woke up. She was the one to break their silence that had fallen over them after they greeted each other.
"Was it-" she licked her lips, "was it anything like this in '54?"
"The waiting is the same; but otherwise, I think this might be worse. You said his broken ribs punctuated a lung and nicked his heart?" She nodded.
"Aorta. They had to remove his spleen, a couple of his vertebrae have hairline fractures, then obviously his arms and legs, not to mention his head..."
He let out his breath noisily.
"Worse."
She pursed her lips to stem tears, changing the subject back to 1954.
"Daddy had been horrified by the fact you had been told to get the Hornet when you were. He had been told by Mr. Moore. I-I had wanted to be at that race, but had been out this direction... I hadn't been able to get a ticket to make it back in time." She paused a moment sniffling a little.
"I hadn't even known about his wreck until the plane landed and I overheard a couple of gentleman talking about it. At first I thought they had meant Alex by the way they were talking... at least until I asked."
She shook her head at the old memories.
"Everyone was in complete shock. I knew it had to be bad with how my brother was acting; though he pretended it didn't shake him as much as it did. It seemed surreal that out of anyone, it was Jesse whom had been in such a horrible wreck." She was staring at her unconscious husband, tears once again welling in her eyes.
"I had never seen the offices so full, and yet so silent."
A couple of tears escaped as she turned to face him again.
"I can't imagine what it would have been like for you at that time. It must have been so hard with having lost your sister the year before."
"It was... I was terrified I was going to lose him too. But look how that turn out. I lost him when he ran. I haven't seen him for years and now I'm back to doing the same vigil again. Terrified I'm gunna lose him permanently. Not getting the chance to talk to him again."
He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture that reminded her of Jesse.
"Though one thing that is better is not being constantly asked about if there's any other family that could be contacted. In part to you, I'm sure."
"It helps that that he had been working on his residency here. We're known to some of the doctors and nurses. That he doesn't have much family. You're not going to lose him again."
She reached out and put her hand on his and gave it a squeeze, while sounding determined.
"No matter what happens, we will be staying in touch. Our child deserves to know their uncle and his family."
"You're-"
Her cheeks heated up.
"I- I just found out; I'm not very far along yet... They think I'm about 8 weeks. Other than Nanna; who told me, you're the first I've told. It just slipped out."
He gave her a small smile and a soft congratulations. She felt her throat tightening.
"I hope you hear that Jesse. I need you to wake up so I can tell you the good news. Now your brother can gloat that he knew before you did."
"I had tried to get him to respond like that, so many times, last time. It's never right seeing him like this."
They fell silent for a moment again.
"I'm glad you're here. That you came. I just- I wish I had contacted you before. At least to have invited you to our wedding."
"I know where he is now, that's the important thing. There's no point in worrying about what's done."
She paused a moment before speaking again.
"We didn't invite Alex either."
Henry stared at her pursing his lips until breaking out into laughter.
"I'm sorry." He squeezed out between guffaws.
"It's really not that funny- it's just- that the two- of them- must be- so thrilled, to have the other as a brother-in-law. How can I feel left out knowing that neither of us were invited."
A wry smile bloomed across her face.
"They're not particularly fond of the fact that they are."
"Must make for tense family events."
"They tend to avoid each other. Alex isn't allowed on our property any longer. He doesn't know when to leave things alone."
"I'm afraid that's always been the case with with your brother."
"Unfortunately. I know he's right there, but I miss my husband. Even his complaining."
"He's stubborn. He'll wake up in his own time, ready to complain again."
oOo
He had run into Edward Piston in the hospital halls.
He still found it hard to believe or think about, that Edward was Jesse's father-in-law.
It was easier to think of Jesse being married to Emily without thinking about the family she came from.
Thinking about Jesse and Alex being brothers-in-laws was almost laughable. You chose your spouse but not the family they came from.
Speak of the devil; for all the times he had visited Jesse, he had not seen one hide nor hair of Alex until this point.
It sounded like that was ending today.
He couldn't make out what was being said, but Alex's voice was easy to recognize. It was abruptly interrupted by Emily's.
"I don't WANT to hear about YOUR troubles! Your divorce is your own fault-" Alex tried saying something again.
"I DON'T CARE! MY husband is here, in the HOSPITAL, fighting for his LIFE! How dare you try and give me false sympathy when I know you could care less about whether Jesse even wakes up or not. Only weeks ago you were calling Jesse's character into question. LEAVE! Leave now Alexander. I don't have the time or energy to put up with you."
He entered the room just in time to see Emily turn away from her brother. He could almost see her trembling.
He cleared his throat causing both Piston siblings to look at him.
Alex glared at him while Emily's expression morphed into relief.
She tucked her head into his shoulder when she came over to hug him. The tears now wetting his shirt would go unmentioned as he glared right back at Alex.
They stayed like that until long after Alex left the room. Occasionally he ran a hand through Emily's hair.
When she finally released him, she went and blew her nose and dried her eyes.
"Let's go for a walk, get you out of that chair I know isn't comfortable."
She gave a nod of agreement, gave Jesse's hand a squeeze before running her hand along his face and giving him a soft kiss on his temple.
His throat tightened at the moment between her and Jesse.
What he wouldn't give to see her with Jesse awake.
They walked through the hospital halls silently until they were outside and entering the nearby park.
"Dare I ask what all that was with your brother?"
She let out an indignant huff, crossing her arms.
"He was trying to claim he was here to be supportive. What he really came to do was complain about his divorce without Jesse being able to do anything about it." She let out a shuttering sigh.
"Jesse had been helping Beatrice with the divorce. He was just trying to protect their kids. Alex hates that Jesse is- was helping with Bea's side of things. Something he made painfully clear to Jesse a few weeks before all of this happened. He claimed that Jesse was a hypocrite, when he's been nothing but true to our vows... even when we thought we'd never become parents. I can't deal with him on top of everything else happening right now. Not when I'm wondering if Jesse is ever going to wake up. If I'm going to get to tell him that we're going to be parents. I don't need his stress on top of mine, particularly since his is self inflicted."
"It's a good thing you don't need him for support then. You've got Joan and I, along with your grandmother and father, not to mention that town of yours and Jesse's."
"Thank you."
"There's nothing to thank, we're family."
She let out a bit of a scoffing laugh.
"Does it say anything about my brother, that though we've only met a few weeks ago, that I'm more comfortable around you?"
"I think anyone is easier to be around than your brother."
She sighed.
"Do you have plans with your father tonight?"
"No. Daddy's heading back east to pick up mom and bring her back. Why?"
"Joan and my kids are in town again and we would love it if you were to join us for supper. Your grandmother is more than welcome to join us as well."
"I would love to. I'm not sure what Nanna's plans are, but I'm sure if she's free she'll join us. I enjoy getting to know your family better."
"And we you."