If Its Meant To Be-Ch.5
Karen lay there, comfortably. She could tell through her eyelids that the sun was shining in through the blinds. "morning" she thought. She smiled inwardly as her waist sent signals to her brain that an arm was wrapped tightly around it, and that the hand and fingers of that arm were slightly slipped up under her shirt resting on the bare skin of her stomach as if they belonged there.
She breathed in, wondering how long she could delay the inevitable by keeping her eyes closed. He would want to know what happened, why it happened, how it happened.
She turned her head towards him and opened her eyes to find his staring back at her. But as she looked into his eyes she knew that she didn't have to explain, she didn't have to justify, or defend, or be ashamed. He knew, she didn't know how, but he knew...and yet his eyes...she never realized someone's eyes could hold so many emotions at once.
His only response was to pull her closer, entangling there limbs together as he rested his forehead on her own. Tears ran down her face as every emotion she had had from the previous days events came spilling out, overflowing, racking her body with sobs. He held her as tight as possible, wishing he could subside her pain.
````` They had fallen asleep like that. When the awoke again, he got up and made them both coffee. He kissed her forehead and walked into the bathroom, he hadn't showered in a while and welcomed the feel of the hot water pouring down over him.
Karen picked up her cup of coffee from of the table and walked towards the bathroom, she entered, closing the door behind her. She placed her coffee cup down and lifted herself up to sit on the counter. She leaned her head back against the wall and waited for him to be finished. She listened as the water stopped, he slid the fogged glass door back and walked out of the shower with the towel around his waist.
"Hey" he said as he walked over to her.
"I didn't want to be alone" she said quickly, unsure of wether or not he was okay with her in there.
"Its okay, I don't mind at all" he told her smiling reassuringly.
She watched intently as he began to shave, the razor sliding over the curves and contours of his face. Her eyes slipped down to his bare chest. She followed the few stray water droplets as the made there way down to his torso and then disappeared after colliding with the towel.
He picked up another, smaller towel and began to rub his hair with it, trying to some what dry it. When he pulled the towel away it was tossed and messy. She smiled and he looked over at her.
"What?" he asked smiling.
"You look cute like that poodle" Karen said smiling back.
He walked over to her on the counter and stood between her legs, she wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her close picking her up and walking out of the bathroom. She breathed him in, his scent mixed with aftershave and the smell of peach coming from his shampoo. She kissed his temple as he set her down on the couch.
He walked into his bedroom and came out moments later fully dressed. He sat down next to her on the couch turning his body inward so that they where facing each other. He reached out and began to twirl a strand of her hair between his finger tips. She shut her eyes and smiled.
"Kare?" he asked quietly
"Yeah?" she replied
"I need to tell you something, its really important, but I don't want you to freak out about it because I promise you I'll never let anything bad happen to you again, okay?"
"Okay.." she said, fear evident in her voice.
He took one of her hands in his as he spoke. "Last night, when I came in and found you asleep, I noticed that your cell phone was ringing. So I answered it and...Stan was on the other end. He thought I was you, because I didn't say anything. He said he didn't know where you where, and threatened to hurt you again if you didn't come back." He stopped speaking, and waited for her reaction.
"Oh god.." she began "I knew it, damn it! I knew it!" she began to get upset "I shouldn't of left, oh God, think of what he could do! The man has access to everything!" She said frantically.
"Karen no, you did the right thing by leaving, don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you I promise."
"Oh Jack, its not that simple! He's one of the most powerful men in New York! He could hurt me, oh God, he could hurt you!" she said as tears welled up in her eyes.
Jack to her face in his hands and pulled it close to his own.
"Karen, Karen..." he whispered "I don't care what or who he has access to, no matter what he tries to do I won't let it happen. Please believe me karebear"
She smiled at his use of her nickname. "I believe you Jackie."
````
They talked more about filing a law suit against Stan for physical abuse. Karen asked Jack to go over and tell Will and Grace the whole thing for her. She just couldn't do it. Will of course agreed to help defend Karen, he contacted the police and began to file the papers immediately. Grace, extremely concerned, ran over to Jacks apartment to talk to her. There relationship wasn't perfect, but Grace loved her, she really did. And she knew that Karen loved her back, even if it was hard for her to show it.
``````
Back at the penthouse Stan sat in his office, phone in hand.
"I don't know where she is" he said to the man on the other end of the phone.
"I can't find her. If she wants to play this game then fine, if I can't get to her I'll hit her where it hurts" He said, a smirk on his face.
"Thats right, you know where it is, take care of the situation. Make sure the "subject" is dead before tonight.
With that he hung up and leaned back in his chair smiling.
``````` Back at Jacks apartment Karen was sitting on the couch staring down at the floor. Grace walked out of the bathroom and came to sit down next to her.
"Karen?" Grace questioned
Karen looked up at her, expressionless.
"Karen don't worry, everything's going to be fine." Grace said rubbing Karen's shoulder. Come on, you need to eat something. Are you hungry?" Grace asked.
"Not really" Karen replied looking back down.
"Well you really should eat anyway, its not healthy. I'll go look for something to make." Grace got up and walked into the kitchen.
Just then Jack walked in through the door. He had been over at Will's discussing the situation. He looked over at Karen and frowned at the look on her face as she stare at the ground. He walked over to her and sat down close to her, pulling her to him. She rested her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him. He reached down and began to run his fingers up the back of her own. She closed her eyes, as it had a calming effect on her.
Grace walked back into the living room.
"Jack you have nothing to eat in there except a piece of bread and a battery and I don't think Karen's refined taste would like that much"
"Well I don't ever eat here, I'm too busy!" Jack said to her.
"Yeah, busy eating our food" Grace said back sarcastically. "Anyway, Will and I haven't gone to the store yet so one of us needs to go get Karen some food."
"I'll go" Jack said "I know what she likes" Jack looked down at Karen. "Kare I'm gonna go get you something to eat okay? I'll be back soon."
"Alright" she said apprehensively. Jack leaned down and kissed her cheek and then got up to put on his jacket.
"Take care of her" He said to Grace as he walked out the door. Grace walked over and sat back down next to her.
`````` Jack made his way across the lobby and out the front doors. He stood near the corner and hailed a cab. Unaware of the man sitting in a black car a across the street, watching him.
Finally a yellow cab stopped and Jack got in. As the cab pulled away from the corner so did the black car. They turned a corner and Jack didn't notice as the black car sped up behind them. Coming up behind them at a red light, the car suddenly lurched forward crashing into the back of the cab pushing them out into on coming traffic. Jack barely even had time to brace himself as an SUV smashed into the side of them. Jack was thrown from his seat slamming up against the opposite window. The pain in his head overcome him as he began to feel himself passing out.
"Karen.." Jack whispered as he slipped into unconsciousness.
````````
Back at Jacks Karen lay asleep on the couch. Suddenly her eyes shot open and she sat up. "What the hell?" she thought as she laid herself back down. Grace walked into the room and over to the couch.
"Are you okay Karen?"
"Yeah honey I just got a weird feeling thats all. Its nothing really" She replied, a little unsure.
"Okay" Grace said.
An hour later the phone rang and Grace went to answer it. "Hello McFarland residence" Grace said into the phone. "Yes" Karen heard her say.
After a minute Karen noticed that Grace had gone silent, she looked over at her. Karen had a bad feeling as Grace hung up the phone.
"Oh god Karen.." Grace said just standing there shocked. Karen rushed over to her panicked. "What?! What's happened?!"
"Its Jack..." she began "he...he was in a car accident" Grace said as she watched the horror filled look appear in Karen's eyes and the color drain from her face. "They took him to the hospital....he." Grace couldn't even get the last part out as Karen began to cry, dropping to the ground.
"No..no..no no no.." Karen whispered holding herself as she cried.
````` Twenty minutes later Will, Grace and Karen arrived at the hospital. Karen ran up to the front desk asking the woman there what room Jack McFarland was in.
"Please, tell me what room he's in" Karen said frantically.
"Well he's in room 210, but you can't go in there now" The nurse at the front desk replied back.
Without hesitation Karen ran down the hall to find Jacks room. Grace and Will following quickly.
"Karen! Karen wait!" Grace yelled out "We can't go in there!"
Karen watched the numbers of the rooms as she ran past them, finally she saw it. There where two doctors standing outside of his room. She ran past them and inside.
"Uh..ma'am?" One of the doctors called out as they rushed in after her. Trying to hold her back from going any further.
"Please ma'am you can't see him, he's in no condition....please!" She struggled against them as the grabbed her arms to pull her out.
"Jack! JACK! ... " She cried. She managed to get away from there grip on her and she ran to his bed. When she saw him she stopped dead in her tracks. His face was pale and his whole body was hooked up to machines. He looked lifeless. She cried out. He wasn't conscious.
"NO!! Oh god noooo! Jack!!" She screamed hysterically as the doctors and Will, who had now arrived with Grace, began to pull her out of the room. "Stop STOP!" she cried at them. "He needs me HE NEEDS ME! Oh God Jack!" Finally she stopped fighting them and they let go of her. She slid to the floor, her body shaking uncontrollably as she cried. Grace ran over to her huddled form on the floor and rapped her arms around her. Telling her it would be okay.
`` A little while later Karen had calmed down. She now sat in a waiting room with Will and Grace. Head in her hands. She couldn't help but think that if she hadn't runaway none of this would of happened to him.
Suddenly a doctor stepped through the large doors to there right and announced to them that they could see him now. Karen immediately stood up. "He's just regained consciousness the doctor informed them, and he's asking for Karen Walker".
Karen hurried out the doors and down the hall to his room. Will and Grace stayed behind to let her see him. She walked up to his bed slowly. She pulled a chair up and sat down leaning close to him. She reached out and grabbed one of his hands in hers.
His eyes opened and he looked over at her and smiled. She smiled back tears forming once again in her eyes.
"Hey Jackie" she said softly a tear slipping down her cheek.
"Hey Karebear, he said horsely.
"How are you feeling?" she asked "Do you need anything, are you comfortable?"
"I'm sore and my head is killing me but I'll be okay." he said to her smiling. "Us McFarlands bounce back quickly."
"So you don't need anything?" she asked again, making sure.
"Just you" Jack said. She smiled.
"Oh Jack, I was so worried. I thought I'd lost you, I don't know what I'd do...." She said as a sob escaped her lips. She brought his hand up to her face, crying into it.
``
A little while later Will and Grace came in to see Jack. The doctors had briefed them on Jacks current condition, telling them that he would need to be there a couple of days to recover.
Will had also spoken with the police, they had informed him that the car that was spotted by many ramming Jacks cab into the on coming traffic had been caught and the man inside apprehended. Apparently when questioned by police he caved, telling them that Stanley Walker had hired him to kill the man. Stanley was later arrested at his penthouse, not only for attempted murder, but also for assault and battery to his wife.
Will told Karen when Stans court date was, and explained to her that she had to testify against him.
Later on that night Will and Grace had to leave, but Karen wouldn't. She had decided that she was going to stay with Jack until he was released from the hospital. They said goodnight to Jack and left for home. Karen walked them out saying goodbye to them. When they had left, she walked over to the opposite side of Jacks room and sat down in the chair pulling a blanket over her, trying to get comfortable.
"Karen, you can't be comfortable there." Jack said to her, smiling.
"I'm alright."
"Come sleep with me" he said patting the space on the bed next to him.
"Poodle what if I hurt you! Aren't you sore?" she said staring up at him from the chair. "Don't worry about me Karen, I'll be fine, now come on. Your the one whose gonna need a hospital if you sleep in that chair the whole time I'm here." he said smiling.
She got up and walked over to him, slowly sliding in next to him, careful not to bump or hit him. She lay her head next to his on the pillow and he pulled the covers up over them. Hospitals where always so unbearably cold, he thought. She moved one hand up and cupped his face.
"Goodnight Jackie" she said softly "I love you"
"Goodnight Kare, I love you too" he said closing his eyes with her.
Karen lay there, comfortably. She could tell through her eyelids that the sun was shining in through the blinds. "morning" she thought. She smiled inwardly as her waist sent signals to her brain that an arm was wrapped tightly around it, and that the hand and fingers of that arm were slightly slipped up under her shirt resting on the bare skin of her stomach as if they belonged there.
She breathed in, wondering how long she could delay the inevitable by keeping her eyes closed. He would want to know what happened, why it happened, how it happened.
She turned her head towards him and opened her eyes to find his staring back at her. But as she looked into his eyes she knew that she didn't have to explain, she didn't have to justify, or defend, or be ashamed. He knew, she didn't know how, but he knew...and yet his eyes...she never realized someone's eyes could hold so many emotions at once.
His only response was to pull her closer, entangling there limbs together as he rested his forehead on her own. Tears ran down her face as every emotion she had had from the previous days events came spilling out, overflowing, racking her body with sobs. He held her as tight as possible, wishing he could subside her pain.
````` They had fallen asleep like that. When the awoke again, he got up and made them both coffee. He kissed her forehead and walked into the bathroom, he hadn't showered in a while and welcomed the feel of the hot water pouring down over him.
Karen picked up her cup of coffee from of the table and walked towards the bathroom, she entered, closing the door behind her. She placed her coffee cup down and lifted herself up to sit on the counter. She leaned her head back against the wall and waited for him to be finished. She listened as the water stopped, he slid the fogged glass door back and walked out of the shower with the towel around his waist.
"Hey" he said as he walked over to her.
"I didn't want to be alone" she said quickly, unsure of wether or not he was okay with her in there.
"Its okay, I don't mind at all" he told her smiling reassuringly.
She watched intently as he began to shave, the razor sliding over the curves and contours of his face. Her eyes slipped down to his bare chest. She followed the few stray water droplets as the made there way down to his torso and then disappeared after colliding with the towel.
He picked up another, smaller towel and began to rub his hair with it, trying to some what dry it. When he pulled the towel away it was tossed and messy. She smiled and he looked over at her.
"What?" he asked smiling.
"You look cute like that poodle" Karen said smiling back.
He walked over to her on the counter and stood between her legs, she wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her close picking her up and walking out of the bathroom. She breathed him in, his scent mixed with aftershave and the smell of peach coming from his shampoo. She kissed his temple as he set her down on the couch.
He walked into his bedroom and came out moments later fully dressed. He sat down next to her on the couch turning his body inward so that they where facing each other. He reached out and began to twirl a strand of her hair between his finger tips. She shut her eyes and smiled.
"Kare?" he asked quietly
"Yeah?" she replied
"I need to tell you something, its really important, but I don't want you to freak out about it because I promise you I'll never let anything bad happen to you again, okay?"
"Okay.." she said, fear evident in her voice.
He took one of her hands in his as he spoke. "Last night, when I came in and found you asleep, I noticed that your cell phone was ringing. So I answered it and...Stan was on the other end. He thought I was you, because I didn't say anything. He said he didn't know where you where, and threatened to hurt you again if you didn't come back." He stopped speaking, and waited for her reaction.
"Oh god.." she began "I knew it, damn it! I knew it!" she began to get upset "I shouldn't of left, oh God, think of what he could do! The man has access to everything!" She said frantically.
"Karen no, you did the right thing by leaving, don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you I promise."
"Oh Jack, its not that simple! He's one of the most powerful men in New York! He could hurt me, oh God, he could hurt you!" she said as tears welled up in her eyes.
Jack to her face in his hands and pulled it close to his own.
"Karen, Karen..." he whispered "I don't care what or who he has access to, no matter what he tries to do I won't let it happen. Please believe me karebear"
She smiled at his use of her nickname. "I believe you Jackie."
````
They talked more about filing a law suit against Stan for physical abuse. Karen asked Jack to go over and tell Will and Grace the whole thing for her. She just couldn't do it. Will of course agreed to help defend Karen, he contacted the police and began to file the papers immediately. Grace, extremely concerned, ran over to Jacks apartment to talk to her. There relationship wasn't perfect, but Grace loved her, she really did. And she knew that Karen loved her back, even if it was hard for her to show it.
``````
Back at the penthouse Stan sat in his office, phone in hand.
"I don't know where she is" he said to the man on the other end of the phone.
"I can't find her. If she wants to play this game then fine, if I can't get to her I'll hit her where it hurts" He said, a smirk on his face.
"Thats right, you know where it is, take care of the situation. Make sure the "subject" is dead before tonight.
With that he hung up and leaned back in his chair smiling.
``````` Back at Jacks apartment Karen was sitting on the couch staring down at the floor. Grace walked out of the bathroom and came to sit down next to her.
"Karen?" Grace questioned
Karen looked up at her, expressionless.
"Karen don't worry, everything's going to be fine." Grace said rubbing Karen's shoulder. Come on, you need to eat something. Are you hungry?" Grace asked.
"Not really" Karen replied looking back down.
"Well you really should eat anyway, its not healthy. I'll go look for something to make." Grace got up and walked into the kitchen.
Just then Jack walked in through the door. He had been over at Will's discussing the situation. He looked over at Karen and frowned at the look on her face as she stare at the ground. He walked over to her and sat down close to her, pulling her to him. She rested her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him. He reached down and began to run his fingers up the back of her own. She closed her eyes, as it had a calming effect on her.
Grace walked back into the living room.
"Jack you have nothing to eat in there except a piece of bread and a battery and I don't think Karen's refined taste would like that much"
"Well I don't ever eat here, I'm too busy!" Jack said to her.
"Yeah, busy eating our food" Grace said back sarcastically. "Anyway, Will and I haven't gone to the store yet so one of us needs to go get Karen some food."
"I'll go" Jack said "I know what she likes" Jack looked down at Karen. "Kare I'm gonna go get you something to eat okay? I'll be back soon."
"Alright" she said apprehensively. Jack leaned down and kissed her cheek and then got up to put on his jacket.
"Take care of her" He said to Grace as he walked out the door. Grace walked over and sat back down next to her.
`````` Jack made his way across the lobby and out the front doors. He stood near the corner and hailed a cab. Unaware of the man sitting in a black car a across the street, watching him.
Finally a yellow cab stopped and Jack got in. As the cab pulled away from the corner so did the black car. They turned a corner and Jack didn't notice as the black car sped up behind them. Coming up behind them at a red light, the car suddenly lurched forward crashing into the back of the cab pushing them out into on coming traffic. Jack barely even had time to brace himself as an SUV smashed into the side of them. Jack was thrown from his seat slamming up against the opposite window. The pain in his head overcome him as he began to feel himself passing out.
"Karen.." Jack whispered as he slipped into unconsciousness.
````````
Back at Jacks Karen lay asleep on the couch. Suddenly her eyes shot open and she sat up. "What the hell?" she thought as she laid herself back down. Grace walked into the room and over to the couch.
"Are you okay Karen?"
"Yeah honey I just got a weird feeling thats all. Its nothing really" She replied, a little unsure.
"Okay" Grace said.
An hour later the phone rang and Grace went to answer it. "Hello McFarland residence" Grace said into the phone. "Yes" Karen heard her say.
After a minute Karen noticed that Grace had gone silent, she looked over at her. Karen had a bad feeling as Grace hung up the phone.
"Oh god Karen.." Grace said just standing there shocked. Karen rushed over to her panicked. "What?! What's happened?!"
"Its Jack..." she began "he...he was in a car accident" Grace said as she watched the horror filled look appear in Karen's eyes and the color drain from her face. "They took him to the hospital....he." Grace couldn't even get the last part out as Karen began to cry, dropping to the ground.
"No..no..no no no.." Karen whispered holding herself as she cried.
````` Twenty minutes later Will, Grace and Karen arrived at the hospital. Karen ran up to the front desk asking the woman there what room Jack McFarland was in.
"Please, tell me what room he's in" Karen said frantically.
"Well he's in room 210, but you can't go in there now" The nurse at the front desk replied back.
Without hesitation Karen ran down the hall to find Jacks room. Grace and Will following quickly.
"Karen! Karen wait!" Grace yelled out "We can't go in there!"
Karen watched the numbers of the rooms as she ran past them, finally she saw it. There where two doctors standing outside of his room. She ran past them and inside.
"Uh..ma'am?" One of the doctors called out as they rushed in after her. Trying to hold her back from going any further.
"Please ma'am you can't see him, he's in no condition....please!" She struggled against them as the grabbed her arms to pull her out.
"Jack! JACK! ... " She cried. She managed to get away from there grip on her and she ran to his bed. When she saw him she stopped dead in her tracks. His face was pale and his whole body was hooked up to machines. He looked lifeless. She cried out. He wasn't conscious.
"NO!! Oh god noooo! Jack!!" She screamed hysterically as the doctors and Will, who had now arrived with Grace, began to pull her out of the room. "Stop STOP!" she cried at them. "He needs me HE NEEDS ME! Oh God Jack!" Finally she stopped fighting them and they let go of her. She slid to the floor, her body shaking uncontrollably as she cried. Grace ran over to her huddled form on the floor and rapped her arms around her. Telling her it would be okay.
`` A little while later Karen had calmed down. She now sat in a waiting room with Will and Grace. Head in her hands. She couldn't help but think that if she hadn't runaway none of this would of happened to him.
Suddenly a doctor stepped through the large doors to there right and announced to them that they could see him now. Karen immediately stood up. "He's just regained consciousness the doctor informed them, and he's asking for Karen Walker".
Karen hurried out the doors and down the hall to his room. Will and Grace stayed behind to let her see him. She walked up to his bed slowly. She pulled a chair up and sat down leaning close to him. She reached out and grabbed one of his hands in hers.
His eyes opened and he looked over at her and smiled. She smiled back tears forming once again in her eyes.
"Hey Jackie" she said softly a tear slipping down her cheek.
"Hey Karebear, he said horsely.
"How are you feeling?" she asked "Do you need anything, are you comfortable?"
"I'm sore and my head is killing me but I'll be okay." he said to her smiling. "Us McFarlands bounce back quickly."
"So you don't need anything?" she asked again, making sure.
"Just you" Jack said. She smiled.
"Oh Jack, I was so worried. I thought I'd lost you, I don't know what I'd do...." She said as a sob escaped her lips. She brought his hand up to her face, crying into it.
``
A little while later Will and Grace came in to see Jack. The doctors had briefed them on Jacks current condition, telling them that he would need to be there a couple of days to recover.
Will had also spoken with the police, they had informed him that the car that was spotted by many ramming Jacks cab into the on coming traffic had been caught and the man inside apprehended. Apparently when questioned by police he caved, telling them that Stanley Walker had hired him to kill the man. Stanley was later arrested at his penthouse, not only for attempted murder, but also for assault and battery to his wife.
Will told Karen when Stans court date was, and explained to her that she had to testify against him.
Later on that night Will and Grace had to leave, but Karen wouldn't. She had decided that she was going to stay with Jack until he was released from the hospital. They said goodnight to Jack and left for home. Karen walked them out saying goodbye to them. When they had left, she walked over to the opposite side of Jacks room and sat down in the chair pulling a blanket over her, trying to get comfortable.
"Karen, you can't be comfortable there." Jack said to her, smiling.
"I'm alright."
"Come sleep with me" he said patting the space on the bed next to him.
"Poodle what if I hurt you! Aren't you sore?" she said staring up at him from the chair. "Don't worry about me Karen, I'll be fine, now come on. Your the one whose gonna need a hospital if you sleep in that chair the whole time I'm here." he said smiling.
She got up and walked over to him, slowly sliding in next to him, careful not to bump or hit him. She lay her head next to his on the pillow and he pulled the covers up over them. Hospitals where always so unbearably cold, he thought. She moved one hand up and cupped his face.
"Goodnight Jackie" she said softly "I love you"
"Goodnight Kare, I love you too" he said closing his eyes with her.