Jesse moved in her chair she was tired she had been at the hospital for over a week. She even did her new report outside the hospital. She didn't want to leave his side he had saved her life and that was why he was in this state. He had woken up every now and than, but was never very coherent. The doctors had told her that was normal because of the drugs they were pumping into him. She called Kim to ask about David Palmers funeral (FORGOT ABOUT HIM DIDN"T U SHAME ON U ALL FOR THIINKING I WAS CAPABLE OF SUCH AN EVIL ACT SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN U ASSUME IT MAKES AN ARS OUT OF U AND ME BUT NOT REALLY ME THANKS FOR THE LAUGHS FOLKS). "Hey Kim it's Jesse."
"Jesse are you still at the hospital?" Kim asked knowing she was.
"Yeah. How was Palmers funeral?"
"I cried hysterically even if I didn't know the guy. Ever since my mom died I have a hard time at funerals. How is my dad? I'll be by as soon as I change and we find a baby sitter for Angela."
Jesse had gotten to know Kim and everyone else very well over the week she spent in the hospital with Jack. "he's still asleep but the doctors are cutting back on the drugs today so that he should wake up more."
"Great." Kim said really happy. She had begin to wonder about her father and Jesse. She knew that her father really didn't love Kate anymore. He had cared for her like a good friend, someone who had helped him through life, but he did not love her as a lover. Kim liked Jesse a lot. Even though she didn't look it she was her fathers age and she truly seemed to care for her father. Jesse had not left the hospital since she drove her and Kim there because Michelle and the others had to go back to work.
"Did they ever catch Aharon?"
"Officially Israel doesn't know where he is. Unofficially, he's a hero. We did get Teddy though and he broke down and gave us everything. He cleared my fathers name."
"That's great Jack will be so happy when he wakes up to hear that."
"Thanks for not pressing charges against him for kidnapping you, and thank you for talking the District Attorney out of pressing them anyways for the state."
"IT was the least I could do he saved my life. Even if he was the reason it was in danger. Plus I'll probably win some award off the story." Jesse said not betraying her true feelings she cared for him. "OH Kim I got to let you go Allen has just got here with some food."
"Allen?" Kim asked not knowing who he was.
"A friend that helped Jack and I out." Jesse said to help clear up some of the confusion.
"Ok bye see you in a little bit." Kim said hanging the phone up scratching her head, maybe she was wrong maybe Jesse didn't care for her dad like she thought if there was this Allen character in the way.
"Allen." Jesse said standing up and hugging him.
"God you had me so scared sweetie."
"You brought food right?"
"Of course. My specialty." He said handing her a Tupperware dish of food. "I brought some for Jack, but it doesn't look like he'll be eating anytime soon. How is he really sweetie?"
"Much better. I guess he's out of the dark side. They know he'll wake up as soon as they stop pumping so many drugs into him to help with the pain."
"Well I can tell you this he doesn't look so hot right now." Allen said staring at Jack who's torso was covered in bandages. "So what is it with you kid?"
"What?" Jesse said not understanding what he was asking.
"Well you haven't left the hospital. I noticed your last report, over a week ago came from just outside this building and only after Jack had come out of surgery. So what is it?"
"I don't know. He is here because he saved my life. The man was going to kill me, but Jack distracted him. Than I freaked and I didn't help him till after he had been stabbed three times. It's something I just can't put my finger on it."
"You like him. Physically and emotional honey." Allen said sitting down in a chair.
"But how could I love a man I barely know and meant through him kidnapping me?"
"Peoples hearts take over and their brains shot down. That's why. Damn you always get the hot ones too." Allen joked lightening the mood.
"What I thought he wasn't your type?" Jesse said smiling use to this little game with Allen.
"Just because he's not my type don't mean I don't think he's a little hotty I would sleep with in a heart beat." Allen said smiling at her.
"If he were awake I think he might try to run out of this room."
"Nah. He'd look at you than look at me and say, 'Sorry Jesse but I'm madly in love with Allen. Look at him how couldn't you be."
"Yes that is exactly what he would say Allen." Jesse said laughing.
"it's nice to see you laughing kid." Allen said noticing how she had changed from the night she called frantic on the phone.
A nurse came in and fiddled with some of the machines hooked into Jack she smiled at Allen and Jesse felt like saying, "He's gay already." But she kept her mouth closed and watched, "How is he?"
"Well we've cut back the pain killers so he should be awake any moment. When he wakes up come get the doctor please." She said smiling at the woman they had tried hard to get to leave after the first night when Jack was in the intensive care unit.
"Ok." Jesse said smiling. The nurse noticed the other Tupperware dish of food and asked, "That isn't for him is it?"
"No." Allen lied.
"Good because he can't have solid food for awhile. He took a knife to the stomach." The nurse said looking at the man wearily not trusting him.
"Yes ma'am I'll give it to the other guy that will be here soon." Allen said sincerely.
The nurse left the room and as she walked out Chase and Kim came in. Kim noticed the strange biker looking like man in the room. She smiled at him assuming he was Allen. So Jesse liked bikers, Kim thought to herself.
Jesse noticed them finally and said, "Hi Kim. This is my friend Allen. Allen this is Jack's daughter, and her boy friend Chase."
"Hi. You look a lot like your dad." Allen said smiling. He shook Kim's hand and she smiled back.
"How is he?" Kim asked looking at Jesse.
"He should be awake any time now they said. He can't have solid food for awhile I guess."
"OH GOD." Chase blurted out, "He's going to be a pain in the ars when he wakes up."
Jesse smiled at him not knowing Jack well enough to understand why, "Why?"
"OH Jack hates hospitals I mean the man could be almost dead and he would refuse to go to a hospital. After last year he has been especially stubborn. I mean you get him there by knocking him out and when he wakes up he could have every bone in his body broken he'd try to get up and walk out. Hide any clothes, but I'm sure he'll walk out in that little robe they give him and show his ars off to all the nurses just to escape this place." Chase said, and continued on, "Once he hears he can't have solid food man I'm going to go hide." Chase said walking over to the corner.
"He's really that bad?" Allen asked.
"Yeah." Chase said standing in the corner.
"Well that made my decision. You can have him Jesse." Allen said smiling, "He sounds like to much trouble for me."
"Thank you Allen." She said punching him lightly turning a shade of red embarrassed.
"What do you mean?" Chase asked never even thinking for a second Allen could be gay by the way he looked.
"OH Allen her has a crush on Jack."
"What?" Chase said before he could help himself.
"Yeah. Big gay Al."
"That's a south Park character. Not that I ever watched South Park." Chase said quickly.
"Don't worry Chase I already saw the DVD collection you hid." Kim said smiling at him.
"Those aren't mine I swear."
"You act like they are porn's Chase." Michelle said standing in the door way.
Everyone was quiet when they heard a cough come from Jack. Everyone stared at him as if he were the freakiest freak at the circus full of freaks. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times clearing the blurriness out of them. He went to push himself up when a wave of pain came over him so he lay back down. He looked around the room and the first face he saw was Allen's. He almost jumped till he saw Jesse next to him, than Michelle in the door way, Chase and Kim over in the corner. Everyone was quiet for a minute letting him get his bearings.
Finally Jack spoke through a weak coarse voice, "Where am I?"
"The hospital. Can't you tell." Allen said smiling at Jack.
"Sure." Jack said moving in the bed.
"I'll get the doctor." Michelle said walking out of the room.
Jack smiled at Jesse, and than looked at Kim he saw the bruises on her face an instantly felt guilty, "Hey honey."
"Daddy." Kim said walking over to him grabbing his hand. "It's nice to see you awake again. You had everyone scared there for awhile. You got to stop playing these games with us. I'm going to be an old lady before you finally die."
Jack smiled at her. The doctor walked in and Kim stepped back away from her father.
"Nice to see you awake finally Mr. Bauer. I'm your doctor, Chris Hart. I'll let you visit for awhile. Before I go over with you everything you need to do for your recovery." He said leaving the room.
Everyone visited for awhile Jack grumbled as had been predicted about being in the hospital. He went as far as to promise to go out with Allen one night if he helped him escape the hospital. Jesse quickly stifled that like a protective mother. Everyone left but her and she sat while she watched Jack who had drifted off back to sleep. She liked him a lot and she knew if she tried she could love him a lot. She watched him and she knew she wanted to be there for him through it all. She wanted to be in his life, even if she had to settle for a friend.
