Note: I am not done! Just rewrote the chapter and some more. They are being beta-read by now and will be up soon.
AND my Muse came back, hooray!
Now read and enjoy and leave some reviews, will ya?
Chapter 16: Live my Life
~Goodbye to all my yesterdays
Goodbye, so long, I'm on my way
I had enough of crying, bleeding, sweating, dying
Hear me when I say, gonna live my life
Everyday~
Jesse opened his eyes. This time, it wasn't too difficult. Still, the lights
hurt his eyes so he closed them tight again. He felt groggy, his body seemed to
be asleep. He would liked to have turned onto his side but couldn't control his
muscles. The only thing he was able to do was turn his head to the side,
pressing his heated face against the cool surface of the bed. He heard a small
rustling sound just before a warm hand caressed his cheek.
"Jesse, can you hear me?"
Even in his dazed state, he was able to recognise Adam's voice. He sounded worried. His vocal chords wouldn't cooperate with him, so he pressed his face into the palm of his hand instead in answer. Adam took his hand, putting light pressure on the one in his face in order to gain his attention.
"Jesse, if you can hear me squeeze my hand!"
Adam waited anxiously for a response. Nothing happened and when he'd almost given up hope, Jesse's fingers closed weakly around his hand. His eyes slowly opened up again. This time, he kept them open even when they started to water from the light blinding him.
"Hey, look who's awake. Don't move! You have all the time in the world!"
Jesse tried to speak again. He had to clear his throat before he was able to whisper one single word.
"..Shalimar?"
Adam nodded, still holding his head between his hands.
"I will call her, alright? You sleep until she comes!"
Jesse's eyes fell closed and he simply obeyed.
~~~~~~~
Three days had passed. Three days filled with worries, tears, and almost no
sleep for everybody. Finally, Adam had put his foot down and sent Brennan,
Emma, and Shalimar to their rooms. He wanted them to get at least eight hours
of sleep before allowing them back into the lab. Jesse's critical state had
finally stabilized when Adam sent them away. Barely 4 hours had passed when
Jesse chose to wake up. For a moment Adam thought about letting Shal sleep a
little longer. But he figured hearing the good news would more than make up for
the loss sleep. He checked Jesse's vital-signs on the monitor and the
transfusion bag once again before he left the lab, quickly heading for
Shalimar's room. He wanted to tell her face to face. Carefully, he opened the
door slipping quietly into her room. She was fast asleep and for a moment he
hesitated. But then he remembered the desperation in Jesse's voice when he'd
asked for her, so he sat down beside her on the bed. His hand moved one of her
long locks away from her face before gently touching her head and stroking it.
"Shalimar."
His voice was a soft whisper. She pressed into the touch a bit but otherwise stayed asleep.
"Shalimar, wake up!"
He said a little louder this time, grapping her shoulder in one hand and shaking her slightly. Tired eyes popped open at once, looking at Adam with huge eyes and a startled expression on her face. He saw the fear in her eyes and smiled reassuringly. Her mouth opened but Adam cut her off before she could say a word.
"Jesse woke up!"
Her small sigh of relief reached his ears. Tears streamed from her eyes as she closed them. Adam wiped the silver drops running down her cheeks away with his thumb.
"He asked for you!"
A sobbing laugh escaped the Mutant's chest and she couldn't keep from throwing herself into Adam's arms. He held Shal tight against his chest until her body stopped trembling and the sobs subsided. He pressed a sweet kiss on her hair before pulling back.
"Come on, let's go to the lab."
He took her hand in his and stood up, trying to pull her with him. She did not move.
Astonished, Adam looked down to her.
"What's up? I thought we go to see Jesse?"
She looked at him with big eyes. Tears still dwelled in them and she looked very vulnerable.
Shalimar shook her head, slowly, scared. Thoughts ran through her head and ran and ran…
Wasn't Jesse avoiding her in the last days? Wasn't he the one, who didn't even talk with her, merely looking at her? Why, she asked herself, would he asked to see her now?
Maybe it was just in the habit of always asking for her first when he was sick. Maybe he did not ask for her because he loved her but just…
What if he didn't love her?
"No!"
Barely a whisper. All shaken up with tears.
She saw Adam's face so full with questions.
"I can't. Not now!"
'Maybe never' she thought silently in her head. She knew, she couldn't stand the thought of being rejected.
"Ok."
Adam sat down beside her again for a moment, taking her head between her hands again, kissing her forehead.
"Take your time, I'll be in the lab. I'll take care of him until you come!"
Tbc