A/N – You all know how much I love angst and suspense! I'm going to continue with Within: Part 2 as soon as I'm done this one :)
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The gloom was still hovering over the bullpen a week later. No one laughed, no one smiled. They all assumed after what had happened, the people upstairs weren't giving them any cases, knowing that they probably couldn't deal with it at the moment, no after everything that had happened. Bobby looked around the room. Tara was absentmindedly playing with her rubix cube, her eyes unfocused, her face drained; Lucy was resting her chin on her hands, staring off into nowhere, obviously lost in thought. Jack had dark circles under his eyes and was gazing at Sue's empty desk, Levi lying sadly at his feet.
No one felt like going out for lunch anymore, or playing practical jokes. Everything had changed after that fateful day that had affected all their lives. From what they had heard, Tony was facing disciplinary action, but wouldn't lose his job. Dimitrius had broken the news to Jack gently. Jack wanted to be furious, but his mind kept going back to the vision he had had in the hospital, when Sue had wanted him to forgive Tony and move on with his life.
Jack glanced at his watch, which was reading just shortly after 4pm. He sighed and started re-arranging his things, grabbing what he needed. Bobby made his way over to his best-friends desk.
"Going home mate?" He asked gently, knowing what Jack was thinking even though he didn't answer. "Jack, I know that you're trying, we all are, but you can't do this to yourself either. It's not good for you – you look like you haven't slept in days." Jack looked up, his eyes telling him that he hadn't slept in days.
"I have to – for the both of us." He said quietly and emotionally, before slowly walking away, everyone's eyes following him out the door.
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"Mr. Hudson!" Jack turned around in the sterile, dull hallway as he heard his name being called.
"Hi Lydia." He said glumly. "Sorry, I know I'm a bit late. How is she?" She smiled.
"We were about to call you. She opened her eyes today." Jack looked at the ICU nurse in shock. "Wait a second though. I don't want to get your hopes up – she's still unresponsive, but the doctor does say it's a good sign." Jack quickly followed her to what had become his second home. He hadn't slept at his own place since Sue had been admitted, and the nurses had been nice enough to find a cot for him so he could stay overnight and be close to her. The only time he ever went home now was to shower and change his clothes.
He couldn't help but smile, and also cry to see her blue eyes staring blankly up at the ceiling. How he had prayed to see those eyes again. After having gone into cardiac arrest the day she had been moved to the ICU, Jack had been so sure he had lost her, but the doctor assured him that she was a fighter once they had gotten her back to stable condition. Over the last few days she had made small improvements, and it had taught Jack to hope like he never had before.
The rest of the team came to visit her often, but were all concerned about Jack's unwillingness to see reality. As hard as it was, they all knew that the chances were low, no matter how much improvement she made. The smallest infection could change everything. As much as they hoped and prayed, they didn't want to get their hopes up, just to crash again like they had when they had first found out about her condition. They were worried about how Jack would handle it, if she didn't recover.
Jack grabbed her hand, and kept talking to the nurse. He had become well acquainted with them, having spent so much of his time sitting next to Sue. They were great at explaining what they were doing, and what things meant. It meant a lot to him that they were trying to make sure he knew what was going on. The nurse he had met in the hall, Lydia, had come back into the room to take her vitals.
"The respiratory doctor is going to come in later, and take her off the respirator for a few seconds, see if she starts breathing on her own. We did an MRI once her eyes opened, and know that there is still a lot of brain activity – she's not brain dead, and she's still with us and fighting." Jack gave her a small smile. He grabbed Sue's hand, and squeezed it like he always did, to assure her that he was there. He hoped for a second that she would squeeze back, but she didn't. Still, her eyes being open was a good sign.
Jack would like to talk to her, as if she could hear him. Even if she had been awake, he knew that it would be impossible, but now that her eyes were open, he had an idea. With the nurse's head, they turned her head slightly, so he would be in her line of vision.
"Everyone misses you at work." He signed slowly. "Especially Levi. But we're taking good care of him." Jack didn't want her to worry needlessly. He smiled as he saw her blink. It was a movement, at that was all he cared about, no matter if it was just a reflex.
"I'm going on my break," Lydia said kindly, "Do you want me to bring you anything back?" Jack shook his head.
"Thanks – I ate on my way here. Have a good break." She smiled and nodded before leaving to give Jack and Sue some privacy. Jack continued,
"Your parents will be back again on Saturday. They will be happy to hear that your beautiful eyes are open again. I promised them I would watch after you." Jack watched her blink again. Such a small thing, that meant so much to him. He had taken so many things for granted when it came to Sue. The hours they had spent even just talking. He wished he could have that back. He knew if she did ever come out of this, he would make sure she knew he would be by her side, for as long as she wanted him. And he hoped that it would be forever.
"When you wake up," Jack signed some more, "I'm going to take you for a great dinner and we can talk and laugh and dance, just like old times. You can't leave me Sue. You have too much to live for, and I don't want to live without you." Jack watched her blink a few times. An idea suddenly popped into his head. He knew it was farfetched, but he had to try.
"Sue, if you can understand, blink three times." He looked intently at her vivid blue distant eyes, waiting. A few seconds past, which felt like hours, until he saw her blink. Three times. Wanting to make sure it wasn't just a coincidence, he signed to her again,
"Sue – if you know what I'm saying, blink 3 times again. I need to make sure." Sure enough, she blinked three times. Jack had never felt so joyful in his entire life, as he impulsively moved forward and kissed her on the cheek, absolutely ecstatic. He signed again.
"I'm going to go tell the nurse. I'll be right back. Blink twice if this is okay." She blinked twice. Jack squeezed her hand, reassuring her that he would not be long, as he rushed down the hall to the nurse's station, feeling happier than he had in days.