Jo paced back and forth in the ER waiting room. It had been what seemed like hours since Drew had been brought in and still no word yet on what was going on with him. She thought back to the Quartermaine living room and seeing Drew slumped over, thinking he was dead. Thank God when she felt his pulse she could feel his heart beating. She had yelled out loudly for help and again, thankfully, Monica was not out of shouting distance. Once Monica had rushed in and began making her assessment, she put Jo to work.
Flashback:
"Call 911 right now!" Monica shouted. "Drew, Drew can you hear me? It's Monic…..it's mom."
Monica was gently caressing Drew's head and rubbing his chest. She took her thumb and fore finger and pulled open his eyelids to check the pupils. She listened for his heartbeat and then took his pulse. He was alive, "thank God." She mumbled to herself.
"Monica!" Jo cried out. "I don't know the address to tell the 911 operator!"
Monica stood up slowly from where she had been crouching near Drew.
"Here, give me the phone," her gravelly voice boomed. "You come over here and keep talking to him." Monica directed.
Jo handed Monica the phone and knelt down next to Drew.
"Don't you die on me! Don't you dare die! You have been through way tougher fights than this, you made it through those and you are gonna make it through this too! Drew, do you hear me?!" Jo pleaded, with tears streaming down her face, practically ordering Drew to wake up. She ran her fingers through his hair and caressed his face. She crouched down right next to him and gave him a peck on the cheek.
Just as Jo raised her head back up a bit, she saw Drew stir.
"Sam," he muttered quietly, never fully waking up.
End Flashback
"Jo?"
Hearing the voice brought Jo out of her thoughts and she jolted her head around and stood up quickly.
"Monica!" She cried out with relief. "How is he, what's wrong, is he going to be okay?" Jo fired the questions so rapidly that Monica couldn't even get a word out.
Monica walked toward Jo and put her hand on her shoulder, guiding her to sit down.
"The doctors are with him now and I have a call in to Dr. Maddox, so that he can consult, in case this is related to the memory procedure." Monica explained calmly.
"But, he's going to be okay, right?" Jo tearfully asked.
"He regained consciousness, briefly in the exam room and that's a good sign." Monica reassured her.
Jo, straightened her back a bit and a glimmer of hope shot through her body.
"He did? He woke up? Did he say anything?"
Monica looked away from Jo and toward the floor. She placed her hand on Jo's leg and patted it gently.
"He did ask me something. He, he asked me to…." Monica hesitated a moment not sure if she should share the information.
"Monica, what?! What did he ask you, please tell me!" Jo pleaded loudly.
"He asked me to call Sam." Monica flatly replied.
The hope that Jo had been feeling quickly left her body and she felt herself slump down a bit in the chair. She wasn't sure why she felt so betrayed by the information, after all, she knew that Drew had a bond with Sam. Jo felt tears welling up in her eyes and she didn't want Monica to see her reaction. She quickly turned her head away and closed her eyes tightly to blink back the tears. She ran her fingers through her hair and let out a small sigh. Looking back at Monica she let a small smile creep across her face.
"Yes, of course, you should absolutely call Sam. Afterall, that is the mother of his child." Jo barely choked the words out without breaking down.
"Jo, I'm sure that Drew knows you were there with him and…."
"Yes, I'm sure you're right." Jo quickly replied, not allowing Monica to finish. She shot up from the chair and took a few steps away from them, keeping her back toward Monica.
"Thank you so much for the update. I, I'm going to go splash some cold water on my face." Jo plainly states, finally turning to face Monica. "It's just been pretty intense, you know. I'll be right back."
Jo begins walking away before she even finishes getting the words out. She rounds the corner of the waiting room and just as she does, tears start streaming down her face and she starts sobbing uncontrollably. She leans up against the wall and places her hands on her face. Her emotions were all over the place. She was so worried about Drew and what was going on with him and at the same time, she was completely heartbroken to realize that Sam was still the one in the top of his heart. Jo took a deep breath in and brushed the hair out of her face. She needed to get it together. She couldn't let Monica see how hurt she was. This was about Drew right now and getting him through whatever was going on.
Monica watched as Jo quickly walked out of the waiting room and out of sight. She could tell Jo was upset by Drew asking for Sam. Monica shook her head slightly and then let out a breath. She tilted her head slightly to look up at the ceiling.
"God, please let Drew be okay." She whispered to herself.
She closed her eyes tightly and then fumbled in her pocket to find her cell phone. She quickly found Sam's number and pushed button on her phone to call.
"Voicemail," she muttered. "Sam, Hi it's Monica. Listen, something happened and I need you to call me back right away. Danny and Scout are fine, don't worry. Just call me back as soon as you get this. Thanks."
Monica pulled the phone away from her ear and stuffed it back into her lab coat. She looked around to see if Jo was returning. Not seeing her, Monica got up and headed back toward the exam room where Drew was, to get an update on his condition.
Jo jolted awake from her curled-up position in the chair next to Drew's hospital bed. She had been sitting with him ever since his surgery to relieve a subdural hematoma. She was waiting for him to regain consciousness and vowed to herself not to leave his side until he did. She was sitting just a few feet away from the hospital bed. Close enough that she could watch him carefully but not too close that she could grab his hand. She wanted to so badly but she had resisted the urge since they weren't exactly in "that," place yet.
She rubbed her hands over her face and shook off the grogginess of the sleep. She lifted up from the chair just a bit to look for any signs of concern with Drew. He looked the same. Still just peacefully sleeping. Part of her wanted to smack him across the face for worrying her so bad and the other part just wanted to kiss him and hold him in her arms. She smiled sweetly at the thought of kissing him and crawling up in the bed with him. Her smile quickly faded when she recalled how Drew had asked for Sam when he was brought in to the ER.
"You, stupid jerk." She softly muttered and flailed her hand toward him in a slapping motion.
"It's nice to see you too." Drew quietly replied without opening his eyes.
"Drew!" Jo exclaimed. "You're awake!"
Jo jumped up from the chair and scooted it closer to the bed. She reached out and touched his arm and squeezed it slightly.
"Oh my gosh! Don't move, I'll call someone in here to look at you." Jo commanded.
"Wait, hold on. Just give me a minute." Drew said, groggily.
"What is it, are you okay, do you hurt?" Jo questioned worriedly.
Finally opening his eyes, Drew reached out for Jo's arm and caressed it lightly.
"No, JJ, I'm fine. I just don't want to be poked and prodded on at the moment. I just want to lay here and look at you and talk to you." Drew sweetly retorted. He raised his hand and rubbed her cheek gently.
"JJ, what happened? Why am I in the hospital?"
Jo gave Drew a puzzled look and without thinking grabbed his hand.
"You don't remember what happened?" She quizzes.
Drew scrunches his face a bit and closes his eyes. He takes his free hand and runs his fingers through his hair.
"The last thing I remember, you and I were at the mansion. We were in the living room talking. Talking about…" a waft of realization washes over Drew's face. "Our baby." He concludes softly.
A knowing look crossed Jo's face and she nodded her head slightly.
Drew took his free hand and placed it on top of Jo's.
"That's right," Jo smiles sweetly. "I was finally able to tell you that we made a child together. A son."
Drew's eyes filled with tears at remembering Jo telling him the baby didn't survive.
"JJ, again, I'm just so sorry."
Jo begins to shake her head and wave a hand in front of her face.
"No, no, stop. It was a long time ago and it wasn't your fault. Right now, we need to focus on you and getting you better." She instructs, pointing her finger at him.
"Better from what?" Drew inquires.
"You had a subdural hematoma that was caused by an aneurysm. They think the aneurysm formed when you had the memory procedure done." Jo explains calmly.
Drew scans the bed and his arms to see an IV needle inserted. He then raises a hand up to his head and feels a bandage wrapped around it.
"They had to do emergency surgery to drain the blood pooling in your brain." Jo continued.
"Wow, so that's why I was having those headaches."
"Yeah, they said you are lucky to be alive."
Drew sits up slightly in the bed and winces with a bit of pain.
"Drew, what are you doing? Stop trying to get up. What do you need I'll get it for you." Jo chides.
"I just want to get a better look at you, that's all." Drew says coyly.
Jo looks over at him with a bit of a glare and then it quickly turns to a smile. She takes her hands and brushes them over her hair, suddenly realizing that she looks like someone who has been camped out in a hospital room.
"Don't," Jo insists, holding her hands up to shield Drew's eyes. "Don't look I look…"
Drew cuts her off quickly.
"Like hell."
"Wow! Thanks." Jo retorts.
Drew chuckles lightly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I just mean, I know you've probably been camped out here for however long I have been in this place and now that I'm awake and you can see that I'm my old charming self, you should go home and get some actual sleep."
Jo looks down at the floor, trying to hide her embarrassment at the fact he was 100 percent right.
"Okay, Mr. smarty pants, MAYBE I've been here since we brought you in. But someone, had to look out for you and make sure you didn't die." Jo replies in a mocking tone with a huge grin.
Drew gets a forlorn look on his face and lets out a little sigh.
"Sam wasn't here?"
Suddenly Jo remembered how Drew had asked for Sam in the ER and back at the mansion before the ambulance arrived. She quickly shot up off the chair and released the hold on Drew's hand. She walked around to the front of the bed and crossed her arms over her chest.
"No, no I haven't seen her. I know Monica called her. I can go find out what's up with her if you want." Jo nervously said, pointing toward the door.
"No, that's okay it can wait. Why don't you come sit back down and talk to me some more." Drew encouraged.
Jo felt extremely uncomfortable all of a sudden and she just wanted to leave so she could gather herself together.
"Drew, I think you were right I think I should….."
Before Jo could finish her thought the door to the room opened up and a loud voice boomed.
"There's my man! Drew glad to see your awake!" Curtis exclaimed loudly.
Jo quickly turned around to see who had entered the room. Before she could even get her bearings, the man was walking toward her with his hand extended out.
"Oh, hey there, I'm Curtis, Curtis Ashford."
"Hi! I'm Jo, Joanna Jenkins. Drew and I are old friends."
Curtis flashes a sly smile toward Drew as he quickly realizes that this was the woman Drew had told him about at The Floating Rib.
"Right, Jo, I've heard, well, almost nothing about you honestly." Curtis replies coyly.
Jo chuckled slightly and let out a small scoff.
"Um, yeah, I guess the same goes for you. Drew hasn't told me much about any of his friends in Port Charles."
"Okay, okay, I get it. I haven't been sharing, but is now really the time to be giving me a hard time, didn't you say I just had brain surgery?" Drew slyly retorts.
"Oh yeah man, I was just kidding, you know, but it is really good to see you awake, you had me worried." Curtis repeats as he goes in for a high five with Drew.
Jo, seeing her chance to escape the highly awkward situation decides to excuse herself.
"Well, clearly you two have a lot to talk about so, I'll just leave you alone."
"Jo, you don't have to go, stay, we can all talk." Drew implores.
Just then the door of the room opened again and this time it was Monica who entered.
"Drew, glad to see your awake." She says, a smile beaming across her face.
"Yeah, see, now this is really my cue to leave. I'm sure you are going to get that poking and prodding now, so I'll just see you later." Jo awkwardly states.
She quickly gathered her things and rushed out the door before Drew could protest again.
"It really is so good to see you awake. You had us all worried." Monica reiterates.
"I'm sorry to worry you." Drew replies bashfully with a sly smile.
"Oh now, no need to apologize, it seems you are on the road to recovery. How are you feeling? Does anything hurt?" Monica quizzes.
"I feel great actually. No headache, no dizziness, I feel 100 percent better." Drew explains with confidence.
"Uh, ha, ha, not so fast mister. I know what you are trying to do and you are NOT going home this soon. You need at least another night, MAYBE two in here to make sure everything is fine." Monica scolds.
Drew flashes Monica his puppy dog eyes and sticks out his bottom lip to pout.
"Yes, ma'am." He responds sheepishly. "I'll listen to doctor's orders, just this once."
"Good, I'm glad I don't have to have Curtis here restrain you."
Curtis shoots Monica a surprise look.
"I'd do it to man I don't want to get on your mama's bad side."
Everyone chuckles slightly.
"Mom, did you let Sam know I was in the hospital?"
"Yes, yes I did. I have actually left her several messages but she never called back. Finally, I called Alexis to see if she knew where Sam was. Alexis said that Sam called her and left her a message that she was going out of town, I guess on a case. She must be out of cell range or something? I thought she would have at least called back by now." Monica explains.
Drew gets a forlorn look on his face.
"Drew, you okay man?" Curtis asks
"Yeah, yeah, it's just, I thought she would at least call to check on me." Drew quickly remembered the conversation he'd had with Sam before he collapsed. He recalled how he told her that they needed time apart to both figure out their feelings. Drew thought it was strange though, that Sam wouldn't even call, just to check that he was okay. Drew had a strange thought that maybe something was wrong with Sam. He hastily put the thought out of his mind. "Everything's fine." He told himself. She just needs time away.
"Anyway, Doc, what do I gotta do to get out of this place?" Drew playfully asks.
Monica chuckles a bit.
"For the time being, just rest." Monica chides. "Curtis, you can stay, but only for a little while and DON'T let him get out of that bed."
Curtis gives Monica a salute and a serious face.
"Oh yes ma'am, you have my word."
"Good, then I will go consult with your doctors and see what they have to say. I really am glad you are okay Drew. I love you." Monica replies wistfully, holding back tears.
"I love you too mom."
Monica reaches down and caresses Drews face with her hand and gives him a quick peck on the cheek before leaving. Curtis watches for Monica to shut the door completely before he starts in.
"Okay, it's just you and me, what's really going on? I saw that look when your Mom mentioned Sam. Are you sure you're okay?"
Drew recalled the bad feeling he had about Sam not answering her phone. Again, he pushed the thought away.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Sam and I we had a talk and agreed to take time apart to figure out our feelings. I'm sure everything is just fine." Drew plainly replies.
"Okay, if you're sure." Curtis retorts. "So, Jo? Did she stay by your bedside this whole time?"
Drew flashes Curtis an annoyed look.
"Curtis…" Drew rubs his hands along his face and lets out a groan. "Maybe we should talk about something else besides my love life."
"Okay, okay, I'm just saying. She stayed right by your side until you woke up. That screams love to me." Curtis jokes
"CURTIS!" Drew exclaims.
They both laugh and Drew quickly changes the subject.
"So, Curtis, I just might have a case for you."