CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

Jess flew home with Brad, Randy and Mark the next day, while her two brothers, her mother, Tim and Jill stayed in California for a few more days while everything was wrapped up.

She slept most of the flight home on Randy's shoulder, and Brad looked at Randy expectantly, "How is she holding up?"

"She's not great," Randy said softly. Jess had been up most of the night with Randy, crying and generally feeling horribly about the fact that the last words she'd said to her father had been "I hate you, and you can go to hell".

"You can't blame her, can you?" Mark looked at them expectantly, "I mean, her dad died."

"Yeah, I can't blame her." Randy nodded slowly.

"Can I ask you something, which is only slightly unrelated?" Brad asked.

"Uh, sure?"

"What's going on between the two of you?" Brad motioned from his younger brother to Jess.

Randy took a deep breath before saying, "I honestly don't know anymore, Brad." This was the first time he had been honest with himself, that he didn't know whether all he wanted to be was just friends with Jess, "Why do you ask?"

"Jenny and I were talking about it the other day," Brad responded, "We were just wondering if you guys were ever going to admit that you're meant to be together."

"Meant to be together?' Randy and Mark echoed in unison.

"Jen's words, not mine," Brad stated.

Mark snorted, "She's changing you, man."

"Shut up," Brad pushed his youngest brother, and then looked at Randy, "So? Are you two going to get together or what?"

"No," Randy shook his head, "I'm not risking our friendship for that,"

"The only thing you'd be risking is, like, marriage," Mark said, looking at Randy.

"Huh?" Randy looked at him blankly.

"Come on, dude, everybody's known the two of you would end up together in the end." Mark said. "If you two dated, the only thing you'd be risking is getting married and spending the rest of your life with her."

"Yeah," Brad agreed, "Even when you two were toddlers, Mom and Veronica were thinking the two of you were soul mates because they never saw two kids bond faster than you two."

Randy looked at Jess. She was curled up in her seat, her hand lightly gripping Randy's shirtsleeve as she slept soundly.

"I don't know, guys, what if she doesn't feel the same?"

When they got off the plane, Jess had a pained expression on her face.

"Are you okay? Randy asked.

"I have a stomach ache, that's all," Jess murmured. The right side of her abdomen was killing her. It wasn't her stomach, but she didn't know what else it could be.

"Probably just the plane food and stuff," Randy assured her.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Jess nodded. She touched her side tenderly, and frowned, hoping that she had either eaten something that upset her stomach, or bruised her side, but she wasn't sure that was it.

2 hours later, Randy knew that it must've been more than just airplane food that was making Jess feel sick. He realized she hadn't eaten anything on the plane, and ever since she'd arrived at the Taylor home, she'd been dozing on the couch. Every time she tried to move, she'd wince in pain, and she wouldn't eat anything, stating she felt sick to her stomach.

Jess was wrapped up in a thick quilt, and Randy decided to check if she had a fever. He pressed a hand to her forehead, and sighed. She was burning up.

"Jess," Randy shook her softly, hating to wake her, "Jess, are you feeling okay?"

Jess blearily opened her brown eyes, and then shook her head weakly.

"Does anything hurt?"

"Everything," Jess' voice was so soft that it worried Randy.

Randy took a deep breath, "Where did it start hurting, Jess?"

Jess touched her right side, close to her hipbone, gingerly, and a thought struck Randy. When they had been younger, Brad had gotten appendicitis, and, if Randy remembered correctly, his older brother had been feeling quite similarly to how Jess was at that moment.

"Jess, how long has your side been hurting you?"

"Since I left for California," Jess murmured, "I just thought it was because I was feeling badly about my dad, and jet lag, and stuff."

Randy nodded slowly, "Okay, um," He hesitated, "I think we have to take you to the hospital."

"I hate hospitals," Jess said softly.

"I know you do, Jessie, but if we don't take you, I don't think you're going to get any better," Randy glanced up at the sound of footsteps and found Brad entered the kitchen, "Brad, I need you to drive us to the hospital."

"Uh, okay," Brad looked concerned, "Why?"

"I think Jess might have appendicitis," Randy informed him.

Brad looked a little bit stunned for a moment, and then said, "Okay. Get Jess ready to leave, I'll grab my coat and meet you in the car."

"I don't want to go, Randy," Jess mumbled, as he helped her to put on her coat.

"You'll be fine, Jess," Randy reassured her, "I promise. The doctor's are going to make you feel better."

"I hate doctors," Jess stated.

"I know," Randy nodded, and helped her to the car, "I'll be there with you the whole time though, you'll be fine. The doctors will help you."

"As long as you're sure," Jess sighed.

Randy smiled weakly, "I'm sure."

"You're lucky you brought her here when you did, boys," Dr. Marshall was very pretty, and she barely looked old enough to be out of high school, with straight auburn hair and wide gray eyes. "Her appendix was just about to rupture when we got her into surgery."

"But she's okay now, right?" Randy had been worrying since the moment that Jess had left his sight.

The doctor nodded, "Yes, she is. She's sedated, but she should be fine, maybe a little groggy, she'll probably not be very hungry for a couple of days and might act a little out of it at first, but she'll be back to one-hundred percent in a week or two." She paused, "You said her mother's out of town?"

Brad nodded, "We just got back from her father's funeral."

"Oh, that's too bad," Dr. Marshall sighed, "Well, Jessica should probably spend the night here, just in case she reacts badly with the medication we have her on, but you can take her home first thing in the morning."

Randy and Brad both nodded, and the doctor continued, "If either of you have any questions, feel free to find me." She paused again, "And I must say, Jessica James is lucky to have to friends who look after her as well as the two of you."

She walked off, and Brad looked at Randy, "She's okay."

"Yeah, thank God." Randy breathed a sigh of relief. Only the two older Taylor boys had come to the hospital, Mark had decided to stay home in case their parents, or Veronica, happened to call.

"You can go in and see her if you want to, man," Brad told his younger brother.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Randy looked at him expectantly.

"Nah, I've gotta make some calls," Brad replied, "I'll call Mark and tell him that Jess is okay, get the number for Veronica's hotel room, get the number for Mom and Dad's hotel room, call Jenny…"

"All right," Randy nodded, "Come and get me when you're finished."

Brad nodded, "Sure thing." He got up and wandered off down the hall.

Randy stood up and sighed deeply, before entering Jess' hospital room. She was sound asleep against the big white pillows, but she looked quite healthier than she had on the way there.

Randy pulled a chair up to the side of Jess' bed, and sat down, hesitating, before grabbing her hand and squeezing it lightly, knowing that he'd be sitting there until Jess woke up.

The next afternoon, Jess' eyelids fluttered open, and it took her a few moments to realize where she was, before she looked at Randy and smiled sleepily, "Hi, Randy Taylor."

"Hey, Jessie James." Randy grinned lopsidedly at her, "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Jess looked tired too, but Randy didn't say so. "But I don't really feel like I'm bruised all over now."

"That's always good," Randy nodded, and chuckled weakly, "You look great."

"And you're a big fat liar," Jess told him, her voice soft.

"No, I'm not," Randy shook his head, "You do look great."

Jess rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling sleepily, "So, you were right. I was sick."

"I didn't want to be right," Randy informed her.

"That's a first," Jess chuckled weakly, and then looked seriously at him, "I'm going to miss you when you go back to Costa Rica."

Randy stopped smiling for a moment. His flight was to leave the next day, and he was quite sure it was going to kill him to leave Jess for a second time, especially after everything that had happened in the past week and a half.

"I don't have to go back, Jess," Randy said fairly.

"What do you mean?" Jess looked confused.

"I can stay home if that's what you want." Randy said, watching her carefully.

"What? No. No, no, no. I won't let you give up a huge opportunity like Costa Rica for me." Jess shook her head.

"So you don't want me to stay home?" Randy asked.

Jess looked thoughtful, "I'd like it if you stayed home, but I don't want you to give up your dreams just to stay home and make sure I don't break."

"Jessica, that wouldn't be the only reason I'd be staying home," Randy began, but Jess interrupted him.

"I know, Randy," Jess nodded, "And I know that we have a lot to talk about, but I think it can wait for a couple more months, don't you?" She looked at him expectantly.

Randy nodded slowly, "I guess so, yeah."

"I don't want to be the one keeping you from doing what you love," Jess said, squeezing his hand.

"Jess, I—" Randy wasn't quite sure what was going to come spilling out of his mouth, and he may never have found out, because Veronica came bursting into the hospital room.

"Jessica Rae!" She exclaimed, "You nearly gave me a heart attack! Don't ever get sick like that again!"

"Mom, I thought you were in California," Jess remarked sleepily.

Veronica nodded, "Well, yes, but then Mark called the hotel to tell us that Brad had to take you to the hospital, and Tim, Jill and I hopped on the next flight to Detroit. I got here as soon as I could, sweetie." She looked at Randy, "Your parents wanted to go home and check on Mark, and maybe get some rest. They're going to come see Jess tomorrow, when I bring her home."

"Where are Jack and Nick?" Jess asked.

"They stayed in California for a little while," Veronica replied, "How are you feeling?"

"Sleepy." Jess responded.

"That's understandable." Veronica nodded, "You're just lucky you had Randy around to save you."

Jess tilted her head to look at Randy and smiled weakly, "He's always saving me."

Randy shrugged, feeling a little bit embarrassed, "It's my job, isn't it?"

Veronica smiled slightly, "Well, thank you, Randy, I don't know what Jess would do without you."

"Me neither," Jess agreed, smiling at him.

Randy smiled slightly, and then said, "Well, if you're okay, Jess, I think I'm going to go home and start packing for Costa Rica."

"Yeah, sure," Jess nodded, "I probably won't see you tomorrow, your flight's pretty early, right?"

Randy nodded, "Yeah, I have to be at the airport by seven."

"So, I guess I'll see you in June then," Jess said, nodding slowly.

"Yeah, I guess so," Randy nodded, and then gave Jess an awkward one-armed hug.

"Be careful, okay?" Jess murmured.

"I will be," Randy promised, "I'll talk to you soon."

"You better," Jess smiled at him, "Bye, Randy."

"Bye, Jessie."

Only one more chapter after this! I'm pretty sure I'm going to write a sequel, though, I just need to get all my ideas in order (Thank you to everyone who's brainstorming, I can't wait to see your ideas!). Thank you again for all your reviews, they are great for me! Please keep it up! :)