Hell Hath None. Just one Yesterday
Jack woke up in an unfamiliar place. It was white and filled with beeping noises and people walking around. She could hear their shoes on the tile, she could hear the wheels squeaking. She was still dizzy but her heart was racing. Where was she? What happened? Where was Don?
Jack bolted upright and swayed as the dizziness increased. There was a white blanket over her and there were tubes in her good arm. She ripped them out, causing the machines to scream wildly. Jack stood shakily and steadied herself on the metal rail that was attached to her bed. She looked down and saw she was in a light blue hospital gown.
Was she back in Germany? Did she just dream being home? Where was she? All the noises blurred together and her vision was almost fuzzy. She had to find Don. Jack yanked back a curtain and nearly fell. Two nurses walked over and took her arms gently. She struggled to get out of their grip and keep walking. They kept a gentle grip on her.
"No! Let me go!" She shouted hoarsely. God her throat hurt. "Let me go."
"Ma'am, we need to get you back in bed." One of the nurses said gently. "Come on." Jack struggled.
"No, no, I need to go, let me go, please!" Jack begged as she struggled. She slipped on the tile and her legs gave out. The two nurses kept her from falling. "I have to find my husband." SHe hated how needy she sounded, and she hated how hoarse her voice sounded.
The two nurses patiently helped her to stand again and began pulling her back to her bed. They were gentle with her, but were not going to let her run around.
"I can go get him. He's just out in the waiting area." The first nurse said as they sat Jack on her bed. "What's his name?" She asked. Jack looked at the woman.
"Don." Jack croaked out. "Don Collier." The nurse nodded and gave jack a small smile before leaving to go find Don.
"Alright, Mrs. Collier, why don't you lay down." The second nurse said gently. Jack shook her head, wanting to sit up. If she lay down, she risked falling asleep. She was still exhausted but needed to see her husband.
"Let me sit." Jack told her. The nurse sighed and thought about it. Jack really needed to rest.
"Alright. You can sit up, but you have to keep these in." The nurse said as she grabbed the tubes again. The nurse grabbed Jacks arm gently and began putting them back in. Jack felt frear creep through her again.
"What are they?" Jack asked quietly.
"One is an IV. It's giving you fluids. You are severely dehydrated." The nurse explained. "This one isn't a tube, it just tracks your pulse. We didn't want to put it on your chest because of the burnes." Jack lifted a hand and rested it on her chest. She could feel the welts and scars.
Before long, the nurse returned with Don. Jack smiled tiredly at him and the other nurse stepped away. They left the two for a moment alone. Don sat next to Jack and rested a hand on her face, letting a thumb brush against her cheekbone. It stuck out from her gaunt face. She looked like a skeleton but Don was just glad she was home. SHE rested a hand over his and he saw the bandages on her hands. It went up her arms as well. He wouldn't ask her about those yet.
"Hi, Jack." He breathed, smiling at her. Jack leaned into his touch and closed her eyes, breathing. She smiled.
"Hello, Don." She answered. "I missed you so much." She said as she struggled to speak. She heard her voice crack and almost grimaced. "I-I just..." she started to speak, almost unsure of what she even want to say. Don pulled her in for a hug and held her close. One hand ran through her hair. The other was wrapped around her shoulders.
"It's alright, baby." He told her quietly. "You're home now." He kissed her forehead and moved his arm so he could rub her back. She was tense and probably in a lot of pain. When his hand rested on her back, she flinched and pulled away from him slightly, while almost twisting away from his hand with a grimace n her face. She hissed in pain and Don frowned.
"What's wrong?" He asked concerned. Jack shook her head.
"Nothing. Just hurt." SHe admitted quietly. Don nodded and rested his hand on her knee. She was covered to her waist by a hospital blanket.
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize." He told her. Jack was playing with her hands in her lap, almost like she coudln't look him in the eye. He didn't take it personally though. She did just spend three months being held hostage. But he was still allowed to worry, right?
"Baby?" He said. She didn't move. "Jack?" He asked again and she stopped fiddling with her hands."What's wrong, baby?" He asked patiently, watching her, trying to see just how much damage was done.
"Don, I didn't think I'd come home." She admitted in a whisper and he could see tears gathering like storm clouds. "I thought I was going to die there. I was so scared.I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." She whispered at him, her hands moving to cover her mouth almost nervously. Don took her face in his hands and looked at her with a mix of loving softness, but also a firmness, making sure she listened to what he was going to say. Jack's small hands went to grab at his shirt. HE didn't mind.
"Jack, you did nothing wrong." He told her. "You did the very best you could."
"I missed you." She whispered after a few moments of silence. Don smiled.
"I missed you too, baby." He said as he pulled her close again. "Welcome home." Jack wrapped her arms around him and he held her close for a long while, just sitting there, holding his wife. He made sure not to touch too low on her back. The sight of her was shocking when she got off the plane. She looked like a skeleton and where her clean dress didn't cover, there was dirt and blood and bandages. Her weight is what scared Don. She wasn't even this emaciated that one time in Germany. She almost looked like one of the people from a concentration camp.
After Jack had been taken to a hospital after her collapse, a man from the Central Intelligence Agency pulled Don aside and told him what had happened. When Don heard the list of injuries she sustained, he saw red. His fist connected with the man's face and Don through him against the wall. Boyd had come up behind him and pulled him away. Don was shouting at the man as Boyd pulled him away.
Jack was out for two days. Color began to return to her skin and when he heard she was awake, he all but ran to her side. Her hair was still a mess, but they had cleaned her face of dirt and dried blood.
Don released Jack and dug through his pocket. He pulled out her ring and her Saint Christopher necklace. She laughed and took them, putting them on. Don was glad to see her smiling. God, he missed that smile. He wanted to pull her in and never let her go, but she needed to eat something. A nurse returned with a tray. On it was a bowl of soup, a cup of water and roll. Jack grimaced at the tray before her. Don had gotten her to lay back in her bed. He sat on the edge, facing her.
"What's wrong?" Don asked, looking at her face of disgust.
"Don't make me eat this." She said quietly. Don frowned. "All they gave me to eat while in Germany was cold, disgusting soup and stale bread." Don sighed. He wondered how often they even let her have that much. He rested his hand on her knee again.
"I'm sure this stuff tastes better." He said. "You need to eat and I don't know if you can handle anything heavier." He said to her quietly. Jack nodded and lifted a shaky hand to the spoon in the bowl. She slowly ate a spoonful before grimacing and swallowing. It was bland but at least it was warm. Don chuckled next to her and she shot him a glare.
"Oh, it can't be that bad." He teased, relieved to see she was still able to pin him with that glare.
"You eat it then." Jack said and picked up the bread. At least the bread tasted ok. "Go on, try it." She urged him. Don just gave her a look and lifted a spoonful to his mouth. He nearly spat it out and put the spoon down. "Told you." She said to him. Don stood.
"I'm going to go see if I can get you something else." He said and bents down, kissing her cheek. "Eat that bread." Jack nodded and took a bite. Don left to hunt down a nurse. Jack sat there, slowly chewing her roll. Before long it was gone, and Jack wondered if she could fit anything else in her stomach. She was full.
"Excuse me, you can't go down there." A nurse said.
"The fuck you mean we can't?" Grady's outraged voiced came from down the hall. Jack couldn't see past the curtain walls but knew her friends were there. She smiled.
"Yeah, man. Our friend's down there!" Gordo argued.
"I don't care. You can't go down this hall way." The nurse said. JAck had to give her credit. It was no easy feat standing up to Grady, especially when he had his crew with him. "If you would like to wait out in the hall, I'll talk to a doctor-" Jack heard her speak, but Norman spoke up.
"Look, we just need to see our friend." He said. "We won't be long, just a few minutes." He all but begged. She coudl hear the nurse sigh. She wanted to get up and go tell the nurse to let them through, but she doubted she would make it three steps.
"I'm sorry, but it's family only right-" The nurse was cut off again.
"WE are her family!" Norman shouted, startling both JAck and the nurse. She needed to step in.
"If you don't leave, I'm going to call security." The nurse threatened and Jack shakily stood. she brought the Iv with her as she shakily shuffled to the hall.
"Miss!" She called out, gaining everyone's attention. She offered a small smile. "Miss, it's ok. I want to see them."
"Jesus Christ." Boyd muttered at the sight of Jack and Norman pushed past the nurse to Jack's side, seeing her wobble dangerously. He reached her as her legs began to give out. He gently caught her and helped her steady herself. She was laughing nervously, holding onto Norman's arms as she looked at the floor.
"Thanks, Norman." She said quietly, her voices still soar. Norman smiled at her and hugged the small woman. She was like a sister to him, and he thought he lost her. Jack smiled and hugged him back. Her smiled widened as she saw the other three walking over to her. She slowly let go of Norman, but he made sure to keep a gentle hand on her arm, keeping her steady. Boyd reached her first and she hugged him. He seemed to sigh with releif.
"You gave us a scare the other day." He told her as he let her go. Grady waltzed over to her and dropped a heavy hand on her head, grinning ear to ear.
"You're one tough sum bitch, hu? Good to see you, ghost." He teased. Jack laughed a bit and swatted away his hand.
"Yeah." Gordo agreed and gently pat her upper arm, not wanting to injure her further. "Ain't no way some stupid Krauts was gonna keep you forever, man. No way." Jack smiled and laughed, making sure to keep a grip on Norman, keeping herself upright. Her back stung and her ribs throbbed from moving and she was getting more and more tired, but she smiled through it as her laughter shook her ribs. Seeing them right now was worth the pain.
"Jack, what are you doing out of bed?" Don asked with a small smile as he headed over to the group, a bowl of something in his hands. Jack smiled at him, happy to have him back in her presence. She had been gone for three months. She hated every second he wasn't in her line of sight.
"A nurse was yelling at them." She said, pointing to them. "They can't keep out of trouble without me. How are you all not in jail while I was gone?" She teased and turned to Norman. "Especially you, trouble maker!" Norman laughed at her and looked at his feet.
"Let's get you back into bed." Norman said and helped to lead her to the bed again.
"Trying to get rid of me, Norman?" She joked, but let him lead her.
"Trying to keep you from getting yelled at by the nurses is more like it." Boyd commented, motioning to the nurse watching them nearby. Jack stuck her tongue out at him and let them lead her back to the bed. She slipped in settled back against the pillows. She was uncomfortable in still in pain but she smiled through it. She didn't want them to see her in pain.
"Did they give you anything else for me to eat?" Jack asked Don as he sat on the bed next to her. She smiled and handed her a new bowl.
"Mashed potatoes. That's all they would give me." He said. Jack took it with a grin. She felt like a child being seeing excited over mashed potatoes, but it sounded so much better than soup.
"Yum." She said and dug in. It tasted amazing. "Yum." She repeated. Grady and Gordo snickered.
"Man, you really gotta be hungry to love hospital food." Gordo teased. Don looked at Jack with pure love and relief. Don couldn't stop smiling since she woke up.
"When they letting her out?" Grady asked. Jack stopped eating and blinked, the spoon still in her mouth. She looked at her husband.
"They'll let you out once they get enough fluids in you." Don told her. "They want to make sure you can keep food down, too. We don't want you getting sick." He said rest a hand on her leg. She hummed and started eating again.
"Dolores and I are going to leave tomorrow." Boyd said. "We need to get back soon. I don't have much time from work."
"Thank you for coming." Jack said with a smile. "I'm really glad you all came."
"Of course, Jack." Boyd told her and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'll see if we can stop by and see you before we leave." He promised. She smiled and nodded.
"I'd like that." Jack said and looked at Grady and Gordo. "How long are you guys staying?" She asked. Gordo lost his smile, as did Grady.
"We could only stay until you woke up, man." Gordo told her softly. "We got a lot of work waitin' for us when we left."
"Yeah, I can't even imagine how much we gonna have now." Grady added. Jack smile.
"That's ok. I'm just glad I could see you boys." She told them. "And I'm still surprised they let you two monkeys work on cars, still." She teased. Boyd snorted at the comment and Don just grinned at her. Grady's smile returned a bit, as did Gordo's and Grady put a heavy hand on her shin.
"Good to have you back, JAck." He told her. Jack opened her mouth to respond, but a nurse came in, speaking softly with a small smile on her face. She had a small tray and put it on the medical table next to Jack's bed. Jack watched her, a bit tense at a stranger being present. Don sat on the bed still, a hand on her leg, a comforting weight, reminding her she was safe. The bed had been raised so she could sit up. On the other side of the bed, Norman stood, slightly leaning against the bed. On that same side, Grady was sitting, but he stood when the nurse came in to shoo them out. Gordo and Boyd stood at the foot of her bed.
Don seemed to notice Jack's tension at the sudden entrance of the nurse and gently squeezed her leg. She looked at him and tried to relax and lie back. It was going alright until she saw what was on the tray.
"Alright, the doctor let you gentlemen in, but now it's time for family only, i'm afraid." She announced, not sorry at all. Boyd, Gordo, Grady and Norman began saying thier good byes, but Jack was more focused on the nurse. Norman was about to reach down and give her a hug goodbye, but she wastoo occupied by the nurse.
"What is that?" SHe asked sharply as the nurse lifted a syringe. The nurse looked at her.
"It's only morphine." She told her, offering a small smile. "THe doctor decided you had enough fluids to start taking morphine. It'll help you rest." Jack just looked a the nurse, her stare bordering on a glare, until she was distracted by Don gently squeezing her leg again. She looked to him and he gave her a reassuring smile. Norman lingered behind her as the other three waited at the foot of her bed. THe nurse put the morphine in her iv drip.
"Alright. You should feel warm and sleepy. If you feel nauseated, there is a pan right here." THe nurse instructed. Jack nodded and she began to feel the warmth spreading in her arm. It was an odd feeling and Jack couldn't help but feel fear. She found herself feeling weightless and her sight began to blur as she fought to keep her eyes open. Her breathing quickened.
Don frowned, seeing her begin to panic. THe nurse frowned as well.
"Mrs. Collier, you need to relax, you're alright." The nurse said calmly. Jack was leaning against the bed that was lifted up to help her sit. She was so tired she couldn't lift her head.
"Don." She called out in a choked whisper, desperately. She reached out for him. "Don."
"I'm right here." He told her slowly and took her hand. "We're still here, Jack." He held her and tightly. She lifted her head up and it bobbed. She felt like she couldn't breathe, there was something on her chest. She tasted something metal. Was she tasting blood? Was she drowning? Jack felt like she was drowning. SHe concluded that she was drowning and tried to sit up in a panic. Norman gently grabbed her shoulder and Don leaned towards her, concerned.
"Don, I'm drowning." She choked out terrified. "Don they're drowning me." SHe told him, almost pleadingly.
"No one's drowning you, baby." He told her and rubbed his thumb over her hand trying to soothe her. She didn't seem convinced and struggled to sit up. Don used one hand to rest gently on her stomach as Norman and the nurse gently held her shoulders. "I'm right here, Jack. You're alright."
"No, no, no." She started saying desperately, her voice getting louder and more desperate. "No, don't let them drown me!" She begged. "Please no, no more water, please." She cried out, struggling more as her heart rate kept climbing up in her panic.
"I need you to keep her down." The nurse to Don quietly. "I'm going to give her a bit more to put her under." Don nodded and moved to stand where the nurse was. He still kept Jack's hand in his. Boyd moved to take Don's spot.
"Jack, Jack, we're still here and we aren't gonna let anyone drown you." Boyd told her. "You understand?"
"No, I can't breathe, make them stop." She told them. Don began stroking her hair.
"Jack, baby. It's the morphine." He told her. "You need to breathe in." He told her as the nurse got another needle ready. "Jack, breathe in." He ordered softly. She rolled her head to the side in his direction and took in a shaky breath. "Is that better?" Don asked and the nurse began administering more morphine.
"I don't know." Jack admitted, sounding more tired by the second. "Don, don't let them drown me." She told him and he kept stroking her hair.
"I won't let them." He promised.
"We got you, Jack." Grady told her. "you just rest up now, ya hear?" He asked. SHe swallowed thickly and nodded. She felt Don begin to move away and she tried to tighten her grip on his hand.
"I'm just sitting down again." He told her. "I'm not letting go any time soon." He told her. Norman let her go, feeling her slowly relaxing as the morphine kicked in. It was surprising she was even still awake. The nurse was quietly ushering the men out, leaving Don to sit with his wife.
"See you, Jack." Gordo told her softly as he stepped out.
"We'll stop by again tomorrow." Boyd told her. THey weren't sure she heard them, but htey still spoke to her anyway as they left. Her eyes were half lidded and focused on Don.
"You take care now." Grady told her. Norman smiled a bit at her.
"I'll see you later, Jack." He said before the nurse ushered them out. She didn't offer any acknowledgement as they left and eventually it was just Don and Jack. He held her hand and rubbed it tenderly. Her eyes were drifting closed and her head would nod as she struggled to stay awake. Don brought her hand up to his mouth and held it there in his. THey sat in silence for a few minutes until Jack grunted and squeezed his hand.
"Don?" SHe asked him, seeing if he was still there. She could hardly feel him there. "Don, don't go." She whispered tiredly in a breathy sigh. He smiled softly at her.
"I'm not going anywhere, Jack." He told her quietly. "I'll be right here the whole time. I promise." He told her. She hummed at him and gathered what energy she had left to speak.
"Don?" She started. "Tell me something." She said. Don frowned in confusion.
"What do you want me to tell you?" He asked. She just grunted before speaking.
"I wanna hear you talk." She told him. "I need to hear you talk." He smiled at that and chuckled a bit.
"Want me to tell you a story?" He asked. She hummed and gave him what little of a smile she could muster.
"I missed your voice." She admitted with a sigh as her words began to slur. Don smiled and kissed her hand.
"Alright, I guess I can tell you a story." He told her and she hummed. He thought about what story to tell. It took him a few minutes before he settled on one. "Why don't I tell you about the day I met my wife?" He suggested. Jack smiled. "did you know, when I first met my wife, I thought she was a man? Can you believe that?" He teased and watched as she started to grin. "And in that same day, she almost gets herself blown up twice? The first time, she actually saved one of my good friends. Maybe you know him." He teased.
"Grady." She said with a contented sigh, playing along. Don grinned.
"That's right." DOn said. Jack continued to relax and drift off as he talked about when he first met her. "And she decorated our tank for Christmas. You would have loved it." He teased at one point. It was one of the last things she remembered hearing before she drifted off into sleep. She didn't dream. She just sank in the darkness she was getting so familiar with.
Didnt think id have this up so quickly. but i have most of the next chapter planned out so I hope ot have it up in a week, just remind me. Also reveiw, i miss hearing from you guys. What did you think?