Next Chapter. I don't own The Good Wife. I am only playing in their world.


When Grace woke up, she didn't recognize her surroundings. The clock on the table next to her bed read 5:47. Looking around, she noticed Will was asleep in a chair. Slowly her confusion started to lift, and she realized she was in the hospital. Suddenly she was aware of the IV in her arm, an uncomfortable pain in her throat, a horrid headache, and what is that in her stomach? A tube?

"Will?"

His eyes fluttered open.

"Will, I am scared."

He could hear the fear in her voice, and immediately was fully awake and kneeling by her side.

"Grace. I am here. I am right here."

"What is going on? Why am I here?"

No! He didn't want to be the one to explain the whole situation. Alicia would do way better.

"Well, you fell. You cracked your head open and you have a mild concussion..." His voice tapered off at the end.

"Why do I feel like you aren't telling me everything?"

Change the subject, William. Think! Anything.

"Hey, Zack and your uncle Owen are out sleeping in the waiting room. Do you want me to go get them?"

"Right now I want to know what you aren't telling me."

Why won't she drop it? He can't do this!

"Your mom is still in DC, but because of the storm, she won't be in until at least this afternoon, and you dad called. He was on the other side of the state, and he will get here as fast as he can."

"That is not what I asked. Please Will." She sounded so desperate.

Ok. Here we go.

"What do you remember from last night?"

"Watching TV, hanging out with you, and eating dinner."

"Anything else? What did you do after dinner, Grace?"

Tears started to gather in her eyes, and she looked away. "I can't tell you." She whispered.

"You have to, honey. I need to know."

She looked away from him and answered so quietly he had to strain to hear her. "I made myself throw up."

To actually hear her say it broke Will's heart. "Oh, Grace," was all he could say, and with that, she burst into tears. He held for a long time, until she calmed down and continued speaking.

"I remember throwing up, and there was blood. A lot of blood. I panicked. I stood up, felt really dizzy, and then everything went black. And that is all I remember."

She was crying again.

"Shhh. Shh, baby girl. Shh."

He was sitting on the edge of her bed now, stroking her hair, and rubbing circles on her back.

"They say you have an eating disorder. They want to admit you into their eating disorder rehab. Of course, we will talk about with your mom, but we need you to get better. They say you only weigh 105 pounds. You have a feeding tube in your stomach, because you are extremely malnourished, and you have to let your throat heal. The blood you saw when you threw up was your esophagus tearing, and they did surgery to fix it."

Grace looked stricken. "I'm sorry."

What?

"Sorry? For what?"

"For this. For causing you and mom to worry. For all of this...I didn't realize it was this bad..." She whispered the last part so quietly, he almost didn't hear it.

He wished Alicia was here.

"No. Stop. This is not your fault-"

"Yes Will. It is. I am the one who restricted my food, and then I am the one who made myself throw up. I knew it was wrong, but I didn't realize how bad I had gotten until I saw the blood. I am so sorry."

By now, Will was crying with her.

"Listen to me Grace. It. Is. Not. Your. Fault. It is not your fault you developed an eating disorder." Grace started to interrupt him, but he continued speaking. "It is not your fault. But, it is your responsibility to start the road to recovery. I promise you aren't going to be alone."

"But what if I can't get better? What if I screw up?"

He really wished Alicia was here. He could use her hand holding skills right about now. But she isn't, and he needs to let his very scared daughter know that she is never going to be alone on this journey.

"You can get better. I am going to do whatever I can to help. I know your mom will. Zack, Owen, your grandmas, and your dad. We love you. We will all do whatever you need from us. Even if it just holding your hand while you eat, or letting you cry, or scream, or do anything you need to do. We will all fight with you."

She leaned against him for another hug.

"Thank you, Will."

"You're welcome Gracie."

They sat in silence for a little while longer, until Grace was almost asleep. He helped lay down, pulled the covers up around her, and kissed her forehead.

"I love you, Grace."

"I love you too. And I am really glad you married my mom."

Will smiled softly.

"You should get some rest. We can talk more later when your mom's flight lands, ok?"

"You aren't going to leave me, are you?"

Will could hear the fear in her voice again.

"Absolutely not."

Relief showed on her face.

"Ok. Thank you for being here with me."

"You're welcome" he whispered, then held her hand until she fell back asleep.


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