Enjoy x

Ana had asked John Flynn to come in and talk with Jess a few times whilst she was still in the hospital under observation, aware that she was bound to feel low whilst all her friends and Caleb were doing their exams and she was stuck in the same four walls of the hospital room.

She was adamant that everything was okay, but none of them were missing the fact that her smiles never seemed to meet her eyes. The only time she looked genuinely happy was when Harry was brought to see her, and when the little boy was taken back home it was evident in her eyes just how sad and upset she was.

A few days later Jess was sitting up in her bed talking to two of her friends from school who had come to see her, and Christian could see that she was smiling and laughing, watching her from the doorway.

John had been speaking to Jess before her friends had arrived and was standing next to Christian, far enough away that they wouldn't be overheard.

Christian looked happy 'well, she seems to be doing much better'. John's mouth twisted slightly 'hmm, well, I wouldn't run before we are walking Christian, Jess is probably not as happy as you think she is- and she's a good actress'

Christian looked up sharply 'what's she said?'.

'You know full well I can't repeat anything she's said to me Christian, and anyway, she's very good at diverting questions away from what I want to talk about. I wouldn't assume that Jess is better and happy now. She hasn't said it herself but I think she feels like she's let you and Ana down along with letting herself down. I know she couldn't help this pregnancy and they were careful, but she feels like she's thrown her life away all over again. You all have to realise that she's probably burying an awful lot of hurt and resentment as far as she can. That's the only way Jess has ever known how to deal with things'.

Christian exhaled and John shook his head 'burying your feelings is the worst thing you can do to deal with a problem, she needs to learn that it will never help'. He glanced over at Christian 'as do you'.

He saw Christian roll his eyes slightly and sigh 'yes, you have mentioned it once or twice. She's meant to be coming home in two days, do you think she'll be okay back at Escala?'.

John looked at Jess for a second before back to Christian 'honestly? I think she needs to be in a normal environment again, she's been in here for far too long, and she clearly misses her son when he's taken back home, I can't promise that she will be fine, but I can tell you that she will be better at least'.

Christian sighed, running a hand through his hair 'I guess... thanks John, for everything'.

He shook his head and patted Christian on the back 'be calm, be kind, and be understanding, ease her in to the idea of what's ahead, she's terrified'.

Caleb was able to visit the hospital between his exams and going back home to revise, and George and Rose had briefly been able to see her in the days before Grace and the other doctors agreed that Jess was able to go back home.

Mia and Christian drove her back to Escala, seeing just how fragile she looked as she sat staring vacantly out of the window on the whole journey back, despite the fact that the torrential rain meant she wouldn't be able to see a thing out of the glass.

Once they returned to Escala Jess was still completely silent, walking through to the main room to find Harry, who jumped up from his book and ran over to her with a huge smile on his face.

'Mummy!'.

Jess bent down and hugged her son tightly, as if her life depended upon it, the little boy holding her back, probably completely unaware of what was going on.

Christian saw that Mia was sitting to one side, obviously having been playing with Harry, their eyes met and she nodded slightly, turning back to look at Jess.

She didn't acknowledge any of them watching her and picked Harry up, walking over to the enormous floor to ceiling windows that looked out over the exceptionally grey and rainy day in Seattle.

Jess simply stood there with Harry for a few minutes before turning back, her voice quiet 'I'll put him to sleep'.

Christian, Mia and Elliot all simply nodded, not sure of what to say as she walked away down the corridor to her sons bedroom.

When Jess came back out to the main room forty minutes later Elliot had stepped outside to make a phone call and Mia smiled at Jess 'a parcel arrived for you from Allegra, it's on the side'.

Allegra was Jess's friend from school who had come to see her a week before and she glanced over at the package, no enthusiasm in her eyes as she walked over.

Christian and Mia moved away so that they could still see Jess but were not in her way as she opened the parcel, sitting down on the sofa.

Jess read the card attached first, and then pulled out two small white baby grows and Mia recognised the brand as an expensive local one. Jess didn't look impressed and put them both on the arm of the sofa, staring at them for a few minutes.

Jess touched the small baby grow lightly, looking at it with an intensity in her eyes as Christian and Mia watched her from the other side of the enormous main room. After a minute she dropped her hand back to her side, looking away and back to the television, not looking interested.

Mia glanced at Christian and motioned for him to follow her out to the corridor where they spoke with hushed voices.

Mia twisted her mouth 'She looks sad Christian, she's probably terrified to be honest, it's affecting her more than it is Caleb or you and Ana, and she already has one, how many seventeen year olds do you know that are happy about having their second child? I mean… poor girl, she's probably depressed as anything'.

'I know... I'm trying my best but what the fuck am I supposed to say to her. If I was in her position I would be equally depressed'.

Mia blinked in surprise at Christian's honesty 'I guess the only thing you can do is be there for her, no matter what'.

Christian allowed Jess some time to herself, deciding to sort out a few things before Ana got back from work after Mia and Elliot left.

He checked she was okay at regular intervals, but whenever he tried to make conversation he was greeted with no response or a minimal one word response.

Christian retreated to his study and started to make several calls to his father and his other lawyers before he realised two hours had passed, and he was startled by seeing Jess at the doorway to the study.

Christian had a hard look in his eyes but looked fairly smug 'we tracked down both Hailey and Marcus, they've been served with orders to stay away from you, Harry, Escala and Ana, myself and my parents. They're not gonna be able to interfere in your life anymore Jess, you're safe'.

It was only at this point that Christian looked up properly from his screen, seeing how pale and sweaty Jess looked, holding her side painfully, breathing shallowly 'something- something's wrong'.

Christian was frozen to the spot, watching as his daughter gripped her side in agony.

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