Hello everyone! Sorry this chapter is a weekend late. Last weekend I didn't have a chance to finish it thanks to an unexpected visit from my sister and her boyfriend. However, I finished it and I hope you like it. Thank you all very much for your favoriting the story and your reviews; they mean a lot to me.
Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Twilight.
Chapter Thirteen
Johanna had been brought to Forks Hospital as a car crash victim helped by an unnamed Good Samaritan. The young admission's clerk couldn't remember much about the man, other than his disarmingly charming smile, but she'd taken note on where he had found her and that the friend that was with her was relatively unharmed, which was why he had only brought her in while the friend remained on scene to wait for the police. Now, JJ was sitting next to Elise in the small waiting room they had been brought into, his knee bouncing and nerves on edge as they waited for someone to come in and give them news on Johanna's condition. David was nearby, slowly pacing, but with a heavy sigh he sat down in the chair on Elise's right and loosened his dark red tie before he quickly took Elise's hand into his.
JJ had gotten to the hospital fifteen minutes after Johanna had been brought in and since he worked at the hospital David had met him in the emergency room. Knowing what his uncle had told the nurse thanks to a text he had quickly relayed the story to David who had put a reassuring hand on JJ's shoulder before going to the nurses' station to find out what was going on with Johanna. That was almost two hours ago and it had been over an hour since anyone had been in to give them any sort of update regarding Johanna's condition. However, they did know that she had sustained a dislocated left shoulder, a four inch laceration to that same shoulder, and several contusions and a few other minor lacerations. What had the doctors the most concerned though was her head injury and last they heard the doctors were going to be performing several tests and when everything was done they'd be updated.
"How much longer do you think it's going to be?" JJ asked even though he really didn't expect an answer.
"Not too much longer now," Elise said, her voice gentle before she reached over and patted JJ's bouncing knee in an effort to calm the younger man. JJ stopped bouncing his knee as he looked at her and nodded his head before he sighed softly and ran his fingers through his hair. As if the doctor had heard Elise's words the door opened and the tall lithe man with graying sandy brown hair walked into the room. Dr. John Olsen was the doctor overseeing Johanna's care and from JJ had gathered at their initial introduction the doctor not only knew David and Elise well he also knew Johanna.
"John, how is she?" David asked as he and Elise stood, their hands still joined. JJ stood quickly as well, anxious to hear what news the doctor had regarding Johanna.
"She's awake and doing well," John said with a small smile. "Like we thought, she did sustain a concussion but it's mild and there's no sign of serious brain swelling or buildup of fluid like we feared."
"Thank goodness," Elise breathed softly as she leaned into David.
"Can we see her?" JJ asked, anxious to see Johanna after what had happened up in the mountains and the state in which his uncle had taken her from him. John looked at JJ and nodded.
"Yes, I'll take you all to her room," John said. "She's been asking for you since she woke up, JJ," he added and JJ was all the more anxious to see her. The three of them followed John in to the hall and over to the elevator. They only rode up to the third floor but to JJ it felt like it took forever and he was practically on John's heels as he led them into Johanna's room.
"Jo," JJ said as he weaved around John and walked over to the hospital bed where Johanna laid. She gave him a weak and teary eyed smile but it was a smile nonetheless as he quickly took her right hand into his before he laid a careful left hand on top of her head, mindful of the bandage near her right temple. He sighed heavily the second he touched her, the built up tension leaving his body as he looked into her tear lined eyes, and he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her left cheek.
"Oh Johanna, you're father and I were so worried when JJ's mother called us," Elise said as she settled up to JJ's side, her hand resting gently on Johanna's right leg.
"I'm sorry to worry you," Johanna said and Elise sighed heavily before she squeezed Johanna's leg.
"Sweetie, you've got nothing to be sorry for," David said as he rested his hand on Elise's upper back. "We just thank God you're okay and that Harry wasn't banged up too badly after he swerved to avoid that deer and hit a tree."
"Yeah, we got lucky," Johanna said as she looked at her father and JJ squeezed her hand. It was then, as her parents spoke to her, that JJ took the time to fully take in Johanna's appearance. Her left arm was in a tight fitting sling, obviously to keep her injured and heavily bandaged left shoulder in place, and thankfully she had gained the color back in her face. She'd been so pale when last he'd seen her and while tears still lingered in her eyes she was putting on a very brave face while her parents and John remained in the room.
"How long do you think she'll be in here, John?" David asked, bringing JJ's attention fully back to the conversation going on around him.
"I'm going to want to keep her here for a couple of days for observation to be safe," John said. "However, I think if all goes well she should be good to go on Monday."
"Thanks for everything Dr. Olsen," Johanna said and the older man gave Johanna a warm, almost fatherly smile, before he shook his head.
"No need to thank me for doing my job, Johanna," he said. "Plus, I've seen you in similar states over the years with how many times you fell off your bike when you were little and all the adventures you took along the trails."
David and Elise laughed softly while Johanna blushed but smiled at John's words. JJ grinned, remembering Johanna's parents' stories of the once tomboy and adventurous Johanna when she was a little girl. He had no doubt that there had been a few trips to the ER back then, but JJ was going to do everything he possible could to make sure that Johanna never ended up in another hospital bed. Unless she was in the hospital to give birth to their future children; then, and only then, would he be with okay with a trip to the hospital.
After that, John left the room saying he had rounds to finish before the end of his shift that evening and an hour after that David and Elise left, Elise promising Johanna that she would be back first thing in the morning. JJ, however, remained behind, unwilling to leave Johanna's side. He'd sat down in the chair beside her bed after John had left and had yet to relinquish the hold he had on her hand; even when her parents had been there he hadn't let go of it nor had he let go when he called his parents to let them know how Johanna was doing and he had no plans on letting go. They'd sat in relatively silence since her parents left because the nurse had given Johanna some pain medication when the pain in her shoulder became a bit too much for her to bare and the medication had her dozing off and on for the last three hours.
"JJ, you should go home and rest," Johanna said as she looked at him tiredly with her head resting back against the pillow of her slightly raised bed. Even though it was almost midnight she really didn't want him to leave but he looked like she physically felt and she felt guilty for wanting him to stay with her.
"I'm not going anywhere," he said as he shook his head and raised their joined hands to his face and placed a tender kiss on the back of her knuckles. "And I know you don't want me to either," he added and Johanna gave him a small smile.
"Yeah, I really don't," she said softly, her voice quivering gently as the events of the last ten hours catching up with her. She allowed a few tears to fall then as her green eyes held JJ's brown and he quickly raised his free hand to wipe them away. She had held everything in all day, unable to ask the questions that filled her mind after she had woken up to find herself in the hospital, but now that she and JJ were alone she had her chance.
"Don't cry, baby," JJ whispered softly before he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
"I was so scared," she admitted quietly and JJ pressed his lips to her forehead again.
"I'm sorry it took me so long to get to you. I'm sorry that you got hurt," he whispered against her skin before he settled back and met her gaze once more. "It will never happen again."
"JJ, I wasn't scared for me," she said, her eyes holding his, and he furrowed his brow slightly. "I was scared about what would happen to you if he managed to do what he wanted."
"Jo," he said and her hold on his hand tightened, silencing him from saying anything else.
"I knew that it would break you and I didn't want you to suffer because of me," she said.
"You don't have anything to worry about that, Jo, because I'm not going to let anything like that happen every again. It's over," he assured her and she gave him a small, teary eyed smile once again while he rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand.
"What happened exactly?" she asked softly. "One second he was holding me and taunting you and the next he was gone and you were there."
"I had a little help," JJ said. He had yet to tell Johanna about his extended family in detail, meaning he had never explained the whole 'they're vampires' part to her yet, and he was hesitant to tell her now given her experience with the only vampire to have crossed her path. However, he couldn't not tell her now but he wasn't sure where to begin. "They came up behind the vampire, surprised him, and pulled him away from you before they took care of him."
"The guys?" she asked with a quiet sniff and he shook his head.
"No," he said softly, leaving Johanna confused.
"Then who?" she asked.
"Us," a soft low bell like voice said, startling Johanna but bringing a bit of relief to JJ. He had smelt them as they lingered in the hall for a few minutes and while he was worried about Johanna's reaction it would be easier to explain everything to her with them actually there. Johanna turned her eyes from JJ to the couple that had walked into the small room and came to a stop at the foot of her bed.
Knowing what she now knew and despite her hazy brain from the painkillers it only took Johanna a few seconds to realize that the insanely beautiful couple were vampires. However, unlike the one that had threatened and later taken her their eyes were not blood red; their eyes were a vibrant gold color which Johanna found oddly suiting for each of them. The pair didn't look a day older than Johanna's seventeen years but in those eyes she saw years of life that were far more than that; not much more for the woman but the man's eyes were much different.
"Who are you?" Johanna asked softly.
"I'm Bella and this is my husband Edward," the chocolate brown haired woman said with a small awkward smile, her eyes fluttering to JJ before returning to Johanna.
"Wait," Johanna said slowly as she shook her head. "JJ, didn't you say you had an aunt and uncle named Bella and Edward that lived in Alaska?" she asked after turning her eyes to her boyfriend.
"Yeah," he said softly, "and that would be them." Johanna stared at JJ only blinking a few times before she slowly turned her attention to the couple. "Once you're out of the hospital, I'll tell you everything," JJ said, bringing her eyes back to him. "It's a long story."
"Okay," she said slowly before she closed her eyes and took as deep of a breath as she could and slowly let it out, opening her eyes as she did so and once again looking at Bella and Edward curiously.
"Not that I'm not grateful for what you've done for me and for you showing up when you did, but why are you here? I'd thought you guys, Uncle Seth, and Aunt Renesmee weren't coming down until Christmas," JJ said.
"Leah had told Seth about the vampire and what was going on when they talked last month," Bella said. "Alice had been keeping an eye on things after that and when she told us he was going to make his move soon we left. We just didn't leave soon enough."
"You came when you didn't have to and you got here just in time so I think you left right when you were supposed to," Johanna said, making everyone look at her once again. "I probably wouldn't be here if you hadn't. The two of you saved my life."
"And mine," JJ added before he looked at his aunt and uncle. "Thank you."
"You don't have to thank us," Edward said as he shook his head. "Johanna's family and you know that we protect our family, JJ."
"Still, tell Alice I said thanks," JJ said and Edward nodded as he put his arm around Bella's waist.
"We will," he said before he looked to Johanna. "We look forward to getting to know you a little better, Johanna. We'll be here for a little while so we'll leave the two of you alone. You need to rest." Johanna nodded and gave the pair a small smile on her face.
"I look forward to seeing you both again under better circumstances," she said and with quiet farewells the vampire couple left Johanna and JJ on their own. Silence hung between them for several minutes, mostly because neither really knew what to say, and Johanna could feel herself start to drift off to sleep once again; but a question came to mind as she fought against sleep. "Why didn't you tell me about the rest of your family?"
"Given your introduction to vampires, I didn't know how," he said. "It's kind of complicated and I figured the whole wolf thing was enough to lay on you at once. I planned on telling you, but hadn't figured out when."
"They're not like other vampires, are they?" she asked, her voice sounding tired, and he shook his head negatively.
"They drink animal blood, not human," he said.
"That explains the eye color then," she said dryly and JJ grinned. Johanna's eyes drooped slightly after that and JJ raised his free hand to the side of her face once more and gently ran his thumb along her cheek.
"Go to sleep, babe," he said as Johanna closed her eyes. "I'll be here when you wake up."
"Promise?" she asked softly and before he could answer he knew she was asleep.
"Always," he whispered before he raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles once again.
On Monday morning Johanna was home but was still under doctor's orders to continue to rest until her follow up visit at the clinic the following Monday so for three days Johanna hadn't left the house. However, she'd had plenty of company with Sarah and Adam coming over, Meredith and Lacy, as well as Harry and Cam. Jacob and Aurora had even come for a visit the day before and her mother had been more than thrilled to finally meet them. It was no surprise to Johanna that her mother and Aurora got along well. Of course JJ had been to the house every day after his shifts at the shop and that Thursday would be no different.
It was a nice day outside, so, rather than spend the rare sunny afternoon cooped up in the house Johanna, with her achy left arm still in a sling, sat in the small gazeebo that rested within her mother's backyard garden. Sarah had borrowed her a few books that she hadn't read before and she had one of those books resting on her lap as she read. She was halfway through the book when she heard scuffed footfalls against the wooden steps of the gazeebo. Smiling she looked up expecting to see JJ, however, it wasn't JJ. It was Jon.
"Good book?" he asked and Johanna shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she closed the book on her right index finger.
"It's not bad," she said and Jon nodded before he sat down on the bench seat across from Johanna. "Did you need something?" she asked after a few minutes of slightly awkward silence between the two of them and to her surprise Jon's eyes narrowed.
"Look, I know you're banged up right now but I'm not going to let your boyfriend get away with that stunt he pulled," he said, "and even though I'm going to back off of you, don't think I'm going to tell my friends to." Jon stood after that and stalked down the steps of the gazeebo before he practically stomped his way to the house. Johanna could only stare at his back before he disappeared inside.
Johanna took a deep breath and slowly let it out before she looked down at the cover of the book she had resting in her lap. She knew, knew, that Jon hadn't turned a new leaf. He was just biding his time before he could confront her and of course he would wait until she was having a great day. She should have just stayed in the house and kept her mom company like she had been before she decided to read outside. If she would have been with Elise, Jon wouldn't have had the opportunity to say what he did. However, Jon's words didn't have their full desired effect. Johanna didn't care what Piper, Ian, Greg, or the others said to her or did. She had literally survived far worse just days earlier and nothing they could do would get the best of her.
"Hey, your mom said you were out here," came JJ's voice, breaking her from her thoughts. She looked up from the book's cover and smiled at him as he joined her on the bench in the gazeebo, the sunlight hitting his handsome face perfectly and making Johanna's heart skip a beat or two in her chest as he leaned in and placed a kiss on the corner of her mouth. "How are you feeling?"
"Better now," she said before she closed the distance between them and caught his lips with hers. Surprised by the move JJ froze for a second before he quickly returned her kiss, raising his left hand to gently take her face in his hand as the kiss deepened.
"Not that I'm complaining," JJ breathed when their kiss broke, "but what was that for?" he finished as he rubbed his thumb along the apple of her right cheek.
"I missed you," she said and JJ smiled.
"You'll have to miss me more often if you kiss me like that the next time you see me," JJ joked and Johanna laughed softly before she kissed him once more, but that time far more chastely than the first.
"How was work?" she asked when she pulled back and he shrugged as he lowered his hand from her face only to rest it on her right thigh near her knee.
"Same as yesterday," he said. "How was yours?"
"It was good. I've spent most of the afternoon outside enjoying the weather and reading," she said with a small smile. She decided then to not tell JJ about what Jon said. If it became too much for her, she would tell him but that was a battle she needed to handle on her own, especially if he said something about JJ again.
"Good," JJ said before he raised his hand from her leg and wrapped it around her before he pulled her close. Johanna sighed contentedly as she rested her head on his left shoulder. "You know, I was going to try and convince your mom to let me take you to the diner for dinner but I'm content to just sit here with you until she calls for us to come in."
"I like the sound of that," Johanna said as she closed her eyes and JJ laughed quietly before he kissed the top of her head.