(Untitled)

[be_normal]

The pain's not lessening any, nor becoming any easier to manage as far as Gwen can tell. Sleep's still the order of the day, but while her bouts of consciousness are short, she's much more coherent today than the day before. Speaking's easier because she's learned what causes more pain and what doesn't. Sometimes Peter is there when she comes to

Comments

[captainjack]

Jack had peeked into the clinic and saw her asleep, so he took the opportunity to go get cleaned up. The only damage he'd received was a couple scratches on his arms from the brush, and he'd gotten worse from sex, so he wasn't too concerned.

Clean and freshly dressed, he pulled a tooth on a ribbon from his pocket and tied it around his neck. It looked ridiculous, but he wanted to make sure she saw it.

He sauntered into the clinic, keeping out of the way as he made his way to her bedside and sat, taking her hand lightly and waiting.

He was more patient than people gave him credit for.

[be_normal]

How she knows it's him, Gwen isn't certain, but before her eyes open, before she's even fully aware of where she is, she knows that it's Jack sitting beside her, knows it's Jack that's got hold of her hand. Knowing, however, doesn't prepare her for the surge of emotion that hits her once she's opened her eyes and focused on him.

She knows she's not supposed to be crying, but she can't help it, the sob bubbling up from her throat before she can even think of suppressing it.

[captainjack]

"Hey," he said gently, reaching up to wipe her eyes. "You're not supposed to cry. You're supposed to swoon." He smiled down at her, the smile so much warmer than his eyes.

"It's okay, Gwen. You're safe. Got to help in time and you're going to be okay."

[be_normal]

"You came," Gwen cries, and her chest hurts, God it hurts, but she can't stop herself. How she wishes she could lean into his touch.

Only then does she notice the tooth around his neck, and she lets out a strained squeak of surprise. "I thought I'd lost it," she chokes out as she stares at him, wide eyes swimming with tears.

[captainjack]

"Shhh, come on now," Jack replied, thumb firm against her cheek as he caught her tears. "I'll always come, Gwen. I promised. Don't cry, baby. Don't cry..."

[be_normal]

How can she possibly explain to him what this feels like? Knowing that he's saved her, that he'll always save her, always be her Jack in some small way. She loves him so much and is so incredibly grateful just now it's almost like she can't bear it, and on top of it all, he's wearing that silly tooth and calling her "baby."

A slow breath, and then another.

"I love you," she says, not because she wants to make this awkward or because she expects to hear it back, but because she needs him to know it, because she should have said it before. This isn't an easy love for her, but it's unconditional.

[captainjack]

He brushed her hair from her forehead as she calmed down and smiled when he heard the words. He knew. He'd known. It was only as obvious as anything.

It wasn't easy or clear. It wasn't, for him anyhow, passionate or crippling. It just...was. He just loved her. He'd sort of felt it since before he met her.

"I know, Gwen," he finally replied. "I've known and I love you too...and I think you knew that. Didn't you?"

[be_normal]

Gwen thinks maybe she had, maybe she did, but it's so unexpected and so nice to hear it regardless. "Yeah," she breathes, and swallows back another wave of emotion, because this moment is good and she doesn't want to ruin it with pain. "Thank you." For rescuing her, for loving her, for all of it.

[captainjack]

"You're welcome. Just get better, okay?...That's an order since you're so good at taking them," he teased as he untied the ribbon and layed it beside her. "I don't think they want you wearing this til your head heals more."

[be_normal]

Gwen's only good at taking orders from him, but she expects he knows that. "C'mere?" she says, because she just wants him close for a moment, whether he kisses her or not. If he doesn't, she absolutely won't blame him, even though she managed to brush her teeth today. Sorta.

[captainjack]

He leaned in awakwardly, kissing her lightly on the lips. Then on the nose. Then the forehead. "Stay with me."

[be_normal]

Eyes falling instinctively closed, Gwen smiles. "You're not getting rid of me," she whispers, and then opens her eyes again to look at him before he moves away again.

[captainjack]

"See, that's the plan," he smiled. "Can I get you anything? Are the doctors...is House being good to you?"

[be_normal]

"I'm okay," Gwen answers, and reaches for Jack's closest hand. "I've only seen House the once," she adds, giving his fingers a squeeze. "Peter's been taking care of me, mostly."

[captainjack]

"Peter? Do I know Peter?" he asked. If House wasn't going to take care of her, he wanted to know who was.

[be_normal]

It occurs to Gwen then that she may have been better off not mentioning Peter at all, but she's not exactly firing on all 8 cylinders just now. "I don't know, do you?" she asks in return. "He's a nurse."