If You Run (An All Time Low Fan Fiction)

Chapter Twenty-Six

I stopped outside Cris' hospital room door and turned to Jack who was following behind me 

"You don't have to come in if you don't feel comfortable or anything," I said wondering if he felt like I'd forced him into coming along with me 

"I want to" he said taking my hand in his and squeezing it reassuringly with a smile that calmed me a little

Jack's POV

Tay pushed the door open and stepped in, I followed still squeezing her hand more to calm my own nerves but I think it helped with hers at the same time.

Cris looked different than how I remembered seeing her last: so full of life with the widest, brightest smile I think I've ever seen but now she just lay so still, eyes closed as if she were sleeping but it was obvious it was much deeper than an ordinary sleep. I hadn't fully believed what Tay was telling me until I saw it with my own eyes. The room was quiet apart from the beeping machines and the faint noise of traffic flowing through an open window.

There was a woman sat in the chair to the left of the bed. She looked as if she'd be in her mid to late forties but still looked good for her age. She smiled when she noticed us walk in, her smile was identical to the one I remembered Cris to have 

"Hi, Cris" Tay said, kissing her head never letting go of my hand once "Hi, Joanna. This is Jack" she introduced me to who I presumed was Cris' mom 

"I know who it is! Do you think with the amount Cris talks about his band I wouldn't?" she said to Tay who laughed "Hi, I'm Joanna" she smiled at me warmly 

"It's nice to meet you" I replied

"I'm going to get a us something to drink, would you help me Jack?" Joanna asked after a while of us being at the hospital 

"Sure" I said, I saw Tay stare at Joanna with wide eyes before we left and started down the spotless corridor

I Joanna hadn't just asked me to go with her to help carry the drinks. There was an awkward silence while I waited for her to say what she had on her mind. I felt like I needed to impress her, I'd quickly learned that Tay's own mom wasn't really in her life and that Joanna sort of took on the role she failed for-fill

"So" she started. I felt my palms becoming damp with a mixture of nerves and fear "I know you're not stupid, Jack. Tay, she's...she's...I suppose you could say 'broken'. Yes, she's one of the most amazing people on this earth but she needs someone to look out for her or she won't be ablr to cope. Up until now, that person has been Cris" she scrunched her eyes closed momentarily and composed herself before she began talking again "but she's not got long left an-" 

"Have they said?!" I asked in alarm cutting her off 

"no but I can tell and even if she does wake up from this coma I don't thunk she'll be awake for long. They've always told us she'll die young and over time we've all learned to come to terms with it, no matter how hard that may be. All of us but Tay that is. She won't listen, she won't let herself believe it and so I'm going to ask you this now; when it does happen, when Cris does pass, are you going to be here to pick up the pieces? Because I'm certainly not going to be able to and if you're not, I suggest in the nicest way possible that you leave now before you break her heart even more than it's going to be broken."

"I promise I'm not going anywhere. All I want to do is make sure that girl in there is okay because she deserves happiness more than most people in the world" I told her seriously  

"Good" she replied taking one of the paper cups filled with coffee  

"I really am sorry about Cris. If it means anything I am so glad I got the chance to meet her and get to know her" I said quietly as I picked up the other two cups, trying to provide her with some sort of comfort

"You're talking like she's already gone, Jack!" she said, a slight hint of sarcasm in her tone "She's a fighter and I know she'll fight until the very last second so until then, I don't want any more of that talk"  I nodded and followed her back down the corridor

I tried to let myself imagine what she was currently thinking. She knew her daughter was dying yet she seemed to be worrying about everyone else more than herself. Maybe it was her way of keeping her mind off what was really happening. I couldn't comprehend what I had been told, it didn't seem possible that the girl I'd met earlier that year probably wouldn't see the end of it. 

Joanna went off to find a doctor to talk to, leaving me to return alone. The door was slightly open when I got back to the room, I couldn't help listening to Tay's voice for a moment before I went in. Her words made me feel like someone was slamming my heart between a door and it's frame repeatedly

"The guys are all here" she spoke into the silence "of course, you already know that. I'm surprised you were able to keep it a secret. When you wake up we can all meet up. I'm going to show Jack around Liverpool today, I'll take him to all the places we go and when you wake up we'll all go together it'll be so much fun and we'll all drink cold beers and sing just like that night on the beach in America. Oh and also, we're going to go to the tree house, just the two of us, God, we haven't been there in years" I couldn't listen to anymore. She really had no idea did she?

I walked in and put the two coffees down. Tay didn't hear me walking over to where she was stood at the window rearranging some flowers in a vase. I wrapped my arms around her waste and her soft giggle sent my heart racing. She spun around in my arms and I immediately leaned down until my lips met hers. She was surprised at first but soon returned the kiss.

After a moment she pulled away and started at me with a confused expression on her face

"What was that for?" she asked as her expression turned into one of pure joy instead. I simply  shrugged my shoulders with a smug smile and pulled her back to me. I felt her smile into the kiss as her hands made their way up to the back of my neck.

I planned to keep my promise to Joanna and if this would be part of that then I was more than happy to oblige.

The only thing that kept me from feeling that the moment was less than perfect was the knowledge that soon, Tay would feel that her whole world was crashing down around her and there was nothing I could do to stop that. All I could do was stand by her and try to help her make it through.