[JoJo's Bizarre Adventure] Standstill Bonds

Chapter 30 ~ The Promise

Polnareff paced restlessly, his wheelchair moving in short bursts in the hallway as he desperately relayed the details of Josephine's condition to the Speedwagon Foundation. Doctors were quickly en route, and their arrival couldn't come soon enough.

In the spare room, Josephine lay still, cold, and empty. Holly sat beside her and her hands moved gently, brushing through Josephine's hair and wrapping her in heated blankets, though they did little to chase away the chill on her skin. Jotaro stood nearby, leaning against the wall, his arms hung useless by his sides and his gaze was distant, lost in the fog of his guilt and anger. His failure bore down on him, each breath a reminder that he had not been able to save Josephine from Pucci's grasp.

A sharp, urgent knock startled them all and Holly rushed to the door, her heart racing as she opened it to reveal the doctors had arrived. They filed into the house and Holly quickly guided them to the bedroom, once they reached her they wasted no time as they assessed Josephine's condition. Jotaro watched as they began hooking her up to machines. Wires, tubes, and drips now bridged the gap between life and death, keeping her stable, for now at least. But Jotaro knew it could only last so long, that the doctors could keep her body alive, but without her Stand, her soul remained lost in some unreachable place.

Sensing the distressing scene, Holly guided Jotaro away from the room, her gentle hand on his arm pulling him back toward the living room. They, along with Polnareff, waited in silence as the medical team continued their work. The minutes stretched on, each one more agonizing than the last. Eventually, a doctor emerged from the room, his face somber but professional. He offered a respectful bow before speaking, "Mr. Jotaro, Mrs. Kujo, Monsieur Polnareff, thank you for your patience. We've done what we can for now. Josephine's condition is stable, but it's critical. Without her Stand, the stability we've managed is only temporary. I'd estimate she has about a month at best."

Holly's grip on Jotaro's hand tightened, her concern evident as she looked from the doctor to her son. Jotaro remained silent as he absorbed the information like a sponge.

The doctor continued, "It may help to talk to her. We can't know if in her circumstances it's even possible, but in some coma cases, we've seen that patients retain some level of auditory awareness. Even though she can't respond, and may not be able to understand, voices might provide her some comfort, it's worth trying." He paused, then added delicately, "We took the liberty of checking on her family, her father is safe and well and he doesn't remember anything about his attack. Her parents have been given an alibi and as far as they know, Josephine is on a school trip."

Holly thanked the doctor and as he left, she looked at her son and the pain deep within his eyes. She knew what this was doing to him, how the possibility of yet another loss was eroding his already fragile emotional state.

"Go to her, dear" Holly urged gently. "Talk to her, I'll join you shortly."

-

Jotaro's heart and soul were heavy as he stepped inside the room. The once familiar, comforting space within his home now felt foreign, filled with the hum of machines and the cold, clinical scent of medicine. Kneeling beside her, Jotaro hesitated for a long moment before his large hand reached out and gently brushed her hair away from her face. She looked so peaceful, despite the wires and tubes that kept her tethered to life.

"Kid, you really know how to get yourself into trouble, don't you?" He muttered as he forced a smile, but it quickly faded. "You're such a pain in the ass."

His thumb traced lightly across her cheek, as if hoping to stir some warmth in her. "But... it's not all your fault." The admission was difficult, but the guilt weighed too heavily on him to ignore. "I should've protected you better."

His thoughts shifted, darkening as he thought of the man responsible, "What that bastard did to you... he's going to pay for it. I swear." His hand clenched into a fist but he quickly released it, forcing himself to stay calm. "You're tougher than you look, kid. You'll survive this."

After a moment of thought, Jotaro reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small, crumpled photograph. It was worn from years of being carried around, the edges frayed from too many times of being unfolded and refolded. In the photo was his daughter Jolyne, her eyes full of life and rebellion. Jotaro stared at the picture for a long moment, his heart swollen with grief and riddled with regret.

"Jolyne, I failed you, I... I'm so sorry..." losing his daughter was a wound that never fully healed, and now, seeing Josephine like this, it felt as though history was repeating itself.

He looked back at Josephine, "Kid, I didn't tell you about Jolyne," he admitted quietly. "I wasn't ready, I didn't know how to... but now..." His voice faltered as he tried to find the right words. "I see just how alike you both are. I won't let either of you down again. I swear it."

Holly gently opened the door stepped quietly inside. She saw Jotaro kneeling beside Josephine, his head bowed and she caught sight of the photo in his hand.

"Polnareff just had a call, Giorno's landed in Japan." His mother said softly as she stepped closer, kneeling beside him. She could see the pain of the past, and now the present etched into every line of his face.

"You've been through so much Jotaro," she said gently, her hand resting on his arm. "Lost so much..."

Jotaro didn't respond at first, his eyes still fixed on the photo of Jolyne.

"I push aside my own pain to help you," Holly continued, "I'll always do that, Jotaro, I'll always be here for you." She gently reached out and turned his face toward hers, "You'll get Josephine through this, I know you will."

He felt a lump in his throat as he fought to maintain his composure. His mother was like a lifeline, pulling him back from the edges of despair. He never understood how she did it, even with her own pain of the loss of her only grandchild she somehow kept herself together, just for him.

"You can't let this destroy you. You've got to stay strong, Jotaro. For Josephine... for yourself."

Jotaro's gaze went from her, to the photo, to Josephine then back to the photo again, his grip tight around the edges as though clinging to the past, like a scar that refused to fade. Holly waited patiently, she knew better than anyone how difficult it was for Jotaro to open up, how fiercely he guarded his emotions and how much his grief affected him. She could see the subtle tremble in his broad shoulders, the way he kept his face angled slightly away from her as if trying to hide something.

And then it happened; a single tear, slipping silently down the side of his face, catching the light for just a moment before falling onto the photo in his hand. It landed right on Jolyne's face, and Jotaro stiffened, his chest rising and falling in shuddered breaths.

Holly's heart clenched at the sight and with gentle care, she reached out and touched his face again, "Oh, Jotaro..." she whispered tenderly as she gently pulled him toward her, guiding his head to rest against her shoulder.

For a moment he resisted, his body tense with the instinct to push away. But then, something broke inside him and slowly, he gave in to her embrace, leaning fully into the comfort she offered. His arms, though still loose by his sides, no longer fought against her touch. Holly held him close, one hand cradling the back of his head, the other resting on his upper back, offering the kind of solace only a mother could. Jotaro's breath hitched slightly, and though no sob escaped his lips, the tears continued to fall, silent and steady. He buried his face deeper into Holly's shoulder, his large frame trembling just enough for her to notice. She tightened her embrace and though her heart broke for him, at the same time, she felt relief. After all these years, he was finally letting himself be vulnerable with her, even if just for this moment.

She ran her fingers gently through his dark hair, "It's okay, my boy. It's okay." She didn't need him to say anything, she was just there, holding him, giving him the space to feel.

Jotaro stayed like that for a long time, the burden of protecting others, of always having to be the strong one, had taken its toll on him. But here, in his mother's arms, he allowed himself to let go for a little while.