Storm and Grace

Never Ending

Lin-Manuel's POV

The sound of Jen's parents and her grandparents' cries were heartbreaking. Everyone in that waiting room were lost in their pain. There wasn't much to say. It had happened again. Only this time, it seemed to be much worse than the first time.

I looked up, Johnny was sitting right across me. His head down, quietly crying. He hadn't said a word to anyone since we arrived at the hospital. My heart went out to him. This was the second time he had gone through the unimaginable. Only this time, he lost another child.

"It's my fault," Jen's father sniffed. "I shouldn't have hired Anthony."

"You can't blame yourself," Ricky answered. "You had no way of knowing. That bastard did a great job in making his resume look professional. Even I would have hired him."

"No," Jen's father shook his head and wiped a tear away. "The only one that made any sense was Johnny."

We all looked up and turned to Johnny. He briefly lifted his head and looked at Jen's father. But he said nothing. He dropped his head again and continued to look at the ground.

"Johnny knew," Jen's dad continued. "He was the only one that questioned him from the very beginning."

It was true. Everyone bought Anthony's story. His resume. Everyone except for Johnny. No one said anything. We all knew he was right. But it was too late.

"They said Anthony was desperate," I began. I was the one that stayed behind to give statements to the police. I had learned about Anthony's reasoning. And though I didn't excuse what he did, my heart went out to him. "Anthony's mother is dying. They have no money back in Mexico. He did all of this to try to save her."

"I do feel bad for him," Ricky began.

"He did try to redeem himself at the end," I began. "If it weren't for him—"

"Fuck him," I heard Johnny respond with a growl. His voice was flat. "I'm in no mood to give him any credit."

No one dare say anything.

Johnny looked up and looked at me. "He knew Jen was pregnant. And he allowed that motherfucker to kill our baby."

We all sat there. To stunned to say anything.

"You all can go home to your children," he continued. "To your families. My girlfriend is fighting for her life. And our second baby was murdered. If the police hadn't gotten there in time, I would have killed Anthony myself."

Jen's dad got up and sat down next to Johnny. He gave his shoulder a squeeze and hugged him. Johnny began to sob into his shoulder.

He was right. Ricky and I couldn't understand his pain. We all loved Jen. We were all hurting for the family. For Jen. For Johnny. But Jen was Johnny's girlfriend. The woman Johnny had fought hard for months. Trying to clear his name when he was accused of something he did not do. Jen had been pregnant twice and she never had a chance to be a mother.

I felt my lower lip began to quiver.

"John," I sniffed.

Johnny pulled away from Jen's dad and looked at me. Tears were still falling down his face. I placed a hand on his knee.

"I never got a chance to say I'm sorry," I began. Tears were now falling down my face. "I should have told you about Jen's miscarriage the moment I found out. I had no right to keep that from you. And I apologize."

Johnny gave me a nod. He then began to sob again. I got up and reached out to him to pull him in for a hug.

"I'm so sorry," I cried. "I'm sorry."

Johnny's sobs broke my heart. He truly didn't deserve the pain he was going through. He had been the kindest human being. To everyone. That man didn't have any hatred in him. He always gave the best of himself to everyone. And yet the world decided to always ruin everything for him.

He pulled away and I gave him a sad smile. He smiled back.

"I love you, brother," he sniffed.

There it was. That's what I needed to hear. I needed to hear that he had forgiven me. I had my brother back.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez?" we heard the doctor walk in.

We all got up when we heard the doctor.

"How is she?" Jen's mother asked.

"She's suffered a cardiac arrest," he began. "She was drugged."

I closed my eyes and prayed.

"Will she be, okay?" Ricky asked.

"Her organs are failing," the doctor continued. "I'm afraid that the next few hours will determine whether she lives or dies."

I felt sick.

"What are her chances?" Jen's dad asked.

"Not great," the doctor answered. "I'm sorry."

Jen's mother began to cry. Their only child. Their everything.

The doctor walked out of the room. But I wasn't satisfied with his answer. I followed him.

"Doctor," I called out. He stopped and turned around.

"I need to know," I began. "Do you think she will make it?"

"It's hard to say, Mr. Miranda," he began.

"I need to know," I was desperate.

"Most patients that suffer cardiac arrest make it," he began. "But her case is different. She was drugged, assaulted, raped, and was beaten to the point of her pregnancy ending. Her organs are failing."

I began to feel as if the air was slowly being drained from my lungs.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Miranda," he continued. "Her chances are very slim."

I looked down. My heart ached.

"I know her parents practice Catholicism," he continued. "We will keep them posted. They may need to perform the last rites."

I looked at the doctor and nodded.

This was real.

Jen was not gonna make it.