Storm and Grace

Two Hearts

Jen's POV

"If she dies, then I'll die with her."

"I won't' make it."

I kept hearing voices. Some of them were far away, some were closer. The voices seemed chaotic. There was crying. But I couldn't make out what they were saying.

Was I dead? Was I transitioning to the afterlife?

I kept trying to open my eyes but I couldn't.

I then felt someone grab my hand. I felt their lips on my hand repeatedly. What was this voice saying?

I'm ready to rest peacefully. I want to see my kids.

"It's not time yet," the same little girl with honey brown hair said, looking at me. "You have to go back."

"I want to stay with you," I said. I kneeled down in front of her. "Do you know who I am?"

"You're my mommy," she smiled.

"I'm your mommy," I laughed, happy tears running down my face.

"You have to go back," she repeated. "Daddy really needs you. He keeps crying."

How does she know that?

"I'm sure Daddy would want me to stay here to take care of you and—"

"My little brother," she responded. "I'll take care of him. Daddy really needs you, mommy."

Just then, I slowly opened my eyes. My eyes. I could finally open them.

I blinked and kept looking at the ceiling.

Where was I?

"Jen," I heard a familiar voice.

Within seconds, I made eye contact with those big brown eyes. Those kinds eyes I had falling in love with.

Johnny.

Was I dead?

He kissed my forehead and that's when I knew I wasn't dead. He was really here. I had survived.

Within seconds, Johnny was pulled away and I was being inspected by doctors and nurses. I closed my eyes again. When I opened them again, I saw my parents, my grandparents. Lin-Manuel, Vanessa, Ricky, and even Fernando. They were all here.

How? How did they find me?

My eyes felt heavy. I couldn't keep them open. I kept closing my eyes and drifting off into a deep sleep.

It must have been hours because when I opened my eyes, the room seemed a little bit darker. It was night time.

I no longer had the tube down my throat. My throat felt itchy and it hurt to swallow.

I scanned the room. Still in shock that I had survived.

But then the memories began to play in my head. I had lost another baby. That monster had killed my baby.

Antonio knew I was pregnant. He was working with Alex. They made sure to stage a fake sex tape so that I would break up with Johnny. I was drugged. I was driven to the point of insanity and yet...I was still alive.

I began to feel my eyes get blurry with tears. Maybe it would have been best to have died. At least then, I wouldn't have to carry all this pain. I would never be the same.

"You're awake," I heard that voice.

Johnny walked closer towards me and smiled.

"I missed you," he smiled. His eyes were red and swollen. He had been crying.

How was this real?

How was he being so nice to me after how I had treated him? I pushed him away when he swore to me that he had never been unfaithful to me. That it wasn't him on that tape. I mistreated him and never let him explain things to me. How was he still here with me?

"I'm sorry," I heard myself say. "I'm so sorry."

The pain I had bottled up inside me began to manifest itself. I couldn't stop crying. I felt choke up with my own sobs.

"Baby, no," he said, holding my face with his two hands. "Shhhh. It's okay."

He wiped the tears that kept falling down my face. He was crying. But he kept giving me a sad smile.

"It's okay, baby," he whispered. "It's okay."

"I mistreated you," I cried. "I didn't believe you."

"That's not important," he shook his head. "That's in the past. We were both conned by a sick motherfucker. It's over."

He was being so tender and sweet with me. And I didn't deserve it.

"Our baby," I cried.

"I know," he sniffed. Tears falling down his face. "I know, baby."

He placed his forehead with mine as we both cried together.

I remembered how he really wanted that baby. How he stayed until I knew for sure. It was all a lie. I was definitely pregnant. And now, that baby was gone.

We stayed there, holding on to each other. Crying our pain away. Our hearts becoming one. We both needed each other more than ever before.

After a few minutes, Johnny smiled and wiped my tears away.

"It's over," he repeated.

I nodded at him.

"It's gonna be a long road," he said, caressing my hand with his thumb. "But we are gonna be okay. We're gonna fight this pain away. We're gonna become stronger. And no one is ever gonna come between us ever again."

I nodded and smiled at him.

"It's you and me," he smiled at me. "Till death do us part."