I'll Come Running

Chapter 16

***

Rafe busted through the door of his house with Jessie's unconscious body in his arms. She had lost a lot of blood and her body was in shock, not to mention whatever internal damage could've been done.

"I need help!" Rafe demanded loud enough for the whole house to hear. "Clear the table."

Sarah quickly got rid of the stack of papers on the dining room table, secretly grateful it wasn't their fine china.

"What the hell is going on here." Ward asked in his pajamas, clearly woken up from his sleep. He was confused and a little upset.

"I need ice, gauze, any medical supplies we have." Rafe didn't have time for his stupid questions. His girlfriend was nearly beat to death and yes she was in Ward's house, big deal. Rafe didn't care.

"Rafe, what are you doing, why is Jessie-" Ward questioned angrily.

"I don't have time for your questions, dad!" Rafe exclaimed as he ripped off Jessie's tank top, leaving her in only her sports bra, examining her torso for any internal bleeding.

Sarah finally came back with a first aid kit fit for kooks. It folded out into what seemed like a billion different pieces and housed just about any medical supply you could think of.

"She needs air. She needs air!" Rafe said frantically as he scrambled for the small oxygen machine in the bottom of the kit. He wrapped the silicone dome around her face and made sure it had good connection with her mouth and nose. He began to lightly tap her face.

"Come on, Jess." He whispered. Rafe looked up at Ward, seeing he was still confused and still clearly upset. If Ward's suspicion was right, Rafe was still seeing Jessie despite his demands against it. How long had this been going on? How much had Rafe been hiding from him? He now noticed the bloody knuckles on Rafe. Ward knew Rafe had been much different the past month, but he couldn't put his finger on why. He lately had just seemed... gone. Ward finally connected it all.

"Rafe." Ward whispered as he swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Dad," Rafe sighed with annoyance, still holding the oxygen to Jessie's face. "Now is not the time." He reiterated sternly, with a look that could kill. Ward received the message. He took a step closer to Rafe.

"I want this pogue out of my house before I wake up." Ward commanded in an eerily hushed tone. Rafe didn't respond. He wanted to punch Ward square in the face right then and there but he had bigger things to worry about.

Sarah and Topper stood around the table waiting and hoping for Jessie to stir. Rafe admired Jessie's face, even bloody and bruised he still found her beautiful, and so undeserving of what she just endured. The thought alone made Rafe shed a tear as he laid his head on her chest in defeat. He choked back a few sobs but was unsuccessful.

"We'll leave you two alone." Sarah stated softly with an empathic look in her eyes as she pushed a still very confused Topper towards the living room and up the stairs.

"Come on, baby. Please." Rafe begged as he lifted his head and held a hand over the side of Jessie's face, careful not to touch any cuts or bruises when wiping her hair out of the way. He took in every detail of her, trying to remember everything as if this could be the last time he'd see her.

Jessie finally stirred, as she breathed a little heavier, eventually taking a labored deep breath. Rafe noticed immediately and stood up over her, tapping her face gently once more.

"Jessie, hey, hey, baby, it's me, Rafe. Come on, Jess." Rafe pleaded as he tried to crack a smile. If she was going to open her eyes that's the first thing Rafe wanted her to see.