Little Daisy

Family History

The taxi snakes through the city and she watches, wide eyed, as people stream by. Her Spanish is rudimentary, but it's enough to get her by. She arrives at the hotel and hurries up. She greets the man with a smile.

"El cuerto de Tim Riggins, por favor." She says, smiling. The man points her down the hall, to where Jason is sitting, staring at her in disbelief.

"Na, I knew Riggins was whipped but I didn't think he would do this." He says, eyeing her with distrust. "Why are you here?" He demands. She sighs and picks up her bags.

"Jason, you're pissed right now." She says quietly.

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with you Rae. RIGGINS GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE. NOW!" He bellows and Tim pokes his head out and spots Rae. He grins and pushes past Jason to hug her tightly and kiss her. "What is your girlfriend doing here?" Jason demands, ignoring the PDA.

"Moral support." Rae says quickly. "This isn't the first time I've walked into a hospital and hoped for a miracle. Not getting one cost me my faith." She says quietly and Tim slips his hand into hers.

"Rae, I don't know what you mean." Jason says quietly, calming down some. "But I'm sorry. If you want to stay for support, for me or him, so be it." She smiles and nods. When Jason wheels back into their room, Rae pulls Tim aside, giving him a murderous look.

"Riggins, what is your plan here, because I'd like to be in on it." She orders hotly. He sighs, pushing his hair back.

"There's a booze cruise tomorrow. Take him on that, get him drunk, and talk sense into him. Simple." He informs her and she rubs her head.

"Sometimes I wonder." She mutters then pushes past him and drops her bag on his bed, looking around and shaking her head.

"This is awesome!" Jason cheers as the boat putters through the ocean, at the same time Rae hisses to Tim, jabbing his chest,

"I hate this and everything about it, including you." He nods, pushing her hands away and taking it in stride. He pushes her over to Jason.

"So is this my intervention?" He asks, looking at both of them, noticing the nervous looks they exchange.

"Listen man, we've been talking, and we don't think this whole stem cell thing is such a great idea." Tim says carefully.

"We're worried about you Jason." Rae adds.

"Why are you even here?" Jason demands of Rae, ignoring Tim. "Why is she even here? A year ago, you didn't even know her!"

"Jay." Tim says tiredly.

"I've been researching this for weeks." Jason says stubbornly.

"C'mon man, even the doctors say there's a good chance of you dying on the table." Tim reminds him.

"I want out of this chair, alright?" Jason says, getting red in the face. "I want out of the chair. Not next month, not next year. I want out now, alright? And there's no way to do that and neither of you can look me in the eye and tell me you know what it's like to live in this chair." He spits. "So I'm gonna do this. And y'all can't stop me." Rae and Tim exchanges glances and she takes a deep breath, trying to calm her trembling hands.

"I don't know what it's like in that chair Jason, but I do know what it's like to pin your last desperate hope on something." She says quietly then glances back at Tim and he nods encouragingly.

"Rae, what are you talking about?" Jason asks, trying not to sound agitated with her. She sighs and sits in front of him, taking his hand in hers.

"You're right. A year ago, Tim didn't know me. You still hardly do. So I'm going to tell you about me. Do you know why I came to Dillon, Jason?" She asks. Jason looks at Tim, who's shaking his head.