Through It All

New York

"Go to New York and be with your dad. I'll stay with Jackie. Everyone's at the compound to take care of all of the kids."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. He doesn't need to be alone."
Irene stuck her head in Jackie's room, "I'm going to New York."
"Take care of my baby," Jackie said with tears in her eyes.
Irene nodded and quickly left the hospital. Paul drove her back to the compound and arranged for Air Force One to pick her up.
Irene arrived in New York and made it to the hospital around eleven in the morning. "Dad!" Irene called running towards him.
She ran into his arms and he hugged her tightly as he began to cry.
"How is he?"
"There's not much they can do. We'll just have to wait it out. Who's with Jackie?"
"Everyone's at the compound so they can all be there for her. I couldn't have you alone up here."
"Thank God you're here."
Irene and Jack stood hugging and at one point both of them were crying. They broke the hug when the doctor came out. "Mr. President, your son is stable for now. You can see him if you'd like."
Jack grabbed Irene's hand and they walked towards the room that he was in. Irene saw him laying in the incubator. "He's a handsome little boy, Dad."
"Irene, let's name him."
"Shouldn't you and Mom do that?"
"We could lose him and I want him to have a proper name while he's alive."
"Alright then. What about Patrick? That's a strong Irish name."
"Patrick Bouvier Kennedy," Jack said quietly, "It's perfect."
"He is perfect," Irene said with tears in her eyes.
Jack let one tear fall and then said quietly to a nurse in the room, "Can I hold him?"
"Sure, Mr. President. Be careful of the cords and wires though."
Jack nodded and put his hands in incubator. He gently lifted Patrick and held his head with one hand and his body with the other. Irene put a hand over her mouth as more and more tears escaped from her eyes. She thought of her tiny month old baby at home which made her sob harder. When she looked up and saw her father cradling Patrick, she saw something change. Jack was affectionate, but it wasn't like this. He kissed Patrick's tiny hand and then gently placed Patrick back in the incubator. He grabbed Irene's hand and they left the room.
They got a hotel room and went to take a short nap. When they arrived back at the hospital, Patrick's condition had improved. That night Jack and Irene went to sleep at the hotel. The next morning, they arrived early at the hospital. They sat by Patrick's side. At lunchtime, they walked down to the cafeteria.
While they were sitting down at the cafeteria, a nurse ran down, "Mr. President!"
Without anyone saying another word, Jack chased after the nurse with Irene following behind. When they arrived at Patrick's room, a doctor stepped out, "Mr. President, I'm sorry, but Patrick has passed."