This Is Love - the sequel

chapter 35 - this is love

*danny*

Hey it's Louise i can't come to the phone right now but leave me a message and i'll try listen

Danny: hey, it's me... I don't really know what to say, i was counting on you answering to be honest. I know i was meant to stop by tonight but something has come up so i'm not going to be able to make it, but i need to talk to you some point? can we meeting before the meeting tomorrow?

I put my phone away and make my way back into the waiting room. It was empty apart from jess's family. Her dad stood over by the glass window passing backwards and forwards, her mum sat no longer crying but staring into space while Rachel hugged her tightly - more for her own support than her mother's i think.

I took a seat one away from jess - just to give her some space. She didn't seem here anymore, she looked like lost, incoherent jessie again. She didn't even look just moved a seat up curling her feet under her and rested her head on my chest. I just put my arms round her. She started to slip off the uncomfortable plastic chairs, i lifted her up and moved her onto my lap - she didn't react at all. She was like a lifeless doll; i could tell she had lost weight, she weighed next to nothing.

She shook a little so i tightened my jacket around her, the room was silent - more than silent. ery, no machine noise, no traffic noise, no air noise. As if we were in a black hole sucking in any tiny noise vibrations.

My mind wandered to everything recently. I know i need to break it off with Louise - i started to think about her more. She asks a lot of questions; not normal questions, questions about mine and jess's past. As if she was a journalist, she isn't, but deep down i feel glad she signed the non-disclosure agreement. And how i had only told her information on a need to know bases really.

Hours ticked by but they felt like days, i felt for jess, i had been here before waiting unsure of the outcome of a loved one - once her. A young couple had entered the room.

At around 1am a doctor entered the room just as the young couple left,

Doctor: Hannah Cornish's family?

Everyone looked up and seemed more alert now.

Doctor: Can i speak to just the immediate family please?

I went to stand, i fully understand.

Steven: do you mind danny?

Danny: no, not at all

Jess grabbed my arm but i crouched in front of her -

Danny: I'll just go get some tea ok i'll be right back

she nodded and i made my way down the hallway and found the cafeteria. It was almost abandoned apart from a old man cleaning the floors.

I walked over to the tea machine and scooped some change from my pocket. I ordered a crap, dilute tea, i grabbed a wooden stirring stick and sat down at a small table. Bad timing i thought to myself, with Holly and Glen's wedding and jess going away. Jess's head must be spinning.

I'm not sure how long later or how many levels of candy crush later jess appeared and she seemed a lot more alert. I put my phone down,

Danny: how is she?

Jess: she's ok

Danny: coffee?

Jess: please

I got up and ordered a coffee, the machine roared into a humming life and produced a coffee which looked a lot more appetising than mine; just. i put the cup down in front of her and sat back in front of mine.

Danny: what did the say?

Jess: they made us wait for long because the oncall doctor was unavailable and they couldn't get someone who knows what theyre talking about.... they were worried about a head injury but CT scans show that any swelling is reducing fast, she has some bruising and cuts over her face and a broken arm - it could have been a lot worse, she was very lucky!

Danny: sounds it, well atleast shes ok then, is she awake?

Jess: no not yet. I was so worried

she said almost in relief and to herself as she and looked down at her coffee. I shuffled closer to her and put my arm around her.

Danny: i know, she's ok though, she's not going anywhere... do you want to go home?

Jess: no, no i want to wait until she wakes up... you can go if you want? i'm sorry for making you stay

Danny: no i'll wait with you. You didn't make me stay, i stayed because i wanted too...

I'd do anything for you jess i said inside. We got up and wandered back towards the waiting room. We stopped outside and she just stood there leaning against the wall.

Danny: are you ok?

Jess: can we just wait out here please?

i nodded and leant against the wall next to her. It was silent but nice, the background noise of the world had surfaced again. I am glad hannah is ok. jess pushed herself from the wall and just seemed to wall around a little. she stopped in front of me and looked up.

Jess: thank you for staying with me, it means a lot

Danny: anything for you, you know that

Jess: i don't just mean here... Court today, supporting me, just being there when i may have shown you i didn't want you

Danny: you should have told me sooner

I stood up more and put my hand on her arm giving her reassurance.

Danny: i would have come every time with you, I could call in a few favours to have that defence lawyer put in his place? those accusations were outrageous!

she laugh - a cute, little jess laugh.

Danny: i've missed your laugh, you haven't been you recently

she blushed a little and tried to hide her face

Danny: dont

My words soft, almost as if they did not happen as she looked up - her eyes locking with mine, that world background noise now fading out and disappearing again as if someone was playing with the volume. The air ran cold and i felt a rush of something up my back and overwhelm me - it wasn't something, i knew what it was...

Her lips touched mine, moving together again as we stood in the hospital corridor in an embrace. Forgetting all the mishap of court today, all the anger of recent time, all the worry of Hannah - it all just melted away; melted away with the sound of the world. I had no sense of what was happening yet all my senses were more than alive right now, they were buzzing - ecstatic as if i was a little child being given sugar. This kiss, right here, right now, said more than we could ever say in words. It communicated more emotion, feeling and thoughts than i could ever master to speak.

It consumed me. Sheltered me, yet left me raw. It made me feel as if someone had taken the ground from under my feet, i was on cloud nine - and i didn't want to leave. My comfort place.

It is love.

******Ohh so a very meaningful kiss for Danny, but what will jess's thoughts be? does she feel the same? with the wedding looming and jess's exit what's going to happen?*******