When love takes over

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas

Jennifer Lawrence was exhausted.

When her mother had called her earlier in the afternoon, she had been so hysterical that Jen could hardly make out her words. Through the sobbing, she was barely able to make out a few words here and there. After putting together "collapsed" "not breathing" and "Gary stay with me!" Jen hung up the phone and demanded someone get her on the next available flight to Louisville.

Gary Lawrence was a happy, healthy, family man. He had never even so much as broken a bone in his life. The fact that he had now collapsed and seemed to be clinging to life had Jennifer's stomach in knots. Instantly, visions of her father teaching her to ride a bike, to swim, and riding on his shoulders infiltrated her brain. She didn't know whether to cry, puke, or run.

Sitting alone in the waiting room, she knew she should eat something. It was 10:02pm, and the last meal she had consumed consisted of a nutella sandwich, a hand full of Doritos, and a glass of milk at 1:30. But at the moment, nothing even seemed remotely appetizing. Holding a plastic coffee cup in her hand, she took a sip, nearly dropping it to the ground as her hands shook nervously. Trying her best to swallow, she grimaced as the bitter taste washed down her throat. She craved a large French vanilla coffee from Dunkin Donuts.

Banks had begged her to let someone accompany her back home, but Jen wouldn't have it. Promising to call them as soon as she knew anything, she kissed Liam on the cheek before quickly bolting out of the studio, still fully dressed as Katniss.

The unexpected ringing of her phone caused her to jump, sending coffee spilling all over herself and the chair.

"Shit!" She hissed as she picked up the phone while simultaneously looking for paper towels.

"Hello?" She hadn't even bothered to see who was calling.

"For the love of Christ himself! It's about time somebody answered their damn phone!" A voice bellowed, panic evident.

Blaine.

"I'm sorry. I don't think mom has service back in the O.R waiting area. I just got here about twenty minutes ago. Where are you?"

Ben and her mother waited back closer to the operating room as their father received open heart surgery. As much as she wanted to be with them, hospital policy only allowed two family members at a time. Jen dealt. At the very least, she hoped the solitude would help calm her nerves.

"At Kennedy airport, trying to get home. It's not going well. This snowstorm is a bitch, and they're cancelling flights all over the tri state area."

Christmas was just two weeks away, and Blaine and his wife Kaitie had been visiting her family in New York for the holiday. Jen sighed, not knowing what else to do.

"As far as I know, he's stable. It's open heart surgery though, it could be hours. As hopeless and futile as it sounds, all we can do is wait and pray for the best."

"Maybe we should rent a car." Blaine suggested, wanting so desperately to be with his family at the moment.

"No, no don't do that. Jesus, there's got to be almost nine inches of snow on the ground according to the news, and it doesn't look like it's going to let up anytime soon. You'll never make it out, just stay put." Jen assured him.

Blaine blew out a ragged breath. "Jen please, please keep me updated, it's killing me not to be with you guys."

"I know." She whispered, a tear falling against her cheek. "I promise, I'll call you just as soon as I hear something."

Blaine understood, and they soon said their goodbyes.

Jennifer sat back down, sighing as she brought her hands up to her face. The waiting room was pretty empty save for three other people with minor ailments waiting to be seen. Their check in desk was decorated in garland and white lights while 'It's a wonderful life' played softly on the TV.

"Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings."

She looked up at the television. This was not how their Christmas was supposed to start.

The sound of tires screeching could be heard just outside the entrance of the Emergency Room. Looking up, Jen heard a loud thump, and the sound of a car door slamming shut before wheeling out of the parking lot. Two nurses at the front desk briefly looked up at each other before jumping into action.

"Get a gurney!" One yelled to the other as she tended to a pale, thin woman. Her stringy brown hair was thrown up in a bun, and she was without a coat or shoes. From a distance, Jen could see a black substance pouring out of her mouth. Bewildered, she watched as the woman was placed onto a stretcher, and whisked into the E.R, the nurses yelling back and fourth about medical terminology.

Looking back from the doors to the E.R to the entry way of the hospital, where the woman had been dumped, Jen made out the figure of a small child.

A little girl, appearing to be about four or five, stood in the entry way, staring straight ahead. Her stringy, dirty blonde hair fell around her face and shoulders, appearing to not have been brushed recently. Her body was caked in dirt and filth. And though it was currently thirty seven degrees in Louisville, the child was dressed in a stained pink and purple sun dress with a pair of flip flops. No coat was to be found anywhere nearby.

Slowly, unsure of what to do, Jennifer rose from the chair and walked over to where the little girl stood.

With her eyes cast downward at the floor, the child looked up to find Jen kneeling in front of her. Her hair was up in a haphazard pony tail, with stray pieces framing her face, and she wore a solid, long sleeved navy shirt, with a pair of jeans. Both of which were covered in coffee stains.

The small girl reached out to touch the gold locket around Jen's neck, the one Liam had given her for their anniversary.

"Hi." Jen spoke, unsure of what else to say. The little girl looked up at her.

"I like your necklace." She softly whispered.

"Thank you, my boyfriend gave it to me."

The girl smiled. She reeked of cigarettes, alcohol, and mold, the smell causing Jen to cough against her will. It was obvious the child hadn't been bathed in days.

"My name is Jen. What's yours?"

"Brielle." She answered, giving Jen her first piece of information.

"Hi Brielle. Did you come here with your mommy?"

Brielle nodded. "Mommy took too much medicine, the doctors need to fix her."

Jen's smile faded as she looked at the young girl who appeared so tiny and helpless.

"But don't worry, she'll get better. This happens all the time."

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