Helplessly; j.g.

Nine

It was one in the morning when Rome shoved the last cardboard box into the moving van, Jack leaning against the side of the white truck, doing something on his phone. 

Rome glanced over at him and smiled a little, using a step stool she got out to pull down the back of the van. She yawned, folding the step stool and sliding it into the back before closing the back all the way.

"Rome, do you really need to go to Italy?" Jack whined for the millionth time that night. 

She rolled her eyes, just like she had all the other times. "Yes, Jack, I do. We've been through this. It's for work, and it's only a year. I'll come visit you when I can. Although with the work schedule, I don't think I would stay for long," Rome replied, giving a slight sigh. 

Jack groaned, falling against a nearby tree on the sidewalk. Rome chuckled at him, grabbing his hand and dragging him up to her apartment. There was a large beanbag still left in the middle of the living room. 

Rome plopped down on it first, watching Jack's movements. He was just standing in the main entrance of the apartment, looking around the space.

"Jack," Rome spoke, making his head turn slightly to her. "What are you doing?"

"This may be the last time that I'm in this apartment. I want to remember what it looks like," Jack replied with a small shrug. 

Rome nodded. "Does Johnson know about me moving?"

Jack shook his head and Rome instantly groaned. "Jack, why did you not tell him? What did you tell him?" She stood, crossing her arms and looking at him.

"Nothing. I didn't tell him anything. All I said was that I was going to hang out with you tonight."

"Jack, why didn't you tell him? I'm his friend too." Rome widened her eyes and brought her hands to grab the roots of her hair. "Oh my God, I forgot to tell Kayla. Jack, I'm not prepared. I need to stay and do some more things. I'm not ready to leave, I can't--"

Jack took three steps towards her, put his hands on either side of her face, and then pulling her lips to his. Rome was surprised at his action, but went with it anyways (who wouldn't).

They kissed for about ten seconds before they both slowly pulled away, Rome's eyes still closed and Jack wistfully looking at her. 

"Let's go visit Johnson and Kayla. Would that make you feel better?" Jack asked, sliding his hands down to hers and intertwining their fingers together.

"When did you get so romantic?" Rome teased, smiling up at him. 

"When you kissed me on the corner of the mouth," Jack replied.

She raised her eyebrows, surprised that he actually gave an answer. 

It was twenty minutes later when they walked into the front lobby of the hospital, a nurse instantly looking up at them as they joined hands together. 

"Mr. and Mrs. Gilinsky, nice to see you again. You two here for Jack Johnson?" she asked.

"Yes, we are," Rome nodded, putting her left hand in her coat pocket. "We're allowed to see him, right?" 

"Since you two are immediate family, then yes, you can," she nodded. "But I have to inform you, there's some... complications." 

Jack's whole body stiffened beside Rome, his hand tightening around hers. "What complications?"

"Well, his breathing has eradicated, he doesn't stay awake that much anymore, and he's vomiting a couple times an hour," the nurse listed, reading off of a chart. 

"Oh my God," Jack breathed, letting his head drop. 

"We can still see him, correct? Even with all that going on?" Rome asked, lifting her eyebrows. 

The nurse nodded and Jack made a dead sprint towards the elevator, furiously pressing the up button. 

"Jack," Rome said, jogging over to him. "Jack." 

He turned, a few tears in his eyes. "Rome, nothing you can say, no matter how fucking inspirational it is, can make this better. This isn't showing that this is a good recovery or going through of chemo, okay?" Jack snapped, dangerously close to Rome's face. "There's nothing that can make this better and it... it fucks me up." 

Rome clenched her jaw, dropping her gaze down to the floor. She didn't know what to say or what to do. Jack was right; there was nothing that could make this better. Even she knew this wasn't a good sign. 

The elevator doors dinged open, breaking through the silence between the two of them. Jack stepped in first, Rome reluctantly following behind him. She stood to the left of the elevator, keeping her distance from Jack. 

"Twenty-five hours into our relationship and we're already having our first fight," Rome muttered to herself, leaning against the wall. 

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word count // 794

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