Make It or Break It

Chapter 14

AN: Okay, so I really wanted to make it something more serious, but I did a lot of research and couldn't figure out how to give Jack severe internal head trauma without killing him so... you're welcome. Also, I know this is supposed to be a Jackrine story but I'm a sucker for a good Jack/Crutchie brother scene, so I had to stick that in there.

"He has some head trauma that we didn't originally detect." Dr. Moore explained to Katherine and the two boys as they stood in the hallway outside Jack's hospital room

"Is it anything serious?" Katherine asked worriedly, and he shook his head.

"Nothing too bad, he's probably just been overstimulated as of late, he'll just need more rest and not nearly as many visitors."

"He'll be okay though, right?" Crutchie asked in a hopeful voice that the doctor couldn't help but smile at.

"Yes, he should be fine within the next two weeks, and we are going to keep him here during that time just to monitor and make sure nothing goes wrong."

"He's gonna hate that." Race tried to lighten the mood, and it worked to an extent, as they all laughed lightly.

"That's probably true." Dr. Moore agreed. "But he'll just have to deal with it." They all laughed again at that, knowing that Jack would not want to deal with it.

oOo

"Two weeks?!" Jack winced at the volume of his own voice. The doctor nodded.

"Yes, with a limited amount of visitors. I would advise one a day at most." Jack groaned and Dr. Moore gave him a sympathetic look.

"You should get some rest; I'll have one of the nurses come check on you later." He went to leave, but Jack stopped him.

"Hey, doc...?"

"Yes, Jack?"

"Have you... I mean, do you know what happened to- to Snyder?" He could see the worry in the boy's eyes.

"He was taken into custody after they found you, he's awaiting trial now. You do know, you will be asked to testify against him." Jack just nodded, closing his eyes and leaning back on the pillows.

oOo

"Hey, Jack?"

"Yeah?" About three days after later, Crutchie had come by to visit Jack, and he'd been sitting next to him on the bed in silence for about a half hour.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I've told you before."

"No, I mean. Are you really okay?" After a few moments, there was a strangled sound, and it took Crutchie a minute to realize that it was Jack, trying to keep himself from crying. "It's okay, Jack." That was all the invitation Jack needed to fall into his friend's open arms and sob into his shoulder. Crutchie knew he was the only one Jack was willing to let himself go around, and he could tell he needed it. So he rubbed his friends back until he had calmed down a little.

"It hurt." Jack said, his voice muffled by the other boy's shirt, and Crutchie knew he wasn't talking about physical pain. "It hurt like hell, Crutchie."

"I know, Jack. It'll all be okay." That was enough to send Jack into a fresh wave of sobs. Crutchie just sat there and comforted his brother as he let out all of his pent up emotions, and that was exactly what Jack needed.