black & white

patient

"she collapsed from exhaustion. she just needs some rest and she'll be fine."
"can I see her?"
"who are you to miss black?"
"um, significant other."
the nurse looked slightly horrified at first, but her expression quickly changed into a condescending smile. "right. follow me."

I was asleep when jack got there. he sat in a chair beside my bed, and he studied me for a moment; he noticed how tired I looked. my pale complexion, the bluish skin around my eyes.

he took one of my hands in his and held it. I woke slightly, and I focused in on him.
"jack?"
"go back to sleep, baby. you need it."
"okay," I whimpered, closing my eyes and going under again. I didn't have the energy to stay awake for very long anyway.

♤

I ran my fingers through his thick black hair when I woke up, and he woke up too; he'd laid his head down beside me and fallen asleep.

he sat up and stretched. "I didn't mean to fall asleep too. I was going to watch you and make sure you were okay."
"don't worry about it," I yawned, reaching for his hand. "jack?"

"yeah?"
"I've missed you. I love you and I'm sorry I pushed you away."
"it's alright. I missed you too."
he kissed me on the forehead and I enjoyed those few seconds of heaven, before reality struck.

"they saw you help me after I collapsed," I muttered.
"and?"
"you know that isn't good, after the incident with ben."
"jane, baby, all you need to do is relax right now. don't worry about them."
"please hold me," I whimpered, feeling like I was going to cry.

I watched him take off his jacket and his boots, and he laid down beside me on the bed, taking me into his arms and holding me close.
"thank you for making me feel safe," I said, resting my head on his chest.
"I love you," he said, kissing the top of my head.

♤

he drove me home a couple days later.

"you feeling okay?" he asked.
"I just want my bed."

he walked me up to my apartment and once the door was closed, he was all over me.
"jack, I'm too tired. please," I cried. he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me hard on the neck.
"I'm sorry, I've just been dying to do that," he said, laughing a little.

"you can't keep your hands off me for one second, can you?" I shrugged.
"of course I can. since we have to be ripped apart at work, most of the time I have no choice."
I sighed. "I don't want to think about that right now."

I walked myself to my bedroom after that, and jack followed. I pulled off my jacket and shoes, and he did the same. I fell face-first onto the bed, and I felt him trying to make me more comfortable, covering me with the blanket and turning me over.

"you're a mess," he laughed, pushing my hair away from my face.
"thank you for reminding me."
"I was kidding."
"I wasn't. I am a mess."

he gave me a sad look and laid down beside me, his arms around my waist.
"you seem thinner," he said, running his hand up my ribcage.
"that crappy food they fed me in the hospital was the first meal I've had in about three days," I admitted.
"don't starve yourself, jane," he scolded me. "you're already too skinny as it is."
"I wasn't starving myself. I forget to eat sometimes."
"for three days?"

"leave me alone, jack."
"you know that isn't good, jane. you need to take care of yourself."
"I know," I shrugged. "I don't feel well."
"tired, hungry, or both?"
"you're on the borderline of making me angry." I turned away from him and rested my eyes, and I heard him sigh and sit up.

"I'm sorry, jack," I whimpered. "please be patient with me."
"I am, jane. I promise."