End of Innocence- November 1963

Fight of a Lifetime

Day began to slowly transition into night once again as Jackie sat at Jack's bedside while his nighttime nurse checked his vitals, his bandages and his reflexes. The surgery to remove the fragmented bullet pieces had been a success. From what Dr. Field and Dr. Critchley had explained, they were optimistic that if Dr. Oldendorf prototype apparatus and his expertise on soft-tissue imaging could further enlighten them to the degree of injury that the president's brain suffered that he could have a 50/50 chance of surviving the attempt on his life.

The doctors explained that, "by no means was he out of the woods yet" to Jackie, Bobby and Jack's family and friends that had begun to gather at the hospital. The chance of infection was still of grave concern to his team of doctors, as was the effects of the pressure and swelling in his brain. Not only was a miracle needed but Jack's own ability to fight for his life would ultimately be the most important element of his survival. They advised that the more engaged the family could be with Jack in stimulating reactions from him, the better chance they had in being able to gauge his brain functionality. Over stimulation could be dangerous however, therefore he was limited to 2 visitors at a time, low light and minimal sharp sounds. They wanted stimulation, not trauma.

Having shared the horror story of Dallas with anyone who would listen while Jack was in surgery, it became apparent to those around Jackie that she was still in shock and had been functioning on pure adrenaline and willpower over the course of the last 30 hours. Unwilling to leave Jack's side, Bobby took advantage of Jack's time in surgery to convince Jackie to clean herself up and try to get a bit of rest. Still weak from Patrick's birth three and a half months earlier, Bobby knew that Jackie couldn't continue at the pace she had been on since Dallas so he requested that Dr. Burkley administer her a strong sedative to help her sleep but after three unsuccessful attempts, it was clear that nothing was going to keep her from being with Jack.

Holding tight to Jack's hand again, Jackie spoke to Jack endlessly.

"Jack, my love, you've got to fight to come back to us. You can't leave me now, after all we've been through. You fight damn it, you fight like you've never fought before," tears streaming down her face. "The doctors said you can survive and you can live but you've got to fight for it. It's not going to be easy my darling but nothing ever has been for you has it?" She sniffled. "But from the day I met you Jack Kennedy, I knew you would always win because Kennedy's are winners, remember what your dad told me on our first trip to Hyannis, "Jackie" he said, "Kennedy's are winners, we always win and I believe you're a winner also Jackie. I think you'll fit in fine, just fine with this family." "Do you remember that darling? You taught me how to win, how to fight, how to survive my love, now you show me how everything you taught me was true." Wiping the tears from her cheeks, Jackie raised up and kissed his lips. It was nearly midnight now.

As Jackie sat there, holding onto Jack's hand and talking to him, she began to reminisce of their life together.

"Jack darling, do you remember the first time we met," she asked him, with a devilish smile, "No, not at the Bartlett's silly, on that train ride from New York to Virginia. You were so handsome with that rag top head of chestnut hair of yours, the newly elected Congressmen from 11th District. You were so cocky and full of yourself, young, rich, handsome, a Congressman and what a womanizer," she laughed, "I should have run then when you made that pass at me but nooooo, I was infatuated from that moment. Jack Kennedy, the Congressman, kissed me and I fell in love with him right then," she bowed her head and kissed his hand. "And then, just to think, you didn't even remember my name when we did meet again at the Bartlett's. Cocky was right, you were so in love with yourself you didn't have time to fall in love with anyone else," she shook her head in annoyance. "But we knew that night, didn't we, that we were meant to be. Well, at least I knew I would marry you but you, ya! The confirmed bachelor huh? You sure loved the chase but not the catch didn't you? I wouldn't ever have admitted it to you then but I fell in love with you at "hello." Our crazy world-wind courtship, you at some oyster bar in Massachusetts calling me for a date with rattling coins dropping in the pay phone, my Inquiring Camera Girl articles geared towards enticing marriage upon you, the Senate campaign and not seeing each other for weeks on end, my trip to Europe, your travels across Massachusetts, I never thought we would ever have more than a few hours together. You were the most exciting man beside my father I had ever known, and you still are my love. Two ships a drift, meant to find each other at sea, that's what I've always thought of us darling. Everyone told me to stay clear of you but I wouldn't listen." "He'll break your heart, Jackie. He can't be fateful Jackie. He's a womanizer and won't ever settle down, his career is his life, they told me, but it didn't matter, I loved you and I was going to spend the rest of my life with you Jack Kennedy and that's exactly what I intend to do. Do you hear me Jack, we have our entire lives ahead of us still and so much more to do but I can't do it without you Jack so you need to come back to me. You need to fight Jack, this is the fight of your life and you need to win Jack."