The Institute ~Completed~

Chapter Forty-One: Physical Therapy

Cotton helps Jake to the room for physical therapy. She promised him she'd practice with him. Jake had very little feeling in his legs after the bullet was removed. Lou suggested that Jake took physical therapy to help him regain strength. "Cotton, I appreciate you wanting to help but I think you need to help your mum instead of me." Jake says to her as he began doing his therapy. "Axel, Arizona and Benji are helping mum with the babies. I think she's fine." Cotton replies with a yawn. Four babies kept her up all night. Jake could tell. "They kept you up all night didn't they?" Jake asks her. "Sadly yes." Cotton replies. "Come here." Jake outstretched his arms. Cotton went to him like she always did. "Baby girl, I think you should sleep with me tonight." Jake suggests. "Are y-you sure?" Cotton asks. "You need rest. The babies are wearing you out and your losing sleep over it." Jake replies.

"Okay I will." Cotton replies. Jessica came in with Little Jake, he was the suprise baby. "Cottie can you take Little Jake and go to our room? Me and your dad need to talk." Jessica hands Cotton Little Jake. "Babe don't make her take him." Jake didn't want Cotton stressing. "But I don't want him to interrupt us." Jessica says. "I'll take him." Cotton just did what she was told and walks out frustrated.

Jake watches and looks back at Jessica. "The hell is your problem? You're stressing Cotton out." Jake snaps at her. "What do you mean? She has no reason to be stressed." Jessica sits on a chair. "Jessica, she's not sleeping because she's either doing your job or their screaming and crying making her stay awake. That's stressing her out." Jake says to her. "Oh please you're just being paranoid." Jessica rolls her eyes.

Jake shook his head. "No I'm not! Jessica she's going to be sleeping with me from now on, you're going to do what you're supposed to do. Cotton's not raising four babies on her own." Jake firmly tells her. "I can't raise four babies on my own either?" Jessica was trying to make this about her but Jake wasn't having it. "That's why Axel is helping out but Cotton isn't anymore. If she is doing your job after today, I will leave you. Do I make myself clear?" Jake asks with a raised voice because she was going to protest. "Okay." Jessica says and gets up. Jake went back to his therapy. Happy he stood up for Cotton. Cotton wouldn't do that on her own. She was scared of Jessica. Jake knew that.

Jessica walks into the room where Cotton was sleeping. She dragged Cotton out of the room and into another room. "How dare you turn Jake against me?" She yells at her. "What?" Cotton says sleepily. "Don't play dumb." Jessica almost hit her but Jake grabs her arm. "She's not playing dumb Jessica and if you lay a hand on her I swear that'll be the end of us." Jake threatens. "Ugh why do you always stick up for her?" Jessica says with annoyance in her voice. "Because she's afraid of you and your being a real jerk right now." Jake replies. Cotton was starting to fall asleep again. That irritated Jessica. Jessica yanked her arm away and accidentally elbowing Cotton in the nose. Cotton screams. "Why do you always have to beat me!" Cotton yells at her and ran out. "Cotton wait I-" Jessica almost followed her but Jake stopped her. "Jesy, maybe it's time we let her go." Jake suggests. "What do you mean?" Jessica asks him. "I don't think we should be her parents anymore." Jake replies. "Jake if it was because I hit her, I didn't mean to. I'm just stressed." Jessica puts her head in her hands. "Babe, She's not doing well. If we give her up now, she still has a chance." Jake tells her and takes her hands away. "Jake that'd shatter her." Jessica whispers. "Not if she doesn't know. We'll just tell her she's going to stay with Axel for a while until things are less stressful and when the times right we'll take her back but we won't take her back." Jake replies truthfully.

Cotton heard every word Jake just said. And Jessica's reply broke her heart into pieces. "Okay we'll give her up." Jessica smiles. Cotton watched in disbelief. She ripped off the necklace Jessica gave her and dropped it on the floor. She walks away and into the bedroom with the babies. She didn't even cry or fall asleep. She just sat in the window ledge looking out at the sky. "Cotton, can we talk?" Jake asks her. Cotton didn't respond to him already knowing what was going to happen. "Me and your mum think you should stay with Axel until things are less stressful and better." Jake continues. "Fine whatever." Cotton gets up and walks past them. "Cotton where's your necklace?" Jessica grabs her. "Don't touch me! You're not my mum and your not my dad. So leave me alone." Cotton cries and ran away. "She'll be fine Jess." Jake says to a shocked Jessica. "Jake, we can't just abandon her." Jessica says to her.