help.

over abundant love

And for the next couple days Jackie refused to leave her daughter's side, she braided her hair, painted her nails and toes, changed her, played her piano tapes, held her hand and talked to her 24/7.

But it seemed like nothing was working, and after thinking and thinking what she would do next, it became clear.

Slowly Jackie grabbed her daughter's hand and guided it up her arm and onto her face.

"Mommy's hand. My ring, the ring daddy engaged to me with, the one you really love. I have an IV too, and it's in my hand, right here. My arm, and that's were my pajama top starts, your favorite red one, that you have on to match, then this is my necklace, the one that doesn't come off, with your birthstone in it. This is my cheek, your hand on Mommy's cheek, my eyes, my lips, my ears." Jackie placed her daughter's fingers on each of her features.

"See mommy is right here I didn't and won't be going anywhere anytime soon, almost full and almost healthy. I'm just waiting for your pretty eyes to open. I'm right here." It seemed like she just waited for her daughter's eyes to pop open, but as she put her hand back down on the sheets she had really given up.

"Jackie- you, need sleep, and rest, I- I know you're in pain." Jack walked in for the 20th time trying to get her back in her room.

"Yeah, you're right, come, come help me up." She said softly as Jack headed to her, lifting her into the up right position, standing very close by as she walked towards the door.

But as her hand touched the door knob, a monitor started to beep and got her attention.

"Wait." She stopped in her tracks and turned as her partner perked up like never before.

"Jackie, it's just a malfunction" He looked to the brain waves that shot up.

"No, no, you see it too buddy, don't you?!" She made her way back to the bed, talking to Clipper. She still laid still, but as Jackie grabbed her hand again, the 12 year old gave it a great squeeze.

"Jack! Jack, she- she squeezed my hand!" Jackie yelled while laughing as he ran to get a doctor. She looked down to see her feet twitching, her way of showing her partner that she was okay, and Clipper got the message loud and clear as he jumped down and began to bark excitedly.

Quickly she turned to Kit again, the mother and daughter meeting eyes again.

"Hi baby, Hi." Jackie sobbed as Kit's hand moved to her mother's face.

Slowly Kit put her hand on Jackie's cheek, pinky on her ear, thumb on her mouth, and her pointer on her nose, just like her mother had done just minutes ago.

Even though the moment lasted what seemed like a second before Kit's hand fell down again, it was sweet & heartwarming.

"I got the- Kid?!" Jack stood in the doorway, seeing his daughter's eyes flickering and Jackie began to clutch the bedsheets.

Pain shot through her chest and back, and as her eyes met Kit's one last time she crumbled onto the floor.

Immediately Jack ran to her as Kit began to flair her arms as every machine raced to see who could beep faster.

"Calm down kiddo!" Clint ran in at the moment of unclearity and started to hold Kit's hand.

"She's okay, stay with us kiddo, come on, eyes on me" Kit's tears ran down her face as the tape came from around her mouth, realizing she was now choking on the tube, trying to get it up.

Jack didn't know which way to go, Jackie was being rushed away, but Kit was freaking out, they- they were finally taking the tube out, finally getting her on track and Jackie was the one who took the turn. It was always like this for him, one or the other, no in between. At least that's what it seemed.

He just couldn't have both of his girls.

Jack watched from the doorway window as she coughed and coughed, bringing the tube up and out of her throat.

Breathing slowly, he headed back into his daughter's room and looked at Kit, holding her hand and crying slightly.

"Sir, The First Lady, she's awake." Clint peeked in about an hour later after doctor after doctor had come in and gave there options on what to do with Kit next.

Jack was once again in the "mommy" spot and was completely overwhelmed.

He nodded and kissed Kit goodbye as she slept, and once again headed to the other room on the floor, turning Kit's lights on his way out.

Her nightlight shown bright, like he was tucking her in at home.

"Way to scare me to death Kid." Jack laughed as he walked in and looked to Jackie as she smiled weakly, a cannula being added to her face.

"I'm fine Bunny, I'm sorry." She sighed looking at him again.

"Kitty was awake, she's back to sleep now, breathing steady on her own. She's hurting, but holding her own. Just like someone I know." Jack sat down on his wife's bed and just kinda seemed defeated, you could tell.

"Okay, okay, but there's more, I- I can tell, what is it?" A concerned expression wiped the mother's face.

"There's just too much damage Jackie, too much permanent. She's- she's tired. Too tired." He put his head in his hands as his eyes began to water thinking of the reality of the near future.

"But were her parents, we'll do anything Jack, we're gonna- we're gonna make sure she's taken care of, that she's happy and look forward to the end of the tunnel we're we can finally say she is completely healthy. We have faith, and we have the over abundant love for our baby Jack. That fuels for longer than you think." He nodded getting in beside Jackie as she put her head on his chest.

She looked up into the window, at her sleeping daughter, with a sinking feeling in her chest that just seemed to continue to fall further and further.