| Jamie's room seemed to swell as it filled up with people. By the end of the afternoon, Jamie quipped that the nurses must feel like they were keeping track of Grand Central Station. "You GUYS. I am fine. I slept, my leg is better. My head doesn't even hurt that much anymore. PLEASE. I don't deserve all this anyway." She looked at her hands in her lap and apologized again for "THIS being the way we had to meet." She stole a quick glance at Taylor's tired face, then looked back up at his parents. "I really am sorry." she said, squeezing Taylor's fingers between hers. "Aw Jame..." Taylor groaned and pushed her hair off her forehead for the millionth time that day. "Plenty of time to make up for that soon enough," Diana stated, her eyes locked with her husband's. They figured they'd better get to know the girl, she'd be around forever and they knew it. "Tay..." Jamie's voice was a raw whisper as she stroked his hair off his face. Her hand cupped his cheek and he closed his eyes, savoring the feel of her touch on his skin. All he wanted to do was hold her, let her sleep in his arms, wake up to hear her say she loved him again. "Tay.." she whispered again, as Diana and Walker watched how this pretty dark haired girl interacted with their son. They watched carefully, wanting to see that she loved him they way they knew Taylor had already fallen for her. They'd watch the life drain right out of him for the last few days, as he sat vigilant at her side, never relinquishing her hand unless forced to by the nurses or doctor taking care of her. "Hmm...what baby?" he breathed back, covering her hand on his cheek with his own, large warm one. "You're so tired baby...you need sleep too." she told him softly, running the pad of her thumb over his cheekbone. "Good sleep, Tay. Not just in that chair over there, or with your head on my lap. That can't be comfortable. You look so tired...." her voice trailed off as he kissed the palm of her hand. "I am fine, Jame. Especially now that I know YOU are." his eyes welled up with tears, as he kissed the palm of her hand again. "I'm sorry..." she said again and let the fingertips of her cast hand brush his hair out of his eyes. "Shh. I am. I shouldn't have pushed..." he told her. "NO." she stated angrily, both of them forgetting others were in the room. "Absolutely NOT. YOU do not have anything to be sorry for Taylor. NOTHING. I" she cupped his face in her hands and made him look at her as she spoke. "This was MY fault, Tay. MINE. Not yours, not John's, not even my stupid BROTHER'S..." she sighed in frustration. "MY own stupid fault, for being too selfish and scared to say what I already knew was true." She raked his hair back with her good hand and looked him over, tracing his cheekbone with the pad of her thumb again. "Tay. I LOVE you. I love you and I am sorry to put you through this, sorry for making you wait so long... I dunno how to fix it Tay...and you look so tired... so tired baby..." she sniffled and wiped her cheek with the back of her cast hand. Taylor kissed her palm, then leaned over to hold her, cupping the back of her head. "As long as you're okay Jamie. God. I love you, too. I'm fine and I am not leaving this hospital without you." he looked down at her, his shining blue gaze intense. Jamie sniffled and had to chuckle. "I know baby. I heard you yelling at the nurse. I tried to open my eyes and tell you it was okay, but I couldn't make my body move..." He grinned down at her and pressed his lips together, in an effort not to laugh. Taylor's parents exchanged a knowing look. "I've been sleeping, Jame. Don't worry."he told her. "Not only do you suck at pool, Taylor, you are a BAD liar." she smiled up at him, but he only shrugged. Walker cleared his throat and Diana shifted her feet underneath her. They'd seen enough. Taylor and Jamie turned as they remembered they weren't the only ones in the room. "When you are well, I would like for you, your father, and your uncle to come out to the house for dinner. Okay? Today is square one. We start from here." she grinned and Walker nodded in agreement. "Yes ma'am." Jamie smiled up at the two of them. My daddy would like that I think. I can't be held responsible for my uncle though. Lord knows my momma tried to tame him but I don't think it can be done." she giggled. Diana and Walker chuckled. "It's fine, Jamie. Just get yourself better. Zac says you can really play those drums." Walker smiled and Jamie relaxed. "Zac's got good musical tastes..." she shrugged. Finally, the steady stream of traffic through Jamie's room began to slow. Jade shooed Taylor out of the room when Zac and Ike announced they were hungry. "Go on, Tay." Jamie smiled up at him. "Jadeleigh and I have some catching up to do."she told him. Jade wiggled down firmly in the chair Tay had been camping in, folded her arms across her chest and nodded toward the door. "Yeah, you whipped assholes. I'm hungry. Let's go." Zac winked at Jamie as he dragged his brother from the room, making her laugh. Taylor shot a quick glance back at Jamie, smiled when she waved him on and took Jade's hand, then followed his brother out the door. |