Every moment was excruciatingly prolonged as Jackson watched on helplessly; his fists clenched, and eyes glossed with tears. He could do nothing but watch and that was the most punishing thing ever. He couldn't bare to watch the way Wendy was losing her composure whilst trying to save Irene, and he couldn't bare to listen to the erratic sounds of the machines around her. Yet he forced himself to do exactly that. He wanted to rush forward and hold her against his chest, he wanted to hold her in his embrace and love her over and over again until the wounds of her past healed.

Yet he was scared that one touch would break her.

He looked to see her become paler by the second and his body was enslaved with prayers as the words left his lips over and over again, begging for her. Begging for god to give her back to him. He could see her blood ooze out onto the white sheets beneath her, and with every drop he felt his own blood drain from his body, the colour draining from his face, as he watched the hectic doctors work to save her life. Something he had seen her do countless of times, yet the role reversal was torture and he could tell it was torture for those around her. Her friends; her family, working, pushing themselves to bring her back to life yet all seemed to be in vain. He pushed himself forward towards her, taking her hand despite the desperate attempt to hold him back. "You can't leave Rene. You can't leave me. Please Babygirl, I know your tired, I know you want to give up but please hold on a little longer. Please just come back to me." He kissed her sweaty forehead, tasting her blood on his lips as he forced himself back to let the doctors continue their frenzied movements.

He felt his feet shuffle backwards, as he choked on a sob, his eyes finally falling from her form as they watered over, blurring his sights completely. He forced them back, he needed to be strong. He needed to be strong for her. He couldn't break. Not yet. And so he wiped away the tear that fell before forcing his gaze back to her almost lifelessly form. And his mind couldn't help but think that there in that bed lay a fallen angel. An angel who had been hurt and damaged and he prayed it hadn't been to the point of beyond repair. But as his thoughts settled the worry creeped back to greet him like an old friend; he heard the monitors stop.

A long ring, audible to them all as they shared a look between them. He felt his heartbeat thump violently against his chest to the point he thought it was ready to explode, and just when he thought the nauseating feeling couldn't get any worse, Wendy's high pitched scream did just that. The other four girls were soon to follow in quick succession, slung over her form as the machines continued to ring out. His respective friends went to pull their other halves of Irene as Jackson's staggering feet walked up to her. "Come on Rene..." he said, over the machines not wanting to believe his own eyes. Not wanting to believe that god had not answered his prayers.

He could feel his composure slip as he knelt at the bed she lay on, unmoving. "Come on." He said, louder this time, his voice cracking as he uttered the words, holding onto them as the boys behind him looked down their own tears falling to the forefront.

He lay his head down on top of her stomach, her hand in his, and his tears slipped out. Until he heard something. A beat from the machine, followed by another until her cardiological pattern picked up momentum, he felt her hand move in his as the doctors moved back to work, and as his hand left hers, she was rushed straight into the surgical theatre with other doctors in quick succession. He slumped against the floor, his legs giving way as he did. And the second half of his waiting game began.

Hours had ticked by with Jackson leaning up against the wall, his facial expressions numb as he looked on at the other wall. He refused food and drink. He refused communication, he just wanted her safely back in his arms. And when the surgeon finally came out, he was off the floor in record speed, standing in front of the man who Jackson had entrusted his wife's life with. "She's in a pretty bad shape. But it's Irene, she's a fighter she always has been. She's out of the worst, we managed to extract about ten bullets, we stitched up three stab wounds and she had an extensive concussion to her head as a result of a trauma. Her internal organs have managed to survive, how I don't know but let's be grateful for that. And besides that she has multiple scraps and bruises as to be expected, and we suspect a couple broken ribs." He heaved a sigh as he looked up to Jackson.
"I don't want to fill you with too much hope. She's in a pretty bad state and these next 48 hours are going to be crucial. It's just another waiting game to see if she will come around." Jackson nodded bringing his hand forth to shake the mans hand as Irene was wheeled past them into a private room.

He felt his feet carry him towards her as the others stood behind him, and they couldn't believe that this broken woman in front of them was their Irene. Jackson turned to the girls and his guys, "Get some rest, I'm going to stay with her." The girls reluctantly left as Jackson walked further in.

He sat down on the chair next to her, his eyes watering as he held onto her hand. He brought it up to his line of sight, interlocking their fingers before kissing the back of her hand. He shuffled forward slightly his stare refusing to fall from her in fear that if he did she might not be there when he opened them. He moved a hand to push her silk hair away from her face tucking it gently behind her ear as he took a closer look at her face. The face of the woman he was in love with, a face of the woman who was no less then a warrior  and she stood standing through her pain, fighting death himself in order to hold on.

"Thank you." He whispered. "Thank you for teaching me how to love again Irene, thank you for taming the beast that I was scared that I was becoming." He kissed her hand again. "I love you Babygirl. I love you so much that I can't breathe. I need you to open your beautiful eyes for me as soon as possible. I need you by my side forever. I'm barley holding onto my sanity right now Babygirl and I need you to hold me. I need you to be okay. I need you to come back. Stay with me please."  And with those final words, his grip on her hand tightened, his resolve completely crumbling as his tears openly fell from his eyes in front of his wife. The feelings of helplessness and fear of losing her taking over as he looked at her desperately, his own wounds stinging with the salt that had been rubbed into them maliciously.

He cursed loudly for not being there when she had been suffering greatly alone. He cursed himself for not getting to her faster and he sat there blaming himself as his wife healed besides him physically. But he knew her emotional battle scars were going to be more excessive. He looked towards her, resting his head at the side of her bed to look up at her, his eyes opening every second his body tried to close them in fear of her disappearing. But soon the emotional torment took over his body as his form slumped awkwardly.

Three days had gone by. With nothing. She hadn't worsened, but she hadn't progressed either. And every moment Jackson sat besides her holding her hand every step through her recovery. He neglected his work for a day but found the distraction helpful and so he monitored most things through a laptop by her side.

And on the fourth day, when Jackson had felt his resolve begin to slip, his angel awoke. Her eyes fluttered open adjusting to the light around her, she squinted as Jackson raced to her side. And finally after weeks their eyes met. The love, the pain, the tears oozing out as they stared at each other. "Jack?" Her voice croaked out. He rushed to pour her a glass of water, bringing the rim to her lips as he held the glass the other hand supporting her back. He placed the glass down as her eyes followed his. "Jack." He felt a sob rip from his throat as he gently pulled her to his chest mindful of her injuries to hold her for a second. He felt her relax in his grip. "Irene." He finally said, Irene felt her body become ignited with the way he uttered her name into existence. "I missed you." They both said simultaneously, chuckling at each other as Jackson carefully eased her back into the comforts of the pillows. "Get some rest Babygirl. I'll be here when you wake up." She nodded feeling the strain on her body her eyes closing as she fell asleep again. Jackson moved her hair away from her face again, bending down to place a kiss on her forehead, he watched the corners of her mouth curve and he smiled holding onto her hand, smiling more as she tightened the grip. He felt relieved and now able to unlock the strength he needed to end this battle once and for all. They messed with his wife, and he was about to bring hell to them.

TBC

Authors note:
Hey guys hope you enjoy this one. Bit of a rollercoaster but still. Let me know what you think in the comment section below,
I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Lots of love and best wishes. Stay safe x