Chapter 12 --- Strong Enought to Handle....Strong Enough to Love

Meanwhile, Jessica lay silent in her bed, starring up at her plain white ceiling. Once again, she couldn’t sleep. Since Aaron came, her mind couldn’t rest. Her thoughts kept her up all night. Her nerves didn’t help much either. She was scared to know what Aaron was capable of. She was scared that he may try to hurt himself, but most of all…she was scared she would be powerless. She was in no position to wimp out now. No matter what, she vowed to herself she wouldn’t fail him or herself. Her Aunt Marissa asked for her help personally, and she was going to come through no matter what.

Jessica turned on her side, placing her hand underneath her head, sighing heavily. Her eyes felt so heavy she was sure this was it. She was finally going to sleep. Her eyes weren’t even closed for a minute when they reopened again. With her free hand she rubbed her burning eyes and quietly punched her pillow, afterwards. She shifted back to her back, kicking the blankets off of her.

It was silent that night. Usually, Jessica would have to deal with those annoying crickets chirping all night. But tonight, those annoying crickets didn’t chirp once. Jessica savored these kind of nights, knowing it may be different tomorrow night. Maybe she can finally fall asleep. All she had to do was clear her head and relax her body.

Jessica couldn’t be more wrong about anything. That silence didn’t last.

A shrill scream pierced through the air. Immediately, Jessica shot up in bed and sprinted out of her room, her heart wedged in her throat. The scream came again, followed by loud sobbing. Jessica thought about going to get Marissa, but she needed to get to Aaron and make sure he was okay. When she got to the door, her hands fumbled with the door knob. Finally she pushed it open and saw Aaron on the floor, his knees up to his chest, sobbing.

 “Aaron, what’s wrong?!” She said kneeling down in front of him and placing both of her hands firmly on his shoulders. As she did, Aaron went ballistic. Jessica’s heart skipped a beat and she quickly let go of him when he started screaming again. He jerked away from her, desperate it seemed to stay as far away from her as he could. Jessica was dumbfounded. She sucked in a short breath and shifted closer to him, holding out her hands carefully.

 “Aar, it’s me Jessica. It’s okay.” She said as gracefully as she could. When she crawled all the way back over him, she took him in her arms.

 “No! Leave me alone!” He cried out pushing her away, roughly. Jessica didn’t back away that time. She immediately jumped back on him and tried to calm him down. No matter how much he fought her, she didn’t let him go. Jessica tried soothing him the best she could, but he didn’t seem to understand who she was nor what was even happening. All Jessica knew is that something bad had happened and she desperately needed to know what that was. Suddenly Aaron broke free from her grip and his fist quickly connected to the back of her head. Jessica cried out in pain, falling off to the side.

 “Dammit!” She growled, holding the side of her head and wincing in pain. She stumbled after Aaron after she saw him heading toward the door. She pranced on him, throwing him to the ground, showing no mercy.

 “Aunt Mar!!!” She called to Marissa as loud as she could. She needed help and she needed help now, “Uncle Jack!!! Somebody help me in here!!!” Just as she felt her grip giving away from how much Aaron was fighting her, Marissa and Jack rushed into the room. Jessica quickly got out of the way as Jack took her place on top of him.

 “Aaron, please stop!! It’s only us! Stop Fighting!” Jack yelled, grabbing both of Aarons arms and pinning them to the floor. Jacks yelling only made Aaron freak out even more. He screamed even louder than before. Jessica choked back a sob and was forced to cover her ears.

“Aaron, baby please….it’s me…Marissa. Will you please look at me? Please baby.” Marissa ran her hand over his face, tears springing up in her eyes. Then, she quickly looked up at Jessica.

“What happened? Why is he acting like this?” She asked.

 “I don’t know!” Jessica cried sinking down onto the carpet.

 “Marissa, switch me!” Jack said suddenly and quickly got off of Aaron. Marissa took his place and tried to hold Aaron down the best she could.

 “Where are you going?”

 “I’m ending this. Give me a few minutes.” Jessica jumped to Marissa’s side and helped her hold a still-frantic Aaron until Jack came back. A few minutes later, Jack came rushing back in, a needle in hand. Jack kneeled down and latched his hand around Aarons arm.

“Jack, what the hell are you doing?!” Marissa shrieked, eyes wide. Jessica kept her mouth shut and continued to hold Aarons hand.

“Dammit, Mar! What the hell do you want me to do, huh? We can’t control him and this is the only way he’ll stay quiet! It’s only enough to knock him out for a few hours.” Jack said, slowly pushing the needle under Aarons skin and releasing the power to sedate him. Aaron closed his eyes and became quiet and limp as soon as the medicine kicked in. Jack picked him up and gently placed him on the bed, covering him up. Jessica climbed onto the bed and softly ran her fingers over his face, pushing his silky blond hair back out of his eyes with her other hand.

 Jack grabbed Marissa by the arm and pulled her out into the hall way. Once alone, he turned toward his wife, his arms crossed tightly in front of his chest. He gazed at her with a sour cold expression. Marissa nervously picked at her nails, afraid of even opening up her mouth. Jack groaned loudly, running his hand over his face.

 “You know what, baby. This has got to stop.” He said sternly.

 “What?” Marissa said her voice low.

“This. Aaron. I can’t keep sedating him every time he starts flipping out. You told me you would help him.”

 “I am!” She quickly said standing her ground. Jack raised his eyebrows and snorted.

“You are? You could have fooled me. Does he look like he is getting better to you? Was that episode he just pulled just an illusion in your mind that he is getting better?”

Marissa felt the anger start to creep up. “You’re not giving it a chance. Aaron has his good days and he has his bad days. We are here to help him through the hell he is going through and find out why he has these episodes…..” Marissa trailed off when Jack slowly put a finger up to hush her.

 “We?? Marissa, I didn’t even want him here in the first place.”

 “I never asked you to help me.” She said flatly, “No, we as in, me and Jessica. I don’t give a shit what you want to do.”

Jack nodded, “Okay. But hear me on this; I don’t hate him. Even though you’re standing there thinking that I do, but I don’t. I want him to get better too but baby, you’re no therapist. You’re just a nurse."

“That doesn’t matter. He needs love and support and someone to be there for him. Someone who can guide him in the right direction and make him understand that there is more to life than this. Someone to help his heart heal”

Jack crossed his arms and stepped closer to her, “Mar, it’s called family. You’re not his damn mother. That is one thing I do not understand. Did you ever think maybe his family wants him home? That maybe they would want to help him? Have you even talked to any of them, lately?”

 “The only ones I have spoken to was Angel and at times Nick.”

“What about his parents?”

 “The last time I talked to Bob was when Aaron was emitted.”

 “And do you really think you had the right to take Aaron out of that hospital without Bobs consent or him even knowing about it?”

Marissa leaned up against the wall. “Jack, it’s much more complicated than that. I had every right. You don’t understand….”

 “Then give me a little hint!”

 “Jack…please…” Marissa sobbed, letting her face fall into her hands.

 “Give me something to work with, Mar! If you can’t do this one little thing for me, you had no right! No…right!”

 “They gave up on him, okay!” She yelled, crying harder.

 “Who?” Jack said calmly.

“Bob and Ginger! So did Leslie and BJ. Jane doesn’t give a rats ass anymore, so she doesn’t matter. Leslie and BJ stopped coming to the hospital when they were sure that Aaron had lost it. The only ones who has not given up are Angel and Nick. You know why they gave up?” Jack shook his head, “Because they couldn’t handle it. They wouldn’t handle it.” She continued. “Their cowards. And it took someone brave enough to step up to the plate. Someone that has the courage and the strength to handle whatever is thrown at them. It has to take someone strong enough to handle the outcome. Someone strong enough to go through hell and back with him no matter what. And someone strong enough………to just love him. “ Marissa wiped her wet cheeks with the sleeve of her night gown.

“What took you so long to tell me this?” Jack asked, his voice low and gentle.

“I didn’t want to bother you with other peoples crap. You would have gave me the ‘I don’t care’ attitude. ‘Its not my problem’ attitude.” Jack pressed his lips together. He reached his hand forward, tangling it in her hair. He leaned forward and gave her a long tender kiss on the head. He pulled back and gazed right into her glassy eyes.

 “What makes you think I’m that low?”

Marissa shrugged, “You could have fooled me.”

 “I would have to admit….I would’ve said something like that before. But honey, let me give you a little piece of information--I’m not some cold hearted bastard.” Marissa lowered her eyes to the ground, keeping quiet. She rocked back and forth on her heals, gently touching Jack’s chest with her hand. She felt him grab her hand and push it away. When she looked up, Jack was already walking down the hall, heading back to the bedroom.

 Marissa felt light headed from all the crying that she was doing. She wiped the remaining tears away and retreated back into Aaron’s room. She entered, seeing that Jessica had fallen asleep on the bed beside Aaron, her arm wrapped tightly around him. Marissa thought Jessica had a warm idea so she walked over the bed and climbed in on the other side, pulling her body close to Aaron’s and falling asleep.