I STILL BELIEVE | ELEMENTAL

10

Tw: Malnutrition

Jade had always been sickly. It was no surpirse of she stayed in bed all day. She always had ever since she was born.

Sometimes, her skin wasn't smooth every day. It got less smoother as time went on. Her shiny glass.

"Mommy, my head hurts." Jade said.

Ember sighed, irritated. Her baby was sick all the time. There were only so many times that she could be outside.

"Mommy, I wanna go to the hospital." Jade said,

Was sleep taking over her? Because she slowly felt her consious slipping away.

"Mommy..."

Ember stared at her daughter. Realizing she passed out.

"Jade? Jade!"

~~~

"What?"

Wade felt shock coursing through his body. Trying to comprehend what was going on.

"She's sick. I need you here."

He grabbed his stuff and then ran out of his house, getting to the Element Hospital.

~~~

Jade was wheeled into the hospital room, and Ember and Wade forced to wait outside.

Ember knew her daughter was sick. But she hadn't known it to be this serious. Most clinics would refuse to give treatment for Jade.

But not this one, at least thanks to Wade. And most probably because of his connections.

They both sat next to each other. Knowing and acknowledging each other.

"So.. Jade was malnourished. Who knew?" Wade said, trying to make a little light of the situation.

Ember stared at him, concerned to death.

"I didn't realize it. She's also your child. She needed water too." Ember realized.

Wade sunk into his seat. His daughter was malnourished.

"I hope she gets better." He gulped.

Ember nodded.

The doctor came outside. Ember and Wade both looked at the doctor. The worries parents hoping that their daughter was okay.

"She's alright. But she needs more water." He informed.

Ember and Wade both nodded.

"Alright then."

She left to go back and tend to Jade.

Ember plyed with her hands, right, they didn't have a right moment to actually talk.

"Wade, let me make one thing clear. I don't want your money."

She stared at Wade in his eyes.

"I can support her myself."

Wade stared at her as if she was crazy.

"Are you joking? I want to help." He argued.

"Wade, if you're seen with me. Then people will talk. I don't want them to...." Ember said, turning around to look at the rest of the people. And how they looked at them weird.

She sighed.

"She's my daughter, Ember. I need to be apart of her life!" He exclaimed.

Well he would get involved somehow.

Ember slumped and sighed once again. Oh who was she scamming? She wanted Wade to be apart of Jade's life.

She wanted him to be apart of her life.

~~~

Eventually, they were allowed to visit Jade while she was still recovering. And when she eas given foods that she had lacked when eating a firish diet.

"Mr. Ripple?" She asked recocknizing.

Ouch. No daddy in sight.

"Yes. It's me." Wade nodded.

Jade turned to her glass of water and then took another sip of it.

"I like this mineral water." She admitted, taking another sip.

She turned to look at him. Golly, she had Ember's eyes.

"Wherever my Mommy?" Jade asked.

"Oh, she's talking to the doctors. They're going to give you foods for you." Wade explained, calm.

Jade nodded, her eyebrows rose. She turned back to her glass of water and then to the heart monitor.

"My arm is a little sore. They said I have malnution." She said.

Jade was very short. Could even pass for a four year old. Something Wade could notice.

She stared at him, her magmatic lava eyes were the same as Ember's firey eyes. Everytime you looked at her you could see the similarities.

"Am I dying?" She squeaked.

Wade's smile snapped and it turned to a frown.

"No no, The doctors are gonna make you feel better." He explained.

Jade nodded. Her once tensed shoulders relaxed. She took Wade's hand and placed it against her forehead. Surprising him.

"They said my glass surface is ruptured. It should be as smooth as melting glass. But my shiny surface is weak." She explained.

She was right, Wade knew her surface wasn't smooth. Anyone who touched her would notice.

She met his eyes. They were glossy with lava.

"But that's okay." She said, softly.

Wade smiled, soon, they found themselves embracing each other in a father-daughter hug.

The hug was the best thing that Wade ever felt. He felt her tiny hands around his watery body. And despite the fact that they were rough with malnutrition and malnourishment, they were softer than anything.

This hug was enough to tell him, she acknowledged him as her father. At least to Wade.

Ember walked inside the hospital room, a tray of foods on her hands. When she laid eyes on the hugging father amd daughter. She gasped.

It was like it was in her dream. They were hugging. And the world was stopping. Like in her dream.

Jade noticed her, opening her weak and glossy eyes.

"Mommy."

This time, Ember wasn't going to wake up.

A/N: Awww 🥰 Jade made Wade feel better by saying that if the doctors said she would be okay then she would be okay. She wasn't going to die as he feared.

She placed the food on the top of the table and looked at the two. Who soon let go of hugging each other.

"Hey, Ember, can I talk to you outside?" He asked.

"Sure." She responded.

Both of them took their leave and took it outside.

"Ember, I'm going to pay for Jade's treatment." He decided.

Ember sighed. How many times did she have to tell him?

"Wade, I said I don't want your money." She sighed.

Wade shook his head.

"This isn't up for discussion. I'm going to pay for her treatment and that's it." He said, sternly.

Ember looked into the window of the room and watched Jade making funny noises in the mirror. She smiled, watching as her child had fun.

She sucked a breath. Looking again at her baby daddy.

"Alright."

The fact that Ember didn't continue to stubbornly decline Wade's offer. Says enough about her. She clearly loves him.