In This Life ○ Paul Lahote

Eighteen

"She's stable." Carlisle tells the pack as he leaves the critical condition unit. They had just wheeled Jenna into an all glass room behind glass walls that prevented the pack from going to her.
"How stable is stable?" Jared asks, Paul was too torn up to speak.
"Not very stable." Carlisle says regretfully.
"When can we see her?" Emily asks and Carlisle looks back at Jenna before focusing on everyone else again.
"Not for a while, I'm afraid. Only family is allowed to visit CC patients. We contacted Jenna's family, they're on their way up."
"What can we do?" Embry asks desperately but Carlisle shakes his head a little.
"Pray."

Everyone sat just outside the doors to the CC unit, silently watching over Paul who looked no better than death. When visiting hours were over, everyone was asked to leave, but they fought for Paul's right to stay.
He sat up all night, silently watching through the darkness over Jenna's body that was hooked up to all kinds of tubes.
At around four in the morning, a wave of fatigue washed over Paul, crippling him into a sleep that couldn't be ignored.

"Paul? What are you doing here?" Jenna giggled as she jogged over to Paul.
They were in a large clearing, the sun shining down on them but not scorchingly. There was a comfortingly warm breeze that rustled the leaves and hugged them delicately, and Jenna was grinning happily.
"Nico." Paul's voice cracks violently as he engulfs her in a hug, crying into her shoulder.
"You were so sick, y-you just collapsed." Paul cries and Jenna chuckles and wraps her arms around him strongly, rubbing his back soothingly.
"I've always been sick, Paul." She replies but Paul could still hear the smile in her voice.
"How are you smiling right now!?" He asks, pulling away enough so he could stare in her face and shake her shoulders.
"Because you're here." Jenna cups his face with her hands before pulling away from him and dancing over to the tree line.
"Isn't it beautiful? I love the woods here."
"You love the woods in La Push."
"Well where do you think we are?" Jenna laughs as if Paul was the dumbest person in the world. He decided on not saying anything.
"I'm going to build a house right here." Jenna smiles, looking around the clearing, hands on her hips as she nods to herself.
"N-No you're not, you have to come home, we'll find a different clearing, we'll build one together." Paul says quickly, walking over to her at a brisk pace and clutching her shoulders.
The smile Jenna gave him brought fresh tears to his eyes.
"I think this spot will do just fine." She nods, her voice soft as she wipes away Paul's tears.
"Please don't do this, Jenna. Please, please wake up, come back to me. Please." Paul's hands shake as he clings onto her arms.
"There's too much to do here, I have to make sure it's perfect."
"For what!?" Paul screams but Jenna just rests her hands on his face again.
"For when you're ready to come join me." Her eyes tear up and her voice cracks, making an ugly sound emit from Paul's throat as he cries more.
"We still have to get married, and have a bunch of kids. And go on morning runs." Jenna tells him in a soothing voice as he collapses to his knees. Jenna kneels down in front of him.
"I-If you do this, I'm following you, I can't live without you." Paul cries as Jenna hugs herself to him.
"Oh Paul... you haven't even lived yet." Jenna whispers as he clings to her.
"Thank you, for loving me." She pulls away and smiles at him, rubbing his tears away with her thumbs.
"Don't go. You can't leave me, please."
"I won't. I couldn't leave you if I tried." Jenna chuckles, smiling brightly at the boy unraveling at the seams.
"I'll wait for you, Paul Lahote, and you better make me wait a long time, you hear me? You promised to protect me from qny more regrets, right?" She smiles and he shakes his head.
"Please don't do this."
"Promise me, Paul. That you'll live." Her smile falters a little as she looks up at him.
"No." He refuses, making Jenna chuckle and plant a kiss at the corner of his mouth. She rests her forehead against his own and takes a deep breath.
"I love you."