Set Fire to the Rain

Slowly waking up from a very unpleasant nap, in my hospital bed, I looked around the room and the people that surrounded me. Jack and the kids were here along with Liz and Emma right now. We had all been talking when I apparently dozed off. Mags and Jake looked absolutely exhausted. I looked up at the clock on the wall noticing it was nearing 5pm on Sunday night. The doctors had insisted on keeping me a few days because I had 2 bruised ribs, a broken ankle, the inside of my mouth and throat had lots of small cuts from the glass that went into my mouth when my head hit the drivers’ side window and it shattered (from the collision with the oncoming trees), and I had a large gash on the upper part of my forehead that had needed stiches from the same thing. I had a really great plastic surgeon that took care of that and told me the scar should be barely noticeable. The doctors had said that I had suffered from a concussion that night, and with my history of head injuries and the possibility of having had one so recently, they were not willing to take a chance on letting me go home. I think Jack may have insisted on an extra day too, being the overprotective brother he is. Jack and I had made up with each other and I had never been so happy to see him as when he walked through my door, that Saturday morning. He had looked beyond tired and worried, but he was my big bro and he was there when I needed him. Since Shannon had walked out on me, I was feeling so lost and alone, and I needed someone desperately to make me feel grounded again. Jack did that for me. My parents had been to visit when they could; it wasn’t easy for them to see me in the situation I was in. Especially for my mom, it broke her heart. Being a mom, I understood. We would find our way through it, we always did.

When Jack showed up with the kids the first night, not to sound like a bitch, but I kicked Jared out. I couldn’t bare to keep looking across the room and see him sitting there, then look at the chair where Shannon had been sitting and the empty space that now screamed out into the room. Jared was this awful reminder of who I could no longer have in my life. I just needed space from him for a while. I told him I just needed time. He sweetly said he understood and agreed to take MJ back to her dorm and let Jake stay at his place for the night so that we wouldn’t have to worry about him being alone. I was eternally grateful for that. I didn’t even have to ask him for that. He had offered, after I had kicked him out. Jay had called earlier today and asked if he was allowed to come back and visit yet, because he missed me. I had to laugh at that, and told him that would be fine. Of course there was no word from Shannon. Not that I was expecting to hear from him, but I guess a part of me still hoped.

I was really hoping that my doctors would be letting me out of this place soon. I was going stir crazy. Though, I had no lack of visitors. Liz had been by every day to see me and we were becoming fast friends. I found out she lives in California, but originally from the south like me, she is divorced, has a daughter the same age as Mags, she is a trauma nurse and on vacation here visiting friends. We have very similar taste in music, actually, almost identical. When I told her who I work for, I swear Liz’s eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store. Apparently she absolutely loves Avenged Sevenfold, and since she lives in Cali, and I have certain connections out there, I may just hook my new sister up. Like I said she is really cool, and we get along great. The thing is, she never once questioned me or what I said happened the night of the accident and that meant more to me than anything. I can never repay her for saving my life, and for helping to keep me sane since I have been in the hospital, and I look forward to a lifetime of memories with her in them. She will be leaving to go home in a week and I will be very sad to see her leave. Until then, I am looking forward to spending whatever time I can with her.

Liz was currently talking with Mags and Emma laughing and joking about something. JT was on his phone with his headphones in his ears sitting on the chair in the corner. And Jack was pacing the hall with his phone to his ear.

“Hey ya, sleepy head. How was your nap?” Emma asked as she came over and sat down on the chair next to the bed.

“Eh. Not so great. I think once they spring me from this place, I will sleep much better in my own bed.” I told her with a soft smile.

“That’s usually the case. You definitely appreciate your own bed when you can’t sleep in it. Believe me I know!” She laughed.

“Hun, I can’t imagine 2 years away from my own bed. That’s just foreign to me. I guess you just get used to it though. Speaking of… Is Jay still coming by, or did he chicken out on me. Maybe he is afraid I will kick his ass?” I said with a slight smile.

“Ha! Ha! Ha! You think you are so fucking funny don’t you!” The smooth talking voice spoke from the doorway. Fucking figures.

“We all know, I could kick your ass Leto. It’s just a fact. Get over it.” I said with confidence.

“Yeah, that may be, but I think we may have to wait to find out if that is a fact or not until you are in much better condition. Ok?” Jared asked as he walked over to the bed, leaned down and pecked the top of my head. “How are you babe? Feeling any better?”

“The ribs still hurt pretty bad, I am sore everywhere else, but other than that I am good. I just want to get the hell out of here already. Sleep in my own bed, you know? I just can’t sleep well when I am not home. Besides these beds are shit.” I grumbled.

“Hey now, I take offense to that.” Came the voice of Dr. Stewart, she was my attending. Basically, if I wanted to get out of here, it was up to her.

She asked everyone to leave the room briefly so she could give me an exam, and once she was done, she had Jack come back in so we could talk about the possibility of me going home in the next day or two. They were hoping to release me tomorrow morning as long as there was someone that was willing to come and stay with me at the house. Jack of course, jumped at the chance to help. He didn’t want JT to have to worry about being responsible for me all on his own, especially while things with David were still unresolved. So with that settled, Dr. Stewart told me that she would be releasing me into Jacks care, tomorrow morning. I was ecstatic.

Once the doctor left the room she sent the rest of the crew back in, where they walked to their previous places and sat down.

“Ok, so what’s the verdict El?” Emma asked me.

“Well, they said as long as Jack can stay with me for a little while, she was ok with me going home tomorrow morning. I will get the discharge papers in the morning with all the regulations and rules and whatever, but I just want to go home finally.”

“Oh my god, that’s fantastic news. I am so excited for you!” Emma stood up and leaned over giving me a gentle hug and kiss on the cheek. I hugged her back tightly. The two of us had become much closer the past couple days. She would call when she couldn’t visit, but had basically been here every day.

“Eliza, that is the best news, I am so relieved. I know…” And Jared stopped before saying anything else. I had a feeling I knew what he was going to say, my heart sank and I ignored it. If I didn’t I would end up in tears again. Seemed like any time I thought about HIM, that’s what would happen lately.

“Thanks y’all really. I can’t wait to get out of here.”

Knock, knock, knock… I turned my head towards the door and saw a beautiful woman standing there with the door slightly ajar, and peeking her head just inside. She seemed very familiar to me, but I couldn’t place her. She had long dark hair that fell below her shoulders and had a slight wave at the ends, and her eyes were the most gorgeous green I had ever seen.

“Um, hi there. My name is Zoe Nicholls. I was one of the paramedics that took care of you on Friday night. I just happened to be here for something else and I heard you were still here and wanted to poke my head in to see how you are. Is that ok?” She asked unsure if she would be welcome or not.
“That’s how I know you. I remember your eyes. Of course! Please come in and have a seat. It is so nice to meet you Zoe. I am Eliza and these crazy people are my family. This is my brother Jack, my kids MJ, and JT. That’s Emma, Liz, and that man with the crazy hair over there is Jared.” I said pointing to all the people as I had said their names.

Zoe walked around the room shaking everyone’s hands as I introduced them all, but I happened to notice that when she got to Jared that he had a slight pause in his movements and a strange look passed over his face that I have not seen with him before. Definitely making note of that.

“So how are you doing? Any idea when you are getting out of here?” Zoe asked.

We filled her in on what had been happening and what the plans were for discharge. She seemed genuinely excited for me. We all just sat and talked for a while. Zoe and Jared seemed to really hit it off and was getting along great with everyone. It was a great distraction. Unfortunately, Jack and the kids had to leave as did Emma, Liz and Jared. Upon seeing my disappointment Zoe offered to stay and visit for a while. I immediately took her up on it. The more time I had to myself, the more time I had to think, and that wasn’t necessarily a good thing right now.

“You don’t remember me from before do you?”

“From Friday?”

“No, before that. I saw you in the Emergency Room, maybe a week ago with your boyfriend. You were a little banged up from what I remember. I happened to be there on another run, but I remember seeing you there.” Zoe said with a sad smile.

“Oh. Yeah, I was there. But he isn’t my boyfriend. We aren’t even friends anymore. He is actually Jared’s older brother.” Barely able to say that last sentence, I had to remind myself how to breathe. Deep breath, deep breath.

“He wasn’t the reason you were there was he?” A slight edge laced her voice.

“Oh god no! Never. Not Shannon. My ex-husband was the cause of that. He was also the reason for this.” I said shaking my head slowly.

“How long?”

I looked up at her with sad eyes understanding what she was asking. “Too long. But I finally got the courage to leave. He just won’t accept the fact that it’s over and I don’t love him, that I haven’t loved him for a really long time. So he continues to come after me and the people I care about.”

“I realize this is none of my business, but why don’t you press charges and put the fucker away? I understand more than you could possibly know. You need to put him where he belongs, so he can’t fuck with your life and the people you care about any longer. If you continue to ignore it and let him get away with this shit, you know that either one of two things is going to happen. You will end up living your life completely and totally isolated from everyone around you, for fear of him doing them harm, or two, he will end up killing you. I have a feeling though, deep down, you know that already. Right?”

“Pretty much…”

“Listen, I know we just met, and we hardly know one another, but I feel like I have known you forever and I could tell you anything and trust you with it. I really hope we will continue to keep in touch because I have a good feeling about you. Plus, I want to hear more about you and Shannon. And um, I feel really strange asking, but is Jared single by any chance?” Zoe asked the last part about Jared almost at a whisper and hanging her head slightly. It was very sweet.

“Hahahahahahahaha! So you like Jay huh? Hmmm, this could be very entertaining. As for me and Shannon the short version is that we were kind of dating, I guess, but not technically. Then I went and opened my big mouth and told him that I only wanted to be friends. He agreed, but has basically ignored me since then. So after the accident I woke up to him sitting beside me and he tells me he can’t stay and has to leave. Yep, I fucked up. I haven’t seen him, or heard from him since. My heart is broken and I miss him every day. What the fuck did I do?” I said softly.

“Eliza, it sounds to me like he is the fuck up. Not you. He is the one that left you here. You didn’t leave him. It’s his loss. Who knows maybe a piano will fall on him and he will come to his senses and come running to you begging for forgiveness.” She joked trying to lighten the mood.

I liked this girl. “First of all, that would be awful. A piano would be really bad for him, though very ironic, considering what he does for a living.”

“What does he do, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“He is a drummer in a rock band, and he is really amazing at it. Have you ever heard of 30 Seconds to Mars?”

“Yeah I have. And you have got to be kidding me! That’s fucking hysterical. I see why you say ironic about the piano. You really are crazy about him aren’t you?”

“That obvious huh?”

“You light up when you talk about him, whether you realize it or not. Then you have this look of such sadness it just breaks my heart. Ok, so you said that Shannon and Jared are brothers, what does Jared do?”

Wow, she really didn’t know. This was great! “Jared is the lead singer in the band. They are amazing. Have you ever heard their music before?”

“No, I have only heard people talking at work about them, just never had the chance to listen to the music.”

“Well, my dear Zoe, today is your lucky day. Can you grab my iPhone from the table over there?”

“Sure thing my dear El. Is it ok if I call you that?” She stood up and went to the table where MJ had placed my phone and brought it back over handing it to me.

“Yes it is thank you. And you are about to get a Mars music education.”

“Sounds exciting!” Zoe said squeeking and clapping her hands happily.

“Sweetheart, you have no idea.” I laughed.

Just as I was getting ready to press play on my first song choice, which was ‘The Mission’, I received a text message from Mr. Jared Leto himself. Unbelievable timing.

J- Hey El! :)

E- Hi Jay! What’s up? :)

J- Oh not much. Just wanted to say hi. And also to see if maybe you could find something out for me.

E- Um, sure. What would that be?

J- Is Zoe single?

Facepalm! Really? Wow, ok, I guess it couldn’t hurt to ask her right? Besides, she had already told me that she liked him. They are after all both single. It would be good for him to date a non-hollywood girl. I will start this along and leave the rest up to them.

“Hey Zoe, can I ask you something?”

“Go for it.”

“Are you single?”

She looked at me with a slightly confused expression before answering “I am single as a matter of fact. Why?”

“Ohhhh, just wondering.”

I typed out my response to Jared and pressed send.

J-Thanks El, you are the best! Yay! Happy dances!!

E- Lol! Have fun with that. Goodnight Jared. :)

J- Goodnight babe ♥

With that taken care of, I pressed play and began the Music History of Mars 101 with of one of my new best friends. It’s amazing how in the last week I have gained so many of those. For all the loss I have experienced, I am also feeling like a very lucky woman right now.