Status: In Progress

Set Fire to the Rain

Sometimes We all Need a Little Hope

Laying awake in the wee hours of the morning in my hospital room, I couldn't seem to get comfortable. I definitely wasn't able to fall asleep. I had been trying to for the better part of the evening without success. Granted, I was in pain but I was also really excited. I am finally going home. Tomorrow morning I get to go home and sleep in my own bed. Well, actually it's today that I get to go home. Wow. The thought of that is overwhelming. It feels like I haven't been there in weeks, when it's only been a couple days. After everything that has happened, that's the only place I want to be right now. From the hallway outside my room, I heard the hushed voices of people arguing. I couldn't hear what was being said, but whatever it was, neither person sounded very pleased. Due to the fact that the blinds over my window to the hall were shut and the privacy curtain had been pulled around my bed, there was no way I could have see what was going on out there even if I had wanted too. The arguing ceased, and I heard the gentle knock on my door and my nurse, Janice, stepped inside. She made her way to the side of my bed and looked at me not completely comfortable.

"Ms. Cahrter, I am very sorry to disturb you at this late hour, but you have a visitor. They would like to come in for a short time even though it's technically not visiting hour and almost 2am. I tried to explain it to him but he is very persuasive."

"Um, it's not my ex-husband is it?"

"Oh honey, no! I know what to do if he shows. Don't you worry your pretty head about that right now. This gentleman said his name is Mr. Leto. What would you like me to tell him?"

"Please let him in. He is a friend." Janice turned and made her way out of my room shutting the door behind her, and I reached over to pick up my phone, then pressed the button on the bed to raise my head up just a little bit. Why on earth would Jared be visiting me at this hour of night? Unless something happened to Shannon and he was coming by to tell me in person instead of texting me or calling me on the phone. Oh my god, if something happened to Shannon. Or maybe he had decided to go home to LA, and didn't want to tell me himself. My heart shattered on the spot. Wow my head was taking off in all different directions. I needed to wait and see what Jared had to say before freaking out completely. It just didn't explain why he was coming by to see me at 2 in the morning. Breathe Eliza, breathe. To calm myself, I then began to check for messages on my phone. I heard the door open and shut quietly, then footsteps. I had gotten a couple of text messages from JT, Mags and Kym. I had started to reply to JT when I realized Jared had yet to say anything to me. Which was very odd for Jared. So I placed my phone on my lap, and looked up slowly and gazed into a pair of beautiful hazel eyes.

"Hello Eliza."

"Shannon." Saying his name out loud was so much harder when he was standing in front of me. And I didn't know what else to say to him honestly. The last time we were in the same room together, he had told me that he didn't want to see me again. Or rather, he couldn't be here."

"Do you mind if I sit for a little while? I just want to talk." He was standing at the end of my hospital bed with his hands in his jeans pockets looking very unsure and my heart was aching.

"Sure, I guess. I am just a bit confused as to why though."

Shannon pulled a chair over from across the room, and placed it next to the bed facing me. "Jared came by my place tonight and told me that you are going home in the morning. El, that's fantastic news." He said with a genuine smile.

"Yes, they are finally springing me from this place. I can't wait to go home. That was really nice of Jared to stop by and tell you." I said smiling softly at him.

"It was." And we just sat there looking at one another. Neither of us could look away. I was the first to do so, for fear of what might happen if I didn't.

"Shannon, why are you here at 2 in the morning?" Not that I wasn't secretly thrilled to see him, but I knew deep down that this was only going to end up with him walking away and me in tears.

"I was so happy to hear that you are going home, and I was laying in bed at home tossing and turning, unable to sleep. And I thought that I would take a shot that you might be awake and up for a visitor. I miss our talks." He said in an almost inaudible whisper. I wasn't sure that I had heard him correctly.

"I don't understand. You said you couldn't stay, that you had to leave. Now you say that you miss our talks. What am I supposed to believe? And for the record, I have missed you so very much. All of it, our talks, text messages, everything." I said quietly, looking up slowly into his beautiful eyes. God, how I had missed him, and just wanted to reach over and kiss him, hold his hand, hold him. Anything just to touch him in some way. Because right now, I honestly can't believe he is sitting in my room.

His head fell forward into his hands and he ran them through his hair giving a frustrated sigh. "El...I promised I wouldn't overstay my welcome here. So I don't have much longer. It's just... I really wanted to come and tell you how happy and relieved I am that you are going home. I think it's great that Jack will be staying with you, given the situation. Knowing him, he probably feels much better about it too." He chuckled.

"Yeah, you could say that. Though living with him was always, um, interesting to say the least."

"I can't even imagine how that must have been as a kid growing up." The two of us sat and laughed with each other and it felt natural, it felt right.

We sat quietly for a little while. It seemed like there was something on Shannon's mind, and a few times I thought he was going to say something, but he would close his mouth and say nothing. Personally, I would rather him be there in silence, then leave altogether. Eventually though, he stood up slowly, and said "I really should get going. I promised Nurse Janice I would be long gone by now."

"Do you really need to leave?"

"Yeah, El I do. I need to ask something of you that I really hate to, but it's necessary for reasons I can't explain right now. Do you trust me?"

"Yes." I answer without hesitation.

"Ok, then I need for you to forget I was ever here tonight. Jared can't know I came by. Please. I promise to explain it all to you one day. I just can't do it, not tonight."

"Alright...I guess I can do that. How come I feel like this is you saying goodbye, and I won't be seeing you or hearing from you again anytime soon."

He stood over me with a grim look on his beautiful face, and his head hung in defeat. Taking a deep breath before he answered me, I wasn't sure if I really wanted to hear what he was going to say after all. I took a deep breath and awaited his answer. Shannon leaned over me and kissed me on top of my head, lingering for an extra long moment. "Be safe Eliza and take care of yourself." I then felt his fingertip trace along my cheek and down my jawline. It was electric.

Then he turned around and walked toward my door. I heard the distinctive click of the door being opened then the click meaning the door had been shut behind him. Shannon was gone. Gone for good, I do not know, because he never really answered my question. I guess that is better than nothing. There is a small part of me that can't help but wonder why it's so important that Jared not know that he stopped by to visit. Exactly what the hell had been going on between those two lately I don't know. It was extremely odd, snd Shannon's request only piqued my curiosity. But I had given Shannon my word and I would never break that. I pressed my nurse's call button and Janice came in a moment later. I explained to her my odd request, that no one other than myself and her was to know that I had a midnight visitor. She of course, said not to worry anout it and bid me a good evening. After she left I thought over Shannon's visit, and though I was frustrated with the fact that I still had no answer to the question that hung in the air between us earlier that evening, but right now, I will take anything I can get in the Shannon Leto department. Having him stop by tonight had been t he best medicine in the world. Now at least I have a little spark of hope, where there used to be none at all. I closed my eyes, and finally drift into sleep.
♠ ♠ ♠
This chapter is dedicated to Jess. Happy Birthday! ♥ There is always hope sweetheart. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it for you!

Love to all my readers. Please comment, subscribe and recommend!

mysoul4jimmy
Stacey