One week had gone by and it was finally time for Jamie to be released from the hospital, the entire family was present to bring Jamie back home. Frank was busy at the front desk filling out paperwork that would discharge his son from the hospital while the rest of the family in the room preparing to leave.
"Are you excited? finally, to get back home?" Joe asked Jamie whose eyes were set on the TV.
"Yeah, sure," Jamie said sadly. For the past week Jamie never really spoke unless he was spoken to and even with that all his responses sound so unenthusiastic and sad, nothing like Jamie three weeks prior to this.
"Liam and Dean have been waiting forever to see you," Erin added. Jamie had a small smirk but it faded as fast as it came.
"That's nice," Jamie responded in the same sad tone. Before anything else was said Frank entered the room alongside Jamie's doctor.
"Hey Jamie," Dr. Henderson greeted. "So you're ready to go home before but I let you go officially do you have any questions for me? Does your chest still have pain?"
"I don't have any questions." Jamie again sounded so depressed. "My chest does feel tight every so often."
"Okay, I'm going to prescribe you some steroids and painkillers and your next visit will be in 2 1/2 weeks, is that okay." Jamie nodded. "Great, take it easy Jamie, no sports or any exercise of any kind for at least another two months." Jamie nodded again. "You're free to go." Mary was extremely excited. Danny rolled the wheelchair closer to the bed. "Mr. Reagan a word?" Frank followed the doctor into the hall. in the past week, Jamie has been doing physical therapy and walking again but he still needed help a little. Joe and Danny help lift Jamie onto his feet, Jamie took a few steps and even that felt like a marathon, he walked on his own to the wheelchair and Joe helped him sit into the chair slowly, after that little of action he was out of breath.
"You guys ready." Frank returned, they all smiled. The officer that had been guarding the door radio out letting the other units know the Reagan were on their way out. Frank wheeled Jamie, while the other Family members stayed close and vigilant especially the Reagan men. The car was already pulled up to the front, Mary turned to Jamie.
"Okay sweetie, I'm going to ride with Erin, Pops, Angela, and Linda, we'll see you at home okay?" Jamie nodded, Mary kissed Jamie on the head, she turned to Frank. "See you at home, love you," Mary whispered to him. The group was led off by another officer leaving Joe, Danny, and Frank.
"You think you can walk?" Joe asked Jamie, shrugged.
"Okay, we'll help you up." Danny gave Jamie a hand, Jamie walked to the SUV fairly easily on his own, after helping Jamie in Frank, Danny and Joe got in as well. The drive was quiet, Frank stayed on the lookout, everyone was extremely paranoid for good reason. When they arrived back home, Mary and the others had already arrived. Jamie stared at the house, he hadn't said a word yet but the look on his face told it all.
"Are you okay?" Joe asked looking at Jamie. Jamie immediately looked away nodding.
"Okay…" Danny wasn't convinced the slightest. Joe got out the car along with Danny and offered Jamie a hand to help him down, Jamie began walking up the driveway at his own pace Joe and Danny there if he needed any support.
"Jamie?" All of their heads turn to the sidewalk behind them, Dean stood there, his eyes glazed,
"Hey." Jamie smiled a bit. Dean approached Jamie taking in his appearance. Jamie lost weight and was very pale.
"Why don't you come inside Dean?" Frank offered. Dean nodded, they all walked inside, greeted by the rest of the family. "Hey, Dean!" Erin smiled.
"Hey, Erin." Dean smiled walking in, but he still kept his attention on Jamie. Jamie walked into the living room, he needed a break before even attempting going up the stairs.
"Are you okay?" Joe asked watching Jamie slowly sit onto the couch.
"Stop asking me that will you!" Jamie grumbled, settling into his seat. "Joe's eyes widened, He thought it was best to say nothing so he didn't, leaving Jamie and Dean alone in the living room. Dean still was shocked by Jamie's outbursts, he's known his friend for a while and he never spoke to anyone like that, definitely not his own brother.
"So…" Dean began awkwardly. Jamie looked at him with a cold glare in his eyes. Dean nervously looked away, Jamie sighed, reaching for the remote. "School has been crazy boring without you," Dean began. Jamie looked over at him. "You missed it, the football team made it to the playoffs."
"That's cool I guess," Jamie responded.
"Yeah." The silence between the two grew incredibly more awkward with time passing.
"Is there something you want to say?" Jamie's cold eyes landed on Dean, Jamie's glare at him sent shivers down his spine.
"I mean, I'm just worried about you," Dean said hesitantly. Jamie snickered looking away. "I really missed you Jamie, and if you wanna talk about anything-"
"You're here for me.." Jamie finished his sentence in the most polite tone Dean heard all evening.
"Yeah, exactly." Dean smiled a bit.
"Well get in line," Jamie said coldly. "I don't want help from any of you so don't worry about me," Jamie said. Dean's jaw dropped, Jamie has never been so cold in the years that he has known him. Dean stood up and began walking to the front door,
"See you later Jamie." Dean closed the door behind him. Joe rushed out of the house after him, he obviously was he's dropping and heard the whole thing.
"Dean!" Dean kept walking. "Dean! wait up, kid!" Joe finally caught up. "I'm sorry."
"Jamie is so different now." Dean turned around to face Joe, the look on his face was sad.
"I know." Joe began. "Dean you gotta understand, Jamie he's-" Joe looked up to the sky trying to gather the right words. "What Jamie went through… it was traumatic.. he's being hostile and pushing people away because that's his own way of dealing with that trauma." Joe's words calmed Dean down a lot, Dean never thought of it that way.
"What happened to him there?" Dean's eyes filled with water. Joe sighed.
"He was neglected mentally, they didn't hurt him other than when they shot him but for a sixteen-year-old, I can't imagine." Joe began to choke up remembering. "Dean please don't give up on Jamie, he needs time and therapy… and a friend." Dean nodded his head.
Joe returned home to find Jamie not on the couch where he once was, instead, he found him halfway up the stairs, pacing himself as he went up each stair.
"J! chill out." Joe climbed the stairs helping Jamie up the remaining few.
"I didn't need your help." Jamie spat.
"Well you may think that but you did and no matter what I'm still going to help you." Jamie looked away walking into his room. "A sight for sore eyes huh?" Jamie ignored Joe. Jamie sat in his bed, he hunched over a little bit wheezing. Joe approached Jamie placing a hand on his shoulder. "You okay kid?"
"Leave me alone." Jamie slapped Joe's hand away. Joe stood up, turning away.
"Jamie…" Joe began. Jamie scuffed sitting further in his bed. "Stop pushing me away.." Joe turned to face Jamie, Jamie's heart broke completely seeing Joe's face, tears flowing down his cheeks. "Stop pushing us away." Joe never broke eye contact with Jamie.
Jamie's whole demeanor at that moment today he hadn't seen his older brother cry since his grandmother Betty passed away last year, and even before that he hadn't seen him cry since they were young children.
"Joe.." Jamie began feeling emotions himself.
"I heard what you said to Dean." Jamie looked away, he felt horrible for the way he spoke to his friend but for some reason he couldn't apologize or go after him, something is keeping him from everyone and he himself doesn't even know.
"Okay." A knot was present in the back of his throat.
"And you really hurt him." Tears fell from Jamie's eyes.
"It's not my intention to hurt any of you." Jamie began. "I just need distance... I need it from all of you. When you pester me and sympathize for me it drives me crazy and I snap... I don't want to but I just do."
"I'm sorry that it feels like that to you but Jamie you have to understand…" Joe's voice cracked. "When you were taken for those few days, it felt like years to us, we never thought we'd see you again, even after you were s…" Joe sobbed. "For you to be here right now means the world to me, you're my best friend, my little brother. I don't know what I would've done if I, we had lost you." Jamie stood up embracing Joe in a hug.
"I'm so sorry."
Hours since being home Jamie attitude changed just a bit he one thing that really bugged Jamie is he wanted to see his Dean but after what he said he couldn't find the courage. toddler Niki, pregnant Linda, and everyone in his immediate family came and they enjoyed dinner he stayed pretty long, of course, Jamie was the center of attention but with his talk with Joe earlier he didn't react to the sympathy, they cared and Jamie knew that.
"Alright Jamie, well we're off," Joe and Danny smiled at him. Jamie was a bit sad they had to leave even though he wasn't socializing with them they still loved their presence. Jamie played with the remote in his hands trying not to look at them.
"Well, I guess I'll see you guys," Jamie responded not even making eye contact.
"If you need anything call me okay?" Joe said.
"Me too kid."
"After my tour, I'll come back to hang out." Joe smiled.
"Okay, just be safe both of you." Their eyes widened.
"Of course, see you tomorrow." They both left, all who remained was his mother and father and the unmarked police cars outside watching the house.
Jamie had taken a shower and was pretty much ready for bed. Tomorrow was Thursday, a school day but he wasn't to go back yet, so he turned on his TV and watched whatever was playing in the cartoon channels. Mary entered his room kind of startling him.
"I didn't mean to scare you," Mary said holding a cup of water and a pill bottle on her other hand. "Three hours after dinner time for your medicine." Jamie sat down on his bed tossing back the bills and drinking the cup dry of water.
"Thanks, mom."
"Of sweetie." Mary smiled, Joe took time to explain to his parents before he left about the conversation he and Jamie had together.
"Am I supposed to go to school soon?" Jamie asked the question that has been lingering in Mary's mind.
"Do you want too?"
"I don't know. I don't want to face them." He was referring to his classmates. "I said some mean things to Dean, I regret it."
"He's your friend, he understands." Jamie shook his head disagreeing.
"I just hope he can forgive me," Jamie said sadly. Mary kissed Jamie's forehead.
"Make it up to him tomorrow." Frank was leaning on the door frame, they both hadn't noticed.
"Goodnight guys." Jamie laid back into bed covering up.
Frank jumped out of bed at the sudden burst of noise coming from his son's room, Frank opened the door to find Jamie sitting with his knees up to his chest holding his head distraughtly. Frank cautiously walked up to Jamie placing a hand onto his shoulder. Jamie unknowingly slapped his father's hand away backing up into the corner of his bed and the look in his son's eyes spoke for itself, pure fear was shown in Jamie's blue orbs. Jamie was seemingly out of breath definitely having a panic attack.
"Sorry, dad." Jamie pleaded trying to calm down and catch his breath.
"Jamie did you have a nightmare?" Frank asked worrying sitting beside Jamie. Mary stood at the door frame of Jamie's room, her eyes watering. Jamie looked at his father, he nodded, letting his tears flow.
"It's going to be okay." Frank brought him in for a hug, Frank had no idea if that was going to be true honestly.
"I just keep seeing him," Jamie said he was completely haunted my Isaac. Jamie hugged his father tightly. Frank felt his shoulder growing wetter from Jamie's tears, minutes later after calming Jamie down. he looked like he had something to say.
"Do you want to say something?" Frank noticed. Jamie was too embarrassed to even say it, but he finally built up the courage to.
"Can.. can I sleep with you guys tonight?" Frank's heart fluttered. He hadn't heard those words from his son since Jamie was nine years old.
"Of course," Frank didn't even hesitate, Mary also agreed. Jamie grabbed his pillow following his parents to their room. Jamie climbed into the middle of the King Cali bed. Both of his parents also got into bed.. with each parent by his side he felt more relief than he had in a while.
TBC
Jamie possibly returns to school with a surprise. STAY TUNED!