Heart of Their Jewel

Chapter 6

Jace rushed to the nurse's desk, "Jewel Ashford please," he huffed out as he tried to catch his breath. "Please."

"Jace."

He turned to see Axel standing in the middle of the hallway. "Axel," he rushed over to him. "How? Where? How?"

"She's in here," he motioned to the door behind him. "But there's something you need to know first, Jace."

"Can I just take a look at her before you tell me whatever it is? I know you, Axel, and I know I'm not going to fucking like the news you're about to fucking tell me by that look in your fucking eyes. I need the reassurance that she is at least alive before moving on from that," Jace grunted as his muscles kept rippling. He wasn't as big as Raven but he did work out often to stay in shape.

"Jace, I...I know you want that reassurance. Can you promise to not lose your shit in there? We....I..." he sighed. "She needs calm and safety. As soon as you are done getting what you need we have to talk out in the hall immediately. No one has left her alone since she has been admitted," Axel said as he looked Jace in the eyes wanting to apologize and explain for Jewel's sake. "She doesn't need to go over the details again. Not now anyway, she needs to heal physically and then mentally."

Jace stared into Axel's dark solemn eyes as his own turned darker as if he understood the underlying meaning of what Axel wanted to explain. All he gave was a nod before following Axel to his Jewel's room. At the end of the corridor, he noticed a few people standing guard outside of a room. As they got closer he noticed it was Nathan, North, Silas, Luke, and Owen. Honestly, he was relieved that both teams were here to protect his sister as she deserved nothing but the best but at the same time the pit in his stomach grew knowing that they were there for a reason.

The men guarding the door gave a subtle nod as they made way for him to enter what he knew was his sister's hospital room. Taking a deep breath, he entered the room, and that breath quickly left as he took in his sister. There she was, lying in a hospital bed situated in the middle back of the room. Her head, neck, and arms were wrapped though he couldn't tell if her legs had any wrappings seeing as she was covered with that thin hospital blanket. She was connected to multiple wires that were hooked to monitors taking all her vitals. There was an air ventilator connected along with a feeding tube. Seeing her sister in such a miserable way had him in shock. As soon as he reached her bedside he dropped to his knees and gathered one of her hands in both of his.

"Jewely," Jace whispered even though he could tell she wasn't awake to answer him. Tears pooled in his eyes yet he wouldn't let a single one fall yet. Not till he finds the prick that did this to his angelic sister. The rest of the Toma team were in the room yet didn't dare make a sound or move as they knew their former brother needed this moment. He was a ticking time bomb moments away from exploding. They didn't want to be the trigger of it.

The rest of the Blackbourne returned from grabbing food and drinks for everyone seeing as it was three in the morning. Owen stopped them from going inside seeing as Jace needed a moment to digest everything.

"This room is connected directly to Dr. Green's office. Let's give him his time while we reconvene in there," he suggested even though he knew they would see it as a command. "We will hold the meeting there also as we can lock down Miss Ashford's room."

"I'll text Corey and let him know what's going on," Victor nodded as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. "I'll be right there." Just as he finished sending his text he saw Kota's mom Erica walking towards them. "Momma," he muttered as she stopped in front of him. "Jace is in there."

"Oh good," she sighed in relief. "I'm glad he finally made it. Now I don't have to worry about him driving on the road in his worry."

"We're going to be in Sean's office to give him a moment. The Tomas are in there also as guards so Jace could have his moment in peace," Victor explained as he gave a small smile before making his way to the office.

Erica took a deep breath then entered the room that should have been silent but was filled with constant beeps and soft sniffles. She walked over to the kneeling boy and wrapped her arms around him.

"She's going to be okay, Jace," she whispered. "We're just having her sleep so her body can rest as it heals. I promise she is going to wake up."

"Mama Lee, she's going to revert again, I just know it. This time I don't think the same tricks are going to work. I mean we had to seriously fight last time. Now, after what I believe she has gone through since I don't fucking know yet. Sorry, Mama Lee, it's just, she's all I have. I know I have you, the Tomas and Blackbourne teams, it's just that I am her older brother. I was supposed to protect her and I have now failed her how many times? When is the evil in this world going to leave my precious sister alone?" Jace questioned as a sob escaped. He was trying his hardest to hold it in yet with Mama Lee's comfort it was like that wall had a crack that just broke the dam.

"Now you listen to me, Jace Ashford," she said in a stern yet motherly tone. "You have not failed her. You have never failed her." As she said this she had taken a couple steps back so he could pick himself up. "You will stop thinking this way immediately as that is not what either of you need nor is it true. You have been there for every step since that young lady was born. You have done everything in your power just like tonight. Answer me this, you were away so yes you knew you couldn't take care of her personally but what did you do to compensate for that?"

"I called Axel," Jace muttered as he stood up rubbing the back of his neck feeling like he was getting reprimanded by his mother which was true for the most part. He has always seen Erica as his mother figure since they never had one.

"Exactly, you called those you trusted who could help you. Brothers that have known your sister for a very long time now. And they reacted as soon as you informed them. They did everything in their power to rescue her and bring her back to you alive. None of you did anything wrong, you all did everything in your power to help her. We can't keep all the bad away as evil is everywhere. No, but you can help her get better when evil strikes and help her to get stronger to protect herself. She will always need you, Jace."

"Thank you, Momma," he mumbled as he pulled out of her hug. He cleared his throat and nodded, "Alright, tell me."

"The Blackbournes brought food and set up in Sean's office so we can eat and go over everything. We should eat first as what we're about to go over is going to make you lose your appetite," Marc said as he clamped his hand on Jace's shoulder. "It's good to see you brother, sorry it is under this condition."

"Yeah, it's good to see your ugly mug again, haha," Jace said as he playfully shoulder-bumped Marc as he headed over to the rest of the team. "Thank you for rescuing her..."

"Oh shut the hell up! You know for a damn fact we would do anything for not only you but her as well. I'm just sorry we didn't get there sooner," Brandon interrupted as he gave Jace a bro hug.

"Now let's go next door and get some grub before the beasts eat it all!"

"I no beast!" Raven grumbled as he punched Brandon in the arm.

They made their way into Sean's office and found somewhere to either sit or lean against. Now to break to Jace just what his precious baby sister has gone through. Damn, It was going to be a long day.