234's Lifelines

13. Fathers.

Song:
Against all odds(Take a look at me now) : Mariah Carey ft Westlife.

"Have you ever wondered what marks our timing? If one life can really make an impact on the world? Or if the choices we make matter? I believe they do. And I believe that one man can change many lives... for better, or worse." -Lucas Scott One Tree Hill.

***

"What did you just say?!" Jess asks not believing what she just heard.

"Ok that joke is not funny," Jess says dropping the drink on the table and walking over to grab a napkin.

"I'm not joking," Hera says.

"Hera darling," Jess says walking over to Hera. She holds her hands.

"I know it's been hard without Lexis and living in the house he once lived in prior to his death must be killing you but you need to  stop lying to yourself and accept his death or you'll never move on," Jess says sympathetically.

"Jess I'm not lying to myself, I know what I saw," Hera says.

"Then you either saw a ghost or you've lost it," Jess says letting go of Hera's hands to go clean up the mess she made.

"I'm not insane," Hera pleads.

"That's what every crazy person says!" Jess says sincerely getting worried for her friend.

Hera looks at her, she needed to convince Jess she wasn't losing it. Even Hera believed she was when she first saw Lexis so this reaction was understandable.

"Come with me," Hera says getting up.

"Hera I have no intention of meeting the ghost of boyfriends past," Jess says looking up from her cleaning.

Hera walks over and pulls her with up dragging her out of the kitchen. Jess sighs in pity for her friend who she believed was in denial as she follows her out. Hera leads her to the bedroom and points to the drip.

"It's a drip," Jess says confused at how the iv drip was related to Lexis being alive.

"Lexis got a doctor to give me that when I fainted after coming face to face with him," Hera says.

Jess looks at the drip skeptically.

"Are you sure you didn't put it there yourself?" Jess asks.

"Seriously?" Hera asks.

"I mean this things happen to people who her going through grief due to the denial..." Jess starts.

"Jess you're not listening," Hera says frustrated.

"Because it doesn't make sense. Lexis has been dead for 5 years, not 1 not 2, 5 freaking years Hera. How do you expect me to accept that he is alive from an IV? All that proves, is you got sick and a doctor may or may not have been here, it's not enough to prove your statements claiming he is alive. Did he suddenly rise from the dead?" Jess asks.

"He wasn't ever dead," Hera says.

"Okay now you've officially lost it," Jess says hands in the air turning to leave.

"Peter lied to us Jess, Lexis didn't die that day," Hera says.

Jess halts her steps.

"Lexis didn't die. He lost his memories, Lexis didn't die Jess, he didn't die, he didn't die..." Hera says falling to her knees. She then breaks down in tears chanting, "he didn't die," as she hits her chest.

Jess turns back and looks at Hera. She looks at the drip, different thoughts running through her head, one side believing Hera, the other side refusing to accept her words. She was a lawyer who went on facts and evidence yet even lawyers had to sometimes give their clients the benefit of the doubt before finding the evidence needed to prove their claims. She walks over to Hera and kneels down holding onto Hera's head and placing it against her chest as she hugs her and tries to calm her down.