In Another Life - JackieShauna AU

Chapter 2 - It's Shipman, not Shippy

Two weeks had passed since Shauna's last visit, and to her dismay, she found herself on the same aimless path back to the same dreaded hospital. In the same small town of Wiskayok, New Jersey. She couldn't stand her parents' persistent natures, but she was somewhat relieved to be out of the house, to say the least.

Here we go again.

Shauna entered the building and greeted the woman at the front desk, as always. She wasted no time ascending the steps needed to get to the part of the hospital where she'd almost reached all that time ago. In minutes, the information desk was in her sights, and for the first time in forever, she'd actually gone to it.

She spoke with a small woman there, and after several minutes had passed, Shauna backed away from the desk, some sheets of paper in hand. She started down the hall, sighing sheavily, intent on rushing home.

"Hey! Hey- it's you!"

The familiar voice made Shauna's throat tighten. Another sigh was forced out, even heavier this time. She turned around.

"Jackie."

"Shippy." She grinned from ear to ear.

"Don't call me that." Shauna stuffed the sheets of paper into her bag.

"I thought you said you weren't ever going to set foot in here again." There was something strange about the excitement in her tone.

"I didn't say exactly that..."

"But it was implied!"

Shauna squinted.

"Yes, it was implied."

Jackie's smile never left her face, and her tired eyelids contradicted her facial expression.

Why must I always run into the strange ones?

"So what brings you here again?"

"I could ask you the same thing..." Shauna's lips screwed to the side.

Brown eyebrows raised above hazel hues. "I'm supposed to be here, actually."

Shauna yawned. "Intern?"

"No, patient." Her smile was unnerving.

Silently, the dark-haired female frowned. "I've been insensitive... Sorry about that.."

A laugh bubbled out from Jackie. "No, you haven't. Don't worry about it."

Though she'd been dressed in normal, casual clothing, upon further examination, there was indeed something sickly about her. She was paler than the others who walked along in the halls and soft, dark circles sat under her eyes.

Shauna made sure not to stare.

"I know you aren't going to ask, so I'll just let you know. From what I've heard, the doctors say that whatever I have is called... FFI? I think?" Jackie folded her arms. She held an air around her as if she were having a normal conversation about the weather. "Fatal Familial Insomnia? If I remember correctly.. My memory is blanking."

A cold shiver curled up Shauna's spine. She'd never heard of that disease before. It worried her enough to get some words out of her.

"I don't think I want to ask about the symptoms of the illness."

"Well, even if you wanted to, I wouldn't have an answer for you." Another laugh. "All I can say is that sleeping doesn't come as easily as it used to." What normally would have pained someone to say, she delivered with ease, and with that same grin to boot.

Shauna couldn't help but almost smile back, her lips barely twitching. She stared in Jackie's direction, at her time. "Are you here every day?"

"Of course! Been here for about... Four weeks now? I've lost track." She blinked sluggishly.

"I see..." Shauna nodded once. No words were exchanged for a moment, and soon, the short amount of silence had become awkward. "Well, I'll be going now."

Shut her out, don't let her in. She's sick.

"Ah-uh, one second-."

Shauna's jaw clenched. "I have to go, Jackie." She started on her way.

Please don't persist.

"If you would please listen." Her hands at her sides, playing with the hem of her clothing, she looked at Shauna with pleading Hazel eyes. "Please, it will only take a second."

Shauna was straightforward, but she wasn't heartless. She huffed out a breath and turned around. "What is it? I really have to go."

Her eyes lit up, Jackie straightened her posture and fished her hand into her pocket. She pulled out a phone, and to Shauna's dread, she asked for her phone number.

What was she to do? What was she to say?

Shauna literally found nothing special about Jackie. Why had the sickly one taken a sudden liking to her? She wanted nothing more than to push her away, throw away the forms, and never set foot into that hospital again, but for some strange and irritating reason, Shauna found it difficult to deny Jackie. She was trying to, she truly was, but she just couldn't.

"I... Don't... Usually text," Shauna murmured. She looked down at Jackie's phone. She couldn't look at her face. "I'm often busy. Keeping in contact with me wouldn't be a good idea."

She watched Jackie's fingers curl around the phone, and her hand slowly backed away.

"But–" Shauna shocked herself with that one word. She could still see Jackie's hand, and it had frozen in place. "I guess I could find some time to talk every so often." She looked up, and her gaze found Jackie's. Those hazel eyes were gleaming.

She entered her number swiftly and then handed the phone to Jackie, the name section empty.

"Thank you." Her voice was full of excitement as she proceeded to enter the name of her new contact. Shauna watched closely as Jackie mouthed and typed the name,

"S-h-i-p-p-y." Jackie was close to saving the contact before Shauna spoke up.

"You don't have to put that." She sighed. "It's... Shipman. Shauna Shipman."