The nurse giggled she was a very pleasant person to be around just like the Babette that he had known. "Very good, your head might seem a little fuzzy, that is normal. You have been asleep for a couple of days and you have a good amount of medications in your system." Babette came closer and checked a few things with the machines. She asked him few questions just to check how Jack was doing, and Jack answered honestly that he felt fine just a little woozy from the meds.
"Your parents are down in the food court having some lunch, if you are hungry I could have them bring you up something." She asked.
Jack shook his head, he wasn't very hungry he was just more relieved that he wasn't a girl. His latest concern was that he had parents, he wondered what they would be like and if they would look like the ones that he had in France. This whole universe jump thing was getting trippy, how many other familiar faces would he see?
"Water would be lovely." Jack said as he realized how dry his throat.
"I will let your parents know that you are awake and get you that cup of water." Betty left and returned shortly with a small plastic cup full of water. "They will be up shortly."
It only took a couple moments for Jacks parents to come rushing through the door. Sure enough, they looked just like his parents in France except for a few simple things. Jacks father had a beard and his mom had shorter darker hair.
"Jackson, oh thank heavens you are awake," Jacks mom wrapped her arms around Jack and kissed his cheek. "We are so sorry that we weren't here when you woke up, your father insisted that we get some air."
"It's ok mom, I'm just happy you are here now. But what happened, why am I in the hospital?" Jack asked.
"Jacky!" a familiar girl about 13 came running in and gave Jack a hug. "Are alright, does your head still hurt." She reached her hand up and touched the one spot on his head that hurt like somebody had slammed it into a wall.
"Ow!" Jack said.
"Molly!" Jacks father snapped, he sighed from fatigue. "Emily, will you take Molly and get Jackson something to eat he must be hungry." He said more gently.
"I'm sorry Jackson." Molly left with Emily and walked out of the room.
"Jack what do you remember about last night?"
Crap, I just got here and I'm being quizzed. "Um," Jack concentrated.
"Have you been sad lately?"
Oh Frostbite! Did I try and kill myself? "It is a blur but I don't remember being that sad." Jack let the memories replay through his head. "I had some bad sushi and felt sick. I woke up with a headache and took some aspirin to make it go away, and drank some Nyquil to get back to sleep. That is the last thing I remember. I take it that it wasn't aspirin that I swallowed?"
"No, it wasn't. Jack I am going to ask you this and I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt. But don't tell your mother I asked you this: Did you try and kill yourself?"
"No, Dad I promise."
Jack's father just looked at him for a few seconds as if he was reading into his answer. "I believe you Jackson." Jack's father gave him a big hug and kissed him on the forehead. "You gave us a scare there big guy. Your mother has been beside herself, tell her you love her as much as possible today was the only time that I was able to pry her away from you and she'll never forgive me for letting you wake up alone. I love you son, if you ever need anything you know you can come to me."
"Thanks dad I will, I love you too." Jack felt weird having a new father, but he was nearly identical to his one in France. He couldn't help but wonder if he had once had a father like him before all of this.
"Good, now the doctor recommended we put you through some counseling before you leave. He said there may have been some brain damage because of how high your temperature got. How do you feel about that?" Jack's father had his hand on Jack's shoulder.
"If it makes mom feel better."
"You're a better man than you get credit for." Mark's smile made Jack feel a lot better.
** ** **
Jack met with the counselor and received the 'okay' to go home. He warned the parents that there didn't seem to be and visible disabilities from the incident but that he might show some changes in his personality. Saying that near death experiences sometimes had a way of changing people.
Jack found his way to his room it was covered in black. His jaw dropped at all the black, he just couldn't imagine it. Even with the lights on it still felt dark.
He found his phone and it read the first thing it said.
99+ new messages.
-Zie (BFF)
Jack hadn't scrolled through all the messages before his phone began to ring.
-Zie (BFF)
Jack still wasn't quite set in Cole's skin yet. He wasn't sure if he was ever going to get used to this body swapping thing. So many new experiences, so many new memories, so many old memories. Jack focused on the ones from this universe he pressed the answer button on the phone.
"Hello?" Jack answered gingerly holding the phone to his ear.
"COLE! I'M SO GLAD TO HEAR YOUR VOICE! HOW DARE YOUR NOT ANSWER MY TEXTS WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!" The voice at the other end of the line screamed half hysterically.
Cole? Cole, Cole, who is Cole? Jack thought to himself, maybe this woman had the wrong number. Jack pressed his palm to his head as he tried to concentrate as the girl screamed. Cole, why was that name familiar? The memory stuck him hard and he felt like an idiot, I am Cole! And Zie is My best friend.
"Zie, calm down, I am fine. I left my phone at home, and I just took the wrong pills instead of aspirin I am fine." Jack soothed her. He heard her sniffle on the end of the line.
"Okay, sniff are you going to be picking us up for school tomorrow?" she asked.
"Yes, I think I should be able to."
"I will see you tomorrow. Goodnight Cole."
"Goodnight, Zie. I will see you tomorrow." Jack hung up the phone. He was going to School. He smiled gleefully, he was going to High School, and people would see him. What would Elsa look like?