Finn was biking as fast as he could down the busy and crowded streets to get to the hospital to visit Jackie. Finn's bike was older and rusted but it still did its job in order for him to visit her. The weather was quite awful as well. The clouds continued to swerve in front of and behind the sun as he peddled down the street. Puddles were scattered on the sidewalk, but no children were in sight. No one playing in the puddles or begging their parents to buy toy soldiers. 

The world was so different.

###

"Jacqueline?" A nurse muttered in Jackie's face. Jackie was starting to gain her conscience again.

"Y-yes?" Jackie stuttered as she tried her best to see who was talking to her. She only saw blonde hair dangling down and green eyes peering into hers.

"We need to take you to therapy now. You need to get up, hon." She urged grabbing
Jackie's hand to help get her up. Jackie groaned as she got up, her back sore from the burn she had from the flames. She then looked out the window with sadness and then heard a knock at the door.

###

Finn waited impatiently for someone to answer the door for him. He balanced on the balls of his feet as he waited. Finally he saw a woman with blonde hair and a nurse's hat approach him.

"Hello." She greeted looking at him as if she was waiting for him to talk. She opened the door a small bit, still not enough room for Finn to enter.

"Uh, hi, can I see Jackie, miss?" Finn stuttered uncomfortably; he hated talking to strangers. As he waited for her reply, Finn tried to look behind the lady whose name was apparently Nancy, but she seemed to catch on instantly.

"Sorry child, but we don't let friends visit, only family." She replied, moving with him as he tried to look through the tiny crack in the door. Finn tried to say something but she cut him off instead."Besides, she's going to therapy now. Thank you." She added clearly annoyed. Finn gave her an angry stare but stood there still.

"I want to see her. Now." Finn demanded eagerly. 

Jackie sat up as she heard him and recognized his voice immediately.

"Finn?" Jackie hollered happily. She sat up in her bed a little more, but flinched as she did so.

"Let him in, he's family." Jackie retorted at the nurse who managed a smile. 

Finn smiled and looked at Jackie. Nancy looked over at Jackie and she shrugged reluctantly. The nurse obliged eventually and let Finn inside the room.

"Jackie!" Finn screamed as he ran to hug Jackie. 

Finn's hug made Jackie feel so much better. Finn let go and observed her face which was so different from the last time he aw her. Her blue eyes were as blue as they were before, but her long brown hair was a dark black from the debris and was slightly chopped in areas like someone decided to cut her hair with scissors in a little section. Jackie offered Finn a small smile to reassure him.

"The nurse said I get to go home next week." Jackie explained looking deeply into Finn's eyes. Finn opened it his mouth to talk but Jackie quickly added something, "that is if the burns on my back have healed properly and my muscles are stronger."

"I'm glad. I have missed you. It is weird and scary with all this stuff going on." Finn sighed as he played with his fingers.

Jackie leaned back on her pillow and reminisced about her life when none of this was happening. Her mother would bake cookies every Friday and her father would take her and Cole fishing on weekends. Life was perfect when she was younger and she would have never anticipated her home burning down and both of her parents dying before she was an adult. Then again, who would anticipate such horrible events?

"But I can't walk. . ." Jackie blurted, "I have to stay in a wheelchair. I mean I tried walking this morning with the nurse. I walked five steps and then my legs buckled on me and they wouldn't budge." Jackie sighed, her eyes watering. 

Finn's happy face was replaced with a worried and sympathetic frown.

"Oh, Jackie." Finn pouted, engulfing Jackie in another hug. 

Jackie let Finn hug her for a while until he released his grip and stood up. His arms were muscular. She was tempted to squeeze his bicep, but she was too weak. His strong arms around her reminded her of her father. She had Mr. Vandel to thank for making Finn such a strong kid. While her head was close to his, she felt his hair tickle her cheek. Finn's hair smelled like a fire. One of those fires that people made for fun on the Fourth of July and on hot summer evenings. She closed her eyes and inhaled, hoping he would not notice she smelled his hair. Cole Nostalgia was hitting her hard in the hospital.

"Jackie," Finn whispered, "did you just smell my hair?"

"What?" She answered sheepishly.

Finn winked at her and her face flushed.

"It's okay because I smelled yours too."

Jackie and Finn laughed for a split second before the two began to discuss how weird they were.

"Sorry if I smell . . ." Jackie added with a giggle.

Once Finn had squinted his eyes while he laughed, she attempted to smell her arm without Finn noticing and being disgusted.

At least she still had her humor.

As the two suddenly made eye contact, their pulses quickened and synchronized with one another. Jackie took on a somber impression as she slid her fingers between Finn's. Finn began to inch closer to her, his lips aching for a kiss.

"Excuse me?" The nurse interjected.

The two children turned instantaneously, their cheeks bright red and their eyes wider than an ever before. 

"Jackie needs to go to therapy now. I am sure you will oblige, young man." 

"Yes-yes, I will get out of your way. Bye Jackie, heh heh," He quickly maneuvered out of the room  with a plethora of emotions bottled up inside.