What If? - Kai lost most of his family
Kai, in any world, is no stranger to pain and hardship. He is someone who has always experienced more than most. However, in this world, he experiences more suffering than even he does in many other worlds. First with the loss of his younger sister Akielah, killed by Elettra instead of him, then his own mother and baby sister that same year… leaving him with just his father and brother in his life and a deep pain and guilt, for surviving his own troubling health, to carry for years to come. This is a world where Kai needed Jess even more than he could have imagined.
“You have to let me see her.”
Kai needed to see Jess. It didn’t matter what he had to do because of Anna, or the way she pulled away after he told her how her own sister was blackmailing him. He couldn’t get the image of Jess dying out of his mind. He needed to see her with his own two eyes to know she was still alive.
Flashback
There was no stopping her before it happened. Everything went too fast. In an instant he not only saw the look on his twin sister’s face, but the pain flash across Jess’s. She wasn’t Elettra’s target, he was. It was supposed to be him, but perhaps even Elettra knew, he would have rather it been him instead. She took the blade that was meant for him. He didn’t care if it killed him, but it shouldn’t have been Jess.
He watched the life in her eyes begin to flicker and took hold of her as she dropped to the floor, and despite physically being fine, he felt like he was dying with her, seeing someone else he loved dying in his arms.
Nothing else mattered, not even Elettra. He didn’t care. The only thing he knew was he couldn’t lose her.
“It’s just a little cut… you’ll be fine…” he said as she lightly caressed his cheek, then tried to say something, surely joking about the situation herself, unable to get the words out.
Her eyes started to flutter closed as Kai begged for an ambulance to be there already. “Don’t leave me Jess… don’t… please…” He couldn’t do this again. He couldn’t lose someone like this again… because of him, when it was supposed to be him instead…
End of Flashback
His thoughts were brought back to the present by Daniel’s words about not going in there. He didn’t catch it all, just that Jess had been pregnant… and she lost the baby because of being stabbed…
She was pregnant with Kai’s child… he didn’t think it was possible… but now… Elettra tried taking his life away from him, but instead she took away his child… his chance of being a father…
“I’m going in there.” Kai said, not willing to take no for an answer. With that news, he couldn’t imagine not being right there next to the girl he loved. There was nothing that could stop him from pushing past Daniel to get into Jess’s room.
Kai needed to see Jess like he needed air to breathe. When he saw her, there was no hiding the relief and sadness in his eyes. He felt like he was falling apart, but seeing Jess, seeing that she was alive was such a relief as she spoke up, a kind look in her eyes, asking, “Are you okay?”
“I am now.” Kai said, walking over to sit and take her hand in his. If she didn’t make it, he didn’t know how he would’ve been able to cope. Just knowing about the baby, their baby, and that it was gone because of this, was killing him inside. Though, seeing Jess smile, joking like always, brought his focus to the relief that she was even alive at all. [color= #5b5b73]“Hey I’m like one of those ‘incredibles’ siblings, nothing can hurt me, Kai.” [/color]
He gave a small smile in return with her lighthearted humor, before saying. “I thought I was going to lose you…”
[color= #5b5b73]“You’re not losing me, love. Who’s going to eat an obscene amount of pancakes if I die?” [/color]
“Nobody, so it has to be you.” Kai said, trying to sound a little more lighthearted and less sad. He was truly relieved she wasn’t gone. When he sat on the ground, her blood staining his clothes after what Elettra did, he thought it was the end, that there was no coming back, but here she was. He stayed quiet for a while, her hand in his, relieved he could be there with her. He turned to look at her laying there, eyes closed, only opening with Kai’s next question. “How are you feeling, honestly?” He didn’t want the jokes, he didn’t want her trying to be tough, he wanted the true answer.
Her words came out as a whisper to match her sad look after she lightly kissed his hand. [color= #5b5b73]“I’ll be okay.” [/color]
He didn’t know how long he had been sitting there with her when he finally had to ask the question on his mind. “Did you know you were pregnant?” He asked sadly. He hadn’t known, but he didn’t know if she just hadn’t told him yet, or if she was as unaware as he was. However, his question was answered by the look of sadness that overcame her features before she turned away, eventually whispering [color= #5b5b73]“No…” [/color] as she placed her hand on her stomach.
“I’m sorry…” he said, placing his hand with hers on her stomach, then carefully holding her close as the grief for the baby they hadn’t known about began to take over them both.
After some time, the silence between them was broken by Jess asking him to leave. The last thing he wanted was to not be by her side. He needed her. Softly he begged, “Please, don’t make me go. I don’t want to leave you.”
Jess was crying and only repeated her request. [color= #5b5b73]“Please Kai, I want… I need to be alone.” [/color]
Reluctantly, Kai quietly nodded and made his way out of her hospital room, but he couldn’t make himself go any further than the other side of the door. Someone would have to force him to go. He wasn’t going to leave her.
It couldn’t have been very long before he heard a commotion, and after waiting only a moment he walked back into Jess’s room to find her on the floor crying, having tried to get up and walk out on her own. Kai immediately helped her up and back into bed, prompting her to say, [color= #5b5b73]”I told you to leave…" [/color]
“I couldn’t.” He watched her close her eyes, holding her stomach again, quietly crying. He sat next to her, and there was no doubt in his mind. It didn’t matter what she said, he wasn’t going to leave her side. They were both hurting, and there was no reason they couldn’t be heartbroken together. He loved her, and never wanted to lose her.
@benitz786 - Jess (Dan and Anna mentioned too)