A/N: I'm pretty sure my depiction of a concussion, even a mild one, is terribly inaccurate medically. Please excuse me for the sake of fic.

“Taeyeon, stop walking all over the place,” Sunkyu says flatly. “You’re giving me a headache.”

Taeyeon can’t stop her erratic pacing, which she’s been doing on and off for the past—however long it’s been. It could have been ten minutes; it could have been ten hours. She can’t tell. She just knows that Jessica’s in that hospital room, and they’re – she’s – outside of it, and she has no idea how Jessica is, and the anxiety clenches in her chest like a rubber band pulled taut. She feels like it could snap at any moment, and if it does, she’ll snap right along with it.

“We’re worried about her too,” Tiffany says, her eyes looking black against the white of her skin, her lips pinched into a taut line.

Jessica was the one who hit her head, but they all look physically affected; ill, almost. Taeyeon supposes that’s what love does to a person. When someone you love gets hurt, you hurt too.

“But that’s why we especially have to be strong now,” Tiffany adds. “We have to be strong for Jessi.”

But I’m not strong, Taeyeon wants to say. I’m not strong, I’ve never been strong like you, and how could I be strong now?

“I’m sure she’ll be okay,” Yuri says, although Taeyeon can hear the nervous note in her voice. Yuri seems to be taking it better than the rest of them, but then again, she’s always been better at putting up a bright front. Tiffany is the other resident expert, but even Tiffany is clearly and deeply worried. “She’ll be okay. She has to be okay.”

Taeyeon can tell that Yuri’s trying to convince herself just as much as she’s trying to convince the rest of them. Taeyeon doesn’t feel very convinced, but then again, she’s always been an excessive worrier. She just hopes that in this case, their worry really is excessive and unnecessary.

“Yeah,” Yoona agrees, braving a smile. “Sica unnie will be okay.” Juhyun, standing close enough to her for their shoulders to brush, gives a small nod.

“Nobody and nothing could keep that girl down,” Sooyoung says. “She’s probably just going to use this as an excuse to sleep all day and get us to pamper her.”

They share a laugh at that, but there isn’t any mirth in it. People may say that laughter is the best medicine, but right now the only medicine that Taeyeon thinks would work is the sight of Jessica.

Taeyeon mumbles something about needing to use the washroom, and she hurries out of there. She wants to be close to them, to draw comfort from them (because she doesn’t have any of her own to offer), but she also feels like she needs to be alone right now.

Maybe she’ll collapse. Maybe she’ll break down. She can’t do it in front of them. She can’t.

They don’t seem to trust her to be alone though, because she hears soft, deft footsteps echo after hers, and then a hand is on her arm; comforting, not restraining.

“Taeyeon,” Hyoyeon says softly. “Are you okay?”

Yes, Taeyeon starts to say, but she can’t complete the lie. She shakes her head, tears coming to her eyes, and she tries to hold them back but her body betrays her.

“Poor Taengoo,” Hyoyeon murmurs. She folds her arms around Taeyeon and pulls her close, her hair soothingly as she cries, not making a sound even as her body wracks with sobs. Hyoyeon even produces a tissue, and Taeyeon wipes her eyes before blowing her nose into it, knowing that she must look like a mess. It’s a good thing they’ve managed to leave the fans behind, but she doesn’t know how long that will last.

A part of her can’t help but resent them for the incident, even blame them a little. If it weren’t for how crazy and uncontrollable the fans get, the security personnel wouldn’t be so forceful. Of course, she’s the angriest with the bodyguard who pushed Jessica, and she wants to yell at him, she wants to see him fired, but she also knows in the rational corner of her mind that he was just trying to do his job (albeit with the wrong approach), and she’s sure he’ll be persecuted enough by the fans.

In that aspect, she almost pities him. The Sones will be out for his blood. (And she can’t deny that a part of her is happy about that.)

Hyoyeon hands her another tissue, which she takes gratefully. “I’m sure Jessica would be upset if she knew how worried you were. Well, upset but probably happy too.”

Taeyeon doesn’t think too hard about the latter part of Hyoyeon’s sentence. “I just – I’m scared,” she whispers, finally admitting it. “I’m scared for her.”

“I’m scared too,” Hyoyeon says quietly. “I’m kind of glad I didn’t see it in person. I don’t know what I would have done. It was bad enough to see her carried to the plane swaying like that, but if I actually saw her get hurt—”

“She’ll be fine, right?” Taeyeon asks desperately. “You think she’ll be fine, right?”

Hyoyeon nods, her eyes steely. “She’ll be fine. I know it.”

Taeyeon deflates slightly, maybe in relief, she’s not sure. “How can you know that though?”

“Call me silly, but I think it’s faith.” Hyoyeon taps a spot on her chest, above her heart. “I just feel that she’ll be alright. I really feel it, and I believe it.”

Taeyeon thought for the longest time that faith was futile and unreliable. Looking back on it, it’s probably because she didn’t want to rely on anything or anyone other than herself, not even her members. She’s changed though, she’s gotten stronger, because she knows that there’s strength in trusting others, in letting them fill in the spots where she’s lacking, and vice versa.

Believing in her girls doesn’t make her weak; it makes her stronger than ever.

“I wish I had more faith,” Taeyeon whispers. “I’ve always lacked it, I think.”

“You can have some of mine,” Hyoyeon says, and it should sound like a flippant remark, but it isn’t. She’s serious, sincere.

Taeyeon closes her eyes, feels her exhaustion sweep over her and holds it back by sheer force of willpower. “Do I have to give it back?”

“No.” Hyoyeon chuckles lightly. “It’s yours to keep.”

“That’s good. I could use some more faith.”

“We all can, I think. It’s not an easy thing to come by.” Hyoyeon squeezes Taeyeon’s arm, her touch gentle but firm, supporting Taeyeon, grounding her. “But Jessica has faith in us, and we should have faith in her too. She’s strong. I’m sure she’ll come out of this just fine.”

Taeyeon nods wordlessly, brushing a lone, remaining tear from the corner of her eye, where it refuses to fall.

“You guys look like you’re visiting me on my deathbed,” Jessica says as they crowd around her bed, elbows jostling and hips bumping, nobody minding as long as they can be close to her. “Should I be worried?”

“Jessi.” It’s Tiffany who speaks first, her voice thick. “Are you—are you okay?”

Jessica blinks at her. “Of course I am. Do I not look okay?”

She looks—fine, Taeyeon has to admit. Paler than usual, and smaller than usual in the hospital bed, but she doesn’t look sick or injured.

The stitch in Taeyeon’s chest eases slightly, and she draws in a breath, her chest not quite as tight as before, although she’s far from relaxed.

“We were so worried, unnie,” Juhyun says softly. “We’re so glad you’re okay.”

Seven heads bob in agreement with her words. Sooyoung sniffs, and Yoona puts an arm around her. Yuri just looks at Jessica intently, eyes running over her as if to make sure that she’s really okay and she’s not hiding a wound somewhere.

“I’m okay.” Jessica smiles a little. “Not fantastic, obviously, but okay. They want me to stay overnight at this stupid place though.”

“If the doctors want you to, then you should,” Hyoyeon says. “They know what they’re doing. You should listen to them.”

“Yes, Mom.” Jessica sticks out her tongue, and the sight is so endearing that Taeyeon feels like she might cry again. Then Jessica looks at her and her expression is replaced by a concerned frown. “Taengoo, are you okay?”

The absurdity of Jessica asking her that question, rather than the other way around, renders her mute for a moment. Jessica’s frown deepens.

“Am I okay?” Taeyeon manages to get out. feels raw, and her voice is hoarse, raspy, completely unlike her own. “The only thing that matters here is if you’re okay.”

“We’ve already established that I’m fine.” Jessica looks at her with worry. “You don’t look very fine though. My doctor just left, do you want me to call her back? She can take a look at you.”

“Jessica—” Taeyeon means to say more, but she can’t get out any more words through the lump in . She sees in her peripheral vision the girls exchanging significant looks with each other, and then suddenly Tiffany announces, “It looks like you two have something to talk about. We’ll give you some time together,” and then they all file out of the hospital room, some of them tossing glances over their shoulders, ranging from worried to knowing.

“Come here,” Jessica says softly, patting the space beside her. Taeyeon’s legs take her to Jessica’s bedside, and she hesitates briefly before shuffling onto the bed beside her, right by Jessica’s side and yet still not close enough for her liking. “Taeyeon, the doctor said I’m going to be fine. It’s just a mild concussion. I’ll recover in no time.”

Taeyeon nods and swallows, still thick. She doesn’t know if she can speak. “Jessica,” she says again, able to say that at least, and Jessica just looks at her, eyes soft and dark.

“You look worse than I do,” Jessica says. “Are you sure you don’t want to get the doctor?”

Taeyeon shakes her head. “I’m fine. Well, I will be when you are.”

Jessica’s expression freezes momentarily, but her eyes are as lively as ever, flickering from Taeyeon’s face to the plain white bedspread and then back. “I am fine. So you should be too.” She touches Taeyeon’s forehead gently, fleetingly. “You know, I should be taking it easy, relaxing, recovering. Worrying isn’t good for me. So you should stop giving me so much to worry about, okay?”

“What am I giving you to worry about?”

“You,” Jessica says simply. “You should really look in a mirror right now, Taeyeon. You look terrible. Are you sure you didn’t—” Suddenly she winces and her hand flies to her temple as she holds her head in obvious pain.

Taeyeon almost has a panic attack. She flies to her feet and looks for the alarm button to call the nurse over, but Jessica calls out her name, her voice strained but firm.

“I’m alright, the doctor warned me I might have headaches.” Jessica touches her arm. “Calm down. It’s ok.”

Taeyeon takes a few breaths, and when Jessica tugs on her arm again, she retakes her seat on Jessica’s bed.

“You really are an ahjumma,” Jessica says. “You’re going to give me a heart attack with reactions like that.”

“Sorry.” Taeyeon bites her lip. Jessica gives her a faint smile and lies down again, closing her eyes for a moment.

“It’s weird,” Jessica says through a yawn. “I felt so energetic a few minutes ago, and now I feel like I could fall asleep.”

“Do you want me to call the doc—”

“No, Taeyeon, it’s fine.” Jessica gives her an exasperated look. “I think it’s the stuff they gave me. My head was really killing me earlier.”

“It was?” Taeyeon asks anxiously. “It’s not hurting anymore, is it?”

Jessica rolls her eyes. “You know what’s giving me a headache right now? You.”

“I’m sorry,” Taeyeon says contritely. “I’ll leave you to get some rest.” She stands up and turns for the door, but Jessica grabs her wrist with a startlingly strong grip.

“No, don’t go.” Jessica’s voice is so quiet Taeyeon has to strain to hear it. “Stay with me. Please.”

“Okay,” Taeyeon says in a voice that’s barely any louder. “I’ll stay.”

Jessica’s smile is serene, and with her hair loose around her, especially dark against the pallor of her skin and the white of the pillowcase, she looks—angelic, almost. Taeyeon swallows, overwhelmed with a surge of protectiveness. She couldn’t protect Jessica before, and she’s determined to do it now.

“Sica?” she asks hesitantly, but Jessica’s already asleep, breathing slow and even, her hands twisted around the sheets rather than in her usual posture of one arm stretched over her head. Taeyeon carefully tucks the blankets in around her, making sure she’s well-covered, and when she tries to loosen the death grip Jessica has on the sheets with one hand, Jessica’s fingers suddenly unfurl and then curl around hers, holding tight.

Taeyeon looks down on their joined hands, knowing that she could break free without stirring Jessica, but she doesn’t try to. Instead, she retakes her seat on the bed close to Jessica, and she realizes that this is where she wants to be, by Jessica’s side.

That’s how the rest of the girls find them a few minutes later, when they return, and if they find it strange to see Jessica sleeping while holding Taeyeon’s hand, they don’t comment on it.