Jessica’s POV

The next morning was spent making phone calls to managers, and Grace making promises to keep working on choreographies even while we were away. While Grace was packing our bags, I was online booking us the earliest flights to San Francisco possible. I watch her out of the corner of my eye, checking for even the tiniest cracks in her calm façade. I could tell she was doing her best to hold things together, calm on the outside but I couldn’t even begin to imagine the mess her mind is in right now.

After booking the tickets I walk over to her taking the shirt she is trying to fold out of her trembling hands and placing it in her suitcase as she sighs dropping her hands into her lap as she looks down.

“I can’t lose him too Jessi, he may be a total jerk but he’s my dad, he’s family.” She says quietly as I take her trembling hands in my own them gently.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay, I’ll be with you the whole time. You aren’t in this alone anymore, no matter what happens.” I say reaching up to place the hair in her eyes behind her ear as she looks into my eyes deeply.

“Thank you, Jessi, I don’t know what I would do without you.” She says as a small, vulnerable smile graces her lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” I reply as I lean in and kiss her lips gently. “Now let’s go baby, Yuri is waiting for us outside to drive us to the airport.” I add and she nods getting off the ground and offering her hand to me, pulling me up after her.

……………………….

Outside Yuri greets us with a small smile, giving Grace a reassuring hug before opening the back of the car and putting our suitcases in for us.

There isn’t much conversation on the way to the airport, even Yuri is uncharacteristically quiet as she watches the road. I can see Grace sitting in the front seat staring blankly out the window and I lean forward and squeeze her shoulder gently. She turns to me with a grateful smile, placing her hand on top of mine.

When we pull up at the airport there thankfully isn’t many people there, Yuri opens the door for us and helps us get our suitcases before giving us both a hug.

She turns to Grace smiling gently. “Go take care of things, and then come home safe okay? We will take care of everything here for you. We are gonna miss you guys.” She says before pulling Grace in for one last hug and looking at me over her shoulder. “Take care of her Jessi.” She adds and I nod smiling.

“Of course.” I reply and with one last wave Grace and I make our way to the check in before boarding our plane.

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The flight drags on for what feels like forever, Grace sleeps next to me but her sleep is far from restful, waking up often from nightmares that plague her mind. When she is awake, she clings onto me for dear life, barely speaking a word, only form of communication being the grateful smiles I get every now and again. Her being so quiet scares me slightly, I have never once seen her like this. I can’t help but wonder if this was what she was like after losing her mom and brother, quiet, staring emptily into thin air all the time.

It’s not until we are about an hour away from landing does she finally speak again. After waking up from yet another nightmare she turns to face me, eyes filled with vulnerability and worry.

“Jessi.”

“What’s wrong Gracie?” I reply holding her hand in mine.

“I… I think Appa has been sick for quite a while… Even before I left.” She says looking at our hands in her lap.

“What do you mean?”

“I saw his medication in his office drawers, and he was always coughing. Sometimes I was so scared that he was going to stop breathing. He’s sick and yet I just left him. I’m a horrible person.” She says as her head drops even lower and my heart breaks a little for her.

“You aren’t a horrible person Gracie, you the kindest most caring person I know. You couldn’t have known he was really sick. Besides there is still a chance that he just overworked himself like he did all those times before. I mean Jaekhyun never said anything about it did he.”

“I just have a really bad feeling about this Jessi.”

“Let’s just wait and see what the doctors have to say alright, and then we can go from there okay?” I say her face gently as I wipe away the few tears that are threatening to spill from her beautiful eyes. She nods gently before snuggling into my side where she stays for the remainder of the flight.

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After we land we find Jaekhyun waiting patiently for us. He opens his arms for Grace and she falls into them happily. The sight that once would have make green with jealousy now does nothing more than warm m