When Jake regained consciousness, the first person on his mind had been Van and he asked if she knew he was in an accident, he received a positive response but what got him curious was the looks exchanged between his friends.
"What is going on? What aren't you me?" he demanded.
"Van asked me to give this to you before she left." he accepted what was in Rella’s outstretched hand. Confusion washed over him for a second before he realised that it was the ring he'd put on her on their wedding day as he was making those vows to protect her, respect her and never hurt her but he didn't do any of those things.
It seemed to dawn on him only now what Rella had been saying. "What do you mean she left? Where did she go?"
"You should recover first." Stefan told him.
"Where is my wife?" Jake demanded nearly hysterical and was going to leave his bed but Dave stopped him.
"You are in no condition to go anywhere right now. Why don't you get well then you'll have all the time in the world to look for your wife." Dave told him sharply.
"Listen to him bro unless you want us to call the doctor and have him sedate you." Christian said but Jake only glared at him and settled back down. "And be sure that when you get better we're going to have a talk about how you've messed up big time." He added.
Jake shot daggers at his friend and looked away. They always have each other's back but they never hesitate to call out on one another's short comings.
The next day, Jake managed to drag himself out of the hospital undetected and took a taxi to Van's house. He yelled out her name but no one seemed to be around, he'd thought his friends had been twisting his arm but he was faced with the cold hard truth that Van had really left him.
Jake sank onto the door step hoping that by some miracle she'd open the door and ask him if he wanted coffee. But nothing happened. Jake didn't know for how long he'd been sitting there with his bandaged head and arm in a sling when Stefan and Rella arrived.
"You should be in the hospital you're in no condition to be running around Manhattan." Stefan chastised.
"I love her." he said miserably. Even though his ribs hurt when he breathes the pain in his heart was ten times more agonising.
"I know." Stefan told him.
"Everything is my fault."
"Don't be too hard on yourself..."
"Sure why don't you keep consoling him, better yet give him a medal while you're at it." Rella said heatedly. "Mind you this is something he caused all by himself and his recklessness got him in the state he's in right now while no one cares that my friend is out there with no one to console her. Oh and by the way i'm reserving my punch for when you fully recover."
"Love please…" Stefan started to say but Jake cut him off.
"No, she's right I deserve worse. You have the right to do whatever you want with me I won't stop you."
"Come on let's get you back to the hospital." Stefan said and Jake didn't protest further.