These Stars Are Monsters, a covenant fanfic

Title: The Stars Are Monsters
Author: HEARTgoesBOOM
Rated: T for Teens
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from The Covenant. All original characters are mine. Second half of the summary is credited to Motion City Soundtrack.

Last call at the hospital
You slept through it all
And these four walls warn you
That your surgery, it might not be the key
To fix the memory of you and me

Adelaide stared up at the ceiling, her body sore and her eyes bloodshot as she counted the same row of tiles for the fifth time in three minutes. The feeling of cool metal around her wrist was the only thing keeping her sound, keeping her around as she patiently waited. For what exactly she couldn't be sure. She'd given up hope on visitors a long time ago, they'd stop coming after it had been made public … not that she blamed them.

A soft knock at the door pulled the blue-eyed girl out of her thoughts, her eyes blinking furiously as a sad attempt to restore some of the moisture. She propped herself up on her hospital bed as the owner of the hand stepped into the room, a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a brown paper bag in the other.

Adelaide pulled the stripped earflap hat securely around her head as she stared at the man hovering in the doorway, unsure of whether or not he was real or just some side affect of all the painkillers she'd been taking.

"I can't believe you're here," she rasped, her smoker's voice intensified ten fold.

"Why wouldn't I be? We're friends, it's the least I can do." He said softly, pressing a soft kiss to the side of her pale forehead before he set the flowers down on the table beside her and handed her the brown paper bag before taking a seat. "Sarah and the others made this for you … they couldn't bring themselves to see you, said it seemed too final."

"That's because it is."

"Keep telling yourself that if it's what helps you sleep at night, Adelaide, because it sure as Hell doesn't help me." He scoffed, scooting closer to the bed in his chair. "You're looking a lot better than the last time I saw you. Got a little bit more colour in your cheeks I see," he grinned half-heartedly as he reached over and gently pinched what little cheek she had left.

Adelaide couldn't help the hope that lit up in her eyes at his compliment, the first one she'd heard in ages through the bitterness that clung to her voice box like a parasite wouldn't allow her to be anything but true. "You're being fake again, Tyler Simms." She pulled her face away from his warm hands.

Tyler sighed. "And you're being twice as bitchy, as always. Just because you're sick, don't think it gives you the right to treat us like shit. God, Adelaide, that's why you haven't had any visitors … you drive them all away."

Her eyes stung with hot tears at his painfully honest words. "You can't even begin to understand what this like for me, Tyler. You can't even begin to imagine what it feels like to be in my position. You know what I was like, you know I didn't let anything take me down, but here I am. Weak. Helpless. Alone. About to die, Baby Boy, and there is nothing anyone can do it stop it!"

Tyler stood up without a word and motioned for her to scoot over. The blue-eyes girl obliged with a small sniff, shifting over enough for Tyler to sit on the already small hospital bed. He rested his head on her pillow, an almost awkward hand reaching out and wiping away the waterfall of tears that streamed down her pasty cheeks.

Adelaide hiccupped softly, shifting so close to Tyler their noses touched. She wrapped a scraggly arm around him, burying her face into his soft grey sweater. "I wish I didn't have to go," she mumbled, tightening her arms around him. "I wish there were more options, I wish they could save me, I wish I had more time …"

Tyler sniffed, biting back the ways of tears that threatened to wash over him as he softly whispered her name into hat.

"It was always you, Tyler, no matter what anyone else said." Adelaide mumbled, loud enough for Tyler to hear. He stiffened against her, his arms tightening around her more so than they already were. "I wanted to spend my prom with you. I wanted to graduate with you. I wanted to watch you go off to university and live out your dreams. I wanted to marry you, have mad, hot sex with every night. I wanted to have your kids. I wanted to fight with you, make up with you, love you …"

"Reid's going to be so pissed," Tyler said, sniffing softly and pulling back a little so he could get a clear view of her face. "He bet me a thousand dollars you've been in love with him this whole time …"

Despite how sad he knew she was, she laughed, fat tears still rolling down her cheeks. It was a harsh, croaking sound but to him, her voice couldn't have been sweeter. He sniffed again and couldn't help but return her gesture as he pressed her head against his chest and moulded their bodies together.

"If you had more time, what would you do?" Tyler asked softly.

"I think I'd like to go sky diving with you …" she murmured against his sweater. "…naked."

Tyler smiled bashfully, her words creating a very naughty mental picture in his head. "Any excuse to take your clothes off, hm, Adelaide McCarthy?"

"If there's a will, there's a way …" At least she got her sense of humour back. That was something of hers he couldn't bring himself to keep. "You know, Tyler Simms, you're going to make some woman very happy someday. If you still remember me, and I hope you do, save me a seat at your table, all right?"

Tyler nodded, swallowing down his reply. "You gonna be all right up there without me?" he asked instead. "Because you know, I can't always be around to bail you out of trouble. One Reid is enough."

He felt her kiss his chest through his sweater. "I'll never be all right without you …" she whispered. "but I suppose I'll have to make some new friends. When Grams died I asked her to put in a good word for me with some of the folks up there, so I should be okay …"

Tyler couldn't fight back the tears anymore. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you, Adelaide …"

He felt her tighten in his arms and then untangle hers from around him. He watched with curious eyes as she unwrapped his arms from around her and slid off the bed. He didn't protest like he wanted to, he just watched. She dropped down onto her knees on her side of the bed and pulled out something from underneath it.

"Come here." She rasped.

Tyler did as he was told, shifting over to the other side of the bed. He leaned his head over the edge and came face to face with an aged vintage suitcase, it's rich brown colour dulled with age. It was covered in stickers of her favourite bands, cartoon characters and all the places she only dreamed of going.

"What's this?" he asked.

"This," she said softly, tentatively brushing her fingers over the aged leather. "is a suitcase. And I'm giving it you; I forgot your birthday so this should make up for it. I only want you to open it when you get home, not a second before, you understand?" She looked up and found him staring at, their faces just inches apart.

For a long time they just stared at each other. And then, slowly, Adelaide leaned forward to kiss him. And, as if on cue, a nurse walked in. He looked at then with pain filled eyes, a wheel chair positioned stiffly in front of her. She swallowed.

"Miss. McCarthy," she called softly. "I'm afraid it's time."

Adelaide closed her eyes and bit down on her lower lip, unable to finish what she's started. She unsteadily pulled herself to her feet and gave Tyler one last fleeting look before gliding over to the nurse and settling in the wheelchair. Tyler knew better than to stop her and she knew better than to say anymore.

He didn't roll over and watch her leave, he didn't breathe until he was sure she was gone, he couldn't even bring himself to finish crying. He didn't move, frozen to the spot, hoping that maybe if he stayed still enough he wouldn't feel his heart breaking.

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This is in no shape, way or form related to Shooting. It's completely independant.

Read and Review please.