GOODBYE, ANGEL

Author's Notes: An Angel is dying... She has osteosarcoma. But if this is what it takes for her and a former friend to patch things up, then so be it. Kris Munroe is resigned to her fate. One-shot.

With every beep of the heart monitor on the bedside, Frank Van Dam's heart raced. He feared losing Kris any minute, even though the doctor assured him she still had seven months to live. The tumor had now metastasized to her lungs. She had just undergone surgery. God! Seven months was too short! Why God wanted to take Kris home, Frank would never understand. Was this His way of punishing them for their sin? But, he thought to himself, ...at least I have seven more months with her. That should be enough time to say goodbye.

Frank met Kris at a bar one night in 2009. He remembered it like it was just yesterday. It was June 30, 11:50PM.

Jill had just been buried that day. Frank bought Kris a drink, they talked, she took him home, and their romance blossomed from there. Kris had no idea, not even in her wildest dreams, that she would one day be a cougar. Frank was 25 then, the same age she joined Townsend Agency to replace Jill. She was 57. Many people objected to their union. Kris's daughter and step daughter, her mother, Frank's parents, older brother, and two sisters... Hell, even Kelly was shocked with the news and tried to warn her. Tiffany was concerned. She said it was just the drinks that were talking. Or the bed they shared that night in Kris's San Francisco apartment. Or perhaps it was the loneliness and the grief. She had a fight with Sabrina after the funeral; bitter and hurtful words were exchanged. Those were a few of what people thought and said.

Did Kris listen? No, she didn't. Frank didn't listen either. Why should they? There was no reason to. They really loved each other, they reasoned. And no one had the right to pull them apart. Julie said the relationship would disintegrate in a few months or even a year. But she was wrong. It didn't. Four years later, they were still as in love as on the night they met at The Tender Loins.

The only person who didn't give a damn was Sabrina Duncan. Why should she? They weren't on speaking terms. They hated each other. But maybe her cancer would change all that.


"Nurse! Nurse!" Frank shouted, rushing out into the corridor. He was frantic. Kris had flatlined.

One of the nurses paged Kris's doctor.

"Paging Dr. Brandt, Dr. Kern, and Dr. Orozco! Paging Dr. Brandt, Dr. Kern, and Dr. Orozco! This is an emergency! Your presence is required in Room 210! Code blue—repeat—code blue!"

The nurses rushed into the room, followed by Dr. Brandt and his two associates, Dr. Kern and Dr. Orozco.

"Please," Dr. Brandt said gently, ushering Frank out of the room. "Wait outside, Mr. Van Dam."

"I can't wait outside! That's my girlfriend in there!" Frank argued.

"I know you're worried, Mr. Van Dam," Dr. Brandt said, using his most soothing voice. "These are scary times, when our loved ones go through something like this. And we always want to be by their side. But you have to wait outside—we will do the best we can, I promise you that."

Frank could do nothing but nod and concede. He would have to wait.

"God, please let her live," he prayed, breathing out a soft, quiet prayer, his face lifted up, streaked with tear tracks.

He took out Kris's phone. He had to call someone—anyone.


"Clear!" Dr. Orozco said, before shocking Kris with the defibrillator. Nothing. They were running out of time. Precious time.

"No pulse," the nurse checking Kris's pulse said.

"Again!" Dr. Kern said.

"Clear!" Dr. Orozco said.

Again, they shocked her.

"Nothing," the nurse said yet again, checking Kris's pulse.

"Again!"

"Clear!"

Again, the defibrillator... Again, the response "No pulse."

"Again!" Dr. Kern shouted, his voice ringing throughout the room. They were desperate.

"Clear!"

"No pulse."

Everyone was sweating bullets. They had to save Kris—had to do everything in their power to save her. To give Frank and Kris those final seven months together. Seven months to live.

"Again!"

"Clear!"


Santa Fe, New Mexico...

Tuesday, 8AM.

Kelly Garrett (now Kelly Harper) had just returned from her daily run. Even at 67, she was very active. She tried to keep a healthy, active lifestyle—running, swimming, gym, walking her dogs, eating the right diet, getting the right amount of sleep... She was as fit now as she was in her 20s and 30s. Sabrina said she was as beautiful now as she was then—even sexier. Kelly would often brush it off.

She went to the fridge and poured herself a glass of water from its water dispenser. She turned to see her phone on the bar. She always left it at home during her runs.

She had four missed calls and one voicemail message. Kris Munroe. She hadn't heard from Kris in over a year—not since she objected to her stubborn friend's union with a much younger man. Sabrina has had it worse, though. They hadn't talked in four years and everyone—Kelly and her husband Cotton, Kris's ex-husband Bob, Matt, Tiffany, and Julie—wondered when the wounds would heal. Kris and Bob had stayed in touch even after their divorce, forgave each other (although that wasn't easy), and had become really good friends. Why was it taking her and Sabrina such a long time to patch things up? It's been four years, for goodness's sake!

Kelly picked the phone up and listened to the voicemail message. No, it wasn't Kris, like she was expecting.

"Kelly! Hi! It's me, Frank. Frank Van Dam. Listen, I know we're not exactly friends and all, with you objecting to Kris's relationship with me, and Kris and I...adamantly resisting—I know you and her are still friends but rarely talk—since she doesn't want to hear any of it, but... I need someone to run to now... I... I don't know what to do... Kelly, Kris has got seven months to live." And then heartbreaking sobs.

A tear rolled down Kelly's face and she dropped the phone. It came down with a loud crash and split. Did she hear that right? Seven months?

Oh, God, she thought. God, no... No... Not Kris...

The sound of the phone hitting the floor was so loud it alarmed Kate, Kelly and Cotton's 27-year-old daughter. She and her husband Simon were having problems and desperately needed a break from each other, hence her presence in the Harper residence.

"Mom?" she said, dashing to Kelly's side. "Mom! What's wrong? Are you alright? Did... Did something happen?"

Kelly could only shake her head, tears streaming down her face. Kate gathered her into her arms and held her tight, whispering, "Ssshh..."

No words were said. Only tears and sobs.

Kelly finally pulled away, wiped her tears, and sniffed.

"Do me a favor and call my secretary," Kelly instructed her daughter. "Tell her the meeting's off. It's an emergency."

"What's going on, Mom?" Kate asked.

"A... A friend of mine is dying," she said with a sniff, wiping her nose with a napkin.

"Oh, Mom... I'm so sorry. Are you gonna be okay? Do you need me to go with you? Where is she?"

"She lives in San Francisco," Kelly said. "Don't worry. I'll manage."

"No, Mom," Kate decided. "I'm coming with you. You need some support right now."

"Thank you, honey" she said, hugging her.

She needed that support. She was glad her daughter was there with her. But she hoped Sabrina was there as well. She and Kris were being ridiculously stubborn and bitter. She decided enough was enough. Kris had so little time left. She was going to bridge that gap if it was the last thing she did.


Motel 6, Phoenix, Arizona...

"Sweetheart?" Kelly called.

"Yeah, Mom?" she answered from the bathroom. She was brushing her teeth and getting ready for the night.

"Can I borrow your phone for a bit? I have a call to make."

"Sure, it's in my purse."

"Thanks!" she hollered. Kate answered a muffled "No problem."

Kelly paced up and down, inhaled and exhaled a couple of times, then steeled herself. This was it. She was going to do it. There was no turning back. No going back now. The point of no return. She dialed Sabrina's number by memory.

"Pick up, dammit," she mumbled.

And Sabrina did.

"Sabrina Duncan," Sabrina said on the other line.

There was a momentary silence. Sabrina said hello and asked who it was that was calling her.

"Hi! Bri! It's me, Kelly," Kelly finally said, snapping out of it.

"Kelly? Hi! How are you? What's going on?" she said, excited. "I haven't heard from you in a while. What made you call?"

"Bri," Kelly said, exhaling, gathering her thoughts. "Kris... She's... She's dying."

"What?" Sabrina said, shocked. On the other end, Sabrina jumped as though stung by some poisonous creature.

"She's got seven months to live," Kelly added.

Silence.

"Hold on a second," Sabrina said, suddenly doubtful. "Is this a trick, Kel? You're not saying Kris is dying just so we'll patch things up, are you?"

"Bri, look," Kelly said, sighing. "Kris really is dying. I don't have enough details yet—what she has, and what have you... But I know she has seven months to live. Her boyfriend called today. She has so little time left, Bri. It's not worth holding a grudge at this point."

Another long pause.

"Well? What do you want me to do?"

"Meet up with her. Make up, both of you. It's time you two buried the hatchet. You've left the bridge burnt and in ruins for far too long. I think it's time to rebuild it."

"That's very poetic, Kel—"

"Bri... Please?"

A sigh.

"Where is she?"

"She's in San Francisco. Kate and I are in Phoenix right now, stopping for the night; we'll swing by your place tomorrow and pick you up. Then we make the drive down to San Francisco. Together."

"What time will you be here?"

"That will depend on the traffic, really."

"Just call me when you're near."

"Will do."

"Alright. Bye."

Kelly breathed a sigh of relief. She could rest easy tonight now that it was out of the way. She could only wait and see what tomorrow would bring.


Kris... She's... She's dying... Kelly's words still rang in her ear. It was seared into her memory and would stay there till the day she died. She thought about it. Hard. Was it really worth it to hold a grudge at this point? Was it worth being stuck up and not apologize for what she had said? Kris really is dying... She has seven months to live.

Sabrina poured herself a glass of bourbon and sat down. Her head was pounding.

Why was this happening? She was tormented. Torn. On one hand, she knew Kelly was right. What was the point in holding a grudge—both of them? But there was still a bit of pride, that little voice that said she didn't need to apologize for what she said or listen to Kris's apology.

She took her old Smith & Wesson from her purse and fired at the mirror to silence that voice.

"Shut up! Shut up, dammit! Shut up! Goddamn you! Shut up!"


June 30, 2009...

Former Townsend Detective Agency office, Los Angeles. Jill had just been buried. All former Angels had decided to meet at the Townsend Agency building for drinks; to reminisce and to celebrate Jill's life. Everyone attended her funeral. Sabrina, Kelly, Kris, Tiffany, and Julie. Tiffany and Julie, although they did not know Jill, was there for support. After all, Kris was a friend. And so was Kelly. And they were grieving. They were almost complete. Almost the full force of Townsend Agency. Plus Toni's Boys. Except Jill wasn't there. Neither was Bosley or Toni. Bosley had died just a few weeks before Jill. He had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's. Horrified at the prospect of dying an agonizing and degrading death, he traveled to Switzerland, never to return again. He went in to Dignitas. Assisted suicide, they said.

Toni had died two years prior from Alzheimer's.

"This place," Kris said, with a sigh. "So many memories..."

"What do you know about this place?" Sabrina blurted out bitterly. "You were never a part of Townsend Agency. You never have been, never will be. Get that into your thick skull will you?"

Kelly gasped.

"Excuse me?" Kris said, aghast.

"Sabrina!" Kelly reprimanded sharply.

Kris's ex-husband Bob Sorenson rose to his feet, ready to defend her. She may no longer be his wife, but he still loved her after all these years. And nobody had any right to insult someone he loved.

"It's true!" Sabrina shouted. "You will never be the detective Jill was, you will never hold a candle to her!"

"How dare you?" Kris said, slapping Sabrina.

"Can't accept the bitter truth, can ya? You're pathetic! Inferior!"

"Take that back, you—"

"No, I will not take it back! You were never as good as her, you were never better than her, and you never will be! Charlie made a mistake picking you as an Angel!"

Gasps filled the room.

"Sabrina!" Kelly shouted. "That's enough!"

Sabrina's eyes shot daggers.

"No, this is not enough! I'm not done yet. Who was a better shooter? She was. Who was better at undercover assignments? She was. You're nothing a poor copy of the original!"

Kris could not stand it anymore. She was livid.

"Well, which is better?" she shot back. "To be a 'pathetic copy of the original' or to be an overbearing little bitch like you?"

"Who you are you calling an overbearing little bitch?" Sabrina said, slapping Kris.

"Who else would I call that? You're the only psychotic she-devil in this room! You know what? You're a bully! And I thought you were my friend, but now I see you never were, to begin with! I hate you, I hate your guts, I wish we never met! I wish I never came to Townsend Agency!"

"Kris!" Tiffany said, shocked that her friend wished she had never come to Townsend Agency.

"Hah! Oh, you don't know how much I've wished that too, and how often," Sabrina countered.

With that, Kris splashed her with a glass of champagne. Sabrina slapped Kris.

"I'm done," Kris said, storming out of the room, followed by Bob.

There was muffled argument outside the door. Bob insisting on taking Kris home. Kris insisting she could drive herself.

Sabrina had no idea what possessed her to say what she had said that night. Perhaps it was the pain of losing Jill coupled with the hole that Bosley's death left in their hearts. It was a stressful time. There was grief and tensions were high. Emotions were high. Maybe it was all that plus the death of Sabrina's son Jeremy. He was found dead on his bedroom floor, face down, her Smith & Wesson in his left hand. Sabrina was going through so much. Perhaps she resented the fact that Jill had to leave and she had been bitter all those years; it had just surfaced now, at Jill's death. It was possible. It could also be that she resented the fact that Kris replaced Jill—that she thought Jill was irreplaceable. All three of them were really close—Jill, Kelly, Sabrina. But of all three, Jill and Sabrina were the closest. That may have been the case.

Sabrina wanted to apologize but she just had too much pride. And so for the next four years, she never talked to Kris, not even once.


Modesto, CA...

7PM, the next day.

Ever since the Angels disbanded, Kelly made sure that she wrote down everyone's addresses and address change. She wanted to keep in touch with everyone. Jill—the memories that came with the mention of her name still hurt, even four years after her death... Kris... Sabrina... Bosley... Julie... The only person she had no contact with was Tiff.

She wrote down every address in a little notepad. All six of Sabrina's addresses were there. Her first house in Los Angeles during their Angel days... the address of the house she and her first husband moved to in Kentucky... Salt Lake City... Bremerton, Washington... Her house in Oregon... Then this, her latest house in Modesto.

It was a good thing GPS had already been invented. She would've had trouble with old-fashioned maps. She silently thanked her GPS and killed the engine.

This was it. She was both nervous and excited at the prospect of bridging the gap between two old friends—estranged friends. She breathed in and out slowly to calm her nerves.

Kelly got out of the car and walked over to the front porch and rang the doorbell. The door opened to reveal an old friend, Sabrina Duncan.

"Kelly!" Sabrina exclaimed and hugged her.

"Bri! It's so good to see you," Kelly said in reply.

"It's good to see you too."

Suddenly, Kelly felt her friend's body shake, racked with sobs.

"Ssshh... It's gonna be alright," she said, rubbing her back vigorously. "It's gonna be alright. It's gonna be okay."

"No, no it won't," Sabrina said through her tears. "How could I have let this happen to us? Why did it take me this long?"

"You didn't know," Kelly whispered soothingly, trying her best to comfort her friend.

"How... How long does she have?" Sabrina asked with difficulty. Her throat was hurting, constricted.

"Seven months," Kelly said.

"God," Sabrina breathed. "Seven months?"

"You have seven months to make things right again."

"I hope to God I do," Sabrina said with a sigh.


San Francisco, CA...

Sabrina, Kelly, and her daughter Kate arrived at St. Joseph Medical at 8:15 but Kris was asleep. She was alive but weak and tired. She was resting. On the chair at her bedside was her boyfriend Frank.

"Get some rest, kid. I'll take over," Kelly said.

"No, I can manage. Really," Frank protested.

Kelly would have none of it. "Go home, Van Dam. We'll take care of her."

Frank nodded and thanked her.

"I'm glad you came, Kelly," he said, sounding like he was about to cry.

"I'm glad I did," Kelly said. "How is she?"

"She's stable now. Doctors said she'll be fine."

Frank left out the part where she had a cardiac arrest and flatlined earlier in the day.

"What does she have? Since when? Why didn't you tell me?" Kelly asked.

"She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma last year. Doctors tried to treat her and they were able to stop the tumor from meta—what's the word?"

"Metastasizing," Kelly supplied.

"They were able to stop the tumor from metastasizing. For awhile. She was actually in remission. But then she had a relapse. Now it's metastasized and she's no longer responding to treatments."

"Goddammit," Kelly mumbled with a sigh. "Why didn't you guys tell me?"

"Look. I wanted to, I swear—she didn't. Said she didn't want you all worried. She knew you'd fly out here and she didn't want that. She wanted you to go on with your life. She didn't want to disrupt your routine! I swear, it's the truth! God's truth."

Kelly sighed.

"She knows I will drop everything if she'd only ask. Hell, even if she didn't, I would."

Frank nodded.

"Go home," Kelly repeated after a long silence. Frank nodded again.

"Take care of her, please?"

"I will."


9:15PM.

"Coffee?" Kelly said, carrying two cups. One for her, one for Sabrina who was waiting outside in the lobby. She was anxious to know when Kris would wake up.

"I prefer Ben & Jerry's, but coffee will do," she said, accepting the cup. "Thanks. Is... Is Kris awake yet? She's not in a coma, is she?"

"No," Kelly said, shaking her head. "She's not. She's just really tired. Kate's in there with her. We sent her boyfriend home."

"I noticed. Wait—that was her boyfriend?" Sabrina asked, intrigued.

Kelly nodded.

"How old is he?" Sabrina asked, trying her best not to laugh. Her friend was a cougar? Unbelievable.

"He's 29," Kelly answered.

"And Kris is...how old?"

"She's 61."

Sabrina nodded and smiled. Cougar it is.

"Is she awake yet?" Sabrina asked suddenly, peering in through the window.

"She'll probably sleep through the rest of the night," Kelly said. "But I told Kate to let us know if she does wake."

"Back to the boyfriend," Sabrina said. "When did she meet him?"

"Four years ago... In June."

June. That stirred up bitter memories and Sabrina felt the pangs of guilt, burning her to the very core of her soul. It was like a monster sinking its teeth deep into her flesh, claws tearing her bit by bit.

"June," she repeated, nodding. "Why do I suddenly feel like a troublemaker being called in to see the principal?"

"Don't be silly," Kelly reassured her. "Kris is dying! Do you think she still wants to hold on to that grudge? I don't think so. I'm sure she's ready to see you."

"But what if she's not?"

"Look. Nobody on their deathbed—or in the last months of their life—will hold a grudge. It doesn't work that way. Dying people want to forgive. Would you hold a grudge if you were dying?"

"No, I guess not."

"Then that settles it then. Besides, we need to be there for her—as her friend."

"The friend who betrayed her?"

Kelly sighed, exasperated.

"Sorry," Sabrina said, apologetic. "I can't help it."

"How 'bout this? I go in there first and then I'll tell her you're here and then you come in."

"Sounds like a plan."

That plan would be set in motion only mere seconds later. The door to Room 410 opened and Kate called.

"Mom, Ms. Munroe is awake," she said, letting her mother in.

Kelly entered, and as soon as she did, the dam broke and tears spilled.

"Kris," she said, covering her mouth. She went over to her bedside and buried her face in the crook of Kris's shoulder, sobbing.

"If I wasn't too weak, I would've broken out into song. Don't cry for me, Argentina... The truth is I never left you..." Kris joked.

Kelly had to smile at that. How could she joke when she was in pain? At a time like this?

"How are you?" Kelly asked.

"Barely holding on," Kris said, nodding.

"Well, keep holding on, Krissie."

"Remember what I told Cotton years ago? Never call me that. It's like you're calming down a horse."

"Sorry," Kelly said with a giggle. She had forgotten that. Kris hated being called "Krissie."

"How is he, by the way?" Kris asked.

"He's helping me out at Kelly's Angels." Kelly said, telling Kris about her organization.

"Yeah. I remember you telling me about that," Kris said, nodding. "You help disadvantaged kids, right?"

"Uh-huh," Kelly said. "And it's a job that's worth it. At the end of the day, when I'm tired and want to quit and file my resignation and hand everything over to Cotton, I look back and realize we made a difference in another kid's life."

"That is good work," Kris said. "Your daughter looks like you, by the way. She's a spitting image of you. I actually called her 'Kelly' when I saw her, when I woke up."

Kelly laughed.

"Oh, by the way, someone's here to see you."

"Is it Tiffany? Julie?" Kris asked.

"You'll see," Kelly said, and Sabrina entered the room as if on cue. Enter stage left!

"Bri?" Kris said in surprise, her eyes wide. "Bri, is it really... Is it really you?"

"In the flesh," Sabrina said, choking back a sob.

"Sabrina," Kris breathed. "I never thought I'd see you again."

"Neither did I," Sabrina said, choking up.

"Oh, Bri," Kris said, opening her arms to her. Sabrina strode over to her side in two steps and Kelly made room for her. They embraced and cried together, the first step in rebuilding that bridge.

"Four wasted years," Sabrina whispered. "God, what have I done? Stupid!"

"Ssshhh..." Kris said, taking Sabrina's hand and stroking the back of it with her thumb soothingly. "Ssshhh... That's over and done with now. It's in the past."

Sabrina sobbed.

"I... I'm sorry for all the hurtful things I said that night, when we—"

"Forget it," Kris said. "I'm sorry for the hurtful things I said, too. I said some awful things like wishing I never came to Townsend Agency. Or that I wish we never met and that you really never were my friend. And I hope you forgive me for it. But what's done is done. Can we put it behind us now?"

Sabrina could only nod.

"And for the record," she finally said, "You were one of the best damn Angels Townsend Agency ever had. Don't you ever forget it."

"I won't," Kris said with a sob. "But you'll always be better than me—or Jill. You were our unofficial leader."

The three of them shared a laugh.

"Who was your 'unofficial leader' when I was gone?" Sabrina asked.

"Kelly was," Kris said, smiling. "Now don't you blush, Kel. You know it's true. You were our fearless 'unofficial' leader."

There was an awkward pause, and then Sabrina spoke up.

"I know this is all in the past, but... How could you forgive me? I said horrible things—"

"When the doctors were trying to revive me this morning, I had what they call an OBE. Or was it NDE? Anyway, I thought that was it—that was the end. I began to look back at my life. My parents... Jill... Charlie... Kelly... Bosley... Julie and Tiff... Then I thought of you. I silently prayed that I would be sent back so I could tell you how much I love you—and that I forgive you. You meant a lot to me, Bri."
"Was it dark?" Kelly interrupted. "Did you see the light at the end of the tunnel?"

"Yes," Kris said, smiling, closing her eyes. "It was sooo cold... It was long and dark. And scary. Then I saw the warm bright light. And then..."

"And then?" Sabrina prodded.

"And then I saw Jill. Standing at the end of that tunnel."

Kelly and Sabrina both gasped and exchanged looks.

"You saw Jill? What did she look like?" both said in chorus.

"She looked like an angel," Kris said, wiping away a tear. "Literally. She was one."

Kelly squealed in delight, fascinated with the thought that Jill—their Jill—was an actual, literal angel.

Their talk drifted into other topics and there was laughter, some tears... Even though Kris felt weak and need some rest, she tried her best to rally herself and stay awake. It had been a long time since they were together. And the last time, they were exchanging bitter, hurtful words. Now there was nothing but love between them. And that gave Kris the strength to fight.

Their happy reunion was cut short by a knock at the door, however. A nurse came in with a warning.

"If you don't mind, ladies," the nurse said. "Ms. Munroe needs to sleep. And visiting hours are just about over."

"Can we stay with her?" Kelly pleaded.

"I'm sorry. I understand you want to be with her but rules are rules."

"Now look here!" Sabrina said, rising. "This is my friend here—"

Kelly grabbed her by the shoulder and forced her to sit back down.

The nurse sighed, considered. "Alright. I'll let you stay with her. Provided only one person does. The rest of you will have to go home."

"I'll stay with her," Sabrina said. "You and Kate could rent a room for the night. How's that?"

"Sounds good to me," Kelly said with a shrug. "I'll bring you breakfast tomorrow."

"Don't forget the Ben & Jerry's," Sabrina said.

Kelly shook her head, smiling.

"Are you going to sleep now?" Sabrina asked Kris when Kelly and Kate had left.

"I'll try to," she said, nodding. "Thank you."

"For what?" Sabrina asked.

"For coming and seeing me."

They both smiled.

"Everything's in the past now, Kris," Sabrina said, squeezing her hand.

"Yes. Everything's in the past now."