Title: Life and Death
Author: Ying
Subject: Leo/Greenlee, Jake/Mia
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They belong to ABC. Please don't hurt me.
Jake surveyed Mia's face as he lifted her chin. Before he knew it, Mia grabbed his
shirt and pulled him forward for a teasing kiss. With the feel of her lips still lingering on
his mouth, he murmured, "Reckless. Explosively reckless."
"Is that my condition, doctor?" Mia whispered before brushing her lips against his
cheek.
Jake was about to respond before he heard loud pounding on his door.
"Jake Martin," screamed an authoritative voice he knew too well. "Jake, I really
need your help! It's a matter of life and death!"
"What a drama queen," Mia muttered. "Are you going to answer that?"
Jake sighs as he looked over at the door. "I have to if we are ever going to get
some peace and quiet."
Mia lightly trickled her finger down Jake's chest. "Don't keep me waiting," she
looks back at him before going to the bedroom. Arching his eyebrows, Jake gazed
appreciatively at her calves before she disappeared.
Another loud knock brought him back to reality. Jake opened the door and in
stormed a petite slender brunette.
"Greeeeenlee." Jake looked at her disapprovingly.
"Don't say anything, Jake Martin! Not till you have to hear everything I have to
say!" she scowled at him.
Before Jake can get a word out, Greenlee declares, "I love you, Jake. Dammit, it
kills me to see you with Mia. I know you love me Jake. Say that you do!" Without
waiting for his answer, Greenlee wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips
against his.
"I need you, Jake. Only you," Greenlee continued. "A manly man. Not Leo. It
was always you. Never Leo." Greenlee stopped herself when she heard footsteps near the
door. Leo stood there and stared at Greenlee as her eyes widened.
"How much did you hear?" she asked.
"Enough," Leo responded. Tears were starting to form, but he can't cry. Not to
HER. Not to the woman who would so heedlessly throw away his heart. "I guess I'm not
man enough for you, huh?"
"No, sorry du Pres," Greenlee spoke through clenched teeth. "Your juvenile
manners are enough to make any woman cringe at the sight of you. I want Jake."
"Don't I at least get a say in this?" Jake protested.
"Shut up," Greenlee and Leo said in unison.
Nodding, Leo stammers, "The engagement….it's off then."
Taking the ring off her fingers, Greenlee walked over and handed it back to Leo.
"Maybe Laura might like it," she suggested.
"Yea, sure. Have a nice life, Greens." Leo shot her a dirty look before slamming
the door of Jake's loft shut.
Greenlee tentatively sat down on the couch and sobbed as the repressed feeling of
tightness clung to her.
"Mia!" Jake shouted and rushed into his room. It was empty.
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Heaviness started to fill in his chest as the realization of losing Mia struck him.
Jake was drawn to her. He's attracted to Greenlee, but there was something about Mia
that compelled him to her.
He sauntered into the living room. Greenlee was bawling by that time. Walking
over to her, he rests a hand on her back and stroked her head gently. "Would you mind
explaining to me just WHY you set this whole thing up? I know you set it up so that Leo
can hear you declare your supposed love for me."
Tears welled up in Greenlee eyes as she looked up. "I'm dying, Jake. I have a
brain tumor. Neither radioactive treatments nor chemotherapy can help. It's incurable,
Jake." Her voice cracked when she said, "I don't want Leo to watch me die."
Jake put his arms around Greenlee as she continued to weep. "I'm sorry,
Greenlee. I'm so sorry," Jake repeated over and over again.
In between her tears, Greenlee told Jake about her visit to the doctor because she
was having headaches and dizzy spells. It turned out that she had a terminal illness.
"At least, I can die knowing that I had the greatest love of my life," Greenlee
blubbers on. "Some people may never find one. But, I've found Leo."
"Doesn't he deserve to know, Greenlee?" Jake inquired.
"No! He can't watch me die. It's better this way. I already have an airplane ticket
to Switzerland. I have a doctor and nurses waiting for me there." Greenlee gave Jake a
peck on the cheek. "I'm sorry I used you today, but I know you won't mind once you
know the real story. Thanks Jake. Besides Leo, you are the only real friend I have here."
Greenlee stood up. "I'll keep in touch. I have to pack first. My airplane leaves
tomorrow."
After looking around the loft where she and Leo had shared so many memories,
Greenlee waved. "Bye Jake," she uttered before gently closing the door behind her.
************************************************************************
"Mia! I'm so glad I found you," Jake trotted up to her the next morning.
"Not too hard since you know I work in the gym," Mia scoffed before beating the
punching bag some more. "I heard what Greenlee said to you! You can take your
recklessly spontaneous crap and shove it!"
"Mia, Greenlee is deathly ill."
Mia stopped. "What?" she exclaimed.
Jake explained Greenlee's condition to Mia. "She did what she did so that Leo
won't be as hurt," Jake finished.
"So, she's going to let Leo think that she doesn't care about him?"
"Yea, it's too bad. Poor Leo. But, that's what Greenlee wants, and as a friend, I
would have to respect that," Jake explained. "I have to get back to the hospital, Mia. I'll
see you? We're ok, right?"
"Yes. See you soon," Mia nodded and waved as Jake jogged out of the gym. "You
may be able to let Greenlee do what she wants, but I can't," Mia said to herself. Juggling
her keys, she ran off to find Leo.
************************************************************************
Murtal Fargate opened the door to her house. "Why, hello Mia! What a pleasant
surprise," the old woman exclaimed.
"Hi Ms. Fargate. Is Leo here?"
"He's upstairs in his room, but I don't think he wants any visitors. Yesterday, he
came back a sunken man. I don't know what happened to make him this way."
Mia smiled, "Could I go see how he's doing?"
"Why, certainly, my dear."
Mia scurried upstairs. "Leo? Leo, it's Mia. I need to talk to you. Leo, are you
there?"
Mia pushed open a door. Inside his room, Leo was lying on his bed looking at a
photo of Greenlee. "I don't want any company," he said without looking up at her.
Mia flinched at Leo's appearance. Apparently, he wore the same clothes he had
yesterday, and it seemed as though he had been drinking.
"Leo, you would want to hear this," she tried to reason with him. "It's about
Greenlee. Leo, she loves you. But, she has a terminal illness."
Her words caught his attention. "What?" Leo cried out.
Mia told him everything Jake had told her. "She's in the airport now. Waiting for
her flight this afternoon."
Without another word to her, Leo dashed down the stairs and out of the house.
Mia looked out of the window in awe. "If that's not true love, I don't know what
is," she thought to herself.
************************************************************************
Leo searched around the airport. "I'm sorry," he shouted to a grumpy old man he
bumped into. Then, he spotted her. Her hair formed a golden halo around her head and
rippled out in gentle waves as she sat there reading a book.
"Greenlee!" he hollered before running up to her.
Greenlee looked up at him. "How did you," she wondered.
Leo pressed a finger on her lips to silence her. "Greenlee, I know what's going on.
I know you are sick."
"What? Did Jake tell you?"
"Actually, Mia did. But, it doesn't matter. Baby, please don't cut me out of your
life. No matter how short it is," Leo begged. "I would rather die now knowing you than
spend centuries without knowing what true love feels like."
"Leo, I can't let you do this. I have only six months. I don't want you to watch me
die," Greenlee objected as a deluge stream down her cheeks.
"We're in this together, Greens," Leo said as he stroked her cheek. "You have
me—body, mind, lips, and soul."
They shared a bittersweet kiss. "We're together, Greenlee," Leo told her. "In
sickness and in health."
Greenlee smiled sadly. "For better or for worse."
"For richer or for poorer."
"Till death…." Greenlee hesitated.
Leo continued, "Death cannot keep us apart. We are one."
************************************************************************
"You told Leo what?" Jake looked at Mia incredulously.
"I'm sorry, Jake. I couldn't go through with it. Leo deserved to know," Mia
explained.
"What about Greenlee? Huh? What about her wishes?"
"Life is so short. It's better for Leo to know that she loves him."
Jake gave up. "Ok, white flag! You're right. Life is short. That's why we have to
grasp every moment. Hold on to loved ones."
Looking into Mia's eyes, Jake kissed her, crowning her the queen of his world.
************************************************************************
Six months later…
Mrs. Maud went into the condominium. "Towels," squeaked her piercing voice.
"I got you love birds towels! Mr. du Pres? Mrs. du Pres?"
She gasped at the sight of them. There laid Greenlee, with her pallid, tiny face
upon a big pillow. Leo's arms are entwined around her as death loomed over them.
On the desk rested a yellow sheet of paper written by Leo. It read:
To Whom It May Concern:
Greenlee Smythe du Pres died this morning. The thought of living an empty life
without her reeled through my mind. I can't go through with it. We are together in life.
We are together in death. Because, sire or madam, true love lasts forever…