Matthew stood still, not knowing where he was. Everything around him was so peaceful and perfect. He looked down and saw he was wearing a white t-shirt, white skinny jeans, and white converses. Where was he, and why was he dressed like that.
He started walking, trying to see if anything was familiar. As he walked the long road, he noticed everything around him was the perfect version of Llanview. His grandfather, Asa, stood at the end of the road.
"Grandpa?" Matthew asked.
"The one and only. How are ya." Asa responded.
"Everything is so peaceful here. It feels like heaven. Where are we?"
"You just answered your own question my friend." Asa replied.
"I'm in heaven. How?"
"You flatlined at the rehab center."
"So I'm dead?" Matthew asked.
"Not exactly. You can still choose to go back." Asa explained.
"And do what? Go back to my coma and hope it doesn't happen again." Matthew said angrily.
"Or…" Asa said, "You can be the Buchanan that I know you are and fight your way back."
"Back to what? There's nothing on earth for me but a prison sentence. Here I can go back to being a normal kid. I can wake up every day and come outside and play basketball and not have to worry about anything or anyone. Why would I want to go back?" Matthew explained.
"Because our family needs you." Matthew heard from a distance.
His brother, Drew, soon joined the two on a park bench.
"Our father already lost one son; I don't think he can handle losing another." Drew said.
"And your dad's not the only who will die if you don't come back." Asa added.
"Yeah, mom would probably have to be buried with me." Matthew giggled.
"You're probably right, but that's not who I meant." Asa said, hinting at a very special person in Matthew's life.
"I know who you meant, but I was trying to avoid talking about her." Matthew said.
"Why do you want to avoid her?" Drew asked.
"It's complicated."
"Not really. You know I've been watching the two of you all these years." Asa continued, "It's been obvious to me that you love each other very much. I still can't believe it took you almost going to prison to figure that out."
"Hey, maybe that was a good thing." Drew added laughing, "It got him into bed with a smokin hot chick. You rocked it by the way." He winked and nudged his brother's arm.
"Ok, a little too much info. Didn't need to know that my dead brother was watching me my first time." Matthew said, grossed out.
"I'm just sayin…you did good. So I don't get how things could be complicated."
"It's what happened afterwards that made it complicated." Matthew said.
"Oh, you mean the little Buchanan heir she's got cookin." Asa giggled.
"I'm only 17. I can't be a father."
"Sure you can; you'll just have to make some adjustments." Drew said.
"Adjustments…are you serious? Having a kid means my life is pretty much over, so why not just let it." Matthew got off the bench and began walking towards the large golden gate separating him from heaven's version of the Buchanan Mansion.
Drew and Asa tried to stop him, but another familiar face got their first.
"Just be lucky you even have the chance to be a father." Nash said, holding baby Chloe in his arms. "I died before she was born. Now the only way I was able to be a father to her was for her to die. I never wanted her to die, but her death actually gave me new life. I'm able to be the father I always wanted to be. Not everyone gets to be this lucky."
Matthew looked over and saw some of the fathers that weren't as lucky. Some had died in car wrecks, while others had died of illness. The rest of them made Matthew feel guilty; he was running from the fight, while those fathers were running towards it. Those men died fighting for their country; died protecting him. They were protecting him so he could protect the ones he loved, including Destiny.
He stared down at earth. He saw his lifeless body lying there with his family surrounding him, all in tears. When they realized their son was not coming back, he saw Bo and Nora say goodbye and allowed Destiny to do the same. He felt the warmth of her body as she climbed into bed with him. She nuzzled her head into his neck, and with tears running down her face, she whispered, "I love you. I will always love you."
She was about to get up when she felt something pull her back. She looked down to see Matthew's hand on her stomach. It hadn't been there before, so she knew he was fighting his way back. She laid her head on Matthew's chest, waiting for the next sign that things would be ok. She got it when he whispered the words she'd been waiting years to hear, "I love you too."