TITLE: Less Than A Year To Live
SUMMARY: Olivia has just learned that she has cancer in her brain. That she actually has less than a year left to live. Can she get everything said, and done before her life ends? Can she truly be able to leave her son, and the man she loves? Will God step in and allow a miracle so Olivia doesn't die?
CATEGORY: Family/ Friends/ Hurt/Comfort/ Tragedy/ Romance/ Angst/ Drama/ Spiritual
RATING: T
AUTHOR'S NOTES: (1) This story is set after Carly and Jax's daughter is born. She is a healthy baby and Carly is back to herself. (2) Dante and Sonny know that Sonny is Dante's father. They have a strained relationship. But, Dante has bonded with his half siblings. (3) Dante works for the FBI – even through BOTH Olivia and Sonny don't agree with his chosen career. Olivia because she's fearful that she'll get a call someday that her son is either dead or close to death. Sonny because he thinks it ironic that HIS son is in a field that is against the mob. But in reality he agrees with Olivia. (4) Claudia is out of Sonny's home and bed. Sonny has full custody of the baby. Johnny still works for Sonny. (5) Michael has calmed down. He doesn't have out of control rages any longer. He's living with his mom and Jax most of the time. He does stay at Sonny's and the Quartermaines' a lot. (6) Kate has left Port Charles and refuses to talk to her cousin. She was still trying to rebuild her reputation after it became world known that she had stolen her own designs.
PRELUDE
February 22, 2010
OLIVIA'S APARTMENT BUILDING - HALLWAY
Her head ached. It felt like there was pain in the back of her right brain trying to work its way slowly towards her left brain. She knew that the pain would not settle once it reached her left brain – no it wanted to consume her full brain.
Droopy eyes tried to remain open – at least until she reached the safety of her apartment. Once there she could figure out a way to receive help. Her phone by her bed – or even her cell phone in her purse. She just had to reach her door – unlock it – get inside where it was safe. Than if need be she could close her eyes as she passed out.
She fully knew that she may not be able to get to either of her phones before she passed out. She just prayed that she would be able to manage to get to her couch. At least it was soft in case she couldn't control her limbs.
Her right palm reached over and touched the cool wall. She just prayed that she would be able to reach her door. Blinking she saw her door through dimly alertness. All she could think about was finally being able to succumb to the blackness that was trying to find it's way to her -
She never knew how she got inside her apartment. It was all a blur. All she knew was that she felt the door close behind her and she eyed her couch. All she had to do was manage to get the couch before the blackness overcame her.
One step.
Her arm began to stretch out. She didn't want to lose the contact with the door – not until she knew she was safe.
Two steps.
She began to shake and cry.
Three steps.
She knew she wasn't going to make it. Her hand slowly - as if you were pressing frame by frame with your remote control - slid down from the door.
Four steps.
She fell forward. Last thing she was aware of was her head slamming into the table.
All was black.
GENERAL HOSPITAL – ROOM 2020
"Ma," Her eyes blurred as she slowly opened them. She began to choke around the thing that was stuck inside her chest. She couldn't breathe or swallow. What was down her throat that wasn't allowing her to breath? She felt her body lift as her hands went to her throat – she had to remove the thing before it killed her.
Dante wide eyed was shocked as his mother's body bolted upright, and her hands were simply clawing at the tube – trying to get the tube out of her throat. He had to stop her before she did more damage to herself. He quickly tried to grab her hands – but she just pushed him away. He managed to lift himself off the floor where he had landed. "Nurse! Nurse!" He screamed out as he hurried over the few steps that separated him from his mother.
He just wrapped his arms tightly around her, pinning her hands in between his and her chest. "It's going to be all right Ma. It's me, Dante. You are safe." He cried in her ear as he felt her still trying to fight her.
She just simply went limp in his arms. He gently pulled away and placed his unconscious mother back against the bed and pillow. He looked up at Elizabeth whom had rushed into the room. "She's finally awake." He felt tears rolling down his cheeks. "Thank God she's finally awake."
"I take it she didn't care for the tubes." Elizabeth said as she began to gently fix the tape that Olivia had managed to undo before Dante stopped her. "This is normal behavior Dante. We did warn you what to expect when she came too."
Dante nodded, never taking his eyes or hand from his mothers. "I just wasn't prepared. How can one be prepared watching their mother being so panic stricken like that?"
"What happened!" Sonny demanded rushing into the room.
"Olivia woke up and had a panic attack." Elizabeth said as she moved away from her patient's side. Allowing Sonny to take her place. "She's all right now. She's sleeping peacefully."
"Get Patrick in here. I want him to do a full examination on her." Sonny kept his eyes firmly on Olivia's face.
"I'm sorry but both Patrick and Matt are in surgery right now." Elizabeth said.
"Get another surgeon in to help Matt finish. I want Patrick Drake here now." Sonny demanded.
"I'm sorry but no Sonny." Elizabeth said in a soft quiet firm voice.
"You dare to disobey my direct order." Sonny's eyes turned and glared into hers.
"Yes." Elizabeth calmly said. "The surgery is half over. Even if there was another surgeon who was up to Patrick's level – there is no way at this stage that it would be safe to trade surgeons. The patient could die on the table."
Sonny took a few deep breaths. "The moment that Patrick is free – than send him here."
"Of course." Elizabeth nodded. She turned and left the room, closing the door behind her.
Sonny turned back to the fallen woman in the bed. Placing his hand on her right cheek, "It's going to be all right now Olivia. You are safe. I'm here."
"How can you tell her that. How can you tell her everything is fine just because you are here. How can you tell her that she's safe just because you are here!" Dante demanded as he looked across his mother's bed at the man whom just happened to be his biological father.
"We shouldn't have negativity here. Your mother doesn't need it." Sonny said in a calm voice.
Dante wasn't listening to him. He was much too angry. "When you are the reason why my mother is here. Tubes down her throat – tubes up her nose."
"Dante," Carly breathed from where she stood with the door in her hand. She had heard from Elizabeth that Olivia had awaken. She didn't stop to listen to the rest of what she said – she just had to get to her best friend. But when she looked inside the window she saw that Olivia was still unconscious. How dare Elizabeth Webber lie to her – she would have her life for this. But, than the knowledge that Olivia had been conscious over came her. So she knew that her friend was just sleeping.
She slowly opened the door ready to be the comfort to Olivia's son. As she had been since Olivia had been found unconscious on the floor of her apartment. With blood oozing from the deep cut on the right side of her forehead. She heard what Dante said.
"You are the reason why my mother is fighting for her life right now." Dante finally couldn't go on. Once the words were out of his mouth he let out a strangled cry.
Carly had rushed over to the young man, and wrapped her arms around his front, pulling his back into her chest. Her right hand raised and rested against his neck. Gently pulling his head into her chest.
Dante just allowed his sobs to burst forth. He let his mother's hand go as he raised and gripped Carly's arm. He just allowed this woman whom was his mother's best friend to hold him. Listening as she softly hummed a lull bye into his ear. It was the same one that his mother always used to sing or hum to him when he was just a small boy.
Sonny just watched his ex – wife comfort his oldest son. He looked back into Olivia's face and felt his tears roll down his cheeks once more.
"She only has less than a year to live." Patrick said in a soft gravely voice. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this." His eyes were on Dante's face squarely. His eyes drifted over to Sonny than back to Dante.
Dante blinked. His mind whirling and whirling. What Patrick was telling him didn't make any sense. No sense whats so ever.
"How can this be?" Sonny whispered. Shell shock. Numbness had steeled over his body and mind the moment he and Dante walked into Patrick's office.
"Olivia has come to see me when her headaches refused to leave her. You know how stubborn she is ..." Patrick looked quickly over at Sonny than back at Dante. He saw Sonny's mouth thin in a small smile, than went back to a straight line. "When the headaches had gotten more painful and the over the counter medicine was no longer working, she came to me."
Dante nodded his head. He knew that his mother had been suffering from headaches for the past few weeks. She had forcefully told him that she was just fine. But when the headaches kept going on – and getting worse he told her to go to the doctors. She refused.
"So Ma has finally gone to see you." Dante whispered not even realizing that he was speaking.
"Yes." Patrick softly said. "A week ago to the day." He sighed. "I have done a CAT scan – it just read that she was suffering from migraines and just needed a stronger prescription."
Dante jumped up from his seat. His hands clenched at the side. "Why didn't my mother's TRUE condition SHOW UP on the bloody CAT scan machine. Isn't General Hospital UP TO F**KING DATE! MY GOD ISN'T GENERAL HOSPITAL F**KING AHEAD OF MOST TOP NOTCH MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE." Tears were rushing down his hot cheeks. His eyes were wide as he glared into Patrick's sad but calm eyes.
Sonny wanted to jump up at his son's side and include his own voice – his own rage against the news that had just been delivered to him. But than Olivia's face came to his mind eyes. Her eyes pleaded him to remain calm – not for his own sake but for their son's.
Dante finally got control of himself after several more minutes of screaming every profanity word known in both the English and Italian languages. Sonny was actually surprised that no one has come bursting into the room to find out if Patrick was all right. But than he knew that Patrick knew that Dante or Sonny – or even both would react like this. Patrick must have just warned everyone away from the hallway. So that explains why Toussaint is clued to Patrick's door. Smart man.
Dante sat back in his seat, "I'm sorry Patrick. I'm just upset is all." He whispered his head bowed. "It's not every day that I learn that my mother only has less than a year to live."
"There is hope, Dante, there is always hope." Patrick softly said.
Dante looked up and nodded. "What is the planned treatment?"
Dante finally pulled away from Carly's arms. He leaned forward and rested his head against his mother's chest. Just above her heart. Swallowing he closed his eyes, and just listened to his mother's heart beat.
Sonny watched as his oldest son drifted off to sleep against his mother. "She's not going to be alone anymore. Not at the apartment. She's going to be moving in with me. Dante also."
"They both will fight you on this. Olivia especially. She doesn't want to give up her independence. Especially to you." Carly turned from her friend and her sleeping son.
"I have all ready arranged for a private full time nurse to live at the house. Her room will be across from mine, so if she needs me in the middle of the night – I won't be too far away." Sonny went on over his ex wives comment. "Dante will have a connecting room to his mother."
"Sonny -" Carly reached over and put a hand on his left arm.
"I have all ready sub lent her apartment. So she has no other place to go." Sonny said in a firm voice. "She'll be safe and happy with me. She'll finally have her dream – her son, the father of her son, and her living in the same house. As a family." He whispered the last words.
"What about the baby? He's still too young to understand what is going on. He still doesn't sleep through the night. He's still fussy. He's too loud for Olivia to handle." Carly said trying to plead with Sonny.
"He remains with me." Sonny firmly said.
"Than Olivia should move in with Jax and I. We have plenty of room. Now that we live in the mansion." Carly said.
"Olivia remains with me." Sonny looked up and stared into his ex wife's corn blue eyes. His eyes soften. "He responds the best with Olivia. It's as he knows that Olivia has the mother's love that his tiny soul begs for."
Carly knew that this was the truth. She had seen Olivia with Claudia's son …. the baby boy did always settle down the best in Olivia's arms. She turned back to her unconscious best friend and sighed swallow. "I'll help you when Olivia begins to fight against you."
Sonny turned back and picked up Olivia's hand. He continued his steady bed watch.
END PRELUDE
Author's Note: This is the longest prelude I have ever written in my life. I had actually started this story with a crossover in mind. I was planning on having Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series as a cat familiar. That Hermione would be by Olivia's side during Olivia's brain cancer – protecting Olivia when things truly got rough. But the moment I wrote that Sonny had come into the hospital room, I knew that I had a Olivia/Sonny pairing story on my hand.