( Listen to this while you read...Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman - Time To Say Goodbye It sets the mood. )
A relatively depressing hush fell upon the hospital that evening, gray clouds rolling across the slowly darkening sky, giving the already heartbreaking scenery an even more saddening appearance. It was as if every human being and nature itself knew that this day was going to be a day of bereavement.
The two men stood in silence in the doorway of the hospital room, staring down at the formerly vivacious woman, watching with heartrending eyes as they looked upon her visage. Her once long, lustrous long black hair was now a shimmering grey. Her formerly silky olive skin now an unhealthy pale and slightly wrinkled. Her milky brown eyes, filled with such luster and fire, now a pale comparison to the originals. She was a shadow of her former self, weaker than what she had been. But she was proud of every wrinkle and wore them humbly.
She was swollen with pride of the woman she had grown to be; she had lived a rather impressively long life and had come to accomplish many wondrous accomplishments. Having been gifted with the love of a charming man, blessed with children and grandchildren. Living out her days as a wife, mother and grandmother…she knew she had been blessed. That may not be much too some people, but in her eyes…it was everything she could ever have asked for.
The males grit their teeth in concern when her heart monitor fluttered, making their own hearts do the same. They watched on in silence as she struggled to breathe, the only thing keeping her from passing on into the next life were all of the machines she was attached to. Cruel…yes. But she was fighting to stay alive just a little while long so she could finish out her life's business. One could not travel into the next life with un finished business left behind. It just wasn't the way of things.
When she went into a coughing fit, it was then that the males rushed into the room. Disregarding what they had originally been told by their father. "You are not to be seen by anyone. We cannot risk the human world knowing of our existence."
The Elder of the two strode up to the side of the bed, quickly pouring the woman a glass of water, before helping her to take a sip. She had calmed down somewhat, before looking up at the men, her eyes glassy as she lingered in the doorway between life and death. Now that she was in between realms, she was given the gift of being able to see them. Unlike most times in her life, where she had to fight to see them.
"Y-You….why…why are you here?" She weakly asked, her voice coming out as barely an audible murmur while she stared up into their scintillating cerulean blue eyes. Those eyes…the eyes of the very two creatures that had always stood on such a high precipice than her. The only two things in her life she was forbidden to be involved with.
"Must you always ask such inane questions?" The Elder twin bit out, his words coming out harsher than he had originally meant them to. He was sometimes hard to understand, thanks to his rough exterior, but thanks to her knowing how to handle him…she knew what he meant.
She weakly laughed, shaking her head wearily, making the brothers look at her as if she was losing her mind...which might be a sad possibility if was anyone else. But since it was her, they both knew better.
"Y-You're right…I guess it's about time I stop asking such stupid things…about time I stop doing a lot of things." She feebly choked out, closing her eyes briefly before opening them as she looked back to them, not wanting to miss a single moment of their beauty with the limited time she had been given.
The younger brother clenched his jaw hard at her words, balling his fists as he looked away as his silver bangs covered his eyes. Sensing his brother's sadness, he sighed, looking to the woman as he slowly let down his guard. Such a rare thing indeed, but for this occasion, he knew it was needed. Taking a rather bold chance, he reached out, letting his cool hand ghost across her cheek as she gasped at the contact.
"Cara…please cease depressing us further and let us spend what time we have with you." His voice was softer now, she could hear that he was trying to hold back his emotions and it was a losing battle for the proud man. She had known him to be a proud and powerful man, a man of few words, yet those few words held his strength and showed him for the man he was trying to be. But she saw through it all and saw him for the man he really was. An affectionate, engaging and wonderful man.
She weakly lifted her hand, trying to keep it from shaking as best she could before reaching up to slowly run it along his perfect cheek, her pale ones flushing a light pink in response. His features had always been flawless. Almost like he was a porcelain doll, but if he ever heard her say that out loud…he would no doubt chew her a new one.
"Cara..." His eyes fell shut at the contact, a sigh slipping from his lips as he pulled his hand back from her cheek, before placing it over her hand, carefully tightening the touch as his lower lip began to quiver from the well of emotion he was holding back.
"Shhh…it will all be alright." She whispered as she continued to stroke his cheek, before jolting in surprise when she felt something wet slide down against her hand. She could faintly see tears running down his cheeks. It stunned the woman…seeing a beautiful creature such as this shedding tears on her behalf.
"Are you kidding me? You say that this will all be alright and you know it's a bold faced lie! We're losing you to something like this and you won't even let us help you!" The young brother's voice boomed out, echoing around the quiet hospital, making both her and the Elder brother jump.
His twin pulled back from her, his eyes flicking open and gave his twin a rather vicious glare, making him fall silent as he kept his back to his brother. Which only infuriated the Elder more, but when he attempted to speak, he felt a hand tugging at his coat sleeve. He stilled and looked down to see the woman smiling up at him. He heaved out a sigh, before nodding as he sat in the chair beside the bed, allowing her to be the one to calm his brother.
"R-Red…" Her voice cracked with emotion, making him grit his teeth at the sound of the nickname she had long ago given him. She called out to him again, before he broke down and turned to her, seeing her eyes filled with grief and sadness as she held up a weary hand. He reached out, gently taking it as he sat down on the other side of the bed, letting her hand caress the side of his stubbly cheek.
"Shhh…it will be alright. It is my time to go. I've lived a long, healthy life. I lived out my promise to you both. I've done all I can with this life…it's time to move onto the next." She spoke with a soft voice, the voice having been filled with so much love that it was calming the young brother. He looked up at her with woe filled eyes, tears brimming around the edges as he fought for control.
"B-Babe…please don't do this. Let us help you. Please…I can't go through this again." He said through clenched teeth, his breathing slowly coming out in heavy pants as his shoulders began to tremble. It was a sight to see, such a large male trembling with emotion. But every second with them was a gift she was not about to waste.
She forced herself to sit up, making them both jolt and try to push her back down so she wouldn't strain her already overwrought body, but she slapped away their hands, making it a point to not stop her from what she wanted to do. Before she cupped the younger brother's face in her hands, stroking his scruffy cheeks as her smile brightened, allowing the light to briefly return to her eyes.
"I always hated your scruff…you never listened to me…you just let it grow out." She said happily, her voice mildly laced with aggravation. Doing her best to draw away from the sad conversation, it was mildly working, for the younger brother chuckled dryly, giving her a half smile she loved so much.
"It's my face Babe…I'll wear it how I like." He said, trying to put the same enthusiasm into his words as he normally did. But it had come out as if he was trying his damndest not to cry. She was proud of that at least, but she wanted them both to be honest with their feelings. But in truth…she knew they wouldn't. It just wasn't in their nature to come out with how they truly felt. No matter how much she wanted the truth.
"And I wouldn't have it any other w-way.." Her words faltered at the end of the sentence, she felt her chest tightening as she wheezed out, trying to fight for words, before she fell back onto the bed with a cry of pain. The sudden action made the brothers quickly stand up as they leaned closer, each of them took one of her hands, gripping it gently as she began to heavily wheeze.
Her heart was going at a dangerous pace, speeding up much too fast as her breathing machine was put into over drive, trying to help her to breathe as best as science would allow. She grew tired of this, of hearing those annoying devices. She weakly looked up at the Elder brother, giving him a weak puppy dog look as she smiled.
"T-Turn them off…I don't want the last thing I hear to be that annoying beeping." She wheezed out, her hands shaking in their hold. The Elder jerked in response to her sudden request, he didn't wish to be the one to end her life. He would not be held accountable for such a heinous thing.
"C-Cara you cannot ask that of me…it is far too much a burden to bare." He turned his face away from her gaze, biting hard on his lower lip. He could feel his chest tightening with raw emotion as it built and built inside of him.
"I want the last thing…I hear…to be your voices…please…as my last request." She weakly said, as she gripped his hand back, trying to get him to adhere to her wishes, it was beginning to work before the younger brother growled and leaned down, gently grabbing the sides of her face, making her look up into his pained eyes as tears finally began streaming down his cheeks.
"Why…why are you doing this to us? Can't you just let us help you so we can finally be together?" He growled out, he didn't mean for his words to come out with such anger, but he couldn't help himself. It was just too much for him, he had the heart of a child and didn't like seeing things like this.
She shook her head, before prying her hand from his hold as best she could, before reaching it up to stroke his cheek as she weakly smiled. She wanted her passing to be somewhat happy, but for these two, it would be the most agonizing thing they would have to endure. Honestly she would rather not have them deal with it…but knew there was no telling them to leave.
R-Red…we will meet again in another life…and in that life…we will be able to be together. Our love was not meant for this life and you know that." She said, fighting her own tears. He shook his head in a childish way before pressing his forehead against her own, looking deep into her eyes as he trembled.
"Babe…please don't leave me…don't do this to me…I can't lose you again…I just can't. Don't make me go through this again." His voice began to break with emotion, his words coming out through pained and somewhat hushed cries. He sounded like someone was taking his favorite toy from him and wouldn't ever give it back.
She grit her teeth, feeling her heart flutter at his words, and in retort to the medication that was slowly hiding her pain from her mind. She gasped as it slowly began to over whelm her person, making the younger brother growl as he pulled back from her, pilling a vial from his coat pocket.
"Da-Damn it…if you won't let me help you…I'll force it on you! I won't let you die this like!" He growled out, but stilled when his brothers' hand shot across the bed, grabbing his own, before he looked at his brother, seeing him shaking his head in a deep sadness.
"You know the regulations…we cannot get in the way in the lives of the humans. Father would have our heads and you know it. As much as I hate this…we cannot…interfere." He said, turning to look at the woman, seeing thanks in her eyes before he looked back to his brother. He watched as he pocketed the vial, before nodding sadly as he sat back down, taking hold of her hand once more, before he did the same.
"You both…I am sorry we could not be together in this life…but I will promise to be with you in the next…" Her voice was beginning to get rather soft as the sound of her heart monitor began to slow. It made both of them jump and look to it as they watched the little blip slow and slow further.
They looked back to her, seeing her eyes slowing closing as she smiled, looking to them with pained and gloomy eyes. She began to quiver with fear, she was petrified to die…but it was happening now and there was no running from it. It was her time to go and she was at least not dying by herself. She feared such things. She bit her lower lip, looking to the Elder brother as she gulped down a lump of dread.
"T-Tell me…w-will it hurt? D-Dying…will it hurt?" She choked out, her eyes welling up with tears as she fought to keep herself form crying. He stilled at her words, before running his hand over her cheek with the utmost care.
"It will be like you are going to sleep…peaceful…you will feel no pain Cara. I assure you." He said, managing to hide the fear in his own voice as he smiled reassuringly down at her. She could see past his mask of lies, but wanted to believe in the lie. She gave him the brightest smile she could manage at this moment, before she slumped back into the bed, her heart monitor slowing down further, barely blipping every minute.
The younger twin choked out a ragged cry as he felt her pulse slowing in his hand, he was about to speak up before she looked to him, her eyes quickly loosing that light that he loved so much and fought hard to protect. She gripped his hand as tightly as her body would allow, before giving him as weak wink.
"W-We'll…be together in the next life…y-you come and find me…and you make me see your love before it's too late…y-you hear me Red? You had better make us happen." She said, before she went into a coughing fit. He nodded letting a smile cross his face as best the situation would allow.
Her eyes slowly fell shut, as she laid there in the bed, listening to the sounds of the brothers trying not to cry, listening to the machines, listening to the hospital and the sounds outside. Everything was too sad for her, but it was bound to happen. She was losing the loves of her life. She had missed out on a chance to be with them…all because she had been born into the human realm. A simple technicality was keeping her from spending her days with them. It broke her heart…but she would be with them in the next life. She knew they would make damn sure that would happen.
Upon thinking that, she felt her heart skip a beat, her heart monitor stalled before that dreaded sound filled the air….
Beep…beep…beep…beep…...beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep...
The brothers held in a gasp, looking down at her as their pulses began to rise, doing their best to keep calm before a nurse calmly walked into the room, not being able to see the two. She strode over to the machines, beginning to shut them off as another nurse removed the breathing tube and I.V from the woman's body, all while the brothers sat and watched them work. They watched as the color fully faded from their loves face, seeing her breathe her last breath as her blood finally stopped pumping through her veins. She was gone from them…no longer would they hear her joyous laughter…no longer would they her hear yell at them…no longer would they be able to look into her eyes and see the fire burning within…she was gone.
Upon this sick realization, both brothers threw their heads back, letting out a scream of both anger, sadness and distress. It was hidden from the humans…but the other creatures of this world knew their pain, they had lost a mate…their life mate was gone.
The nurses looked to the woman, sadness showing in their eyes before one wet wide eyed, briefly seeing her hair being ruffled by and unseen force. She shook her head before she smiled, looking down at the woman's face, seeing the smile gracing her features, as tears slid down her pale cheeks.
"She went peacefully…hopefully she had Angels with her until the end."
The brothers stilled their cries upon hearing the nurse's words, before looking to their love, seeing the expression on her face, their pain slowly being calmed even though her spirit was no longer there. They leaned down, the Elder gently kissing her on the lips, before the younger did the same.
"Death…is only the beginning." The Elder said as his eyes flashed a bright blue, before he looked to his brother, seeing the pain showing in his eyes as his emotional mask quickly returned. He did not like seeing that on his brother, but knew it would be up until they found her again.
"Until…the next time Babe…until the next time." He turned from the bed, walking towards the doorway, his brother following behind, before they both stilled, a breeze filling the room as their coat tails flailed. They looked over their shoulders, seeing nothing but the nurses covering up her body, it pained them to look back…but then…they always did when it came to her.
She was their end and beginning…their sun and moon…their everything. She brought the brothers together again and helped them mend their relationship. They had her to thank for everything and in return, they would give their hearts to her…she had proven her worth to them without even meaning to. It was some thing that meant more to them than anything and they would have her in their lives again…no matter what it would cost…they would have her again.
With that last thought, the brothers left the room, going back to their lives…waiting until she was reborn unto them…