Okay, I accepted a challenge to write Angel's death but not let her die. Here it is!
Disclaimer: I don't even own the plot.
"It won't be long now Mr. Collins," the nurse said, laying her hand on the depressed man's shoulder. "I'm so sorry."
Collins was sitting next to his lover's deathbed. He hated seeing her in any pain and just wanted this to be over soon. Angel's eyes were sunken, her lips, which were once a beautiful shade of pink, were ashy and gray. She had been throwing up blood and shaking from a horrible cold that changed to a blazing heat in four seconds.
"Angel, I love you. Please don't let yourself suffer anymore. I can't take it," he sobbed into the starchy sheets. He felt a squeeze from Angel's hand and then it went limp. He broke down.
(Angel's point of view)
I sighed. The pain was gone. I hate leaving Collins like that but it was too much to handle. I was heading into a white light. It was so warm it was hard to walk away from. Then an Akita blocked my way. It started barking like mad and it wouldn't let me pass.
"Move, dumb animal!" I usually have more patience for animals but this little rat was getting on my nerves! "Move!" I resisted the urge to kick it. I had a great idea. I jumped over it, and continued walking. I wasn't more than five feet away when the thing bit my leg and wouldn't let go!
"Fuck! Let go you little rat!" I screamed at it, but it only bit down harder. "I'll go back. Is that what you want?"
It finally let go. It just barked and wagged its fat little tail.
"Fine, I'll go! I miss Meems and Collins anyway."
I got up and walked back as that damn dog just barked again. There was a blinding light and I woke up.
I was still in the hospital room. The heart monitor was silent so it must have been unplugged. I looked up and all of the machines were off. They must have been letting him say goodbye. Collins was still holding my hand and was sobbing into my bed.
I squeezed his hand and he looked up. I smiled.
"Angel?" he asked. I nodded and he hugged me so tight, I thought I would suffocate. He sobbed into my shoulder. "Angel, I can't believe your still here! I thought I lost you forever!"
I pulled away just far enough to kiss him.
"I could never leave you. Besides, I hate who greeted me in heaven!"
"Who was it?" he mumbled into my shoulder.
"Evita," I sneered.
"The character?"
"No, the dog that I killed. It bit me too," I pouted. He pulled back and looked right into my eyes. I felt some tears well up. He pulled me into a kiss. It had more passion than I ever remember any of our kisses had. I returned it with even more emotion. Even if it was only a few minutes I had been dead, I missed him! Oh man! Dying for real is really going to suck!
He broke the kiss. Good thing, too! I felt a little light headed!
"Angel, I love you, but if you ever scare me like that again, I'm going to kill you," he chuckled. I pulled him into another kiss, that I ruined by smiling.
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"You almost died, Mommy?" the five year-old stared at Angel. The other four children were, too, in awe.
It was 1998. They were in the Life. Angel and Collins, who were happily married, were sitting in a booth with their son and the other boho children and the rest of their friends. No one was really paying attention because they heard the story way too many times. Mimi and Roger were entertaining their eighteen month-old and Maureen and Joann were in the middle of an adoption process. Mark was filming it all as his pregnant wife, Carmen, was sitting with Angel and Collins, but watching her husband proudly.
"That's right, Tony. I did, but a little dog stopped me."
"A dog?" Mimi and Roger's daughter, Ali, asked. Angel and Collins daughter, Maddie, who was eight, responded instead.
"Yeah, Ali, It was Benny's dog that Mom killed in 1989. It was named Evita and Mom drummed until it jumped."
Angel flushed a little. That wasn't her proudest moment, but it did help her help Mark and Roger. And, in a way, helped her meet Collins, because if she hadn't made the 1000 dollars that night, she wouldn't have gone to Mimi's and then stop to drum on her way home. And then she never would have found Collins in that alley. And then who knows where they'd be.
"Angel, baby, are you alright?" Collins interrupted her thoughts. She turned to see him staring at her. She gave him a tender kiss which got the children to "ewwww" in response.
"Um, hate to interrupt the corrupting of our children's youth, but Izzie's getting antsy. Come on, Ali. Pick up the pace, Kurt!" he said as his two children slid out of the booth. They chorused a goodbye and left.
"Ellie! Please come here! We're getting ready to leave," Mark called to his six year-old daughter. He helped Carmen up and grasped Ellie's hand as the said their goodbyes. Angel got up and went over to Maureen and Joann, who were arguing over names for their new child.
"And I'm saying 'Elsie' is a perfectly good name for a girl!" Maureen retorted.
"Guys, I have to ask you a huge favor," she tried to end the heated argument with an interruption. "Can you take Maddie and Tony tonight? Collins and I haven't had a night for just the two of us in a long time," she hinted.
Realization crossed over Joann's face. "Of course, we could use the practice anyway. Come on, Honey, we'll continue this another night. Can you go get the kids ready?"
"Sure, Pookie," Maureen said getting up. "Come on Maddie and Tony! You're staying with us so your parents can have some sex!" The whole restaurant turned to see Angel flush a deep crimson.
After the kids departed with their 'aunts,' Collins walked over to grab Angel and her coat.
"Want to tell me what that was all about?" he asked as he ushered her out of the Life.
She lifted her hand and he laced his fingers with hers. "We haven't had a night to ourselves for a whi--" she stopped and looked around with a look of wonder on her face.
"Ange, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, but there are two things. One is look up." He obliged and she continued. "Have you ever seen so many stars in New York?"
"No," he answered truthfully. He'd lived in New York his whole life so he had never seen this many stars. "What's the other thing?"
"Where are we?"
"Walking home. Oh Angel, please tell me you're not getting dementia! You're not even 30!" he whined.
"No, I'm not getting dementia. We're where we had our first kiss 9 years ago!" She suddenly turned to him and pulled him into a huge kiss, which he happily returned.
When they broke apart, they just stood there, gazing into each other's eyes. Not crazy, just in love. Then he pulled her along.
"Come on, Angelcake! They only have the kids for tonight!"
So, what's your opinion on this? I liked it and may make it a full-on story! I love boho kids!
