The Five People You Meet In Heaven

He was slipping away, and when he finally did, he did not bank on conversations like these.

I'm back! Just a one shot this time. I've been watching some old episodes of Casualty in the Harry Harper years and this is just a bit of fun that came to mind after watching those episodes. Also, I miss Simon MacCorkindale on screen an incredible amount.

After so many years of faithful service as a doctor then an MP, Harry Harper had lived a long and fruitful life. He had five beautiful, and intelligent children, and three headstrong grandchildren. He had turned around the fortunes of Holby City's Emergency Department, and he had spent ten years fighting for his constituency. The man was renowned for the fight he had in him, his will being so strong it was envied by all. He never gave up, not when there was still a fight to be had.

But this time the fight was almost over. The fight that would cost him his life. He had been diagnosed with bowel cancer eighteen months before, and his resolve to fight was rapidly disappearing. He had set his affairs in order, his will was written, letters to his grandchildren, those with him and any yet to come. And he was quickly realising that it was approaching his time to go. Not that he wanted to, but he had found an inner peace at the prospect of death. The only thought that filled him with dread was leaving his family behind. He loved them an incredible amount, and watching them go through this pain with him broke his heart.

'It's not going to be long,' he croaked from his bed.

'I know Dad,' said Tally, his eldest, holding his hand. 'I'd ask you to stay, but I know you can't.'

'Finally a battle I couldn't win,' he gasped. 'But look at the life I've had Tally. You, Kizzy, Jordan, Oliver and Daisy were the best thing to ever happen to me. You and Rob have given me a football mad grandson in Leo, Kizzy and Joe have given me a beautiful princess in little Phoebe, and then Jordan and Katie have just given me my third grandchild in baby Megan. My only regret is that I won't be here to see them grow up.'

'I didn't want to tell you,' said Tally, wiping her eyes. 'There's a fourth grandchild on the way.'

'Oh my darling,' he said, raising a weak hand to stroke her hair. 'You've had an unbearable burden on your shoulders. You've put your life on hold to move me in here, given up your job to look after me. I'm so grateful for everything you've done, my angel.'

'I've been so rotten to you in the past,' she sobbed. 'It was the least that I could do. Look at you Dad. Your last hours, surrounded by those who love you. And when you leave this life and all of that pain, you'll be surrounded by those who love you in heaven as well.'

'So many there to greet me,' he reflected slowly. 'You're used to death surrounding you as a doctor, but I have had terrible luck with those around me. I want one last hug from everyone, I've got this feeling that my hours are more numbered than they've been before.'

As each of his children and grandchildren came to hug him and say goodbye, Harry's sense of inner peace was growing stronger. And as his children gathered around him one more time, Daisy said quietly, 'Say hello to Mum for me.'

'I will,' he said, mustering up the last of his strength to nod before the last breath left his lungs and the machines started to beep.

Kizzy reached for the machine and flicked the switch. 'Goodbye Dad,' she whispered.

And Harry felt himself floating, as if on a cloud, however clichéd that sounded. There was no light at the end of the tunnel, just a feeling of weightlessness, like the shedding of his burdens and his pain, to a feeling of pure bliss. It felt as if he was floating for an eternity, but after what seemed like so long, he found himself in a bright white room, with five familiar people standing before him.

'Oh jeez,' he said to himself with a chuckle. 'It's like the ghost of ex's past plus my parents. This is exactly what I thought would happen.'

'Bad luck that it seems to be a pattern,' reflected his dad. 'How is it that becoming lovers with you leads to death?'

'I've asked myself that very same question,' he pondered. 'It's good to see you all anyway.'

'Harry James Harper,' scolded his Mum. 'Why did you persuade Jordan and Katie to not name their baby after me? Patricia is a fine name.'

'Not for a baby Mum,' he said with a smile, hugging her close. 'You're in Megan's middle name. It's funny, Jordan said that he would bet on you having a grievance about that.'

'Well your dad may have been satisfied with Leo's middle name being David but I wanted to one up him,' protested his Mum. 'Jordan knew full well he was my favourite.'

'You can't always get what you want Mum, you taught me that,' he replied. 'Beth, Daisy wanted me to say hello. I think she speaks for all of our children. We've all really missed you.'

'Poor Daisy,' said Beth quietly. 'I died before she ever knew me. I'm glad the others have memories of me, but it must have been so tough on her.'

'They've all grown up so well Beth, I only wish you could have been there to see it. We even have grandchildren now, I'm sure you've seen. They're all so beautiful,' he replied.

'I've been watching,' replied Beth. 'I was with them all on the day the children were born. I hope they felt it, they might not have understood it or thought it was rational but I hope they felt me there.'

'I'm sure they did,' said Selena as she cradled baby Angel.

'I was quite shocked to see her here,' replied Beth coolly. 'Another one of your dead lovers? I hope that baby wasn't yours.'

'I wish she was yours Harry,' said Selena sadly. 'Although I did watch as Nathan sat by her bedside, how distraught he was that she'd died. She was too poorly, but now she's here with me. I don't know how it works up here, but she never seems to age. She's a tiny little thing and she never grows a bit.'

'I feel bad,' replied Harry. 'You walked into that room to help me, to save me. You were pregnant and you walked into the path of a madwoman with a gun, for me.'

'Don't blame yourself,' said Selena. 'It was my fault I died. I should have thought about my baby. I didn't know whether I had it in me to be a mother, I didn't feel at all protective or maternal towards her. She was just an invader inside me back then. But I don't think I could have faced losing you either. I know you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders and take responsibility for everything, but I think it was my day to die. You just get that feeling that it was all meant to happen, written down somewhere.'

'I don't get that feeling,' said Ellen in response to Selena. 'I had just beaten cancer, defied the odds, and then bam! Hit by a motorcycle, brains all over the floor, no chance of saving me. I never got to be a mother like I wanted, never got to settle down. I was bitter for a long, long time.'

'You were so young,' he lamented. 'It was before your time. Josh couldn't get over that he'd survived and you hadn't.'

'I look in on him from time to time,' mused Ellen. 'It's like we're connected because of what happened that day. He's doing well, I think my death forced him to live. Like he had to make the most of life because mine had gone. I even look in on baby Ellen, the daughter of Nessa, that heroin addict.'

'I forgot all about her,' said Harry. 'Is she ok?'

'I may have contributed a bit of help,' admitted Ellen. 'Nessa was so down, hating herself so much. I hung around for a while, left her signs, telling her she could do it. She got clean, and they're both completely healthy. She got married recently, he's a lovely man, and they're so happy. They're even having another baby soon. They kept the name Ellen for the baby as well. It felt nice, to know that she'd been named after me, and somehow I could live on.'

'I don't know what to say,' said Harry to the people in front of him. 'What do I do now I'm up here?'

'You're at peace son,' said his father, smiling.

'It'll take some getting used to,' said his Mum. 'We all know you like to burden yourself. But that doesn't exist here. It'll take you some time, but then you just let go. And then, my dear, it's paradise.'