AN: so yeah. this was actually the first oneshot i ever wrote, even though i'm just now putting it up. i was originally planning to add the first chapter of FTP but i decided against it, seeing as it's still summer and all. plus i've only gotten chapter one and part of chapter two finished, and i'd like to get a tad more done before i post anything more of it. anyhoo, try not to die from the suckiness of this, alright? i wrote it a longg time ago. oh! and reviews are much appreciated. :D
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Forever and Always
-a oneshot-
He was lying next to her on the white sheets that covered the thin mattress. The kind that, even if you just barely moved, it crinkled and snapped in the loudest of ways. He didn't dare adjust his leg--which had gone numb--in fear of waking the girl by his side from the first decent slumber she had had in days.
He glanced down at the figure next to him. She was still and pale, her chest barely moving as she breathed in and out. Her brown hair was splayed across the pillow in long waves. Her eyes were closed and he couldn't help but wonder if that was what she was going to look like when--if--it happened.
He leaned closer to her face and watched as the freckles appeared across her nose and cheeks. They were unnoticeable when standing even a small distance away; only when you were close could you make out the slight distinction. Slowly lowering his head to hers, he gave her the lightest kiss on the forehead. Even after having touched his lips to her skin in the softest of ways, she still stirred.
"Please stay…" She said weakly, her expression changing faintly to one of alarm. Trailing off at the end of the sentence, she began to drifting back into unconsciousness.
"Don't worry, I wasn't leaving. I promise I'll be here no matter what." he replied, watching as her face relaxed and her eyes fluttered shut again. She rolled over, and wrapped her too-thin arm around his torso, resting her head on his chest.
Feeling the tubes and cords that were connected to her arm poke into him, he sighed a sad sigh and listened to the beeps of the monitors in the hospital. He kept his eyes locked on one in particular, scrutinizing the screen that showed his girlfriend's heartbeat. The same heartbeat that slowly kept decreasing in speed. "Forever and always," he declared softly to himself, before pulling her closer in his grasp.
--x--
"Goodbye. Hope we don't see you again." The doctor gave her a warm, fatherly smile.
Her face was wide and full of life. "I hope so too, Doc." She looked around the bright white room, multiple nurses had gathered and were sharing their goodbyes. She had been here for much of her life and knew the doctors and nurses well. She stood, having finally regained most of her strength, and embraced each of the loving members of the staff with a hug. "I'll miss everyone." A lone tear slid down her cheek, both from sadness and happiness. She was finally leaving, but with that she had to also leave her friends.
"We'll miss you too, sweetie," a nurse, known as Caron, replied. The others nodded their heads in agreement. They were scattered throughout, taking their turns in giving her a final hug goodbye.
"How could you possibly leave without saying goodbye to me?" A deep voice called from behind the crowd. A tall, dark haired boy gently nudged his way to the front of the group.
"Mattie!" She grinned. The older boy, also a young nurse, widened his eyes.
"You promised you wouldn't call me that in public." The boy whispered in her ear as he gave her a hug.
She giggled, pulling away as she heard the obvious clearing of a throat behind her. "Matt, have you ever actually met my boyfriend?"
He gave her a sideways look and raised his eyebrows. "You never told me about a boyfriend."
The quiet blonde awkwardly cleared his throat again. "Really, now?" He looked over at the girl who was still smiling.
Matt chuckled. "I'm just kidding, man. She's told me all about you. I'm Matt, nice to finally meet you." He extended his hand and the other boy shook it firmly.
"Derrick. And you too."
"I think it's time you get going, missy." The doctor said, interrupting the jolly talk. "The longer you stay here, the harder it will be to say goodbye to everyone. We'll miss you terribly." And with a single pat on her shoulder, they pushed her wheelchair out of the hospital, all the while she waved frantically behind her. The most dazzling smile graced her features.
--x--
Threading her fingers in his hair, she kissed him fiercely and urgently, moving as close to the teenager as she could get. He pulled away--startled by the aggressiveness--and stared at her with shock and curiosity.
"Why'd you stop?" She asked with a hint of irritation. He shook his head. Taking that as a sign to go on, she leaned against him again and began giving him small pecks from his forehead down his jaw and to his neck. She gently tugged him down onto the bed and began to undo one of the dull white buttons attached to her blouse.
He wrinkled his eyebrows, surprised, and easily sat her upright on the bed. He moved his hand back to the button of her shirt and softly secured it.
"What now?" She hissed, annoyance now obvious in her tone. She tried lunging for his mouth one last time but he tenderly pushed her back before she could make contact.
"Babe, stop."
Letting out a soft whimper, she put her head in her hands, her hair cascading down and covering her face from view. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking in the middle. "I can't ever be good enough for you and I'm so sorry. I'm sick all the time and when they think things are finally getting better and are gone it just has to come back. It always comes back..." By now, she was breaking out into heaving sobs, gasping for breath.
Pulling her up into his arms, he held her tight. She wept openly, soaking his shirt with tears. "Don't you ever say that again. Don't you dare be sorry for anything. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," he replied sternly, stroking her hair and holding her tighter.
She broke from his embrace and looked up at him with red eyes and tear-stained cheeks. "It's back again."
He squeezed his eyes shut tight and enfolded her into his arms once more. "We can beat it... I know we'll beat it."
She nodded up at him, and pulled him back onto the bed, cuddling into his arms. As her soft snores began to sound, he quietly cried.
--x--
"I'm going to tell you straight out," the doctor said, "this surgery could be fatal. But, this could also save your life."
"Honey it's your choice." She looked over at her parents who were listening intently in the corner. Her mother was crying. Her father's face was blank. He did always have a hard time with showing emotion.
She looked up at the boy standing next to her. His face was filled with sadness as he clutched her hand. "I'm behind you no matter what." She was momentarily still before she looked back up at the doctor.
"I'll do it."
--x--
"Aren't the stars beautiful?" She asked, her voice filled with awe.
Two years later, he leaned back on the bright green grass and watched her. The cool night air whipping at her face, her cheeks flushed even in the moonlight. The wind tangoed with her hair, tangling each strand with another as it blew. She twirled in a circle with her arms spread wide, an ecstatic grin playing on her slightly chapped lips. Her white sundress was illuminated, fluttering and flapping behind her legs as the breeze sent it about. She was barefoot and continued her complicatedly simple dance on tiptoe.
"Love, nothing can be as beautiful as you." he called back. The brunette stopped and covered her mouth as she giggled. She dashed back to him and situated herself on the grass. Smoothing out her dress, she leaned back into his arms.
Nuzzling his neck, she inhaled his cologne and snuggled closer into his grasp. Sighing contently, she moved her gaze back up to the boy to find him staring at her with an adoring smile. "What are you looking at?" She asked puzzled, touching her face worriedly.
He chuckled and pulled her into a kiss. "I love you," he whispered against her lips, "You're never going to leave me."
"I love you, too," she replied, pulling away and looking the boy in the eyes, amber boring into brown. "And don't worry; I'll be here no matter what. Forever and always." The corner of her lip twitched.
"But how do you remember…?" He asked, dumbfounded. She grinned in return and wrapped her arms around his neck, diving in for another kiss.
Before she could reach his lips, he gently cupped her chin in his hand and she returned her gaze to his eyes. They were filled with nothing but care and she felt her heart melt in her chest. "Promise?" He asked, his voice serious and worried. "You have to promise me, Massie. I've almost lost you before. I never, ever want to do it again."
She raised her hand to his cheek and answered with up-most confidence, a smile breaking out onto her face. "I promise."
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what did ya think? great? horrible? semi-decent?
...do you wanna poke it in the eye? :l
no matter what you feel, i'd love a review.