Rodney sat with his hologram program. He had finished everything he had needed to help get Sheppard back to before everything changed. All he had to do was finish his "conscience." Not an easy feat, especially since his concentration kept slipping. And even though his mind and his eyes weren't as sharp as they once were, he kept going.
Only when he came to writing his past did he stall. This was the only way to get her back. To make her better. The logic was sound. But his heart felt as if he were about to erase everything they ever had together. The time they did have was more precious to him than any other time in his entire life.
Even on that last day. The day before her diagnosis. The last day of hope.
He had left the office early. He had so much on his mind and couldn't get any work done even if he tried. He had pulled into the driveway of their new home nervous of the doctor's call.
He found Jennifer sitting on the couch anxiously staring at her phone. "You're home early," he didn't think her face could light up any more than it already was.
"Anything?" he sat next to her holding his breath and taking her hand.
"Not yet," she smiled optimistically.
"Did you eat lunch?" Are you hungry?"
"No," she giggled at him. "My stomach is acting up again."
"Okay," he wanted to smile too but he was so nervous.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yeah," he hated how calm she was being. "This just hasn't settled in yet."
"I know," she snuggled into him. "You wanna go for a walk?"
"What about the…" he pointed to the phone.
"They have these cool new things called cell phones," she dropped the little machine into the pocket of her jacket.
"Funny," he rolled his eyes following her to the door.
"Come on," she took his arm and pulled him to the sidewalk. "We need to start talking about names…"
They had walked for some time before she started coughing. Then the blood was in her hand.
How quickly the most amazing day of his life had turned into many of the worse. As much as he loved her, he knew his plan would work. That she would have another chance. Maybe they could too. And maybe, just maybe, that day could play out differently.