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"My mother is dying…"

Emily watched in horrified slow motion as David's knee's seemed to buckle, and he lurched for the wall for support. Acting with precision instinct, she grabbed for his midsection, and braced herself for his weight if he should collapse. The collapse did not happen, only a haggard sigh, and the sagging of his body against hers. Emily had no idea the amount of pain she could endure until the moment his first tear soaked through her blouse, and she felt shattered herself, as if his pain was hers. Stroking his hair and softly comforting him, all she could tell him was that it would be okay, she was there. "Shhh…. We're here now. We'll make the best of it."

"That's what I asked of him. My mother wants to see him with a good woman, and since he's too goddamn stubborn to keep a wife perhaps you wouldn't mind pretending? It's just… it's her dying wish." Mary crossed her arms and settled herself against the opposing wall, not at all offended by the scene in front of her. She had expected far worse, she had expected one of his rages where he yelled and broke things and punched walls, maybe this Emily character had the magic touch after all.

"Of course." Emily eagerly nodded her head, still stroking David's, willing to do anything to assuage her friend's grief, or the bad situation.

"Take me to her." David opened his eyes and was surprised to be staring down at the soft lavender of Emily's turtleneck. His tears were staining her shoulder. "I'm sorry Em…"

"Don't be. Go see her."

"You should come too." Mary said softly, leading the way up the narrow and ancient stairway.

Taking his hand as if she did it every day, Emily followed David's weary steps and wished for this whole experience to be over, for his sake, and she prayed fiercely for the first time in ages, that whatever mercy was afforded her, to be passed to David so he didn't have to endure this pain much longer.

David's head was reeling, he should have called months ago. He should have known right away when the first person to try to feed him wasn't his mama, he had guessed maybe she was in the rocking chair by the fire, but he'd been so self centered in his anxiety with his crowd of family he hadn't even noticed she wasn't there… what kind of son was he?

Pushing open a pale green wooden door that creaked, Mary stood in the hallway and ushered them in.

"David Anthony. I was wondering what time you would get here. A little bird told me… I'd see you this Christmas." Carlita Rossi smiled up from her crochet, twinkling only a mothers eyes do when she looks at her only son.

Emily was pleasantly surprised at the state of the woman, she didn't look nearly old enough to be bedridden and ill, in fact… she looked…. Well she looked downright mischievous – like David always did. It made her outright smile.

"Mama. Merry Christmas." David reluctantly released Emily's hand for a brief moment to bend down and kiss his sainted mother, his favorite woman in the world and as far as he was concerned the only measure of a wife and mother he'd ever think was acceptable. Emily stood awkwardly against the wall, wringing her hands, not quite sure what to do… How should a couple act? Like she would know… it'd been years since she'd been in a relationship, let alone with a real man like David. Had she just thought that?

"Who is this beautiful young woman?"

"Emily." David smiled naturally, and reached his hand toward her. Feeling as though it was the first day of high school all over again, nerves threatened to overwhelm her as she took David's hand and sat on the bed next to him, where he gently directed her.

"Emily, you are lovely, just lovely." Mrs. Rossi took Emily's shaking hand in her two wrinkled ones, and lovingly patted her. "This is a Christmas, then. I think I got everything I asked the good baby Jesus for!" Her tired voice pitched high to match her comically raised eyebrow and began to laugh, heartily.

Emily couldn't help but laugh too. "My god… the semblance is… scary." Emily looked up at David's red eyes, the sad smile on his face, his appreciation for her being there etched in every inch of it.

"Yes, doesn't look a thing like his daddy. I have the stronger genes in the family. Or maybe it was that handsome milkman that used to come around in the 50's…" Emily laughed, and David shook his head.

"Mama, you shouldn't joke like that. Daddy's rolling in his grave." He squeezed the wrinkled hands that still held Emily's, and looking down at the little trio of fingers he felt his heart swell.

"Well, he could use the exercise. Did you eat?"

"I wanted to see you first. Besides, if Mary and the brat pack are the ones who cooked I'm not at all interested." David rested a hand on Emily's hip, and she strained not to act surprised, but it was as if someone poured warm, gooey pudding down her spine.

"Be nice to your sisters, there the only ones you got. Go, take Emily to eat, don't you feed her?"

"I have more sisters than any man ought to have. I'll be back up in a few minutes, do you want anything?" He stood and took Emily's hand, gently pulling her from the bed and resting his opposing hand on the small of her back.

"I'm pumped full of the good stuff. Go!" She shooed them away with her hands, and to David's dismay this seemingly normal interaction came crashing in around him when he noticed the IV standing behind her bed.

Once outside the bedroom, David leaned his back against the wall and let out a pent up shudder, something between a sob and a sigh. Emily took his shoulders and looked him in the eyes, almost burnt to the ground where she stood from the fire and pain she saw.

"Dave… I'm so sorry…"

"I can't do this…" Scrubbing a hand down his face, he again felt as though something was holding him in, holding his insides from spilling all over the place. "I don't know what to do…"

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to get the hell back to the truck. I want to pretend none of this ever happened. I want to run like fucking hell, Emily." His brutal honesty and the humanness behind it, left her speechless. "But what I want doesn't matter right now. I need to be with her. Until the end. I won't be able to live with myself if I don't."

Slowly nodding her understanding, Emily gently rubbed circles into his shoulders, feeling helpless. "Okay. That's what we'll do then. I'll call JJ, tell them to pick up the SUV, and bring us our go-bags."

David could hear the words as though from afar, buzzing in his ears telling him he was certainly in a state of shock. Nodding acknowledgement, he allowed Emily to lead him back downstairs, where he must put on a smile, he must make small talk and play with his nephews, his earlier fears now so miniscule by comparison.

Oh god, give him strength… Give ME strength to help him… Emily thought heavenward, watching the shock wear over him from the corner of her eyes. Already, he seemed ten years older with the weight of his grief.

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