AN: Hi, guys. First of all, I owe you guys a massive apology for leaving this story so long! The reason for this was because I went on holiday and then got very sick whilst on holiday and ended up in hospital, due to severe heatstroke and dehydration. Then, when I got better and went home, I had to go back up to the city to view some apartments and houseshares ready for October when I go back to university.
Either way, I'm back! And here is the next and penultimate chapter of Visions.
Visions
Chapter Twelve
Luke was, truly, her best friend. Knowing that she would soon have no choice to leave him upset her greatly. Even when she had stood by the dock with the Professor and waved until her arm ached, as she watched Luke's ship sail away to France earlier that year, Flora knew they would still be best friends. She had thought that she would see him return to London, to study Veterinary Science at Gressenheller University, just as he'd told her he would before he'd left for France, and that then she would see him become a vet and then live the rest of their life's together.
It was even more painfully teasing when Flora took into account that the illness, if that was what it was, allowed her to see glimpses of Luke's future. Yet, she couldn't control these visions. She wished she could. Flora wished she could control them and see if Luke really would study to be a vet at Gressenheller. She wished she could use her visions to see what Luke would do with the rest of his life, that she wouldn't see. Would he get married? (In all honesty, Flora had maybe wondered a couple of times if one day the two of them would wed.) Would he have a family? Would he be like the Professor and solve mysteries all over the world with an apprentice of his own?
Flora wished she could find out, but she knew her visions had to be used for something even more important than her own desires. Even if she could control her visions and find out about Luke's future, she couldn't. She was losing more and more every day; she was running out of time.
Yesterday, Flora had felt the sudden rise of a headache, just like the ones she'd had before she saw the future. Flora had said nothing, though she had found it hard to hide a few winces; she knew she'd be given a painkiller of some sort and she couldn't be numb for the vision. She needed to know when it was coming. She needed to prepare herself for her last vision, for those would be her last moments. It wasn't necessary, bit it was important to her.
Either way, a vision was on its way and Flora suspected that she had one last dimensional stretch- she thought that was what Dimitri Allen had called them- in her. That meant one last glimpse of Luke's future. Luke was going to be kidnapped in the near future. All that mattered to her was that Luke was one day safe again. She had to see that Luke was safe. She had to see that he had a future all of his own, even if she didn't.
It was at that thought, that Flora's eyes opened.
She'd been thinking too intricately for her to be sleeping, but she had been bordering on the edge of unconsciousness, and that was how she spent the few hours of the day that she wasn't asleep. Her time really was limited aand it wasn't just Flora that knew it. The Professor had been told by Doctor Ford.
"Professor Layton," Doctor Ford had said, whilst Flora slept deeply. "I'm very sorry, but Flora has but a few days left."
Luke knew it, too. The Professor couldn't keep him in the dark any longer. He hated to lie to his apprentice, but he hated to give him news as terrible and saddening as this. The Professor had not realised that Luke had overheard conversations and was aware of how serious Flora's situation was, but even as the Professor told Luke that Flora would be gone soon, Luke was defiant.
"I refuse to believe it, Professor," Luke had shook his head firmly, although his fists were clamped with tension. "But there's no way Flora will die. She's too strong. I know it. Just wait and see. She'll be fine, Professor. I know she will."
The Professor had sighed. He wished that Luke was right, but the Professor knew that there was no way that Flora could just suddenly spring back to life.
He pondered this as he watched Flora open her eyes. He'd arrived a couple of hours ago and Flora had been sleeping, yet she'd mumbled several words which he couldn't quite understand. He'd wondered if she was dreaming.
"Good morning, dear," the Professor said.
He always had to stop himself from asking how she was whenever she woke up. He was scared of whatever her answer would be. She'd shown signs of a headache the previous day, although Flora had insisted that she was fine and felt nothing at all. The Professor had assumed that she just didn't want to make a fuss and Doctor Ford had a nurse add morphine into her IV drip.
"Hello," Flora said in a breath like whisper. She stirred slightly and glanced around the room, but without moving her head, as she lacked the energy to do so. " Luke...?"
"He's on his way," the Professor replied softly. "He's just with his parents. They're dropping him back here soon."
Clark and Brenda Triton had asked to have a long breakfast with their son, so they could talk to him about Flora. He'd never lost anyone before and they were worried about how this was affecting him.
"He's safe?" Flora asked.
"Of course he is," The Professor replied. He tried not to chuckle as he replied. He knew what Flora was referring to; she still thought he was in some type of danger for whatever reason. The poor dear. Of course Luke was safe. Why on earth would he not be?
"Good..."
Flora's answers and words were short. She could muster a few words and a short sentence at the most. She really was dying. The Professor hadn't even let himself think the word "dead" but as he sat there, watching Flora lose her life, he knew he couldn't hide it from himself. She would soon be death.
"You're crying?" Flora said, hearing a light sniff. Her eyes had closed again. "Don't cry..."
The Professor couldn't help but smile at her stubbornness. He reached toward her and squeezed her hand. It was warm.
"I'm sorry," he said in a strangely happy tone, trying to make up for the fact that he'd let a few tears fall in front of her. He raised her hand that he was holding and kissed it gently, holding it. "You know, Flora, I'm sorry for never saying this before, but you've done a lot for me, Flora. Thank you."
"What?" Flora asked, not able to ask more specifically what on earth it was she'd done that deserved gratitude. She'd always felt like a burden to the Professor.
"I never thought I'd get to have a family," The Professor went on. "After Claire left, you see... Well, she was my only chance at having anything like that. But then when you came back to London with me after we met, I got to have a daughter. I got a second chance at having a family."
Flora didn't say anything. Her eyes were closed. It was hard to tell when Flora was awake and when she was sleeping at times, but as a smile appeared on her face, the Professor knew she was still awake. Even if she couldn't see, the Professor smiled back.
"Thank you, Flora," he whispered again.
-X-X-X-
Luke made his way into Flora's ward not too long after. Upon stepping through into the ward, he looked over to see the Professor leaning over Flora's bed, where she lay with her eyes closed. His heart stopped and he froze in his steps. He didn't move again until he realised that Flora's chest was moving up and down. She was still breathing.
"Professor," Luke said, walking forward to stand by the Professor. Normally when visiting Flora, Luke would sit on the chair on the opposite side of the bed, but he couldn't stand on his own today. He didn't think the Professor wanted to either.
The Professor sat up and looked over at Luke.
"Luke," The Professor replied with a faint smile. The Professor looked back at Luke. "She's sleeping just now. She's ever so tired."
"I know," Luke swallowed. He could feel a lump rising in his throat. "Mum and Dad said she will be..."
Luke couldn't finish his sentence.
"It's okay, Luke," the Professor nodded.
"The doctors said I can only stay for a few minutes to... To say goodbye," Luke swallowed again as he spoke. A few tears began to run down his face.
"I'll just let you do that. Are you okay to be alone with Flora?" The Professor asked as he stood up. Once Luke had nodded, the Professor said, "You see, Luke, even though Flora's sleeping, she can still hear you. Try talking to her."
The Professor left the ward, leaving Luke and Flora alone.
Luke felt a twist in his stomach as he approached Flora. He stood right by the head of her bed to be as close to her as possible. His parents had driven him to the hospital, but taken the long way around, insisting that they talk with him before he went to visit Flora. They'd told him how hard it can be to lose someone and how he didn't have to go and visit Flora for a last time, if he thought it would be too upsetting. They'd said that Flora wouldn't mind and that she would understand, but... Surely Flora wanted to see Luke one last time?
Luke looked down at Flora, not sure if he wished she were awake or asleep like she was. He wanted to talk with her again and think about all the fun times they'd had together. Then again, perhaps it was easier like this.
"Hi, Flora," Luke said rather quietly. In all honesty, he was a bit embarrassed of the Professor hearing him. He sniffed again and then rubbed his eyes rid of any tears. He was determined to be a gentleman and get through this goodbye with no tears. "It's me. It's Luke. I... Umm... I really wish I could do something. Y'know I reall wish I could do something, or figure something out that can make you better, but... I guess if even the Professor can't."
Luke paused and took a deep breath. He took Flora's hand like he had seen the Professor do.
"I'm really going to miss you, Flora," Luke went on, trying hard to keep back the tears. "A-and I'm going to remember all the fun times we've had together always. Like, remember jumping on the sofas on the Molentary Express? And... when you came to London for the first time and... Remember that time we found the stray kitten and hid it in the house for a whole week before the Professor even found out?"
Taking a handkerchief out of his pocket, Luke dried his eyes for a second time. He couldn't seem to stop the tears. He remembered how when Aurora had died and how horrible that had been, but having it now be Flora who he was losing was much, much worse.
"I hope you're still not angry at the Professor and me, Flora," Luke went on. "I know you always felt alone when we went off on investigations, but it was never... It was never because we didn't like you or because you got in the way. It was always because the Professor- well and me, too, I suppose- was just so afraid that you'd get hurt. Because we both care about you and... Both of us are... We're both really going to miss you, Flora."
Luke sighed and sat down on the seat that the Professor had been sitting on, his hand was still grasping tightly onto hers.
The Professor had been right. For Flora had heard every word that Luke said, even though she slept. She clung onto all of her words and could imagine herself smiling; she hoped that she really was and that if so, then Luke could see her smile. Then, he would know for sure that Flora had heard him. Flora was so busy focusing on trying to smile in her sleep, that she didn't notice that she was standing, in a dream like daze, in a street at night, watching none other than Dimitri Allen walk into a house with Luke Triton in tow.
AN: Okay, so now I shall bring an end to this chapter that has made me a bit teary writing. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope my writing was good enough to make you sad but no so good enough to make you cry, 'cause I don't really want you guys to cry, because you are all lovely readers who have stuck with me through the thick and thin of this fanfic, and it will be soon over (after one more chapter!) and I clearly don't know how to use full-stops 'cause this has been a really long sentence.
Either way, although this was the penultimate chapter of Visions, there will be a sequel which will be titled Spirits so we have not quite reached the end of this tale yet! :)
Reviews are great! :)
Nikki~
