*Sigh* we're coming to the end of our story soon! Kind of sad really...

Please let me know how you think it is! 8D I love hearing feedback! Thank you again for coming on this wonderful journey with me!

Chapter 14: Don't Forget…

"What is wrong with her?" Geoff asked, breaking his pacing when the physician emerged from the room. He had been pacing all night outside the door, Drake lay next to him and had watched his anxious wandering for an equal amount of time. The dragon's bulk took up a good amount of the corridor, his long tail stretching out twenty feet along with his body. Drake too had glanced up when the doctor shut the door behind him, candle in hand he shook his head.

"I do not know, she seems to have a normal fever, but she shouldn't be unconscious. Her wounds have healed perfectly, but..." he appeared concerned. The long graying beard on his chin moved as he spoke, Geoff had no doubt that if Becca were there she would be making some ineligible comment about it. But then again, if Becca were there then the physician wouldn't be there.

Drake stirred, "So you mean to tell us you have no idea why she's sick?" a deep rumble resounded in his chest, though it wasn't a growl the man looked at him with a flicker of fear.

"I'm not sure what she has. From what I've seen it's just a fever, but fever's can usually lead to something more deadly," he said gravely, "I wouldn't be surprised, if she didn't last until morning," turning from them he began to walk away.

Grabbing him by the collar of his tunic, Geoff spun him about and glared him in the face, "You can't say that! How dare you say such a thing?" snarled the boy, his eyes blazing.

"Why are you getting angry at me?" the doctor whined, "I'm just doing my job!"

"Your job is to cure her! Not give me stories!" Geoff glared at the man furiously, "She can't die! She's… she's… she can't! It's impossible, she even told me herself!" he let go of the doctor's collar, a small glisten of tears appearing in his eyes before he looked away, rubbing his face thoroughly.

The doctor patted him on the shoulder, "I'm sorry, many think they're impervious to disease and death. It's just an illusion, a trick of the mind. I have done all I can for the moment, but her body is growing weaker, don't expect her to last the night," gloomily the physician stalked away down the torch lit corridor, his figure vanishing into the shadows at the end of the hallway. Geoff remained where he was for several minutes, before cursing and slamming his fist into the wall beside him, ignoring the pain.

Nudging him with his nose, Drake hummed reassuringly, "Don't worry, Becca will get better. Remember how worried we were when she was stabbed that night with the silver dagger? Kwan saved her and she was fine after that!"

"Drake, Master Kwan isn't here! All she has is this stupid oaf who can't cure an ear infection, let alone a fever!" Geoff's shoulders shook unsteadily as a tear rolled down his cheek. "She won't even wake up! She's going to die…"

A small growl emanated at his back, "Geoff! How dare you give up on her! She never gave up on you, and look how far she came! Now you're going to give in so easily? Give in to fate and let death take her?" Drake huffed, "You're different, more changed than I thought!"

Feeling suddenly ashamed of himself, Geoff lowered his head and clenched his teeth, "I'm sorry… I don't want to give up on her but… it's just…" Drake pressed his nose into his back and hummed again. "I… don't want her to die, I don't want to lose her again, not after all this." Geoff sighed heavily, "I still have to apologize," Drake nudged his back towards the door; Geoff stumbled and nearly slammed against the wooden frame.

"Then go talk to her," he suggested.

Geoff whipped around to face him, "She's unconscious Drake! She wont be able to hear me!"

The golden eyes glared back at Geoff furiously, "How do you know? Go in and talk to her yourself!"

With another loud sigh, Geoff nodded and pushed against the door that swung slowly inward. In the room there were two candles lit, both still as if they were caught in a moment where time failed to move. Feeling stuffy Geoff walked over to the window and opened it just a bit, She never did like having the window closed, the boy thought. A soft breeze wafted into the room, carrying the smell of grass and late evening, along with a hint of smoke from the monastery houses slightly below where they were. In the center of a wall on the far right side of the small room was a bed, one of the candles stood on a nightstand to the right of the bed, the other on a table near the window. A single shaft of cool moonlight now spread across the end of the bed, its white glow was soft and played calm shadows across the blankets and quilts.

Becca lay curled in the covers, her face pale and sickly, hair plastered to her forehead with sweat. Geoff took up a seat in a small chair that stood beside her bed and looked toward her sleeping face, the expression was something of dull pain, a but most of her face was slack and relaxed. She appeared so weak, so fragile that he nearly believed the doctor's words.

If only she didn't look so pale, one might think she was just having a bad dream. Geoff adjusted a corner of the blanket that had become tangled somehow, beside him on the left hand table was a small washbasin with cold water and a rag hanging off the side. He got up and immersed the rag into the water, rang it out and moved to check her temperature. Placing a hand against her forehead he recoiled for it was burning hot, stupid doctor! He should have put this on her head if she has such a high fever! He folded the rag and gently placed it on her head. Smiling he sat back down in the chair and hung his head, his arms resting on his knees and his hands intertwined.

There was silence, only broken by Becca's irregular breathing. Geoff didn't say a thing for quite some time, for he was at a loss for what to say. She can't hear me… he told himself; she's battling this so much that she hasn't the time to listen to my words. Heart sinking by each passing second, Geoff's head drooped lower. He remembered her, calling herself a coward but laughing about it as if in jest, but he would see her glance away with a pained look on her face even as she said this. You never were a coward… you were always brave, and I admired that about you.

"I don't know if you can hear me, you probably cannot," he began, "I guess I never truly realized what kind of impact you had on my life until now. Ever since you came flying out of the forest that one night all those years ago and crashed into me, nothing has been normal, that is to say it's been an adventure. Never would I have had the courage to do what I did if it wasn't for you, and I know that should you hear this you would be stomping your feet and telling me that I'm stupid for thinking that," Geoff chuckled, the image relatively amusing until he glanced up and saw her ill form again.

Breathing deeply he continued, "Life is mysterious I guess, you never really know what you have until it's gone. You're not gone though, and I didn't realize what kind of friend I had until now… I refused to see how much you cared, especially that night when you told me about Daray. I rejected you, threw away your words as if doing so would make them disappear… but they didn't, and you were right.

I guess what I really want to say… is that I'm sorry. But I know that you can't hear me, just… I wanted you to know that," Geoff felt hot tears forming in his eyes and he reached over to her and clasped one of her small hands, it was warm and he could feel the light flutter of her heart. "Please! Please don't die! I don't know what to do if you die. I can't figure anything out if you go, I'll be lost again," Becca's eyes remained closed, though he could have sworn that her hand twitched every so slightly.

The night lingered on, the moonlight waxing and waning as the moon progressed through the sky. Geoff eventually fell asleep, his head leaning on the edge of the bed, hands still holding her hand as if he would be the one to anchor her to this world. All the while his mind was repeating the same words even through sleep, "Don't die, please don't die. Please… don't die." As the night stretched into morning his mind was troubled and his sleep unsettled and restless.

When the sun was beginning to peek over the horizon, spreading warm rays through the trees in the forest and in turn through the open window, the doctor came again. The knock at the door startled Geoff, for he had not realized yet that he had dozed off, blinking the sleep from his eyes and yawning, he glanced at Becca again to see her face even paler than before; his heart plummeted. But when he felt her forehead, it rose when he realized that her fever had lessened, whether from the cloth or from some miracle he did not know. Another knock sounded and he got up, knocking the chair back with a loud scraping noise, he shook his head to clear it and went to open the door.

The doctor stepped into the room, a small bag at his side, "How did she fare?" he inquired.

Geoff looked from Becca, who hadn't moved at all during the night, "I'm not sure, her fever seems to have gone down somewhat though," he said triumphantly. The doctor grinned grimly and made his way towards the bedside.

"That is good news, maybe you are right and she is stronger than she seems, what with such a small body and that," he righted the fallen chair and sat in it.

The curly-haired boy scoffed, "Don't let her hear that, she'll throw you halfway down the corridor despite her fever," he reminisced happily about her aversion to being called or referred to as short or small in any way.

Laughing as well, the doctor set to work, checking her fever and nodding at the temperature. Then he took a small sample of her blood, a small frown crossed his face and he put his utensils for that away. Reaching for her hand, which Geoff had left when he had gone to open the door, he placed a firm hand on her wrist and his frown darkened. Putting an ear to her chest he withdrew after several long minutes and wrung his hands.

"What? What is it? Is she still sick?" Geoff came over and stood next to him.

The man glanced up at him and shook his head sadly, "I'm sorry… I can't make out a heartbeat…"

Hey…

"What do you want?"

You have to wake up, you have to fight back!

"Eh? Why? I'm tired and comfortable… leave me alone!"

Seriously! You need to wake up!

"Go away, I want to sleep…"

Wake up! You're dying Becca.

"No I'm not! I'm just resting, sheesh can't a girl get some sleep around here?" Becca shut the doors to her mind and huddled in the dark, nothing penetrating the silence as she descended further and further into her subconscious. The silence wasn't frightening, in fact, it was soothing after the long time of whirling thoughts and mental traffic jams.

"This is better… no one can bother me now!" she smiled and wrapped herself in a blanket of darkness, lay down and closed her eyes. The black was absolute, unending and yet solid, even behind her eyelids she could see nothing and everything stretching before her.

Suddenly a tiny light broke through the darkness, like a knife it cut through the shell she had kept around her and she yelped. The crack widened and more light spilled through to the blackness, dissolving it and blinding her. Becca screamed and covered her eyes, "GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE!" she howled, curling into a ball.

"No! You have to wake up Becca!" a familiar voice called to her, "You're going to die! Listen, there are people calling you!"

She grew still, the pain in her head and chest still aching like mad, but she listened carefully as the voice told her too.

It was faint at first, nothing more but a faint whisper, before she heard it. Is somebody crying? Who is it? Why…? She got up, the crying was beginning to fade into the distance, no wait! Come back! Running after the sobbing, the black around her began to crease and break apart as light flooded into the dark, shards of black obsidian crackled and broke apart at her feet while she sprinted. Her world shook all around, yet she ignored it and went on chasing the crying.

The sounds became more apparent, more familiar, she recognized now that it was a boy crying, but she couldn't place a name to the cries. All Becca could do was chase them as a strange emotion grew in her chest, her heart beginning to beat from a light and irregular tremble, to a strong beat and rhythm that she heard in her ears.

I'm coming! Wait for me!

Suddenly a golden glow emanated from above her and something warm wrapped itself around both her arms and appeared beside her. When Becca turned to look she saw a ghostlike figure on either side of her, one was a man, his long blond hair streaming out behind him as he ran beside her. On her left was a large dragon, wings outstretched and his copper scales glinting in the breaking light.

A look of surprise crossed her face and Becca nearly stopped running, but the man turned to her and smiled, "Keep going! We wont leave you Becca!" Bowen reassured her, his weathered blue eyes, as she now remembered, matching hers in colour and twinkling with amusement.

"Don't give up, you can come back!" Draco looked at her, his magnificent crowned head arching like a rearing stallion while the three of them charged forward. Becca nodded, feeling tears stinging in her eyes while she made a final sprint towards a black mass that refused to break against the light.

She felt a surge of strength in her body and her heart and accelerated, her own face determined and her honey-blonde hair flying out behind her. Letting out a loud howl she charged the blackness, both Bowen and Draco roared and hollered with her and the three of them smashed through the dark blot. It convulsed and froze for a moment, before it shattered into a million tiny shards. Becca felt a weight removed instantly from her shoulders as she slowed and her heart leapt with sheer joy as light and colour poured into her. The smell of grass, the taste of water, the feeling of wind on her skin and the sound of somebody talking, life slowly returned to her limbs and she felt her mind being pulled back into existence.

Just before she surrendered she looked about and Bowen and Draco stood there, behind her, both smiling at her their figures outlined in a golden glow.

Becca smiled, and then suddenly burst out crying, "Thank you! I don't know what would have happened to me if…" she tried to stop the tears, but they refused to cease and ran down her face in rivers.

Warmth enveloped her and she glanced up, Bowen had his arms around her. He spoke in a low voice, "Do not be afraid… no matter what…"

Draco joined him, wrapping about the two of them with his wings extended over them, "…we will be with you," he finished.

She didn't speak as she felt herself being dragged away, but the warm feeling in her heart never waned, instead it grew stronger until it was even more blinding than the sun itself. While she was pulled back to her body, Becca looked up to see the two of them, still smiling and still there.

"Thank you, I will never forget!" she called, eyes bright with her own light as she tumbled back towards reality.

I know what bravery, and courage is now… I won't forget what you have taught me… As long as I live, and longer.

"I'm sorry… her body just wasn't strong enough…" the doctor packed his gear up while Geoff sat with his head bent. His face was stained with crying, his eyes red and weary. Drake had his head bent in the doorway, his own eyes tired and downcast. By now the sun had risen and the midmorning bustle of the outside world was beginning to stir up.

Geoff clenched his fist, how can they go about their lives… after this? He thought furiously.

He shook in anger, wincing as another wave of pain bombarded his heart, "No… she was strong enough, the fever just…" he didn't know what he was saying; he just couldn't accept what had happened. Geoff looked up with tearstained eyes at her lifeless body, in the same curled position as he had beheld the previous night. The only difference was that her face was now completely relaxed, as if she had finally come out of her nightmare and was dreaming peacefully.

She really is… gone, fresh tears came to his eyes and he began to cry again.

The doctor exhaled briefly, "Always sad… the passing of a girl… a young one at that. I tried my best, she just couldn't make it," he placed a hand on Geoff's shoulder, Drake watched with a heavy chest, the pain that was felt between he and the boy was overwhelming. "I'm sorry, but I did all I could,"

In a whirl of movement Geoff stood and grabbed the doctor by the collar again, rage and heartbreak filled his eyes to the brim and a horrible snarl was plastered on his face. Drake looked up in astonishment, surprised at Geoff's sudden fury.

"You did your best? How dare you say that? If you had done your best then she would be alive! She wouldn't be dead! Becca's dead because she fought and couldn't overcome it!" his voice cracked and wavered and he looked away. "She wasn't just a girl, she never let station or class get in her way, she did as she pleased and nobody could stand in her way," he balled his fist against the doctor's collarbone so it looked like he had stabbed him with an invisible knife.

"She was my friend… she was strong and didn't let her size stop anything she did… she…" Geoff winced as another pang of sorrow shot through his heart, like an electric current it hurt for a moment, but the aftershock was worse than the original force. It was as if a hole had opened in his chest and was sucking every happy thought and memory from him.

Drake sighed sadly, resting his head on his paws as a drop of salty water trailed from his eye. She understood my position, and never chastised me if I did something wrong or said a word out of place. Always happy, always supportive, why? Why her? Why did it have to be her? He sniffled, resulting in another low rumble in his throat.

"Son, look, you need to accept it," said the doctor, patting Geoff's hand, "Attacking me and quarreling won't bring her back,"

Geoff trembled, his sadness wracking his whole body, the hole in his chest widening as each word was pronounced. He nodded and drew his fist from the doctor, "Your right, I'm sorry,"

There was a sudden laugh behind them and a hoarse voice rasped, "Just like Curly, always so impulsive," The two of them turned around with such speed that Geoff nearly fell on his face, Drake raised his head so quickly he whacked his head on the doorframe with a loud bang. Becca was sitting up and smiling at them from her place on the bed, her expression hazy but the smile was happy. Geoff blinked several times as if to make sure he wasn't in a dream, Becca giggled, "You look like you've seen a freaking ghost, what do I look like the effing spirit of Christmas Past?"

Silence, and then—

"BECCA!" Geoff cleared the distance between him and the bed and threw his arms around her, she laughed again and hugged him back.

"Watch it there Curly," she mused, but she really didn't care.

Once he pulled back he knelt beside the bed, Drake struggled to come into the room and made it so that his head was resting on the end of the bed, "Becca! You're alive!" he said, eyes alight with such happiness that she started to cry. Leaning forward she hugged his scaly muzzle and wailed, burying her face against his, Drake purred and nuzzled against her. Geoff eventually joined in, the three of them laughing, crying and humming together, the happiest day they had ever had.

After their embrace, Becca sat back, still stifling the tears and wiping most of them away. Geoff sat back in the chair but kept close enough that his knees were still digging into the edge of the bed, as if he feared she would vanish as suddenly as life had reappeared for her. Keeping his head resting on the bed, Drake stayed by her feet; the doorframe creaked slightly but there was enough room for the doctor to slip out through while the three spoke together.

"H-how? How is this all happening?" Geoff asked, his voice's pitch raised a little more than he would have liked; but given the situation he didn't care. "I… I thought…" the blond-haired boy looked away, "I thought we'd lost you,"

Becca put a hand to his, "You did… but… something happened,"

Sitting up straighter, Geoff clasped her hand in both of his, "Tell us!" he pressed.

Drake inclined his crested head, "Yeah! Tell us everything! All that happened!"

And Becca began her tale, beginning from the beginning and going through until the end, for it was quite a long story; starting from the first time she traveled through time. At first it was strange to relive all those memories, but one look at Geoff and Drake's faces eased her worries and she didn't stop until the moon was riding high in the sky, and she was weary with sleep.

Geoff refused to leave her bedside that night, probably still thinking he was dreaming and that she would vanish. Drake laid outside in the corridor, standing as a guard against any unfamiliar night crawlers. Becca slept soundly, knowing that the two of them were there, and so were the others.

aaawe! Kind of a cute/sad chapter ^_^ Thank you for reading! Final epilogue/chapter should be up soon! 8D

I DO NOT OWN DRAGONHEART 1 OR 2! I Only own my story here, I do NOT own Geoff or Drake, (or Kwan, since he was mentioned in this chapter) this story was made just for fun and for enjoyment/entertainment! I only own Becca and Daray.

THANKS LOVELIES!