A/N: The death scene is similar to the film, but I changed it a bit. Yes, Ruth still dies. :( And if you don't get it, because I didn't really explain, the first part (in italics) is a flashback to the day Idgie got the honey out of the beehive, and the second part is as Ruth is dying.

I don't own FGT.

"You want one?"

In Idgie's outstretched, offering hand was a fresh peach,light-colored and fuzzy and almost perfectly round. I smiled at her. All day we had been eating- a few pieces of toast for breakfast, gobbled hurriedly as we got into Julian's car; then fresh honey snatched from a hive with biscuits baked that morning; and peanuts straight out of the shells (it did not escape my notice that all of the biggest peanuts Idgie found, she offered to me). My bee charmer was still eating, though I had been stuffed long ago. She, tall and slim, seemed to be a bottomless pit. I knew, when I was her age, I could never have eaten the same way. Where Idgie grew upwards every time I saw her, I would have grown outwards just as quickly.

I shook my head at the peach, smiling. "No, thank you," I murmured softly.

"What, don't you like peaches? Don't you have to?" her voice was lazy and content, curiosity giving way to the heat and the gentle breeze that was likely to put us to sleep.

"Have to?"

"Well, sure. You're from Georgia."

"And?"

"Don't peaches come from Georgia?"

I laughed, lying back onto our picnic blanket. "Yes," I sighed sleepily. "Peaches come from Georgia."I was so full and the warmth of the day was so comfortable in the shade, especially with Idgie there to protect me from anything that might come our way.

"Well, you want one then?" she leaned closer, bringing her hand closer to my face, revealing an indent where she taken a bite out of the fruit.

I could smell the juice and imagine how good it would taste; I could see how Idgie, for some reason, really wanted me to eat the peach. After all that she had done to make me happy that day, I couldn't refuse her. Smiling, I covered her hand with mine and brought it to my mouth so I could take a bite.

It was good, and as stuffed as I was, still I was glad that I ate some. Even when I dropped my hand Idgie kept hers by my mouth, and bite by bite, like you would eat an apple, we shared the peach until Idgie was left with just the pit in her hand. She tossed it away after looking at it for a moment and leaned up against the tree by our blanket.

Seized by a sudden desire, I sat up next to her. "Idgie..." I murmured softly, nervously. She turned to look at me, and I saw understanding in her face. Cupping my cheek with a sweet-sticky hand, she waited until I was ready. I leaned in first, and her lips met mine, and I shared my first kiss (at age twenty-one, a true preacher's daughter) with Idgie Threadgoode. She tasted like peaches.

Sure, I prayed about it that night, asking for forgiveness for my sin and for God to help me be stronger against the temptation in the future. But never once in my prayers did I say that I was sorry for kissing her.

"Ruth, honey, you've got to eat something," Idgie pleaded, eyes full of worry and fear. I could only shake my head, to exhausted and in too much pain even to form a proper sentence.

"Not hungry," I managed to choke out.

"Please, Ruth." She was begging now, and I couldn't meet her eyes because I knew from her voice that they would be filled with tears and I couldn't bear knowing that I made her sad. I knew I didn't have much time left with her, and the thought that her last memories of me would be like this brought tears to my own eyes.

"Idgie..." I breathed, fear of running out of time giving me a little more energy. "I'm sorry."

Her hand was on my face instantly, pushing sweat-soaked hair off of my forehead, soothing over tired eyelids, resting on my cheek. "What in the world could you possibly have to be sorry for?" There were not tears in her eyes now, but her voice was strained.

"For leaving... like this. I don't want to; I don't care if He wants me home, because I don't-" I broke off with a sob. "I don't want to leave you."

Always stubborn, Idgie just shook her head. "You ain't goin' anywhere, so would you stop it?"

"Idgie," I sighed again, firmly, needing her to let me. I needed her to accept it, because I would hate myself if I had to leave before she was ready. Or, at least, as ready as possible.

She ignored me, though my tears kept on falling. "Isn't there anything you would eat?"

My mind searched the cafe's menu, but I couldn't bear the thought of eating a whole meal right now. Fried green tomatoes would be alright, but I wasn't in the mood for them. If I was going to eat anything, it had to be simple and light so I wouldn't be overwhelmed, considering how awful I already felt. As I tried to think of everything, finally my mind landed on the perfect food for right now.

"Peaches," I sighed. "Do we have any peaches?"

Idgie shook her head. "But I'll go get some." Instantly she stood and made to leave the room, pausing at the doorway. "Don't you go anywhere," she said, and I could tell she was attempting to keep her tone light, but she didn't turn around and face me.

I slept while she was gone and awoke to her voice, soft and soothing, whispering to me. Pulling myself into consciousness, I opened my eyes and stared at her. She planted a chaste kiss to my chapped lips before handing me a peach. I smiled and gave it back to her, and after a moment she understood. She held it to my lips so I could take a bite, then I set my hand on top of hers to guide the peach towards her own mouth. We shared the peach, and halfway through I stopped her.

"Idgie," I tried again. "Please listen to me."

She looked down at her lap and fiddled with the buttons on her shirt.

"I love you more than anything..." I realized what was happening. I had heard of people having a 'burst of consciousness' before death. They could make a miraculous, temporary recovery and have coherent conversations with everyone around them and die shortly after. I was terrified, but I kept going. "I need to know that you're okay with me leaving."

"How could I ever-"

"About Buddy. Don't let him go to the funeral."

"Ruth, you aren't having any-"

"Idgie Threadgoode." She looked up. "Please, honey... I'll hate myself if you hate me for dying on you; I need..."

Idgie shook her head, tears falling. "I could never hate you," she said incredulously. "I don't want you to leave, but..." She had never been good at this sort of thing. All she was able to do was lay her head down on the bed next to me and sob, but I knew her well enough to know that she was giving in and letting me go.

Finally she raised her head. "Is there anything... I can do for you?" When other people asked it was uncomfortable, like an obligation. With Idgie it felt sincere and honest.

"Could you tell me a story? The one about the ducks?"

It took a few minutes for her to get it out, but she managed to tell me the story, punctuated with sobs. She wandered through the room and I felt drowsy watching her, until finally she finished the story and came to rest next to me again.

"There's so many... things I wanna say to you..." I knew it was happening now as she sobbed. I knew I was dying.

"I love you," I sighed weakly, tugging gently on her hair to bring her close to me. I leaned in first, but eventually she followed and her lips met mine, and I shared my last kiss with Idgie Threadgoode. She tasted like peaches.