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Luke quietly held her hand, taking her inside the sacred establishment. She gazed at her surroundings, wondering why they were visiting a Catholic church. It was the same day, but more towards the later afternoon, just minutes before the sun would kiss the horizon, and greet the night moon.
"How are you this early evening, Ally? Last I heard, you were off gallivanting with your eager partners in crime."
Fiona sat herself down on one of the pews, Luke also joining her. Both silent watchers of young Allison Cole.
Allison looked up into a pair of loving eyes. In the brown twin mirrors reflected compassion, understanding, love, and so much more. "Priest eyes."
"Excuse me?" He chuckled.
"You were born with priest eyes, Daniel." She beamed up at the young Catholic priest.
Luke smiled at Father Daniel, explaining to Fiona, "That young man is Leo's older brother."
"It's a good thing I became a priest then, isn't it?" He teased naturally.
"He looks like what Leo would look like in a few years." Fiona commented about the young priest.
"The only difference between the two brothers are their personalities," Luke explained. "While Leo is just as active in life as Allison is, Daniel's more reserved, quiet, gentle. Sort of like a deer-like quality to Leo's assertive nature." He then added, "And it's because of Daniel's qualities does Ally trust him with her secret."
"How can I tell them, Danny?" Tears started to break from Allison's eyes. "It's going to kill them. Much more than it's killing me."
The young priest placed a comforting, brotherly arm around her petite body.
"That young lady may have a tough facade," Luke said, "But those who know her well, they know that she's just as fragile as glass… especially now."
In his arms, in the safety and sanctity of the church, Allison wept. She allowed herself to be held by Daniel.
Luke continued, explaining to Fiona, "For weeks, since she found out, she hadn't been able to shed a single tear 'til now. The thought of leaving Leo and Jeff was killing her, not just the cancer inside of her body."
Fiona felt her own heart break, "I still can't believe it, Luke. She's too young." Looking into the angel's perfect eyes, "Are you certain that I wasn't sent here to become, like, an organ donor for her or something?"
"It's not as simple as what happened with Jack's Gabe." Luke smiled sadly. He returned his gaze to Daniel and Allison. "Daniel knows that the truth will destroy his brother. For years, Daniel had this feeling that Leo was falling in love with Allison."
Sighing, Fi spoke, "Oh man, how's he going to handle the fact that someone that he loves is slowly slipping away?" Another thought occurred to her, "And what about Jeff? From what I've seen, it's pretty obvious that Jeff adores her as much as Leo does."
"Jeff is like another little brother to Daniel. Daniel and Brian, Jeff's older brother, are best friends. Leo and Jeff, Daniel and Brian; the four of them, plus Ally, grew up in this neighborhood together. Brian loves Allison just as much as Daniel does. Like a little sister."
"Jeff is going to be distraught over this, isn't he?"
"Yes he will. And Leo knows that as well. Brian, Daniel, and Leo all know that Jeff has strong feelings towards Ally. Leo, however, remains a mystery to them. His emotions, which are just as strong, are kept hidden deep within his heart."
Allison managed to cry herself to sleep in Daniel's arms. Daniel smiled down at the sweet soul, his heart aching over her situation. Looking heavenward, he began to talk to his Creator. "Not just one heart will be broken, Father, but two. Both of my little brothers will be losing someone they love dear to them… dear to all of us. Please, Lord, be with all of us through this delicate time."
He lifted her up, cradling her as he began to walk out of the church and towards his car. The day was setting and Allison needed to be at home, sleeping in her own bed.
Once he had arrived at her house, Daniel once again carried her fragile body. He was met at the door by a familiar, and very worn, face.
"Hello, Daniel."
"Mr. Cole," Daniel acknowledged respectfully, "Allison paid me a little visit at the rectory. She fell asleep inside, and I didn't have the heart to wake her."
Mr. Cole took his daughter within his own arms. Sighing, his heart breaking, "She's getting worse with each passing day, Father."
"I pray for her everyday, sir." The young priest assured, "She's literally and spiritually in loving arms. I can honestly say that both of her fathers love her very much."
Allison's father felt tears forming as he gazed down at his little girl's angelic face in slumber. Meeting eyes with Daniel, "Thank you, son."
Fiona and Luke weren't the only ones that had seen the exchange between the two men. From a distance, he watched in total confusion… what was going on over there? In fact, he sure didn't like what he was seeing, especially with having to watch a Catholic priest carrying a beautiful creature like his Allison in his arms. And though she was asleep, the image still bothered him. Something wasn't right… not right at all.
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Fiona stared into her own eyes, trying to fathom all the tragic story before her. She delicately brushed her auburn hair, fragile stroke by fragile stroke.
"He called again while you were out, Fi."
She glanced up, meeting eyes with her dear friend. Turning back to her own reflection, "I know."
"Are you avoiding him? What happened, Fi?"
From the mirror, she watched Annie's movements. She sat down on the bed, patiently waiting for Fiona to talk to her.
"I can't talk about it right now, Annie. Maybe later, okay?" Her eyes were still on herself as she continued to comb through her hair.
"Are you okay?" Annie continued, straying a bit off the intended topic. "Yesterday, when you said that you were returning to the hotel before us, you actually came back an hour or so *after* us. Like around five in the afternoon. Did something happen?"
Fi closed her eyes, sighed, then silently placed her brush to the side. She looked up, meeting eyes with Annie's reflection. Staring at them, "I'm going out now, Annie. Tell mom and the others that I'll be back before four this time."
With that, Fiona stood up, walked past Annie to grab her coat and bag, and made her way out of the hotel room.
Annie sat there, stunned by what had happened. She stood up, and was about to follow her when…
*RING, RING*
She reached for the hotel phone, picking up the receiver. Sadly, she smiled at the voice on the other end. "Hello Clu… yeah, it's me, Annie… no, I'm sorry, Clu, you just missed her…"
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"His name is Carter, and of course my dear sister, Lucy, thinks he's a total babe." Allison bounded down the stairs of the public library, arms full of Senior reading material.
"Yeah, Lucy loves men." Leo commented absently.
Allison eyed Leo, "Only five syllables? Leo, you're lacking in vocabulary… that's scary."
An apologetic grin on his face, "Sorry, Ally… just kind of tired today."
Knowing her friend too well, "Since when are *you* tired during a *three day* weekend? I usually have to drag *Jeff* out of bed." She thought it over, then added, "Hey, you even have to drag *me* out of bed!"
"So what?! I'm not allowed to be tired during long weekends like the rest of you guys?" He snapped.
Surprised by his sudden burst of anger, "I'm sorry, Leo." Walking ahead of him, "What crawled up your butt this morning?"
"What's going on between you and my brother?"
He watched her reaction. Time slowed down for a moment as she hesitantly turned around to face him. "How blunt, Leo. I don't know what you're talking about." She tried to forge a smile, but she knew how fake she would look with it plastered on her face.
"I knew you had some twisted crush on him back in junior high, but…" He forced the next words to come out of his mouth, even though it nearly killed him to say or think of it. "But are you and him having some sort of *thing* together?"
"What?!"
"Are you and Daniel having an affair or something?"
"Why the hell would you think that your brother and I—"
"Are you?!"
"No!" She screamed, nearly dropping her books. "Your brother and I are *not* having an affair!" Allison wanted to slap Leo so badly. "How dare you even think of such a thing about me! About your brother! Where did you get that sick idea?!"
He stepped closer to her, "What am I supposed to think, Ally? Lately, you've been spending a lot of free time at church. And when you come over to my house, if Daniel's home you always manage to talk to him privately!"
"He's my *friend*, Leo!"
"Allison, *I'm* your friend! I'm your *best* friend! You don't talk to me like you used to anymore!" His flaring eyes softened, voice pleading, "Why, Ally? Why don't you talk to me?"
Her eyes softened too, a shadow of sadness. "It hurts too much, Leo. I just can't."
A sense of dread filled his heart, something wasn't right. "Why not? Why does it hurt?" He reached for her, but she pulled away.
"No, Leo. Not here, not now." Her stubbornness bore through. "I just can't right now."
He reached for her again, "What's wrong, Allison? Why not now? Why?"
Her voice was fierce, adamant to the core, "No! Leo, I won't tell you!"
"Why?!"
"Why? Why can't you just leave me alone?! Just drop the damn subject, Leo. Please," She pleaded, "Please, Leo. Why can't you just drop it?"
"Because I want to help you! Because I'm in love with you!" Once the words finally escaped his lips and heart, Leo quietly whispered, "I love you."
Her walls began to collapse, her eyes revealing her fragile soul hidden within her now vanishing armor.
Fiona held her breath, after having watch the seen before her and now having to witness this. She glanced at Luke, who was just as captivated by the scene.
Tears threatened to break free, Allison couldn't take the pain much longer. Finally, she relented. In a barely audible whisper, she let loose two of the most heartbreaking words ever to grace Leo's soul.
"I'm dying."
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Luke quietly held her hand, taking her inside the sacred establishment. She gazed at her surroundings, wondering why they were visiting a Catholic church. It was the same day, but more towards the later afternoon, just minutes before the sun would kiss the horizon, and greet the night moon.
"How are you this early evening, Ally? Last I heard, you were off gallivanting with your eager partners in crime."
Fiona sat herself down on one of the pews, Luke also joining her. Both silent watchers of young Allison Cole.
Allison looked up into a pair of loving eyes. In the brown twin mirrors reflected compassion, understanding, love, and so much more. "Priest eyes."
"Excuse me?" He chuckled.
"You were born with priest eyes, Daniel." She beamed up at the young Catholic priest.
Luke smiled at Father Daniel, explaining to Fiona, "That young man is Leo's older brother."
"It's a good thing I became a priest then, isn't it?" He teased naturally.
"He looks like what Leo would look like in a few years." Fiona commented about the young priest.
"The only difference between the two brothers are their personalities," Luke explained. "While Leo is just as active in life as Allison is, Daniel's more reserved, quiet, gentle. Sort of like a deer-like quality to Leo's assertive nature." He then added, "And it's because of Daniel's qualities does Ally trust him with her secret."
"How can I tell them, Danny?" Tears started to break from Allison's eyes. "It's going to kill them. Much more than it's killing me."
The young priest placed a comforting, brotherly arm around her petite body.
"That young lady may have a tough facade," Luke said, "But those who know her well, they know that she's just as fragile as glass… especially now."
In his arms, in the safety and sanctity of the church, Allison wept. She allowed herself to be held by Daniel.
Luke continued, explaining to Fiona, "For weeks, since she found out, she hadn't been able to shed a single tear 'til now. The thought of leaving Leo and Jeff was killing her, not just the cancer inside of her body."
Fiona felt her own heart break, "I still can't believe it, Luke. She's too young." Looking into the angel's perfect eyes, "Are you certain that I wasn't sent here to become, like, an organ donor for her or something?"
"It's not as simple as what happened with Jack's Gabe." Luke smiled sadly. He returned his gaze to Daniel and Allison. "Daniel knows that the truth will destroy his brother. For years, Daniel had this feeling that Leo was falling in love with Allison."
Sighing, Fi spoke, "Oh man, how's he going to handle the fact that someone that he loves is slowly slipping away?" Another thought occurred to her, "And what about Jeff? From what I've seen, it's pretty obvious that Jeff adores her as much as Leo does."
"Jeff is like another little brother to Daniel. Daniel and Brian, Jeff's older brother, are best friends. Leo and Jeff, Daniel and Brian; the four of them, plus Ally, grew up in this neighborhood together. Brian loves Allison just as much as Daniel does. Like a little sister."
"Jeff is going to be distraught over this, isn't he?"
"Yes he will. And Leo knows that as well. Brian, Daniel, and Leo all know that Jeff has strong feelings towards Ally. Leo, however, remains a mystery to them. His emotions, which are just as strong, are kept hidden deep within his heart."
Allison managed to cry herself to sleep in Daniel's arms. Daniel smiled down at the sweet soul, his heart aching over her situation. Looking heavenward, he began to talk to his Creator. "Not just one heart will be broken, Father, but two. Both of my little brothers will be losing someone they love dear to them… dear to all of us. Please, Lord, be with all of us through this delicate time."
He lifted her up, cradling her as he began to walk out of the church and towards his car. The day was setting and Allison needed to be at home, sleeping in her own bed.
Once he had arrived at her house, Daniel once again carried her fragile body. He was met at the door by a familiar, and very worn, face.
"Hello, Daniel."
"Mr. Cole," Daniel acknowledged respectfully, "Allison paid me a little visit at the rectory. She fell asleep inside, and I didn't have the heart to wake her."
Mr. Cole took his daughter within his own arms. Sighing, his heart breaking, "She's getting worse with each passing day, Father."
"I pray for her everyday, sir." The young priest assured, "She's literally and spiritually in loving arms. I can honestly say that both of her fathers love her very much."
Allison's father felt tears forming as he gazed down at his little girl's angelic face in slumber. Meeting eyes with Daniel, "Thank you, son."
Fiona and Luke weren't the only ones that had seen the exchange between the two men. From a distance, he watched in total confusion… what was going on over there? In fact, he sure didn't like what he was seeing, especially with having to watch a Catholic priest carrying a beautiful creature like his Allison in his arms. And though she was asleep, the image still bothered him. Something wasn't right… not right at all.
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Fiona stared into her own eyes, trying to fathom all the tragic story before her. She delicately brushed her auburn hair, fragile stroke by fragile stroke.
"He called again while you were out, Fi."
She glanced up, meeting eyes with her dear friend. Turning back to her own reflection, "I know."
"Are you avoiding him? What happened, Fi?"
From the mirror, she watched Annie's movements. She sat down on the bed, patiently waiting for Fiona to talk to her.
"I can't talk about it right now, Annie. Maybe later, okay?" Her eyes were still on herself as she continued to comb through her hair.
"Are you okay?" Annie continued, straying a bit off the intended topic. "Yesterday, when you said that you were returning to the hotel before us, you actually came back an hour or so *after* us. Like around five in the afternoon. Did something happen?"
Fi closed her eyes, sighed, then silently placed her brush to the side. She looked up, meeting eyes with Annie's reflection. Staring at them, "I'm going out now, Annie. Tell mom and the others that I'll be back before four this time."
With that, Fiona stood up, walked past Annie to grab her coat and bag, and made her way out of the hotel room.
Annie sat there, stunned by what had happened. She stood up, and was about to follow her when…
*RING, RING*
She reached for the hotel phone, picking up the receiver. Sadly, she smiled at the voice on the other end. "Hello Clu… yeah, it's me, Annie… no, I'm sorry, Clu, you just missed her…"
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"His name is Carter, and of course my dear sister, Lucy, thinks he's a total babe." Allison bounded down the stairs of the public library, arms full of Senior reading material.
"Yeah, Lucy loves men." Leo commented absently.
Allison eyed Leo, "Only five syllables? Leo, you're lacking in vocabulary… that's scary."
An apologetic grin on his face, "Sorry, Ally… just kind of tired today."
Knowing her friend too well, "Since when are *you* tired during a *three day* weekend? I usually have to drag *Jeff* out of bed." She thought it over, then added, "Hey, you even have to drag *me* out of bed!"
"So what?! I'm not allowed to be tired during long weekends like the rest of you guys?" He snapped.
Surprised by his sudden burst of anger, "I'm sorry, Leo." Walking ahead of him, "What crawled up your butt this morning?"
"What's going on between you and my brother?"
He watched her reaction. Time slowed down for a moment as she hesitantly turned around to face him. "How blunt, Leo. I don't know what you're talking about." She tried to forge a smile, but she knew how fake she would look with it plastered on her face.
"I knew you had some twisted crush on him back in junior high, but…" He forced the next words to come out of his mouth, even though it nearly killed him to say or think of it. "But are you and him having some sort of *thing* together?"
"What?!"
"Are you and Daniel having an affair or something?"
"Why the hell would you think that your brother and I—"
"Are you?!"
"No!" She screamed, nearly dropping her books. "Your brother and I are *not* having an affair!" Allison wanted to slap Leo so badly. "How dare you even think of such a thing about me! About your brother! Where did you get that sick idea?!"
He stepped closer to her, "What am I supposed to think, Ally? Lately, you've been spending a lot of free time at church. And when you come over to my house, if Daniel's home you always manage to talk to him privately!"
"He's my *friend*, Leo!"
"Allison, *I'm* your friend! I'm your *best* friend! You don't talk to me like you used to anymore!" His flaring eyes softened, voice pleading, "Why, Ally? Why don't you talk to me?"
Her eyes softened too, a shadow of sadness. "It hurts too much, Leo. I just can't."
A sense of dread filled his heart, something wasn't right. "Why not? Why does it hurt?" He reached for her, but she pulled away.
"No, Leo. Not here, not now." Her stubbornness bore through. "I just can't right now."
He reached for her again, "What's wrong, Allison? Why not now? Why?"
Her voice was fierce, adamant to the core, "No! Leo, I won't tell you!"
"Why?!"
"Why? Why can't you just leave me alone?! Just drop the damn subject, Leo. Please," She pleaded, "Please, Leo. Why can't you just drop it?"
"Because I want to help you! Because I'm in love with you!" Once the words finally escaped his lips and heart, Leo quietly whispered, "I love you."
Her walls began to collapse, her eyes revealing her fragile soul hidden within her now vanishing armor.
Fiona held her breath, after having watch the seen before her and now having to witness this. She glanced at Luke, who was just as captivated by the scene.
Tears threatened to break free, Allison couldn't take the pain much longer. Finally, she relented. In a barely audible whisper, she let loose two of the most heartbreaking words ever to grace Leo's soul.
"I'm dying."
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