Heal Thyself
An All My Children Fan Fiction
Written By
Stef with a F
Disclaimers
ABC and Disney own these characters. I'm not getting any profit; neither am I attempting to get any. I did this for fun. However feedback is always more than welcome.
Author Note: Though not a true sequel, this story is similar to Solemn Vow and may have references to it. Consider that a possible spoiler warning. Why not read Solemn Vow too to be safe? LOL
Rating: TV-PG
"Hey Dr. Bro?" a voice called.
"What?" a sleeping David Hayward muttered.
"Yes, Dr. Bro, David, I'm talking to you," the voice said again.
David tossed. "Leo?" he managed.
Leo flashed a smile. Ah, you think you are dreaming. Oh, I can deal with that. But it would be nice if you would look at me.
Leo sat on the foot of the bed.
"David," Leo called yet again.
The sound of his name startled him, and at long last he arose.
"Leo!" David stared wide-eyed. "Leo…" His breath stalled, and his tongue was paralyzed yet only for that moment.
"Leo. I can't believe it. You're alive! How? Oh course, I mean how many people in this town actually stay dead?"
David paused, could that mean?
Perhaps he would have continued more, if it weren't for Leo placing his hand on David's shoulder. It went through it.
"What's going on?" David looked around for Tad, Jake, and Adam someone was playing an awful trick on him, or perhaps he was in yet another drug-induced limbo.
"I'm dead or something. I'm either visiting you from the great beyond, or this is an elaborate dream sequence."
David glared at Leo in shock, "What?"
Leo smiled. "Oh come on David, don't be so up tight. I'm visiting don't you miss me?"
"Do I miss you?! You can not even imagine the grief I felt after you died!"
Leo frowned. "Sorry about it. Wasn't my intention… But you are wrong I did feel grief like you felt before. The grief of losing a brother… I still remember the time you almost died.
"I did die. I remember. And you brought me the woman I loved to bring me back to me. Thank you. If I said it before, I still never said it enough. I cannot say it enough…"
Leo shook his head. "No, no need to apologize. I didn't bring you back the woman you loved. I was so desperate, so not willing to let you go that I brought you the woman I thought would bring you back to us."
"Us…" David whispered. He wanted to forget all about his mother. He wanted to deny the any true feeling he ever had for her. They hurt too much.
David looked toward the floor; he wouldn't normally give himself up this much. No one, not even his brother. But being that he wasn't really here…
Without looking up he continued, "No, I felt that I lost everything and everyone that I ever treasured in this world. And when Dixie rejected me life was not longer an option for me.
"It's a pity that you actually think so a thing…" Leo sighed.
David rolled his eyes, "Being dead makes you some type of expert now little brother? Do you talk to angels?" he sculled while making wings flapping gesture.
Leo rolled his eyes back. "David, you have to listen to me. You are upset and I know it's not the old news that I am now possibly worm food."
David stared at Leo will guilt-felt eyes.
"And it wasn't your fault and you know it. I'm here about Binks."
David closed his eyes; this was his greatest fear.
"David I understand you had too much grief in your life. Your father, me, even our mother... The worse thing though was the day you had to bury your child. Leora. Nice name."
A tear went down David's eye. "I died that day. She was a piece of me. A piece of my heart. I gave her your name. Three people died that day."
"I was honored when I heard that you gave her my name. She's a beautiful little girl."
David ached as tried to relay the words his heart needed, "Could I see her?"
Leo stood silent. It wasn't his decision and couldn't bear to tell his heart broken brother no.
Leo looked up, "Big guy? I know this wasn't the reason I was sent down here, but if could do me this teeny little favor?" he pleaded silently. "Only pray that if you answer such a request it won't hurt him even deeper."
Leo covered his face with his hands when he was granted his answer.
"Look in the mirror," he told David.
David immediately looked into the mirror but only saw his own reflection.
David cried, "I watched Lion King, but the "She lives in me" routine isn't going to work, I'm not five."
But then, something deep inside of him called him and he looked into the eyes of his own reflection and he saw his daughter, she was a beautiful little girl, his little girl.
"Leora, it's daddy. She's 22 months old now, she's be two February 26. She's the way I always dreamt she would be."
Leo smiled. "Yes, she's beautiful. Yes like her mother."
David nodded, "Anna. I really did love her. But we just never…connected."
"Like Erica?" Leo challenged.
"Yeah…What?!" David countered.
Leo nodded. "You two are cut for the same mold bro. You loved her so much. And she loved you. So very much, and you can't tell me that I don't know what I am talking about. I used to live with her."
"What are you talking about Leo?"
"Don't you dare deny it. You know it is true. You cried the day she broke up with you. Dixie was your rebound. Now, you cared for her to. But the only fact obsessed on Dixie so was because you thought you lost Erica forever. I made a mistake the day you died. I should have got Erica. Dixie gave you back your life, but she left you in a whirlwind. She went back to Tad. Tad and Dixie…there relationship is almost as screwy as yours and Erica's. But I never saw to have so much pleasure in fighting as they do in bed."
"Hey!" David protested.
Leo shook his head. "Uh uh. But actually, hold that grin for just the moment. I got off track… I was very disappointed with what you did with Bianca. She's practically my sister. Which is kinda weird because she's practically your daughter. And if I didn't love you all so much, I would be sick it reminds me of that nasty movie. But my point is. With all the lost you had in your life. How could you do that Bianca?"
David sighed; he got so sick of explaining this for the hundredth time. "I did it for my daughter Babe."
Leo nodded. "Always nice to find out you have a new relative, isn't? First me, then cousins we never knew we had, and then Trey, and now a long lost daughter. David, I understand. She's your blood. I mean you didn't love me at first either, I understand, but you fell in love with me. And hey, maybe Babe is a nice girl. I mean except kidnapping her best friend's baby and letting her think her child was dead."
"She thought the baby was hers. When she finally found out about the baby, she already fell in love with the baby. It was heartbreaking for her."
"I bet it was. David, I ache for your daughter, but Bianca is your daughter as much as Leora and Babe."
"I was trapped against a rock and a hard place. I made choice and I only hope that Bianca comes to forgive me one day. She's a mother now. And she knows how it is to be a parent. And how you always put a child first."
"Would have been nice to actually feel that huh?" Leo said in a softer voice.
David turned around, not verbally answering the question.
"Life sucks David…"
"But I'm done with getting high…"
Leo smiled widely. "Good one."
"Thanks."
Leo stood up from the bed. "I have to be going. But before I do…let me leave one more little word advice…If you are going to live in the past. Do so with the one that you really love. It's not Krystal. Let Tad Martin romance her."
"She'll never forgive me"
Leo shook his head; "I doubt that. She's just mad. And I saw what you did when those fireworks went off. Was it Krystal you tried to protect?"
David stood there stunned.
"See. Now those things don't lie. So listen to them, respect them. You're the best heart doctor in the world David, 'Doctor, heal thyself' or however that goes."
David nodded, "That's it."
"Why good! Exactly! Well, I'm going to poof now. But big guy rather you not see, so turn around and close your eyes like a good Dr. Bro."
David turned around.
"Oh one last thing! Keep an eye on Ryan Lavery, heck all those Laverys I just don't trust any of them. Thanks!"
The End