A/N: Ooooo, it's the last chapter! And I used Because you Live again, and I still don't own it. And just a warning, I kinda cried writing this chapter, so it might be kinda sad. :'( :-/
Bradin sped all the way to the hospital. He ran in the emergency room, sprinting up to the desk "I'm looking for Dr. Andrews, it's about my wife" he said frantically
The girl looked at him "Wife? Um, ok. He's right over there. Dr. Andrews, this boy is here to see you"
A man in a white coat walked over to them "Mr. Westerly I presume?"
Bradin nodded "What happened, is she ok? Can I see her?" he said, voice cracking
Dr. Andrews led him over to a private area of the Emergency Room "Mr. Westerly, your wife was shot in the stomach. The bullet is in such a complicated place, if we operate, her life will most definitely end in surgery. The bullet will kill her without the surgery. She has a 0 percentchance of living. I'm so sorry. The thing is, she's totally normal. She can walk and talk, she just has the bullet in her. She'll be able to do things, but just know, when it happens, she's going to be in a lot of pain."
Bradin looked at the doctor "Is there anything we can do, anything at all"
The doctor shook his head "I'm sorry, this is fatal. We can't stop the bullet from puncturing her stomach, and if we operated, she would just die faster. She has at most 3 hours left. Here, I'll let you see her"
He led Bradin down a hall and into a room. Mel was sitting on the table, a nurse putting a bandage under where there was blood on her shirt. She smiled weakly at Bradin "Can we go home Brae, I don't want to be here anymore"
Bradin looked at the doctor "We can't do anything more here. If she would rather be there than here, then it's her choice"
"Sure Angel, we can go home" he walked over to her and picked her up. She grabbed her side and winced in pain "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"
She shook her head "It just hurts" she whispered as she clung to him "I just don't want to be here, I don't want my last memory to be in a hospital." He saw the tears and fear in her eyes.
"Ok Angel, ok" He carefully placed her in his car and drove her toher house "What do you want me to do? I can't stand to see you like this"
She smiled again "I know, and I don't want you to watch me die in front of your eyes. Leave me here and go to your family." She kissed him on the cheek
"There's no way I'm going to leave you. I want to spend every last second with you. I can't believe this is happening. I don't want to loose you, I've barely had you. Who did this to you, who?"
A tear went down her face "It was an accident, he didn't mean to do it." She said as he carried her into the house and lay her on the couch "My parents are away for a gala thingy, and I don't want to burden your family. Seriously, I don't want you to watch me die, please go do something else"
"Hell no" Bradin said looking into her eyes "I'm going to stay here with you. I just wish I could change places with you, make it happen to me not you" he sat at the edge of the couch and played with her hair
"Don't you even say that! Your brother and sister have been through enough, I would never want them to go through loosing you" she moved, but winced with the pain shooting up her side "Come sit with me" He sat down and wrapped his arms around her, knowing that this time, when he lets go, she might leave him "I want you to be happy that we got to spend so much time together" she said, wiping a tear away "You made my life worth living, I love you more than I love anything in my whole life"
A tear slipped down his cheek "I've had you so little, but I love you so much. Man, this isn't fair at all." He pulled her close, but felt her shake again "I wish I could do something about the pain"
"According to Dr. Andrews, this is nothing. He said its going to feel like I'm getting stabbed by the time I die. Die, wow, 16 and talking about my death. How sad it that" she said, voice shaking
Bradin held her tighter "Its only sad because its happening." He kissed her "It's ok to cry. I know this must be really scary"
She wiped a tear away and winced in pain "I'm not scared of dying Bradin, I believe that we go somewhere better when we die. I'm just sad about all the things I'll never get to see or do, how I'll never get to go to Law School, how I'll never get to go to college, how I'll never wake up next to you again. How I never got to go to Disney World in Florida, or how I never got to see 3 Doors Down in concert like I always wanted to, just stuff like that. Especially not being able to spend the next 60 years with you." She started to cry now, tears pouring down her face, soaking his shirt. He tried to be strong for her by rubbing her back and kissing her head, but he felt tears of his own burning his own eyes. She looked at him and smiled "The crying thing goes both ways Brae." She said
He smiled and pulled her in tighter "I need to be strong" he said, voice shaking "You need someone to count on"
She shook her head "No, I need someone to cry with. I don't want to die Brae, I really don't" she said. He nodded and the two cried together
After it felt like she could cry no more, she snuggled into Bradin's chest "Brae Baby?" she said quietly, not sure he had heard her
"Yea Angel?" he said, holding her tight
"Can we go to the beach and lie there. I love the sound of the ocean. Better yet, will you let me lie on the beach and will you surf, I love watching you surf"
Bradin smiled "We can do whatever you want Angel"
She sat up and he got up then made a move to pick her up "I can walk you know, I'm not disabled, I'm just dying, there's a difference" she said laughing, trying to lighten the mood
"Not funny Mel" he said, allowing her to get up and walk on her own "I don't want to surf, I want to stay with you" he said, holding her tight
"Honey, I still have like 2 hours, watching you surf for one of them will do me a world of good, plus, I need to sort out my thoughts alone. Please baby, I love watching you surf. It makes me happy" she grabbed her side as sat on the sand, wincing in pain
Bradin cradled her in his arms "If you want me to, I will" he leaned over and kissed her on the head "30 minutes, that's it though. I want to be with you"
She smiled "Go, I'll be fine. I'll call you if I need you" she kissed his cheek and watched him run and get his board.
The time past quickly, but steadily the pain started to get to Mel. She screeched in pain just a Bradin was getting out of the water. He ran over to her, still dripping wet "Braaadin!" she screeched as he held her "YOU GOT ME ALL WET!"
"You were screaming, I panicked!" he said, laughing "Leave it to you to freak about getting wet when you're…" he trailed off. He couldn't say it, it hurt too much
"I try to keep things funny. But seriously, if you can't even say that I'm dying, how are you going to be able to except it whenit happens, which fyi is going to happen soon, I can feel it." she leaned her head against his chest
"I don't know baby, I just hope that if I don't say it, somehow it won't happen, even though I know that's just a dream" he sighed "Damn it, why the fuck is this happening?" he pulled her in close
"Because it's my time to go, that's why. At least it's happening this way, I could be comatose in a hospital bed, at least this way I can walk and talk and kiss you." She leaned in and kissed him. She leaned into him and let him hold her. She breathed in his familiar scent, the Polo Sport she had bought him for Christmas. She closed her eyes and sighed "I wouldn't mind dying right like this right now. I'm truly happy now"
Bradin held her closer "We can stay like this as long as you want Angel" he said, feeling a tear slide down his cheek and hit Mel on the shoulder "Sorry" he whispered
She sniffled "Don't be" she turned around and kissed him, her tongue brushing against his. She pulled away as she grabbed her side "Ow, Ow Bradin its hurts. OW" she screeched, bending over.
He started to panic, not knowing what to do "Angel, what can I do? Tell me so I can help you" he said, scared
"You can't…do…anything" she said, still holding her side "Oh it hurts soo bad Brae" she cried, tears starting to pour out of her eyes "I can't stand it. OW" she screeched
Bradin held her tight and let her cry "It's happening isn't it?" he ask, sniffing, trying not to cry himself
Mel nodded as she started to breathe heavily "It…is…Damn…hurts…so bad" she said panting for air, tears free-falling down her face "Brae…Hold…Me" she spit out
"Anything Angel" he said, his voice cracking and held her tightly in his arms
Mel took a deep breath "Bradin, take my hand…And I'm going to…squeeze it…I want you to sing…And when you feel…Me get heavy and…Let go of your hand…You'll know I'm…Gone" she grabbed his hand and held it tightly. He began to sing the song he wrote for her "Staring out at the rain with a heavy heart, It's the end of the world in my mind, Then your voice pulls me back like a wake up call" He heard her breathing get more frantic and quick. Tears starting pouring down his cheeks
"Please…Don't…Stop…Singing…Brae" she panted
He sniffed and continued "I've been looking for the answer, Somewhere, I couldn't see that it was right there, But now I know what I didn't know" He felt her squeeze his hand tighter and tighter
"I love you…please…remember…that…don't…ever…forget" she panted, voice shaking, fear very evident, still crying
"I won't Angel, I promise, I'll never ever forget" he said, his voice shaking too "I love you too, don't you ever forget it either"
"I…won't…Brae…Keep…Singing…I want…My Last…memory…to be of…you …loving me…holding and…singing to…me" She squeezed his hand and lay into his chest "I Love You" she whispered again, running out of breath quickly. She kissed him quickly, "I Love You"
"Because you live and breathe, Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help, Because you live, girl, My world has twice as many stars in the sky" He felt her breaths grow slower and more spaced out until he couldn't hear it anymore. Almost simultaneously, her grip on his hand stop. "Because you girl, my world has everything I need to survive" He said, and broke down right there, her dead body in his arms
A few days had gone my since Mel's funeral, and Bradin was a complete and total wreck. He didn't do anything, he didn't eat, he didn't sleep, he didn't surf, everything seemed so pointless in his opinion. He just couldn't stand life without her anymore.
He got up early one morning and grabbed his board It's not worth it, it's not worth being here without her he thought as he ran down the beach toward an area surrounded by rocks and a reef. He paddled out and saw the perfect wave. Now at least I can be with her, not without her he thought. Just as he was about steer toward the rocks, he heard a voice "Bradin Adam Westerly what the fuck are you doing?" He turned around to see Mel standing on the back of his board, a white glow around her
"Angel? Melani is that you?" he whispered
"Yes it's me you moron! What the fuck are you doing? Your family has gone through enough, don't you dare even think about what you're doing!" she said
"Mel, what are you doing here? How are you here? And why can't I just go up there with you?"
Melani sighed "I'm here because your parents wanted me to stop you from doing this. How I'm here, I asked the big guy if I could stop you from making a huge mistake because it was my fault and he said I could, but I can't be here much longer. And you can't come up with me, it's not your time. It was my time and I went. Bradin, I watch you from up there everyday. I eat with your parents, we talk about how you and Nikki and Derek are doing, it's not bad at all. BUT you aren't supposed to be up there yet. Do you understand?"
Bradin looked into her blue eyes "I understand, its just so hard being here without you" he said "Wait, why am I not moving?"
"He can stop time. So no one sees me but you. Back to the topic at hand. First of all, you need to stop moping. I know it hurt you to loose me, I can see it from Heaven, but you need to get back to normal. Secondly, if I hear you listening to that song View from Heaven by Yellowcard again, I might just have to send an electric shock on you. Got it?"
Bradin laughed "Deal. I really miss you Mel, know I do"
"I know Brae Baby, I know. Listen, I'll always be with you. Watch." She kissed her hand a blew on it. A warm breeze hit Bradin's face with a warm wet feeling "See, you'll be able to know when I'm thinking of you. When ever you feel that, just know its me saying I Love You"
"I'll always remember" he said smiling
"Good" she said smiling "Listen I have to go, my time down here is up. Just remember as long as I'm in your heart, I'll always be with you. I'll always be watching over you Bradin. Remember, I'm your angel"
"I love you Angel" he said "I always will"
"I love you too Brae Baby. I'm going to make it so you fall right near the shore. And don't you pull another stunt like this, because I wont be able to stop you again. Remember Bradin, I'll always be with you, I'm never going to leave you"
He nodded "You'll always be in my heart Angel"
She smiled as she started floating up "remember Bradin, I'm never gone"
Never Gone he thought as he hit the water She'll never be gone as long as I live
A/N: So that's the story. I hope you all enjoyed it. Sorry for the people who said they want a sequel, unless I can write one about Bradin's life after Mel, I kinda can't write one. As always, THANKS A MILLION to everyone who reviewed. Seriously, they make my day. And for everyone who reads my other ones, I'll be updating them soon, sorry for the delay. Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope it didn't make you tooo sad! 143 Steph