Julia uncertainly let her head dangle down and studied her fingers clasped together as she waited almost impatiently for Nick down in the hospital lobby. After three days he was able to go home, and now Julia was becoming eager for him to finally walk out without seeing machines or IV strapped to him. She was glad she would eventually see him as she had seen him before she discovered his disease.
She had to wait for Nick to change into his usual clothing from the hospital robes and of course her father would have to do one last check up on him. A check up she unfortunately couldn't wait for inside the room. Oh well, she thought, I might as well get comfortable. Shifting in the rough plastic hospital chair Julia was easily finding it impossible. How could anyone find comfort in these chairs?
As the time eased on she picked up a 'Seventeen' Magazine and flipped through it irritably, unsure of how long her usually good patience could last. Eventually the chair finally was too much for her back to bear so she began to pace the lobby room, checking the clock every five minutes. "What is taking them so long?" she growled, her impatience was slowly coming undone at the very seems of her sanity.
She began to pace again letting her eyes drift along the lobby wall at many different pictures and portraits on the wall. They weren't that wonderful to look at, quite unattractive and dull really, but it took her mind off Nick for the moment and hopefully just might help speed up time.
The first picture her eyes fell on was of a rather round man with balding hair and smiling eyes, she noted irritably his name as George Walden and moved on. The next figure was of a women but she quickly let her eyes wonder down the row finding most of the portraits boring and not much to look at—until her eyes fell upon one she had never really took notice too.
Sure she had been in that lobby before when she was younger waiting for Landon, but she never really paid any attention to the pictures. And even if she did her eyes had never fallen upon the portrait of her mother's teenage figure. Almost immediately she felt her heart jump into her throat as she stared unmoving. Her mother was so—beautiful. She read the little caption beneath.
Jamie Elizabeth Sullivan
Red Cross, stars and planets, Drama club
Ambition: To witness A miracle
A set of tears formed in her eyes unexpectedly and the hatred and longing for her mother became unbearably hard. It killed her inside to hear all these wonderful things about her mother and never being able to meet her and the hatred for her dying lit another spark inside of her.
"Why," she whispered, biting her lower lip to keep her composure. "I wanted you to be here. You're my mother, you should be here!"
Jamie's Portrait only smiled a sweet smile in response. Her eyes read the rest of the caption and felt another string of hatred knot through her.
Her ambition was for a miracle—if only she knew what a miracle she was too us…
"A miracle to them—not to me." She whispered, "You let yourself die before I would meet the supposedly wonderful person you were…" her voice trailed off as the first solitary tear slid down her cheek. Jamie was beautiful—with that same smile that lit up her face in every picture she owned. Did she ever feel pain? Julia wondered when she would see her mother's pictures. It seemed as if her mother never wore a cheerless expression.
The war inside her warred on desperately—did she love her? Or did she hate her? Julia envied her. Even though she may hate her—but she envied her.
"Julia—your still here?" Nick's voice came from somewhere behind her, still not sounding his own yet.
She quickly ran her fore-finger under her eyes to dry any clinging tears and drew a fake smile for Nick. He needed that.
"I promised you I wouldn't leave," she said when she faced him. Her heart lifted when she saw his eyes shine and smile into her own and she wrapped him into her arms and held him. "Are you feeling better?"
"Much," she stated simply, holding her as tightly as she clung to him. "I'm so glad you're here."
"Come on, I have a surprise for you," she could read the curiosity in his eyes and grinned herself. "Patience is a virtue," she stated simply toward his intriguing eyes; he never said a word.
The drive didn't take too long and soon they were pulling into the Jefferson High school student parking lot. It was nearly empty considering it was the weekend and for that Julia was entirely grateful. She wasn't sure how well her surprise would fall onto Nick and she found herself praying desperately that he wouldn't get offended for upset.
"Okay," Nick said in obvious confusion, eyeing the school. "You know, school isn't exactly my favorite place," he smirked.
"I told you—you need patience."
He grunted, "I have no patience."
"Then this would be perfect practice."
Without hesitation she wrapped her hand gently around his and led the way. She adored how well her hand fit into his and how smooth and rough they were at the same time. Just the feel of his skin touching hers was a comfort she had never really considered—until now.
The football field and track came to view and so did hurtles and other obstacles that were especially set up for him. Coach Peterson, his old track and field tutor stood in the middle of the field, smiling, a timer in his left hand. "I—I don't understand," Nick breathed.
Julia took a deep breath and prayed for the best of her unexpected ideaWhich had taken a lot to get Landon to agree too. "Well," she said uncertainly, "I talked to my Dad and after a little while of persuasion, I was able to talk him into letting you – well—run."
Silence filled the air between them as he stared uncertainly at the field—a distant longing filling his eyes. "But," he began, "I was just in the hospital for my lungs, why—why would Dr. Carter let me run an obstacle course just three days after I was admitted into the hospital?"
"I have your inhaler," she tried again. "My dad said as long as you drink a lot of water when you're done and take your inhaler immediately it would be okay if you ran one or – if you're up to it, two laps."
The silence crushed her as she waited for some sign that would show her that what she did was right. But, his face was expressionless. Almost like he wasn't sure of this was some joke being played on him. "I – I can't."
Without warning he turned on his heel and started walking the other way—fast, very fast. Julia immediately knew he was escaping, knowing that if he even tried it, somehow he would fail. Somehow, it would be some kind of tortured ending he could never live down, and it was then it occurred to her…
Just as she had been running away from love—he was running away from running, the sport that he cherished and loved! She couldn't let him pass this up she knew how he felt about it, his passion, his love for it. Swiftly she turned after him, "Nick, stop!"
He did, just froze in his tracks and fell over onto his knees. Immediately the memory of the last time he collapsed brought her too him in fear, but she only found him crying. No, she thought in failure, I didn't mean for this to happen. "Oh God, I'm sorry," she dragged him into her arms. "Nick, I know how much you love to run, and I wanted to give you a glimpse of a possibility of still making it possible. I didn't intend on you getting upset over it."
"No one," he leaned against her and savored the warmth and comfort of her touch, "No one has ever done this. God, I—I don't know what to say. It was as if you were able to reach out of my limits and bring my dream to me instead of leaving me to stand and watch it from so far away." He swallowed hard and drew away from her, his eyes catching hers. "Julia—I love you so much."
Her heart froze along with her blood running cold. Was it her turn to say it back? Was she ready to say it back? "Nick," she said uncertainly, "I—I can't say it, I'm sorry." She was preparing to see his face contort in shock and disapproving pain, but instead a light smile broke out.
He let his hand brush her hair behind her ear and then slid it under her chin and gently seized her in a sweet, lingering kiss. She melted right there against him, even when he drew away her eyes remained close as the sheer strength of the kiss shivered through her. She opened her eyes slowly and stared uncertainly at him, but he smiled and leaned down to capture her lips yet again. "Don't ever leave me," he pleaded sweetly in her ear, "I need you, Julia."
"A promise is a promise," she said. Then looking past him at the field that awaited him, she leaned her head against his and whispered, "Go on, go fly."
The End
A/N I want to thank everyone for all your reviews and support for this fan fiction! I hope you all liked it and I also hope I ended this well. Anyways, thank you all again for reviewing!
