Chapter 101
Hey everyone I know after the last tearjerker a lot of you are probably comparing me to George RR Martin with how easily I'm killing off characters we all know and love but at least I gave you a heads up. I just finished this chapter and I'm going to apologize in advance. So here it is. Let me know what you think. Thank you and enjoy.
November 2014-
Wren and I had a late night at work and we put the kids down for a nap. We had been sleeping in the same room since it was the only one set up that was closest to the kids. Aiden hadn't made a move in over a month and we were worried. We figured it would be better if we stayed close.
It was two in the morning when Ellie started crying. The monitor went off and we groaned.
"It's your turn." I told Wren.
"But I changed her diaper." Wren complained.
"So did I." I said.
"Paper Scissors rock?" He suggested.
"Auntie, Uncle, Ellie's crying again." Connor said walking into the room.
"I'll go." Wren groaned.
It had been a little over two weeks since Sam had left to go on his walkabout as Wren was calling it. Connor hadn't taken the news too well but then again what kid would. We worked it out with the chief that Wren and I wouldn't work the same shift or have the same days off to make sure one of us was always with the kids. While Connor was at School Ellie would be at the day care. One day I would spend the entire day at the hospital while Wren only worked the hours Connor was at school. Then the next day we would switch and keep going like that. At one point Wren suggested we just take time off from work but neither of us wanted all that free time. We needed the distraction.
"I'll tuck you in sweetheart." I said getting up.
"I'm not tired." He groaned.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"I don't want to sleep!" He yelled.
"Connor, don't raise your voice." I said sternly and he started tearing up. "Come on I'll make us some hot chocolate." I said getting out of bed we padded over to the kitchen. I sat him down on the counter and started warming up milk. I put the hot chocolate in the mugs then put in some marshmallows, whipped cream and sprinkles on some cinnamon.
Connor wasn't dealing with the sudden changes in life so well. He had started acting out in class and his teacher had recommended he see a grief counselor. I was kind of in denial at first but then he got in a fight with the school bully and gave him a bloody nose I kind of didn't have a choice.
"What's on your mind buddy?" I asked.
"Why did Daddy have to leave?" Connor asked.
"Connor, your dad loves you. You know that."
"If he loves me then why did he leave?" He said crying.
"Connor." I said hugging him. He cried and I held him until he calmed down. "Did your Dad ever tell you what soulmate's are?"
"He called mommy that." Connor said rubbing his eyes.
I pulled up the sleeve of my shirts and I showed Connor my marks. "When you get older, you're going to get someone's name somewhere on your skin. Maybe you get one maybe you get more, I'm not sure how it works. But the name that you end up with it's your soulmate the one person who you're bonded to without even knowing them. When you meet them it's like you found a part of yourself you didn't even know was missing and when you lose them it feels like that part of you is gone and that makes us very sad. Your Dad is trying to find a way to be okay with that so he can come back to you and your sister."
"Are soulmates the only people we can love? Is that why dad can't be with me and Ellie?" Connor asked scared.
"Sweetheart don't ever think that." I said hugging him. "It's a strong bond but that doesn't mean you can't love anyone else. I don't have your name on me and that doesn't stop me from loving you or your sister for that matter."
"Or Uncle Wren?" he said
"Or your uncle." I said. He reached over and hugged me.
"I love you Auntie Nora." He said.
"Love you too Connor. Come on; let's get you to bed." I said.
"Okay." He said finishing his hot chocolate before jumping off the counter. I walked him to his room and tucked him in. "Good night Auntie. Good night mommy." He said looking at the photo I framed of him and Jess that I put on his nightstand.
I got up and went back to the room. Wren was already in there.
"Our three and a half year only nephew is more well adjusted than we are." I said.
"Kids are resilient. And he did punch out that bully." He said.
"I was secretly proud." I admitted.
"Good to know I wasn't the only one." Wren admitted. "Ellie has her check up tomorrow."
"I'll take her, it's at the same time as your follow up. Everything okay?" I asked.
"Yeah just got the results back from my MRI and they want to go over them in person." He said.
"You want to see them yourself don't you?" I asked.
"I don't want to be misdiagnosed." Wren said.
"Dude it's the head of neuro." I deadpanned.
"I'll be a lot more relaxed if I see them with my own eyes." Wren said.
"You're going to be fine." I said hugging him.
"Yeah I know." He said. "Happy Birthday." He said kissing my forehead.
"Thanks."
The Next Day-
I woke up bright and early like always and got started on packing Connor's lunch. My phone buzzed. I had one message
Happy Birthday Ms. Stark -Jarvis
Well Jarvis remembered my birthday. That's something. I hadn't heard from dad in months. He was busy; still a phone call letting me know he was still alive would have been appreciated.
I went to check on Ellie and she was wide-awake. I picked her up and changed her diaper before getting her dressed for the day. I got her bottle ready and gave it to her. I figured it's be okay if we all had a quick cereal or oatmeal breakfast for today.
Then the phone rang.
"Hello?" I answered.
"This is a recording from Bridgeport preschool, due to a last minute district conference the school will be closed today. Classes will resume tomorrow as scheduled. Thank you for understanding." Then the call ended.
Connor's alarm rang and I heard him turn it off. He sleepily walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table.
"Hey buddy how'd you sleep?" I asked.
"Mh." He groaned.
"Well your school called and turns out you don't have to go today." I said.
"Really?" He said cheering up.
"Really." I said
"I'm going back to bed." He said walking back to his room.
"Wait!" I called out but he closed the door. I guess twenty minutes won't throw us off too much.
I turned on the coffee maker and served myself a bowl of cereal.
Wren walked in and looked around. "Where's Connor?"
"School called, emergency conference. He had the day off so he's sleeping in a bit." I said.
"So what do we do?" he asked.
"I'll drop him off at the daycare center while I take Ellie to her check up." I said.
"Okay." He said. "I'll pick up something for dinner so we don't have to rush home later."
"that's perfect. You mind waking him up and getting him ready?" I asked.
"Sure." He teleported to Connor's room. How did Jess and Sam do this all the time? I've only been up for thirty minutes and I'm already tired.
After Ellie was done I picked her up and burped her. She spat up so I had to change. Screw it, it's my birthday I'm going casual. I wore a simple white button down tank top and a dark flannel over it with some jeans and short booties. I left my hair down and put on my necklaces.
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I walked out after I was done. Connor and Wren were dressed and eating breakfast. I sat down and finished packing Connor's lunch.
We teleported to the hospital and we dropped Connor off at the daycare center. As it turns out I ran into Connor's grief counselor and I had forgotten we had an appointment. How do these kids have more on their calendars than both Wren and I do?
I took Ellie to her appointment. They gave her two shots which she screamed bloody murder after. She was doing great. I dropped her off at day care and took Connor to his grief counselor appointment. I was in the waiting room when she called me in.
"Hi, I thought it would be best if you sat in for this one." Karen said.
"Oh no it's fine I just wasn't expecting it." I said sitting down. I gave Connor a small reassuring smile.
"So last week we talked about this drawing you drew." Kate said "Can you tell your auntie the story behind it?"
Connor moved the drawing closer and I got a look. It was a picture of a man and a woman with a boy in between them and on the far side of the page was a small pink bundle.
"That's me and mommy and daddy. That's Ellie." He said pointing at the pink ball.
"Why is Ellie all the way over there sweetie?" I asked.
"Because I don't want her with us." Connor said. "It's her fault Mommy died and daddy left. She makes you and uncle wren not listen to me."
"Sweetie, of course we listen to you and we want to hear you. But you can't think that." I said.
"If Ellie hadn't been in mommy's tummy then she wouldn't have had to die." Connor said crying.
"Sweetie, your mom didn't die because of the birth it was something else." I said.
"What was it?" He asked. I looked over at Karen and she nodded
"It was something called a brain aneurysm." I said.
"What's that?" Connor asked.
"Well you know how blood moves around the body in those little tubes?" I asked.
"Veins and arteries." Connor said.
"Exactly, well sometimes the arteries in your head get thinned out and started swelling up like a balloon but really small so you can't see them. Normally if they're big enough we can see them with tests but sometimes they don't show up and since you can't feel it happen no one noticed. The artery burst and that was it." I said.
"Can that happen to me?" Connor asked scarred.
"No sweetie, most of them can be caught early by your doctor. Your uncle and I will do something if we think so okay?" I said.
"Pinky promise?" He asked.
"Pinky promise." I said pulling him into a hug.
"Hey Connor can you wait in the waiting room for a minute? I want to ask your aunt something." Karen asked. "You're not in trouble."
"Okay." He said walking out slowly.
"You're really good with him." She said.
"He's a great kid." I said.
"How are you doing?" She asked.
"I'm okay, I got three hours of sleep last night. Had to change three times this morning, I completely forgot about this appointment, thanks for reminding me by the way, and it's my birthday and one of the people responsible for spawning me forgot even though his butler did so could be better." I said.
"Happy birthday but that's not what I meant. How are you dealing with your loss? She was your best friend, your sister, this can't be easy for you." Karen asked.
"I miss her but it is what it is." I said.
"I think you're not letting yourself mourn. You're so focused on making sure everyone around you is okay you haven't taken the time to mourn." Karen said.
"I don't have to, I made Jess a promise before she died that I would look after her kids and that's what I'm going to do."
"I'm not saying not to keep looking after them I'm saying you also have to take care of yourself." Karen said. "But I know you and I know you're probably putting all this advice on the back burner and just want to know if there's anything you should do for Connor. The drawing and the conversation you had with him are a start. He's starting to move forward but it's important that you and Wren and Sam when he comes back need to spend some time with him. One on one just so that he knows that just because it looks like you're more busy with Ellie that he is just as important."
"Okay, one on one time. I can pull that off." I said.
"It's okay to ask for help, there are support groups or you could leave Connor and Ellie at the day care center, that's not bad parenting." She said.
"I'm not a parent." I said.
"You're here aren't you?" Karen said. "You're next appointment's in two weeks."
"We'll be here." I said. "Thanks Karen."
I walked out and smiled at Connor. "Come on bud." I said.
We walked down the hall and I ran into Chief Matthews.
"Good morning Chief." I asked. "I'll be in the ER in a bit just need to drop this little guy off at daycare."
He looked down and smiled at Connor. "Hi there, would you like a … lollipop." He said faking that he pulled it out of Connor's ear.
Connor laughed. 'Thank you." He said.
"Anytime sport, Nora can I talk to you for a second?" The chief asked.
"Course, sweetie can you wait here?" I asked and Connor sat down in a computer chair.
"For starters, Happy Birthday." He said.
"Thank you." I said.
"I wanted to see how you're doing." The Chief said.
"I'm good, getting into the routine. This morning was hectic with the school closing for the day and everything." I said.
"Nora, It's your birthday, you're young take the rest of the day and do something fun, go celebrate or just go home and get some sleep. You've had a rough couple of weeks take some time. It you want to talk my doors always open." He said.
"Thanks Chief." I said I walked over to Connor and we walked downstairs. We walked into the lobby and I saw the day care center and stopped.
"Auntie Nora?" He asked confused.
"Connor do you want to spend the rest of the day in day care or do you want to go spend the day with your aunt?" I asked.
"With Uncle Wren and Ellie too?" He asked looking a bit glum.
"Just the two of us." I said.
"Okay." He said with a giant smile. The first real smile I had seen since Jess died.
I pulled out my phone and texted Wren.
Chief gave me the rest of the day off taking Connor to get a haircut and run errands. Ellie's at the daycare see you at home. –Nora
"Come on sweetheart let's grab some late breakfast." I said taking Connor's hand and teleporting to Paris for crepes.
Third Person's POV-
Wren was sitting down outside Doctor Nick Benson head of neurology office waiting to get called in. He was well into an article about hidden beach locations in National Geographic when He heard his name being called.
"Doctor Spencer." He heard Doctor Benson say.
"Doctor Benson." Wren greeted as he stood up.
"Sorry for the wait, started my morning clipping one of the biggest aneurysms I've ever seen." He said. Wren felt an ache in his chest when he heard that. "Can I offer you any thing water, coffee…"
"No I'm fine thank you." Wren answered feeling a bit anxious.
"So is Nora joining you?" Doctor Benson asked.
"Uh no, she's looking after our niece and nephew." Wren answered politely.
"Ah, forgive me, and I'd like to offer my condolences on your loss."
"Thank you." Wren said growing more and more uncomfortable the longer they sat there.
"I received your scans and I don't know how to say this Doctor Spencer something came up." Doctor Benson told him Wren's blood go cold. The Doctor pulled out Wren's file and put up his scans.
"Glioblastoma" Doctor Benson said.
"It's spread out. What are my options?" Wren asked already knowing the answer.
"Wren, I'm going to be frank…"
"I know you are that's why I came to you. I don't want false hope and I don't want medical trials that are going to use me as a guinea pig. So tell me." Wren said.
"Because of the location and how spread out it is operating or even attempting to resect the tumor could be debilitating or even life threatening."
"So chemo or radiation are my only options except they wont cure it, they'll only stop it from growing or at the very least slow it down and the side effects will be worse than the actual symptoms. I'll spend the last of my days bedridden in the hospital or some hospice facility." Wren said.
"I know this is hard."
"Hard isn't the word I'd use but yes it is." Wren said. "If I do nothing how much time would I have left?"
"Given it's location and how embedded it appears, six months maybe less if it metastasizes which is very likely." Doctor Benson said not holding back.
"Six Months." Wren said.
"I can refer you to someone if you need counseling or if you change your mind and want to start treatment you know where to find me." Doctor Benson said.
"Thank you." Wren said before getting up and walking out of his office. His phone buzzed he unlocked it and saw a message from Nora.
Chief gave me the rest of the day off taking Connor to get a haircut and run errands. Ellie's at the daycare see you at home. –Nora
Chief must have noticed how exhausted she is. Wren thought. What errands was she going to run. Wren was so lost in his thoughts he didn't even notice he had made his way to the daycare center. He looked through the window and saw all the kids running around and he saw one of the day care workers feeding his niece.
"That's her?" He heard someone besides him ask. He turned and saw Chief Matthews standing next to him.
"That's Ellie." Wren answered.
"I thought you'd be in the ER." He asked.
"Had a neuro consult for a patient." Wren answered.
"Thought so, I don't know how you and Nora do it. You never stop working even after your shift's done. I thought you two would take some time off after the funeral but you just came straight back to work. It's taking it's toll." He pointed out.
"Nora hasn't been sleeping." Wren said.
"I'm not just talking about Nora. You look pretty worn out."
"It's hard to sleep with a newborn." Wren pointed out,
"I gave Nora the day off for her birthday but by the looks of things I need to give you two the rest of the week." Chief Matthews said.
"It's just an off day, we'll be back on schedule tomorrow." Wren said.
"I'm concerned about you both. You're here and you're doing your job but there's no light in you. Nora lost a patient on the table and she didn't even bat an eyelash when she told the family. You told a patient that he either shuts his trap and stops stuffing it with twinkies or you'll cut off his leg. It may have been true but there's a right way to say things Wren. You two are not okay." Chief Matthews said.
"So what do we do? We either wallow here or we wallow back home the only difference is here we have a chance to do some good. Cut back our hours if you have to but giving us time of to just mourn won't help." Wren said.
"What am I going to do with you both?"
"You did the impossible to keep us around I doubt you want us gone." Wren said.
"I will if I have to. Take the week, do something for Nora's birthday." He said.
"And you say you don't have favorites." Wren said.
"Favorite." He retorted walking away.
Wren walked in and took his niece home. Nora took Connor out for some quality time it's only fair he spent some time with his niece. Who knows how long he had left with her.
Nora's POV-
After grabbing some crepes I teleported Connor back to Dallas. I normally wouldn't teleport him around the world but he needed a treat after that counseling session. Connor's hair was getting pretty long to the point he had curly bangs.
"But I don't want a haircut." Connor complained.
"Come on buddy, you've gotten your hair cut before. It won't even be too much just enough so you can see." I promised.
"But this isn't the place Dad took me to." Connor complained.
"But we don't know where that is sweetie and your Dad isn't answering his phone. Do you want me to cut your hair? I'm a surgeon how different could it be?" I joked.
"No." Connor complained.
"I'll make you a deal then, if you let Carrie just trim it at the ends so that you can see I'll get a haircut too." I offered.
"But you're hair's so pretty auntie." Connor said taking a lock into his hand.
"It's okay, it'll grow back. You can pick out the hairstyle if you want." I said.
"Really?" he asked.
"Even if it involves dying, just don't turn me blonde, I can't pull that off." I told Connor making him laugh.
"Okay but no peeking." Connor said.
"Okay." I said sitting down on the chair.
Connor took my phone and started looking through pictures. He showed Carrie one and she smile.
"Get ready for a makeover." She said with a huge smile.
"Just remember I have to look serious enough for people to trust me with their lives." I said.
"You'll be fine." She said, "Now lean back and relax."
"I'll try." I said as she started washing my hair.
Two hours later she was done.
"Okay open your eyes." Carrie said, I opened my eyes and I have to admit Connor had great taste. My hair used to be down to my waist and now it's up to my shoulders. The ends were ombre with blonde tips.
.
.
"Good choice buddy." I said smiling. My head felt so much lighter afterwards. "I missed seeing your eyes."
"You look pretty auntie." He said.
We paid and after we were done I teleported to San Diego. We ate some pizza and then went to the Zoo.
By the time we got home it was time for dinner and we were both starving.
"Hey." I greeted.
"Hey so I got your favorite pasta… wow." Wren said turning around and noticing the different haircut.
"Good wow or bad wow cause Connor picked this out." I said.
"It's different but good." Wren said with a small smile.
"Sorry about running out at the last minute I'll tell you about everything later." I said.
"It's all right, you needed a day. Did you two at least have fun?" Wren asked.
"Paris for late breakfast and then I took Connor to the San Diego Zoo so I'm sure he learned something today." I said.
"That's what every kid want to do on their day off." Wren said sarcastically.
"You look well rested." I said.
"That's what happens when your boss gives you the day off and you sleep when your niece is also asleep." Wren said.
"Wow I wonder why that didn't occur to me before." I said with a smirk.
"Haha smartass," He said jokingly pulling out an envelope from his pocket.
"What's this?" I asked.
"A little something for your birthday." Wren said.
I opened it and smiled, "tickets to Dallas Comic Con?" I said
"They're showing the first five minutes of the new season of Game of Thrones." Wren said.
"Some of the cast of the original Star Wars and Game of Thrones are going to be there." I said fangirling.
"I know." He said.
"You're the best." I said hugging him.
"You mind getting Ellie, I just heard her cry." He said.
"Course." I said.
After Dinner when the kids were asleep, Wren told me about his conversation with Chief Matthews and about how we had the rest of the week off. Can't say I was too upset about that.
I told him about Ellie's check up and the meeting with Connor's grief counselor. He understood why I took him for a day out and said he would do the same on Friday. He said he needed a guy's night.
"So how'd your appointment go? Those results clear I said they'd be?" I asked.
"Uh, yeah but there's nothing like seeing it yourself. God my brain photographs well." Wren joked.
"Yeah, that blob of cells is very photogenic." I said.
"It sure is." He said staring off.
"You want to watch a movie?" I asked.
"Sure, take your pick." He said.
"Still haven't seen this one and we have to return it tomorrow." I said putting it in.
"Which one is it?" He asked.
"Not sure the cashier recommended it, The Fault in Our Stars?" I said.
"It better not be a teenage vampire love story." Wren said.
"Jess and I only watched it to laugh at it and because there's a drinking game that goes along with it. Every Bella does something stupid or Edward does something stalkerish you drink. Anytime someone sparkles or shows up shirtless you do a handle pull." I said.
"That explains so much." Wren said.
"Come on it can't be that bad." I said sitting down on the couch. "Apparently they both have cancer so you know at least someone dies."
"That's something at least." Wren said awkwardly.
We sat down sometime in the middle of the Anne Frank make out scene Wren came in with a small ice cream cake.
"Happy Birthday." He said.
"Thanks, here's to hopefully a better year than the last." I said clinking glasses.
"Hopefully." Wren said sadly.