*Spoiler*

This chapter ends on a happy note. 😊

Enjoy.

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Cordell sat beside Maddie that night, hoping and praying for a miracle. The thought of losing his little girl was too much to bear. How could he let her go? Maddie meant the world to him. Even though she wasn't his biological daughter he loved her as much as he did Stella and August.

More than anything he wanted her to fight.

To live.

Maybe though, Maddie just couldn't do this anymore.

As much as it would break his heart to do so, maybe it was time to let her go.

Tears slipped from his eyes and slid down his cheeks as he held her hand, gently stroking the back of it with his thumb. He forced back the lump in his throat as he looked at his daughter and struggled to find his voice. 'Maddie… Baby girl…' His voice broke and he had to pause for a moment, gathering the strength to continue. 'It-It's Daddy here Maddie… I don't-I don't know if you can hear me but… Maddie honey… I-I just… I want you to know…'

He paused, more tears rolling down his cheeks. 'I-I want you to live, Maddie. I-I want… I want that more than anything in this world. I want you to fight like hell to stay with us but…' He had to stop again and take a moment, his voice breaking as he kept stroking her hand. 'I-I know… I know it might not be what you want. It-It might be too hard for you to keep fighting so… If you want to go, I want you to know it's okay. It's okay. I-I understand...'

His sentence was cut off by a sob, unable to hold his emotions back anymore. His soft crying was the only other sound in the darkened room apart from that of the machines. As the tears ran down his cheeks he rose from his chair and lent down over his daughter to hug her, pressing a kiss gently onto her forehead. Maddie didn't move or respond in any way as he stroked her cheek for a time before slowly sinking to his chair beside her once more.

Tomorrow he would tell his family and her doctors that it was time to let her go.

Tears rolled down Maddie's cheeks as she watched the scene unfolding beneath her, her fists pounding against the divide between them as she cried. She just wanted to do something, anything, to take away her father's pain. She hated to see her father in pain and stuck here in this place she couldn't do anything.

He had told her it was okay to go. He was giving her his permission to go. She knew it would have broken his heart to say those words. He loved her, she knew that. She loved him too. He had been the first man to show her love, to give her his love. He was her father more than the one who had helped to create her.

'You okay Maddie?'

She looked down at Amber, Abeline's daughter having materialized beside her. 'No…' She replied in a choked tone, turning back to the glass. 'I wish there was something I could do.'

'I know.' Amber let out a soft sigh. 'But you're gonna have to make up your mind soon whether you want to stay here or to go. Have you decided yet?'

Maddie shook her head. 'Not yet.'

'You'll have to decide soon.'

She knew she was right, more tears sliding down her cheeks as she watched her father press a kiss to her forehead. 'I know…'

Morning came, the rest of the family coming to join Cordell once more at Maddie's beside. It was time for them to say goodbye, the rest of them having come to the agreement that it was best for her if they allowed her life support to be turned off. Cordell rang Geri with the news, attempting to hold himself together as best he could while he spoke with her and after receiving the call, she made her way straight to the hospital. The family were to meet with Maddie's medical team at ten, Geri offering to stay with her while they were with the doctors. They agreed and Geri stayed with the teen after they had left, ringing Colton to let him know what was going on.

It wasn't long before Colton arrived, knocking softly on the door frame.

'Come in.' She told him, looking up at him from Maddie.

'Hi Aunt Geri.' Colton replied softly as he walked in. 'Thanks for doing this…'

She nodded in understanding as she rose from her seat. 'I'll give you two some time alone. I'll be just outside if you need me.'

He nodded and after Geri had left her turned his attention to the still figure lying in the bed. She looked so different from the last time he had seen her… His eyes began to water a little as he took a seat beside her, looking at the machines and lines attached to her that were keeping her alive. The small bouquet of flowers he had brought he laid down on the bed beside her, looking up at her. Part of Maddie's head had been shaved, a line of staples closing the incision that had been made to remove the tumor. She looked so still, so lifeless. Such a far cry from how he remembered her.

'Hi Maddie…' Colton finally spoke after a time, stroking the back of her hand gently. 'I know I'm probably the last person you expected to come see you but well, here I am.' Maddie made no response but he knew to expect that, the only sound in the silence being that of the steady beeping and noises of the machines keeping her alive. 'I brought you some roses, the ones you loved so much from home.'

Colton paused again, biting his lip. 'I-I'm so sorry Maddie. I should have been here for you and I wasn't. I-I just didn't know what to do or what to say… When Geri told us about you being sick, I didn't know what to do. Did I message you? Would you have wanted me to message you? I… I didn't know what to do so I didn't do anything. I'm sorry…'

'I never meant for all this to happen.' He continued after a moment. 'My family taking your home and now you all have to deal with this too on top of that. It's not fair. It's not right.' He paused for a second again. 'I'm so sorry Maddie, I wish there was something I could do.'

The steady beeping of the machines filled the silence in the room as Colton stopped talking, instead just holding her hand gently as he sat with her. Regardless of everything that had happened he still cared for her but when he'd heard about her cancer he hadn't known what to do. Tears came to his eyes and he sat back, running a hand over his head. 'I'm sorry Maddie. I-I should have been here for you. I still… I still care about you Maddie. I know I should have been here for you and there's no excuse good enough for why I wasn't…' He paused again and rubbed his eyes on the back of his hand. 'I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for the part I had to play in everything…'

Time passed by as Colton sat with her, Geri popping her head in to remind him that the Walker family would be returning soon. After his Aunt had left again he stood, placing the roses he'd brought into the vase with the other flowers before turning back to Maddie. Tenderly he smoothed back what was left of her fringe and placed a kiss gently on her forehead. 'I-I hope this won't be goodbye.' He said, his voice breaking slightly. 'Please… Please come back to us Maddie. We all still need you.'

Morning came, Maddie having stayed at the divide the entire night watching what was going on down below. Being so wrapped up in what was happening in the real world she hadn't noticed that the white void she was in had slowly begun to turn gray. No longer was it a brilliant white blinding light, it was almost like the light was fading into darkness.

Though she didn't know it yet, the time for her to make a choice was approaching.

As she watched, her family entered the room. She could hear their conversation too, more tears coming to her eyes when Cordell in a broken voice suggested that it was time for them to let her go. He said it wasn't fair to let her suffer any longer…

Maddie could see how much it broke him to say those words, Abeline taking him in her arms while Liam tried to comfort Stella and August as best he could. The tears in her eyes began to roll down her cheeks as she pounded on the glass like divide separating her from them. Her body was present with them but she, herself, her spirit or whatever you wanted to call the form she was watching on in, was here. Here in this place trapped between life and death.

Slowly, one by one, each of her family members approached her bed to say their goodbyes. She wanted to scream, to shout, to do something, anything, but she couldn't. She just couldn't. She had to stand there and watch as Cordell broke down again, Stella and August waiting outside the room with Bonham, Liam and Geri after already having said their goodbyes. Abeline was trying her best to comfort him and Maddie's heart broke for her. Both she and Bonham knew firsthand what it was like to lose a child yet no one knew about Amber.

Apart from speaking with Amber during the night she had been left alone in this place. Emily had already said her goodbyes and had left to go take care of her family as best she could and with Amber's absence, Maddie could assume that was what her aunt was doing too. It was strange to think of a nine year old (well, everything about this place was strange. Who was she to question how things were, how a thirty something week old baby had turned into a nine year child here.) as being her aunt. Very strange indeed.

Maddie kept watching and after a time, Cordell and Abeline left the room. Geri came in to sit with her and say her goodbyes in their absence then to her surprise, Colton walked through the door.

Geri left him with her and she wondered why he was here. He hadn't been to see her earlier, she'd watched so many other visitors come and go since being here but never Colton. His parents and Grandmother had been by briefly once when her father had been alone with her but Colton hadn't been with them. Why was he here now?

Someone had to have told him she was dying.

It made sense now. All this. They'd chosen to have her life support turned off. She was going to die. She was surprisingly numb at the thought of that. If they turned the life support off though, what would happen to her? Didn't she get a choice in the matter?...

'Hi Maddie…' Colton was speaking to her finally after having sat beside her in a long silence. 'I know I'm probably the last person you expected to come see you but well, here I am.' He was holding onto her hand as she watched, still a little in shock to see him visiting her. 'I brought you some roses, the ones you loved so much from home.'

'How's things been?'

Maddie turned in surprise, her mother having materialized out of nowhere beside her. For the first time she realized that the white void wasn't white like before, having turned a dull gray. Even her mother looked different, almost like she was fading or something… She looked down at herself, her body in this place; it was changing too. She was beginning to fade too. 'What…. What's happening?'

'It's almost time.' Macey replied soberly after a moment.

'Time? Time for what?'

'Time for you to make your choice.' She said softly, placing her hand on her daughter's shoulder then motioned back at the divide. 'To stay or to go.'

'But-but they've already made that decision for me… Haven't they?' Maddie questioned in confusion. 'I-I mean… They're gonna turn life support off. I've been watching them saying their goodbye's all morning…'

She shook her head. 'Maddie, the choice is yours.'

Silence fell.

Macey turned her attention back to the divide again as Colton began speaking to Maddie once more. 'That boy cares for you.'

Maddie let out a long sigh, listening to his explanation of his absence and his apology. 'It… It's complicated.'

'You care for him too, don't you?'

'Yeah… Even after everything.'

'Then let me give you some advice.' Macey said to her daughter. 'Life is too short to hold grudges. If there's something there between you two, embrace it. Don't run from it. Love will always find a way.'

'Love…' She repeated as a red tinge came to her cheeks. 'I don't know about love.'

'Well, let me tell you something. I wish your father had looked at me the way I've seen that boy look at you.'

Silence fell, Maddie pondering what her mother had said as Colton's words came to her in this strange place.

'I'm sorry Maddie. I-I should have been here for you. I still… I still care about you Maddie. I know I should have been here for you and there's no excuse good enough for why I wasn't…' He paused again and rubbed his eyes on the back of his hand. 'I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for the part I had to play in everything…'

Maddie felt herself tearing up again at that, watching as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

'I-I hope this won't be goodbye.' Colton told her as his voice broke slightly. 'Please… Please come back to us Maddie. We all still need you.'

Silence came over both above and below, Colton slipping back out of the room and Geri returned to her vigil at her bedside. The light was beginning to fade more now, a darker gray replacing the brilliant white light that had once been in this place.

Macey turned to her daughter. 'The time has come.' She broke the news to her as gently as possible. 'You have to make a decision now.'

Maddie looked at her mom then back at the scene below. She wanted to stay here, wanted to stay with her mom. How could she leave her family though? They had been willing to give her up, they were willing to sacrifice what they wanted for her. They wanted her to live but they were giving her the chance to go if that's what she wanted… That was the deepest kind of love right there. The kind of love willing to sacrifice anything to make another happy.

She turned back to her mom, tears in her eyes as she swallowed the lump in her throat. 'Mom… Mom, I just… I just want you to know that I love you.'

Macey smiled sadly at her, stroking her cheek gently. 'I know you love me little one.'

'Why… Why does it have to be so hard? I wish I could have you all in my life.'

'I know. You must choose though. You can't stay between here and there forever.'

'Mama…' Maddie's voice broke. 'Mama, my heart is breaking.' It was a saying that she had used for as long as she could remember. Macey took her into her arms and she held onto her tight as the tears rolled down her cheeks. 'Can you fix it?'

'No baby…' She kissed her head gently. 'Not this time.'

Silence fell again, Maddie sobbing softly. 'How can I let you go?'

'You have to.' Macey replied after a time. 'You have to let go and move forward. I will always be here watching over you. You will never be alone. You have a wonderful family. A new life. Let the past stay in the past.'

Maddie swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, looking up at her.

'You've made your choice?'

She nodded again. 'I-I have to go back. It's not my time yet to stay here.'

Macey smiled sadly at her, stroking her cheek gently again. 'I am so proud of you, of who you have become. Never forget that my little one.'

'I won't Mama.' Maddie promised. 'I-I love you.'

'I love you too.'

Things began to fade as Maddie could feel herself being pulled from this place by a force from down below. 'Goodbye, Mama.'

Macey held her tight in her arms one last time, pressing a kiss to her head. 'Goodbye my baby girl.'

The family sat together in silence in the waiting room, the decision to turn off Maddie's life support having been made and told to the doctors. After their meeting with her medical team, Doctor Paterson had requested that they wait outside while they carried out one last examination before removing her off life support. Now, here they were, just waiting in the silence.

After a long while, Doctor Paterson returned to the waiting room and they stood when they saw him coming in. In his hand the doctor carried a clip board with Maddie's medication information and he suggested they sit so he could tell them what was happening. As part of the last examination they had completed another brain scan and much to his surprise, it appeared that the swelling in her brain had started to reduce after not having any change for over the past week. Though he cautioned against them having premature hope he recommended that they at least give Maddie a chance now that she had shown a slight improvement.

Upon hearing what the doctor had said, Cordell was overcome with emotion. He had been praying for a miracle and now there was the slightest glimmer of hope. Unable to speak, he had just nodded his agreement to seeing how Maddie would respond to being brought out of the coma. Maybe, just maybe, his little girl would be alright.

Nighttime fell once more, Cordell again alone in the room keeping vigil beside Maddie. It was late, everyone else had headed home hours ago to rest and get some sleep but not him. He wasn't leaving Maddie. He wanted to be there with her when she woke up.

The doctors were hesitant to give any definite answers but at least they had a little hope to hold onto now. The swelling had gone down which in itself was enough of a miracle. Now it would just be a waiting game to see if she'd had any lasting effects or brain damage from being kept in an induced coma for over a week.

Apart from the machines, the room was silent, something Cordell had grown accustomed to. In the dim light he sat beside her, watching her carefully for any little sign that she might be waking up. Though the medication keeping her in the coma had ceased once the decision to wake her up had been made the doctors had explained the process that she'd go through in order to wake up. It could be a couple days before she was fully conscious and then they'd be able to assess for any damage that might have occurred as a result of the swelling or coma.

'Maddie girl…' He spoke softly to her, stroking back what was left of her hair gently. 'It's Daddy here, baby girl. Come on honey. Wake up for me.' He waited, watching for any small sign and after a long moment, let out a soft sigh. No response yet. Cordell took a moment to swallow the lump in his throat, still stroking back her hair.

Ever so slightly, a movement so tiny he thought he imagined it, Maddie's eyelids fluttered for a second.

Hope came into his heart as he gently took her hand in his. 'That's it. That's it baby girl.' He encouraged in a whisper. 'Come on honey. Open your eyes.'

A moment later, her eyelids moved again but that was it. Nothing more than that slight flutter.

Cordell gently kept stroking back her hair. 'It-it's okay… I can wait a little longer, Maddie.' He said to her softly. 'You come back to us when you're ready, little one.'

There was no visible response from her but he could feel her relax almost, in a way. A smile touched his lips, the first he'd had since she had gone in for her surgery. 'I'm here Maddie.' He promised her while he kept running his fingers through her hair. 'I'll be right here when you wake up, baby girl.'

Morning came, Cordell asleep in the chair beside Maddie when Liam walked in. Liam gazed sympathetically at his brother as he entered the room quietly. His brother was exhausted, he needed to rest. As quietly as he could he walked over to Maddie's bed and gently placed a good morning kiss on his niece's forehead before taking a seat in the chair across from his brother.

After a time, Cordell finally woke up.

'Good morning.'

Cordell looked over in bewilderment, surprised to see his brother sitting across from him. 'Liam… I-I didn't hear you come in. How-how long have you been there?'

Liam took a look at his watch. 'About an hour.' He looked back at his brother. 'How's Maddie?'

'She uh-she moved her eyelids last night.' He replied, placing his hand on top of his daughters again. 'She-she'll come around when she's ready.'

Silence fell for a moment then Liam turned back to Cordell. 'You look like hell Cordi. You need to go home and have a shower and get some sleep in a proper bed.'

'I-I don't want to leave her-'

'Cordi.' He exclaimed sternly. 'Maddie needs you to look after yourself. Go home for a bit, I will stay here with her. If she wakes up, you'll be the first to know.'

Cordell thought about it for a moment, nodding as he realized his brother was right. 'You promise you'll ring if she wakes up?'

'The very moment.' Liam promised. Silence fell again. 'We-we're all worried about you Cordi.' He finally added. 'Please, go home and get some rest.'

'Alright.' He finally agreed reluctantly, rising from his chair. Stroking back Maddie's hair he pressed a kiss to her forehead then squeezed her hand gently as he looked at her. 'I'll be back soon sweetheart. Uncle Liam will watch over you while I'm gone.'

Cordell headed towards the door a moment later and Liam rose, heading out after him. 'Cordell.' His brother stopped and he walked up to him. 'You okay?'

'Are-are any of us?' He finally questioned after a pause, looking back at Maddie's room. 'I-I just… This week...' He let out a choked sigh as his voice trailed off, tears coming to his eyes as he shook his head.

Liam placed his hand on his shoulder. 'I know.'

'Stella-Stella and Augie? How-how are they?'

'Mom and Dad are with them, they're alright.' He replied softly. 'They're worried about you.'

Cordell nodded again, swallowing the lump in his throat. 'I-I'll talk to them.'

Liam nodded then gave his brother a hug. 'Get some sleep.' He told him as he held him. 'Maddie will be just fine while you are taking time for yourself.'

'Thank-thank you.'

He nodded again, lingering for a moment to watch his brother leave before returning back to Maddie's room. He took a seat beside her once more then gently took her hand in his. 'Hope you don't mind my company for a while, Maddie, finally convinced your father to go home and get some rest. He's hardly left your side the whole time you know…' He started softly after a time. 'We've all been so worried about you sweetheart. Rose and Mika have been by every day to come see you, so have a lot of other people. You've even been sent flowers from Edna, you remember her right? Rocky's old owner.' Liam paused for a moment but so far Maddie didn't respond. 'She's come a couple times to visit you too…'

Silence fell again as he tried to think for a moment what to say. 'We-we've all been worried about you honey.' He repeated after a time. 'You mean so much to us sweetheart. It's just not the same not having you around with us.'

Liam spoke for a little while longer than a doctor and a couple nurses came in to carry out Maddie's morning obs and he stepped out to grab a coffee and newspaper while they did so. When they left they sent him back in and he took up his place beside her once more, beginning to read the newspaper out for something to do.

As he was reading, ever so slightly he felt Maddie squeeze the hand he was holding hers in. The article was quickly forgotten, his full attention turning back to his niece. 'Maddie? Maddie honey…' Her eyelids fluttered for a moment then were still again. 'Maddie, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand again?'

He waited, holding his breath.

A moment later she squeezed his hand again, the tiniest little squeeze.

A huge smile came to his face. She had heard him and had been able to respond. 'That's a girl, Maddie.' He encouraged her softly. 'Come on, open your eyes now for me kiddo. You can do it.'

Maddie's eyelids fluttered once more, more than they had before but she didn't open her eyes.

'It's okay kiddo.' Liam finally remarked after a moment. 'Save your strength sweetheart. We aren't going anywhere.'

Cordell returned later that evening, the rest of the family heading in to go spend some time with Maddie as well. While they were there Mika came in to visit for a time with Rose then left when Cassie came in to see how Maddie and the rest of them were doing. Though Maddie had been able to respond to Liam asking her to squeeze his hand there hadn't been any further indication that she was waking up.

When nine o'clock came around, Bonham and Abeline took Stella and August back home, Liam staying back with Cordell for a little longer until he too left. Alone in the silence he stayed beside her, emotion visible in his eyes as he looked at her. How much longer was he going to have to wait for her to wake up?

Time slipped slowly by, a night nurse coming to tend to Maddie at ten then once she had left, he was alone once more with his daughter.

Gently he slipped his hand around hers once more as he returned to his seat. At the touch her eyelids fluttered ever so slightly and he squeezed her hand reassuringly. 'That's a girl. Come on, you can do it honey…' He encouraged, Maddie fighting to wake up. 'Let's see those pretty brown eyes of yours.'

As she slowly fought her way through the horrible fog she was in, her senses began to fully return to her. Something was wrong… Why couldn't she breathe?

Her eyes flew open, Maddie fighting against the ventilator as she woke. 'Sssh, ssssh.' Cordell consoled her gently as she began to panic. 'It's okay Maddie, it's okay. Just look at me sweetheart. Just look at me.'

Maddie's frightened eyes turned in his direction as she kept fighting against this thing stopping her from breathing. What only added to her panic was the fact she felt like she couldn't move, like her arms and legs had been tied down… Every fiber of her being wanted to rip out whatever had been forced down her throat but she couldn't lift her arms to get her hands near her face.

'Maddie, Maddie honey. It's okay. It's okay.' He repeated gently, trying to get her to calm down. 'Maddie, baby girl, listen to me. Listen to me sweetheart.'

She calmed for a moment as it dawned on her that Cordell was sitting beside her but when she tried to speak to him, she realized she couldn't talk with this tube or whatever it was being down her throat. She looked down, realizing that her wrists had been strapped down to the sides of the bed. Panic again washed over her as it dawned on her that she was trapped and unable to move, the machine monitoring her heart beeping faster as both her blood pressure and pulse rose.

Dad, Dad, help me.

'Maddie, Maddie-' Cordell was speaking again, Maddie looking back at him with a terrified expression written on her face. 'It's okay. It's okay sweetheart. You're okay…' He soothed softly, still rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. 'You need to calm down honey, the machine is helping you to breathe. Don't fight it sweetheart, okay? I know you're scared but it's okay. You're alright.'

Tears began to well in her eyes as she looked at her father. Scared was an understatement. She was terrified. What had happened? How did she get here? She couldn't remember what had happened…

Knowing that he needed to calm her down, Cordell began to sing to her softly as he stroked back her hair. The first song that had come to mind was a song he'd used to sing to Stella, Angel's Lullaby by Richard Marx. It seemed to do the trick for after a little while, Maddie began to calm down and wasn't fighting against the ventilator anymore. By the time he had finished singing her heart rate had returned to normal and he gently wiped away a couple tears that were rolling down her cheeks.

'It's okay baby girl.' He told her, gently pressing a kiss to her forehead as he stroked her cheek. 'I'm here. Everything's going to be okay.'

Ever so slightly, Maddie nodded.

The faintest smile touched Cordell's lips. 'I-I know you can't talk with those tubes in but here…' He loosened the strap holding down her right wrist. 'Do you think you can trace what you want to say onto my hand?'

This time she didn't nod, instead blinking twice to get across to him that she understood. Though she wanted to ask him what had happened there was something more important to tell him. Slowly, ever so slowly, she managed to begin tracing a message onto the palm of his hand.

Daddy…

I…. Love… You…

Tears came to Cordell's eyes as Maddie finished writing on his hand. He smiled at her, swallowing the lump in his throat. 'I-I love you too, baby girl.'

A nurse and the night doctor on duty chose that exact moment to walk into the room and interrupted their moment, Cordell having to step outside as they looked Maddie over. His hand shook as he reached into his pocket for his phone, his eyes watering as he began typing a message to his mother.

Maddie is awake.