"Hey Honey, how do you feel?" Marty asked as she entered his hospital room.
"Actually pretty good. How's my girl doing?" he asked patting the bed to invite her to sit with him.
"I'm OK." she said fluffing his pillows for him and fixing his covers.
"Baby, stop doing that for me for a minute." he asked taking her hand in his.
"I want you to be comfortable Honey." she said holding back tears.
"Baby, I'm fine. I need to talk to you for a minute." he said trying to look into the blue eyes that changed his life 20 years earlier.
"Not yet. Roger, I'm not ready." she said beginning to cry.
"I know Baby. Neither am I. But I don't think we have a choice in this one." he said wheezing trying to breathe.
"Roger, 20 years and I'm still not ready. I need more time." she said as he pulled her head down to his chest.
"I know Marty. But we don't have any more time." he said caressing her hair.
"I'm sorry Roger. I shouldn't be acting like this. We've had the greatest 20 years of our lives and here I am being selfish asking for more time." she said getting up to face him.
"Baby, I have loved you from the second I met you." he said choking on his words.
"And I will love you as long as there is breath left in my body." she said caressing his thinned gaunt face.
"I know Baby. I want you to do a couple of things for me." he said before going into a coughing fit.
"Anything Roger. There is nothing I won't do for you." she said crying as she held his arms.
"I want you to make sure RJ knows." he said as his green eyes met her sad blue ones.
"He does Roger. He's 14 years old Honey. He knows. You made sure of that every day of his life." she said caressing his hair.
"I don't want him to ever forget. I want you to make sure he knows how much I love him and how much he's changed me. How happy he's made my life." he said beginning to cry.
"Oh Honey, of course I will." she said leaning down to kiss his lips. They were chapped and cracked but they were the same lips that provided so much comfort and love for her over the last 20 years.
"And Baby, you and Mark have to take care of each other. I know he has Julia, but you and Mark need each other." he said trying to catch his breath.
"We will Roger. We'll all take care of each other and we'll all take care of RJ. Please don't worry about us. Just save your energy. Please." she cried lowering her head as RJ came into the room.
"Hey dad. How are you feeling?" he asked sitting in the chair next to the bed.
"Baby, why don't you go get some coffee? I want to talk to RJ for a minute." he said stroking her hair.
"I don't want to leave you Roger." she cried begging him with her eyes.
"It's OK. I'm fine. I'll be right here when you get back. I promise." he said as she leaned down to kiss him.
"OK. I love you Roger." she whispered caressing his face.
"I love you too Margaret." he whispered as she reached out to squeeze RJ's hand before leaving the room.
"This is it, huh dad?" he asked moving over to the bed where Marty was sitting.
"Yeah, it is." he said coughing as RJ reached over to the night stand to get a cup of water for Roger.
"Thanks man." he said drinking the water before handing it back to him. "You are really growing up into a good man, you know that right?" Roger asked smiling up at him.
"Because of you and mom, yeah I am." he said choking back tears.
"You know how special you are, right? What a miracle you are? The reason you're here with out HIV means you are meant to do great things. Whatever you do, make sure it is your passion. Do it because you love it, not out of any obligation to me or your mother. Promise me you'll do that." he told him holding his sons hand.
"I promise dad. That's what you taught me. To be myself." he said smiling through his tears.
"I want you to take care of your mom. She's gonna be really bad off. If she doesn't pay much attention to you in the beginning, cut her some slack. We've been together for a long time and this is really hard on her. But it doesn't mean she doesn't love you. Because you know she does. You are her world." he told him crying.
"I know dad. I'll take care of mom. I know I gave you guys a lot of crap about always kissing and hugging, but I understand now. You guys always made each other whole. When you weren't around, mom was a mess and when mom wasn't around, you were a mess. I get it now. You always said I'd get it one day and I do now." he said crying as Roger brought his son to his chest.
"I know son. Let it out. It's OK. I'm fine, you know. I got to do a lot of things I never thought I'd be able to do with you and your mom. I never thought I'd get to see your first day of school, or your first date, but I did. I am grateful for that. Every minute with you has been a gift. An amazing gift. You know that, right son?" he asked crying.
"Yeah dad. I know. And I'm lucky to have you as my dad. You're cool and funny and you taught me how to be a man. I'll never forget you dad." he said crying harder into Roger's chest.
"I know you won't son. I know you won't." he said caressing his sons hair.
"Is it OK if mom and everybody starts calling me Roger?" he asked looking up at him.
"Yeah, that would be good." he told him kissing his sons forehead.
"Good, because I'm named after the greatest man I know." he said as Roger pulled the boy closer to him again as he cried.
"You're a great man too Roger." Roger told him as Mark and Julia came into the room.
"Thanks dad. I love you." RJ said hugging is father tight.
"Oh Roger, you have no idea how much I love you too." Roger said kissing his head again.
"Yeah I do dad. Don't worry. I always knew." RJ told him smiling.
"Now, go find your mom. I'm gonna talk to your Uncle Mark and Aunt Julia, OK?" Roger said looking into his own sad eyes.
"OK dad. I'll be right back." RJ said leaving the room.
"How's he doing?" Mark asked as Julia sat quietly in the chair.
"It's gonna be hard on him, but I think we said everything we needed to say." he told him wiping his eyes.
"He's a good kid Roger and that's because of you and Marty." Mark said fiddling next to the bed.
"You too. All of you helped raise him." Roger said looking up at him.
"Well, we only love him. You and Marty did the rest." Mark said looking down.
"He wants to be called Roger from now on. It means a lot to him. I know it's gonna be hard. Especially on you and Marty, but please. It means a lot to him." Roger said crying again.
"We will Roger. He worships you, you know that right?" Julia said crying.
"I know. It's just not enough time. It's too soon." he said breaking down as he began to cough.
"I know Rog." Mark said going closer to the bed to comfort him.
"Roger, are you OK." Marty asked rushing into the room hearing Roger cough, followed by RJ.
"Yeah Baby. I'm fine. Where's Mo and Jo?" he asked looking around.
"They'll be here in a few minutes." Julia said wiping her eyes.
"Good. Julia, come here." he said patting the bed.
"Hey Rog." she said sniffling.
"Listen, you take care of Mark OK?" he told her holding her hand.
"Always." she said crying again.
"And they're gonna need each other, so don't feel bad if it seems like they're leaving you out. They love you." he said squeezing her hand.
"I know." she said as he caressed her face.
"I love you Julia." he said as tears fell from his eyes.
"Oh sure, now you tell me." she said beginning to laugh through her tears.
"You've been living with us too long." he said as everyone laughed with them.
"Yeah well, I learned from the great Roger Davis." she said smiling at him.
"You sound like my beautiful wife." he said smiling at Marty.
"I love you too Roger." she said hugging him.
"Come here Mark." he said as Julia got up and silently left the room.
"How do I say good bye to my best friend?" Mark said as tears sprung from his eyes.
"We've been through so much. April, the drugs, HIV, withdrawal, Mimi, Marty and RJ. There's nothing I can say to you to thank you for all of it and have it be enough." Roger said crying.
"So don't. You already thanked me. In spades brother." he said holding his hand firmly.
"Mark, it's all because of you. If it wasn't for you, I'd be dead." Roger said wiping his eyes despite that fact that he was still crying.
"Well you thanked me enough." he said trying to smile.
"Well thanks you anyway." he said smiling back as the men hugged. "Take care of my family Mark." he whispered.
"I will. They're my family too, Rog." he whispered back as he got up and joined Julia in the hallway.
"Hey Baby, come here." he said reaching out for Marty who was crying into RJ's shoulder.
"Hi Honey. I love you." she said sitting next to him as he reached out for her waist.
"I love you too Baby, you have no idea." he said caressing her face. "You rescued me." he said as a tears fell from his eyes.
"We rescued each other." she said smiling as she cried.
"Yeah we did. Baby, I need you to take care of Roger over there, OK?" he said smiling at his son who was standing over them.
"Roger?" she asked looking up at her son.
"After a great man." RJ answered as Marty smiled at Roger.
"Are you sure?" she asked looking at Roger.
"Yeah. It means a lot to him. I know it's gonna be hard, but please for him." he told her caressing her face.
"OK. Roger it is." she said smiling as Maureen and Joanne entered the room.
"Hey Roger." Maureen said rushing into the room.
"Hey Mo. Baby, can I talk to Maureen and Joanne alone please?" he asked kissing her hand.
"Of course. We'll be right outside." she said getting up and leaving as Maureen squeezed her hand.
"It's almost time, isn't it?" Joanne asked breaking down.
"Yeah Jo, it is." he said as Maureen sat next to him surprisingly calm.
"What do you need us to do?" she asked taking his hand.
"Take care of Marty, Roger, Mark and each other. You're the only ones left, you know?" he asked looking up at her.
"Say hi to Mimi, Angel and Collins for us, OK?" Maureen asked holding back her tears.
"I will. Just look out for the family, OK?" he asked crying.
"Roger, we would be honored." Maureen told him smiling.
"I'm sorry for everything I put you through Mo. Especially you." he told her as she put her finger over his lips.
"Not even an issue Roger. You have lived such a good life that last 20 years. What you did when we were young and stupid, means nothing. It's forgotten." she said leaning over to kiss his cheek. "We love you Roger. The man you became is all that matters." she whispered as he hugged him.
"Thank you Mo." he said holding her tight.
"Don't mention it. Really, I might get a reputation for being too lenient." she said jokingly.
"You all are so funny today." he said laughing.
"Well we're honoring our favorite prankster." Maureen said kissing him again.
"Jo, come here." Roger said holding her hand as she stood next to him.
"You don't have to say anything Roger. I know you love me and how important I am to you. You made sure I knew it everyday." she said crying.
"I do love you, you know. You are one of the best friends I've ever had." he said looking up at her.
"Right back at you Babe." she said smiling as he leaned down to hug and kiss him.
"Can one of you send Marty and Roger in, please?" he asked wiping his eyes again.
"Sure sweetie." Maureen said kissing Roger again before leaving the room.
"Are you OK Roger?" Marty asked rushing into the room.
"Yeah, I'm actually OK." he said as she sat next to him on the bed.
"It's time?" she asked her face tear stained and pale.
"Yeah Baby. It's time." he told her. His voice was weak.
"I love you Roger. With all of my heart and soul. Never forget that. I'll see you soon my love." she told him laying down next to him.
"I love you too Marty. You are my heart and soul. Come here Roger." he said holding his arm out as RJ laid on the other side of the bed with him.
"I love you dad." RJ said as he laid in the hospital bed with his parents.
"I love you guys too." he whispered as he closed his eyes. With in hours Roger was gone. His son and his wife at his side. For years he worried he would die alone and here he was, not alone. He had his whole family by his side until his final moments. He wrote many song, but none of them were his Glory. His Glory came one night on his way home from work in the form of a scared young woman, who had been violated and his life with her following that night. Glory comes in different forms. It could be something tangible or it could be a state of mind. For Roger Glory came the night his life began again. The night he met Marty.
Thank you all for reading and reviewing. Especially BohemianGirl06. Your words, input and friendship has been invaluable to me. I enjoy our talks and hope you will forgive me for this final chapter. But I think although sad, it ended on a high note. I had a very hard time writing this. Not the content but the emotion. This chapter was very emotional for me to write. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for reading this story. It means a lot to me.