Stand by Me by Fullmetal Pyromaniac
Chapter Five:
At ten the next day, Elizabeth brushed her hair and put on her white slipper flats. Her white night dress swayed around her knees.
There was a knock at the door and Meliodas stood in the doorway, giving a cheesy grin.
"Hey, Elizabeth, going somewhere?" He said happily.
"Yes, actually" Elizabeth replied, "I've got a meeting with Arthur and my family today"
Meliodas' face fell but he forced a smile.
"Oh well, good luck with that" and he turned to leave.
"Wait, Meliodas!" Elizabeth called and Meliodas stopped. "If you want you can wait here, I shouldn't be long, and after you can meet my sisters and maybe my father"
Meliodas' smile grew and he jumped on her bed.
"Sure I'll wait for you here" he wiggled his eyebrows, "only if you'll join me later"
Elizabeth turned red, "Meliodas!" She cried. Meliodas laughed and picked up the leather bound book and flicked through it.
"Woah, you've been busy. This looks amazing" Elizabeth blushed and looked away.
"Thank you, I just hope the story is written well"
"I'm sure it's great" Meliodas assured her, "We'll read this at the next club meeting on Saturday"
Elizabeth cocked her head, "Is it not on tomorrow?" Meliodas shook his head.
"Diane and King have therapy, there's no point in going if there's only going to be four of us"
There was another knock at the door and Merlin appeared in her white coat.
"Hello, captain. Are you ready to go, Elizabeth?"
"Yes. I'm ready. See you later, Meliodas"
He waved and Elizabeth walked out the room and to Arthur's office.
...
When she got there, her sisters, Gilthunder and Baltra were already there. Arthur was sat at his desk and gave Elizabeth a grin as she came in. Vivian and Merlin stood behind him. Elizabeth sat next to Margaret and Gil, she noticed Vivian staring at him.
"So" Arthur said, "Let's begin"
Everyone nodded.
"Elizabeth, you were diagnosed with this illness two years ago, yes?"
"Yes"
"And you were fine up until a week or two ago when you began experiencing problems with your legs, your father called us and we decided to keep you under surveillance. Correct?"
Elizabeth nodded.
"So far you've been doing okay. You're not getting worse at the moment, however this may change in the near future, if it does the prospect of surgery will become more real"
Elizabeth gulped and grasped Margaret's hand, she nodded.
"If you do need surgery there is an average 50-50 chance of survival but that depends on the persons immune system and strength. The procedure takes about four hours, again this depends on the person. At the rate you're at its unlikely you'll need surgery"
Elizabeth sighed in relief and glanced at Margaret, she was smiling softly back at her.
"If you decide to have children they'll have an estimated 40-60 chance of inheriting your disease"
Elizabeth stiffened.
"But again this all depends on whether you need surgery or if you can survive on taking pills for it" he flipped through his note book, "I...think that's all, do you have any questions?"
Elizabeth raised her hand, Arthur smiled.
"Uh, when will I get released?" Arthurs smile faltered.
"You've only been in a week so we'll need to keep you a little longer" his smile returned,
"though I don't think Meliodss and the others will complain"
Elizabeth turned pink. Baltra spoke up.
"Will we pay for her surgery, should she need it?"
Arthur shook his head, "No, unless she's over eighteen by the time she needs it and even then you'll only have to pay a portion of it as her condition will be so severe that the hospital should cover it"
The meeting went on for a bit longer then Arthur brought it to an end. Her father and Arthur shook hands. Vivian walked over to Gil and held onto his arm, she ingnored Margaret and when she did acknowledge her, it was with a withering glare.
"Okay, you can go back to your room if you want" Arthur said, Elizabeth stood.
"Are you coming, father, Veronica, Margaret, Gil?" She said. Veronica smiled apologetically.
"I need to take father home, sister, but I'll be back in a few days"
Elizabeth hugged her sister and kissed her on the cheek. When she was lent over Veronica, she whispered.
"I'm glad you're not using your wheelchair, you don't need it" Elizabeth laughed nervously and walked over to her father, hugging him and kissing his forehead.
The two left a few minutes later with a wave. Elizabeth turned back to her sister and her boyfriend.
"Margaret, Gil, are you coming?" Margaret smiled.
"Yes, we'll be along in a minute, dear. We just need to discuss something with Arthur and Merlin. Perhaps Vivian would be so kind as to escort you to your room?" Margaret suggested, Vivian glared at her but soon replaced it with a sickly smile when she looked at Gil.
"Of course, my sweet Gilthunder. Anything for you" and she practically dragged Elizabeth out the room.
"Well?" She snapped, as soon as the door had closed, "Get going. You're a big girl, you don't need my help walking"
Elizabeth bit her tongue and walked back to her room trying to ignore the lingering ache in her legs, Meliodas was sitting on the bed reading the story book.
"Hello Meliodas!" Elizabeth cheered, Meliodas looked up and smiled instantly when he saw her.
"Yo, Elizabeth! How was the meeting?"
"Boring" she groaned sitting next to him, her back rested against the wall.
"My other nurse kept flirting with my sisters boyfriend"
Meliodas scoffed, "Someone's desperate!"
Elizabeth laughed, "Yes she is, I'm sure my sister went to school with her and even then she kept flirting with him. I hate her, she's called Vivian"
Meliodas made a face. "Oh I know her, yeah, she's terrible"
Margaret and Gilthunder walked in a few minutes later, both pale. Elizabeth got off the bed and embraced her sister then Gilthunder who hugged her back and patted her head.
"Margaret, Gilthunder, this is my new friend Meliodas. Meliodas this is my sister Margaret and her boyfriend, Gilthunder"
"Hey" Meliodas waved and Margaret smiled.
"Ah, so this is the famous Meliodas that you've been speaking non-stop about. It's a pleasure to meet you"
Elizabeth turned a rosy colour, "Margaret" she squeaked. Her sister laughed and sat in one of the plastic chairs, holding Gils hand while Elizabeth sat next to Meliodas who was grinning.
"You speak about me that often huh?"
"I-uh-em" Elizabeth stuttered. Margaret smiled, she had never seen her sister so happy.
"So" Gilthunder said, "Who'd like to play cards?"
...
Meliodas was just about to place his card when a weight rested itself on his shoulder. Elizabeth had fallen asleep. Margaret and Gilthunder had left about half an hour ago at the end of visiting hours so he and Elizabeth had kept playing switch.
Her cards had spilled over her bedsheets and her breath was tickling his neck. Meliodas stood and gently lifted her head off his shoulder. He softly pulled her down so her head was resting on the pillow. She looked so peaceful.
Meliodas just stared at her, he had been captivated the moment he saw her. Everyone else Merlin had tried to introduce him to he said his hellos and left. But with Elizabeth he stayed and it scared the fuck out of him.
He shouldn't get too close to anyone after that. Though Elizabeth was different, he was ill and had been for many years. Meliodas pressed a kiss to her forehead and pulled the covers up to her chin.
"I never expected you to watch someone sleep" Someone said from behind him, Merlin leant against the frame of the door, smirking, her deep blue eyes filled with mischief.
"She fell asleep on me, I was just tucking her in" Meliodas explained, hoping she hadn't seen him kiss her. He turned off her bedroom light and walked into the corridor.
"Right" Merlin drawled and closed the door. "I'm glad you're making another friend besides the sins, Meliodas" she said truthfully. Meliodas shrugged.
"Thanks. I try not to but there was something about her that drew me back, I'm not sure what"
"That is true" Merlin pondered, "She's such a nice, sweet girl. It's just a shame she's stuck in here"
"She won't be for long though, right? I mean, even she said at her meeting today that she was fine. She looks it anyway"
They reached Meliodas' room and Merlin sighed.
"Meliodas, I think you know more than anybody that people look fine even if they're terribly ill" Merlin said and walked away, going to check on the other patients.
Confused and annoyed, Meliodas fell into the same dream he had been having for years, of a red haired knight.
End of chapter five.
Not sure how this chapter went, im not sure how well I can write meetings and the such. Also, I'd like to point out, I maybe should have done this to begin with but just to clarify, that:
A. The hospital meetings I write are based on my experiences of meeting to discuss my jaw surgery. I haven't had many and jaw surgery is different from the illness Elizabeth is facing so my writing may not be 100% accurate. When I finish and edit this story, I'll make sure it's accurate. I'll do this for the later subjects that come up, such as Ban, King, Diane and Gowthers reasons for being in hospital.
and B. Meliodas and Elizabeths illnesses are completely made up, Elizabeths is actually based off of Kaoris (Your Lie in April) illness. Meliodas' will come up in later chapters.
So incase you had any doubts about them, there's the answer. If have any more questions feel free to ask. I don't bite! Thank you all for reviewing, following and favouriting. You guys are the best.
Although...I think you and I both know that's not quite true.
ah I love Stephen King. Okay! Bye bye!
-Ruby xxx
P.S. This story will be continued. I'll post the A.N at the front of the story too ;P
P.P.S. Thank you to the guest reviewer who got me inspired again, you know who you are, but just thanks to everyone!
