“Hello, sweetheart.”
Jules gave him a radiant smile.
“Want a blanket? Pillow? Snack? I’ve got dried pineapples, yogurt, chocolate-”
“Shawn.” Her voice was beautiful, for all that it was nearly non-existent.
“Jules.”
“Sit with me?”
“Your wish is my command, m’lady.” He bowed over her hand and bestowed a kiss to her knuckles. It was silly, ridiculous, and over the top, but he didn’t care. Not when it made her giggle.
He helped her sit up and slid into place behind her. Wrapping her in his arms, he wished-not for the first, tenth, millionth time-that his embrace was enough to keep her safe and healthy, but it wasn’t. Nothing would be.
The diagnosis hit them hard. Cancer. Terminal. Only a few months to live.
Juliet took the news with the same grit and determination she had when handling a difficult case. Refusing to accept there were no options for treatment, she got a second, third, fourth opinion. Each doctor said the same thing. Gracious in defeat, she embraced the remainder of her life with an enthusiasm that made Shawn breathlessly proud.
Shawn met her joie de vivre with his own, waiting until he was with his dad, Gus, or Lassiter to scream and cry and curse the fate Juliet was sentenced with-they were sentenced with.
He brought her presents every day: stuffed animals, jewelry-both elegantly fancy and garishly cheap to make her smile, and food to tempt her finicky appetite. She left him love notes everywhere-in the fridge, under his pillow, a post-it on his phone.
At the last doctor's appointment, they wanted to admit her to the hospital for her final days. But when his beloved looked at him, cocked an eyebrow, and ordered, “Take me home,” he obeyed.
“Can’t believe you…moved this chaise outside,” she murmured.
“You wanted to see the sunset. I wanted you comfortable.”
Silence fell as they watched the colors shift from bright pink and orange to soft blues and purples.
“Going to…miss you when I…leave,” she whispered. It was getting harder for her to breathe-too hard.
Shawn blinked back tears. “Don’t be silly.” He shifted one hand to press against her heart. “We’ll always be together.”
Cold fingers curled around his hand. She drew it to her mouth and pressed a long kiss to his palm. “I love you,” she whispered.
“And I love you.”
She was gone before the moon rose.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Prompt: "Take me home."
Chapter warnings: cancer and character death
Chapter warnings: cancer and character death
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