Status: Complete
Run Away With Me
Rosie
In the end, Frank's Mom and Dad decided they didn't want to be there when, well, when it happened. I was shocked when the Doctor told me that, but he assured me that 30% of the parents in this situation did the same.
I, however, couldn't bare to leave Frank lying there all alone. He looked paler than usual, and his breathing was fluttery. It was as if he was nervous too.
"Frank?" I whispered, gripping his good hand as the Doctor left us alone for a while. "Frank can you hear me?"
There was no answer, but I didn't give up.
"I don't know what to tell you, Frank. I've missed you. It's the worst feeling in the world, and I don't want it to follow me forever. So, for my completely selfish reasons, Frank, I would love it if you woke up."
His mouth seemed to twitch and I gave his hand a squeeze, encouraging him. I knew my Frank was in there, the funny, kind, sweet one who made mistakes but always wanted to fix them. The Frank who wouldn't let me suffer.
"Come on Frank, please, you have to do it. I know you can. Come on, do it. Do it if you're strong enough!"
The Doctor came back in and gave me a weak smile.
"We're waiting for one of the nurses to be done in the Emergency Room, so do you want to get yourself something to eat or drink?" He asked kindly.
"You won't do it when I'm gone?" I replied, a little timidly.
"No," he chuckled once, slow and sad. "We don't do that. Go get something Rosie."
I left the room, heading toward the vending machine. I hadn't realized the Doctor had known my name, but I supposed since I had been visiting every day for so long, it wouldn't exactly be hard to hear somebody say my name. It seemed strange, having a Doctor call you by your name, I decided as I got a cereal bar from the machine.
I ate it slowly as I got myself a small carton of fruit juice to go with it. I didn't feel hungry, but my stomach felt empty and the cereal bar and the juice did nothing to help. All they did was make me feel like I was going to throw up.
Trying not to heave, I made my slow way back to Frank's room, where the Doctor and Nurse were conversing in low tones with grave faces. I closed my ears, not wanting to know what they were discussing. I simply sat back down next to Frank's bed and picked up his hand again, giving it another squeeze to let him know I was here.
"It will be okay," I said softly, more to myself than Frank, but the Doctor heard also.
"That's right, think positive," he shot me a weak smile as he took his place at the other side of Frank's bed. "But Rosie, it's time."
It's time. It's. Time.
The two worst words in the history of words you don't want to hear.
"Okay," I said reluctantly, my eyes brimming with tears. I didn't have a choice any more, he wasn't my son or brother or boyfriend. I was simply a friend, barely. I gripped Frank's hand much tighter and rested my head on his chest as the Doctor did what he had to do.
Then everything stopped beeping and buzzing and humming. Everything in the room just stopped completely.
It had been done.
I, however, couldn't bare to leave Frank lying there all alone. He looked paler than usual, and his breathing was fluttery. It was as if he was nervous too.
"Frank?" I whispered, gripping his good hand as the Doctor left us alone for a while. "Frank can you hear me?"
There was no answer, but I didn't give up.
"I don't know what to tell you, Frank. I've missed you. It's the worst feeling in the world, and I don't want it to follow me forever. So, for my completely selfish reasons, Frank, I would love it if you woke up."
His mouth seemed to twitch and I gave his hand a squeeze, encouraging him. I knew my Frank was in there, the funny, kind, sweet one who made mistakes but always wanted to fix them. The Frank who wouldn't let me suffer.
"Come on Frank, please, you have to do it. I know you can. Come on, do it. Do it if you're strong enough!"
The Doctor came back in and gave me a weak smile.
"We're waiting for one of the nurses to be done in the Emergency Room, so do you want to get yourself something to eat or drink?" He asked kindly.
"You won't do it when I'm gone?" I replied, a little timidly.
"No," he chuckled once, slow and sad. "We don't do that. Go get something Rosie."
I left the room, heading toward the vending machine. I hadn't realized the Doctor had known my name, but I supposed since I had been visiting every day for so long, it wouldn't exactly be hard to hear somebody say my name. It seemed strange, having a Doctor call you by your name, I decided as I got a cereal bar from the machine.
I ate it slowly as I got myself a small carton of fruit juice to go with it. I didn't feel hungry, but my stomach felt empty and the cereal bar and the juice did nothing to help. All they did was make me feel like I was going to throw up.
Trying not to heave, I made my slow way back to Frank's room, where the Doctor and Nurse were conversing in low tones with grave faces. I closed my ears, not wanting to know what they were discussing. I simply sat back down next to Frank's bed and picked up his hand again, giving it another squeeze to let him know I was here.
"It will be okay," I said softly, more to myself than Frank, but the Doctor heard also.
"That's right, think positive," he shot me a weak smile as he took his place at the other side of Frank's bed. "But Rosie, it's time."
It's time. It's. Time.
The two worst words in the history of words you don't want to hear.
"Okay," I said reluctantly, my eyes brimming with tears. I didn't have a choice any more, he wasn't my son or brother or boyfriend. I was simply a friend, barely. I gripped Frank's hand much tighter and rested my head on his chest as the Doctor did what he had to do.
Then everything stopped beeping and buzzing and humming. Everything in the room just stopped completely.
It had been done.