One Heart

Brian’s POV

“After two years, it all comes down to today,” Nathalie murmured, her gaze faltering as she bit her lip. “What if it hasn’t worked? What if it was all for nothing?”

“Hey, don’t think like that,” I said soothingly. “How can you say it hasn’t already worked?” I drew her into my chest and gave her a gentle squeeze. “I’ve been blessed with you for these past two years. I’m just thankful for that.”

“We’re ready to go now!”

A few feet away from where we stood was Rae, the infamous bunny shaped backpack that she took for overnight stays settled between her shoulder blades. To her side stood Sammy, supported by his hand clasped firmly in his older sister’s.

At this sight Nathalie stepped back from my arms and over to our two children, a smile shined down upon them both as she picked Sammy up. To be fair to them both I allowed Rae to clamber up onto my shoulders before we walked out the door as a family, all of us with the hope that it would carry on for years to come.

--

“Are you sure Leana doesn’t mind looking after the kids today?”

Since Jimmy was the first to know about Nat’s condition she was adamant that he came with us to find out the results, even after he tried to step back and say it was really for me and her to know only, because we were married. Of course she was having none of that, dragging him along anyway.

He chuckled. “She’ll be alright, she needs the practice anyway. Plus she’s got the girls round for backup if she gets kidnapped.”

“You’re making it sound like Rae and Sammy are monsters,” Nat replied, shooting him a weary look. “It’s not like they are those horrible children you see on those nanny shows.”

“I never said that, you did,” Jimmy retorted, rising his hands in the air. “Plus if I recall correctly, you were always calling Rae ‘a little monster’ when she was younger now weren’t you?”

“Maybe…” Nat trailed off, ending in a soft laugh. “Well, you got me there.”

This light-hearted conversation continued until I finally pulled into the hospital, where it then stopped as soon as the front two wheels hit the parking lot. Nat clambered out of the car in silence; her gaze fixated upon the ground as she moved her seat forward to let Jimmy out of the back.

“It’ll be alright Nat,” I murmured to her as I took hold of her hand. “It’ll be alright.”

“Brian’s right; you’ve got nothing to worry about,” Jimmy agreed.

“I hope so,” she whispered in reply. Her free hand rose to clutch at the scarlet heart pendant at her neck. This was the first time she had worn it apart from her annual visit to her parents’ graves.

“Don’t hope,” I said, tilting her head so that our gazes met. “Know so.”

--

“It’s a big day for you, isn’t it Nat?”

“You know it Michael,” she replied warmly, gratefully accepting his welcoming embrace. Even though they were pretty much your standard patient-doctor relationship, Michael had been with her every step of the way through her two year treatment and in her eyes, was as close as you could get to family without actually being it. “I just hope it’s the good kind.”

“Well I’ve just sent one of my interns to pick up your results now, so it will just be a couple of minutes.”

Nat chuckled. “Breaking in a new set?”

He grinned. “How did you know?”

“Just that whenever you get news ones you break them in by making them do everything for you. What’s next, making them bring you coffee?”

“Dr. Guardian?” All our heads turned to see a trembling female in the doorway, wearing the traditional scrubs most of the junior staff wore. The object in her hand’s caused Nat to turn to her doctor with a raised eyebrow while he simply tried to brush over the situation. “I’ve got your coffee here.”

“Ah, thank you Gemma,” he replied, quickly getting up and taking the drink before ushering her out again. “I’m busy now so why don’t you see if Zach has gotten Mrs. Haner’s results yet? Thanks.” He laughed weakly as he noticed Nat’s expression and rose the cup. “Do you want one?”

“I’ll pass.” She shook her head at him. “You know I still find it ironic about your name. The whole ‘Guardian’ thing with your name and job… it’s like you’re a modern day angel.”

“I think my mom just had fun naming me if I’m honest,” he replied with a sigh, this aspect of him probably noted many times before. “It did help me get me my internship though… and my current placement here in the hospital. I guess I’ve actually got a lot to thank for.”

“Names are certainly helpful,” she agreed. “You don’t know how many times I’ve said mine only to get what I was buying for free because of him.” She thumbed to me.

I blinked at her in surprise. “What has my name got to do with anything?”

“Come on, Synyster Gates,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “I only have to say I’m married to you and the girl behind the music counter goes on misty-eyed and starts saying how much they love you.”

“Well,” I began, grinning, “I am irresistible.”

“Although I’ve had more people ask if I could bring one of the other guys with me next time to meet them…” She continued. “Jimmy popped up a lot.”

To my side, the drummer’s smile grew as mine faltered. “That’s because I’m the irresistible one.”

“Like fuck you are with your beer stomach coming along,” I replied offhandedly, poking him unceremoniously in the chest. “I’m surprised even Leana finds you attractive.”

“Says you with that bird’s nest you call hair- oh wait, that’s your style,” he mocked. “Then there’s your stupid-”

“Are they always like this?” Michael whispered to Nat.

As we both suddenly came to a stop for her answer she left us no sympathy. “All the time.”

“Hey!”

“Erm… Dr. Guardian?” Before the debate could begin we all stopped for a second time to look back at Gemma again in the doorway, this time accompanied by a male who seemed to share her fear of us. “We’ve got the results here…”

Almost instantly I saw Nat’s cheery demeanour drop as she gulped, knowing that all the work everyone had put in for the last two years was summed up in those papers. She grabbed my hand as Michael took the results and looked worriedly at me. I mouthed ‘It’ll be alright’ as he sat back down, but I couldn’t help the anxiety I felt as well.

We sat in silence as he looked over them until Nat couldn’t take it anymore; bursting out with, “Well what is it?!” He sighed as he placed the papers on his lap and folded his hands on top of them. I could practically feel Nat’s heart racing through her touch on my arm. “Did it… did it not work?”

“I’m afraid there is no need for us to see each other anymore Nathalie… there is nothing more for me to do.”

Nat’s voice broke. “I knew it…”

Then Michael grinned. “You’ve got the all clear.”

“I…I what?” She looked up at him with disbelief; her despair quickly melting into confusion. “I’ve got what?”

He patted her on the knee. “You’re in remission Nat.”

At first she did nothing, just sitting there dumbfounded. Then she reacted.

“That’s fantastic!” She cried. She leapt from her chair to envelop him in her arms, happy tears decorating her cheeks. “Oh Michael, thank you!”

All of us shared her joy, all laughing at her antics after finding out the good news. Even the two interns in the doorway couldn’t help utter a few chuckles as both Michael and Nat ended up on the floor from where she had jumped too enthusiastically.

“I’m happy for you too Nat,” Michael managed to choke out as he pulled away from her grip, “But remember there is always the chance the leukaemia can come back, so we’ll have to schedule regular checkups just to make sure it doesn’t.”

“And if it does?”

“Then we’ll just have to beat it again, now won’t we?” Michael replied simply, picking both himself and Nat off the floor. “In a way, I’m kind of sad.”

“How come?”

“I won’t get my weekly dose of the Nattinator now.”

She chuckled. “You’re more than the man who saved my life Michael; you’re a friend to me. You’re welcome to come round anytime.”

“I might have to call you up on that,” he said. “Anyway, I bet you have loads of people to spread the good news to so I’ll let you go.”

“Bye Michael and thank you.”

“Bye Nat.”

--

Once we outside the hospital Jimmy turned to Nat. “So now you’re all good, what’s the first thing you want to do?”

She paused momentarily and looked between the two of us, before she broke out into a smile. “I think I’ve waited long enough for a good night out.”

I laughed. “Two years is a bit more than just a ‘wait’, Nat.”

“Well no need to worry about that now,” Jimmy remarked, already pulling out his cell, “because I’m going to throw you one hell of a party to make up for it.”