Lady In Red

[xGlowingAngelx]

Story Title: Lady In Red

Type of story: long fic

Main Characters: Sally, Brad, Flynn, Ric, Cassie and Pippa Jr

BTTB rating: T

Genre: General/Romance

Does story include spoilers: not currently. It may change over time....

Any warnings: Not currently.

Summary: Sally Fletcher thought she had it all. A husband who loved her and a beautiful family. Until a cruel twist of fate saw her face the one thing she least expected: A life without the man she loved. Now, as she slowly rebuilds her life. She learns the importance of family and friends, and what it's like to love again.....

A/N: This is set a couple of months after Flynn's death. The first few chapters focus on Sally, Flynn Ric and Cassie. Brad will come later. There is no Emily. Sally did not get stabbed. Also, the chapters will get longer as I go along. The link in my sig is for FF.net, where this is also posted. Please R&R

-

1

If someone had told me 12 months ago that my life would turn out the way it has done, I'd have probably laughed in their face and told them to get lost. Or, to be honest, I'd have probably broke down crying. It's hard to think that, just one year ago, I had the world at my feet. I had an amazing job. Teaching: My ultimate dream. I had three wonderful children who bought me nothing but happy memories and good times and, even more so, I had the most wonderful husband in the world. Flynn and I were a match made in heaven, even if I do say so myself. We completed each other. Sure, we fought occasionally and, at one time, we got to a point where we honestly thought there would be no return for our relationship. Flynn seemed to be spending all his spare time working, rather than at home with us; his family. When he was at home, however, he was always so tired. It seemed strange that soon, after yet more hectic hours at the hospital, he'd come home full of energy. Almost like he was a brand new person. I didn't think much of it at first and I just thought he was overjoyed to have time alone with us. The turning point came when we welcomed Ric into our home. He was a stranger from Summer bay who'd been lurking around and was later discovered to be Mr. Stewart's grandson. His first few weeks living with us were certainly a challenge. He was extremely private and, to make matters worse, he and Flynn never managed to see eye to eye. So many times I had to break up their arguments and it tore me apart. I'd come to love Ric as my son, so to have two of the most important people in my life at one anothers throats devestated me. I can't quite remember what happened, but soon they started getting along, almost like they were friends. I was overjoyed.

-

Not long after, we welcomed another new addition into out ever growing family: Cassie Turner. One of Colleens old friends, Joy. It was her granddaughter. She came to the bay to stay with her grandmother and was understandably devastated when Joy tragically passed away after having a stroke. Cassie went into shut down. Things got worse when it emerged she'd been abused as a child by her Uncle. It took so much courage for her to open up and finally tell the police what had happened. I was so proud of her when she eventually did. She moved in after Joy's funeral. Yet another picture was added to the matlepiece. For a few weeks, everything seemed so wonderful. Our family was finally complete. It was no surprise to either Flynn or I that, soon after, Ric and Cassie announced to us that they were in a relationship. I felt so thrilled for them and I was grateful that they told us straight away instead of sneaking around behind our backs. Although it took some getting used to, we soon got on with our lives. A perfect family. Just like I'd always wanted.

-

Unfortunetly the cracks appeared again a few weeks later when Flynn discovered he had cancer. A melanoma, which basically meant he had a tumour. Unfortunatly, he was told he only had three months to live. When he first told me, I felt my whole world crumble around me. I took my frustrations out on him and ran from the house in tears. It took a large amount of struggle, but we got through it as a family. Flynn made a list of things he wanted to do before he passed away, so we spent his last few months fulfilling his every wish. The only one we couldn't fulfill was a trip to Italy. I'd booked us tickets to go as a surprise. Unfortunetly, it was that same day Flynn broke the news to me.

-

We returned home not long after to discover it had been transformed into an Italian haven. Thanks to Ric and Cassie and their love and devotion to the man they'd come to love as their Father. It was such an amazing night. One I'll never forget. Another of his wishes was to go Go-Karting. That was succeeded a few weeks later. We blindfolded Flynn and led him to a race track. His face lit up when he saw what we'd planned. Pippa, Cassie, Ric and I watched from the sidelines. The happiness in his face was bliss. One I'll never forget.

-

A few weeks later, things got worse. We'd been out to Irene's house. It was a farewell party for Scott and Hayley who, after a bumpy few months, had a son and planned a new life together in Paris. It was a lovely night. The end was the worse. Scott and Haykey gethered to say their good bye's and thank you's to the people they'd known during their lives in Summer Bay. Very emotional speeches were given by Irene and Beth, who broke down half way through hers. It was at that moment tragedy struck. Flynn collapsed. Ric, Cassie and I rushed to his side immeadiatly, worried sick about him. My mind was in a daze, wondering if this was the end. The one thing I'd spent the last few weeks dreading. Luckily it wasn't, and Flynn pulled through it. However, it was just the start of what was to be a very rough few weeks. A downhill battle. Not long after Scott and Hayley left, Summer Bay was struck by what would soon be known as the worst cyclone the town has ever seen. Cassie, having fled the house not long before after hearing Flynn confide in me that he wanted to take his morphine to end the pain, was no where to be found. Ric, despite our pleas, went in search of her. He soon tracked her down at a caraven. I was so relieved, but my joy was short lived when it appeared that they were unable to escape because the caravan was dangerously close to electrocuting. I felt a fear inside me that made me want to be sick. The though that they were there with no escape. I wondered is this was fate's way of telling me that I didn't deserve family. First Flynn was being taken away from me, then I became so close to losing my kids aswell. Unable to stop myself, my burning desire to save my children took over ad I raced towards the caraven. Unfortunetly, I ended up being thrown to the ground by and unfortunate electric shock. I came round not long after. Ric and Cassie hadmanaged to escape, much to my relief.

-

We went back home, where I sat besides Flynn on the couch, trying to contemplate everything that was going on around me. I didn't just fear for my family, I feared for Summer Bay. My home since I was 8 years old. I couldn't bear the thought of enything happening to it. We'd occured so many tragedy's over the years, I was afraid of how much more it could take. That same night Flynn, thankfully, changed his mind about taking the morphine. He decided that he wanted to live what was left of his life with his family. Not dependant of everyone all the time, nor in so much pain. I felt so relieved.

-

Little did I know, it would be no less than a months later the end would come. I recieved a call from Mr Stewart, telling me he'd found Flynn lying unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. I immeadiatly feared the worst and, along with Leah, I rushed to the house to be by his side. I arrived in time to see Flynn on a hospital trolley. Much to my relief, he was awake. The pain, however, was no easier to endure. I sat at home and was surprised by a visit from Dr. Matthews. Flynn's ex colleague, and a dear friend. He was the one who'd broken the news to Flynn of the cancer. He was the same one who told me that my husband had only a few hours left to live. I refused to believe it, begging him to do something. Anything, to prolong his life just a little bit. It was no use. I was forced to face reality. In just a few hours time, I would lose him. My hisband. My lover. The father of my child. My best friend. No matter how much I tried to deny it. The truth was staring me right in the face. Flynn was dying, and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.

[~Amy~]

My first Brally fic!

I love how you tell it from Sally's view point.

Poor Flynn

Update soon

[xGlowingAngelx]

Oh yes what I also meant to say was: Yes, I know some of the details may be innacurate from what actually happened, but I couldn't rmemeber exactly what went on so I just did as best I could. And thanks for the review Amy

[xsianx]

I love this. Great stuff.

Poor Sally and I like how you have done it all from her pont of view and have got into detail of how she must have felt

[Eli]

First of all, a great start of a fanfic I definitely will continue to read! I haven't read any fics in a looong time, but now with the holidays coming up I finally have more time!

The happiness in his face was bliss. One I'll never forget.

I like this sentence, you make it so easy to understand how Sally feels about Flynn.

First Flynn was being taken away from me, then I became so close to losing my kids aswell. Unable to stop myself, my burning desire to save my children took over ad I raced towards the caraven.

Even though you are telling a story that's already told you make it interesting to read because it's from a way more personal point of view. The fact that we get Sally's point of view and her personal feelings told by her makes it more touching than it would have been if you told it from an outside point of view.

In just a few hours time, I would lose him. My hisband. My lover. The father of my child. My best friend. No matter how much I tried to deny it. The truth was staring me right in the face. Flynn was dying, and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.

Great end to a great chapter! You make it so clear that even though Sally thinks she has accepted what's going to happen it hits hard when she really realizes she's losing Flynn.

Again, it's a great piece of work, and I can't wait to read more!

[xGlowingAngelx]

wow, Thanks Eli!

[Sarah_Lewis]

Awesome fan fic !! i loved it =p, update soon

[amz89]

Great work I love this Fic!! I was nearly crying rememering what it use to be like!! Can't wait for the next post!!!

[xGlowingAngelx]

2

-

The next few weeks were much of a blur. I think, looking back, it was because I spent most of the time denying the truth. Flynn tried, and failed, numerpus times to get me to realise what was ahead, but I just pushed my way through it, pretending it wasn't happening to me. Sometimes, I didn't think it was. I thought it was a dream and I would wake up any second. Or that I was in somebody elses body, living their life. Sooner or later, I snap back to reality. It was my life. It was me. It was my husband disappearing right before my eyes. Sometimes, I wanted to scream. Others, I wanted to curl up in a ball, close my eyes and shake the whole world away.

-

I think Ric went into denial too. He got on with his life, but I could see how much he was hurting. Every so often, he'd argue that Flynn didn't deserve this, that none of us did. It broke my heart to see him like that, knowing that as much as I wanted to, I couldn't take away the pain he was enduing. The pain we were all enduring. It hit Cassie particularly hard. The poor girl had such a rough time growing up that all Flynn and I wanted to do was take her into our home and give her the love and stability she craved. Now, her perfect world was being turned upside down. All I had to do was glance at the photos of my children on the mantlepice and every little part of my heart would break. I cried myself to sleep many nights after the diagnosis. Sometimes, I cried silent tears whilst Flynn lay sleeping besides me, wondering if it would be the last time I would have him there. Other nights, he'd hold me whilst I sobbed salty tears onto his chest, soaking his t shirts.

Every day, I could see he was getting weaker. He'd stop being able to do the things he usually did as routine. Even eating his meals were becoming a chore. I can't deny it, I found it so hard sometimes to look after him and the kids, but I fought my way through it. For them. For him. I'd paint on a wide smile and act as if everything was OK. All the meanwhile my heart was aching for things to go back to the way they were, to the good days that I loved so much. Deep down, if I looked closely enough, I knew nothing would ever be the same again.

-

The love and support we got from our familt and friends was amazing. I could gaurantee that if I ever needed someone to chat too, at any time, there would be somebody there, willing to offer me a cup of coffee and a shoulder. Most of all was Mr Stewart. He became my rock over those few weeks, simply listening whilst I talked about anything I could. Sometimes simply to take my mind of what reality was throwing at me. He would embrace me when I sobbed, listen when I talked and wrap his arms around me when I needed to feel safe. To feel loved. Without him, I simply would not have coped with anything.

-

I knew saying goodbye to Flynn was going to be a challenge, one I wasn't sure I was able to face. I hadn't honestly prepared myself for the end, even though I knew it was creeping up with every passing second. I suppose reality finally sunk in during the last few hours he was with me. Burdened alone in the bedroom, waiting for the moment to come that he would leave behind all his family and friends.

-

Leah and Mr Stewart were with us the night it happened. We didn't want anybody else besides our closest friends. It wouldn't have been right, having someone in our home that hadn't known Flynn as more than a doctor, or a passing stranger. It was Flynns wish to say his final goodbyes to each of us seperatly. Ric was reluctant to see him, no matter how much we each tried to persuade him. He sat in the kitchen, eating cereal. Cassie went into see him and I could tell it was the hardest thing she ever had to do. Her eyes were misted by tears and her face was red. She still wore her school uniform, both of them did. Normally, I'd tell them to get changed after school. Tonight, the laundry was the least of my worries.

-

Mr Stewart went after Cassie. A challenge I knew he would find difficult to bear. Saying goodbye to a firned he'd had for many years. They spent a while in there, just chatting about old times and the years gone by, The years that we would never get back. Mr Stewart even managed to make Flynn laugh, something I was eternally grateful to him for. I know they'll always be good friends, even if they won't always be together.

-

Taking Pippa in to say goodnight to him was a heartbreaking challenge. I sat on the bed, with her resting on my knee. My throat was clamped and I had to blink back tears. We read her a story book. The last time Flynn would ever do it. He kissed her goodnight and told her that he would always love her. I carried her to bed, knowing that that would be the last time she would ever see her Daddy.

-

Much to my relief, Ric went into see Flynn after I put Pippa to bed. He spoek with Flynn about the year gone by and how much things had changed. Not just for them, but for all of us. They talked about how they fought when we first took Ric in. Luckily, they managed to laugh about it. Soon things became to much and Ric broke down as he said a final farewell to his Dad.

-

I was with Flynn when it happened. My head was resting on his chest as we chatted about old times. Our wedding day especially. It brought back such beautiful memories, ones of which I'll treasure forever. We played our wedding song and, as part of Flynns wish, we had one final dance to it. As we lay curled in each others arms afterwards, I realsied the end had come. Without saying a word, I leant up and kissed his lips for the last time, and simply lay with him, savouring our last moments together. The moments I'll cherish forever.

[xsianx]

Aww (That nearly made me cry) - especially the last paragraph.

Very well written xGlowingAngelx!

I really like how you have gone in to a lot of detail about what she is feeling at certain times but you didn't over explain. I feel like you given a depth (emotional one) to what we saw on screne. If that makes sense?

Update soon