Always & Forever

[KaitieL]

Story Title: Always & Forever

Type of story: One shot

Main Characters: Jack & Martha

BTTB rating: T

Genre: Drama/Romance

Does story include spoilers: yes

Any warnings: (V/D) Violence/Death (A) Adult Themes

Summary: Yes, another JM fanfic. It continues on from when they get back together. Everything is perfect, until one day their dreams are shattered. Will they ever get their happy ending?

I started writing this last night and just could stop. Hope you enjoy.

Warning: it may contain content unsuitable for younger readers.

As they laid in each others arms, the man leant down and placed a sweet, soft kiss on the woman’s’ forehead, while whispering, “I love you.” To anyone on the outside, they just looked like a normal couple in love, sharing a tender, romantic moment. However, for the couple, they knew very well that it could be their last...

His mind flashed back to a couple of months ago. They had been so happy, so in love and oblivious to the fact that it all was soon going to be ripped away from them. They were on top of the world. After years of trying to deny their true feelings for one another, they had finally stopped all the excuses and had finally admitted the way they felt: they were in love with each other. There was no going back, not now.

At first, no one understood their love and as the word spread, it felt like it was them against the world. Not that they cared, they had each other and that’s all that mattered. His father seemed to take it the hardest. He’d seen the pain and suffering his son went through after she left and he vowed then that he was never going to let it happen again. He understood his fathers’ concern, of course, but his father never truly knew just how deep his feelings for her were. Eventually they all came around when they realised that it was for real.

Knowing they didn’t want to waste anymore time, they decided to re-marry, with him proposing this time. As their last wedding had been crazy, they’d decided on a small ceremony on the beach with no fuss. Just the two of them with their family and close friends. The day went off without a hitch and was, to them, perfect. They had finally gotten their dream wedding without any drama.

After their wedding, things just kept getting better and better. He’d been promoted at work and now was working less erratic hours. They’d bought their own house and even had a puppy. Sure they wanted children, but not just yet they decided. They wanted to travel the world and be a bit more settled before they brought a child into the world. They’d never been happier. Now he wished he could do it differently. Maybe if they had, they wouldn’t be punished right now and things would be different.

It consumed her so quickly. At first nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It started with the vomiting and the tiredness. At first she thought she might be pregnant. Excited, but nervous at the prospect of becoming first time parents, they were soon disappointed that they were, in fact, not pregnant. Shrugging it off as nothing but a virus, she ignored the symptoms thinking it would pass. If only she knew then how wrong she really was.

He felt responsible, he should have known that something was wrong when he came home from work one day to find her dazed and confused. Snapping out of it, she convinced him that she was just tired and didn’t get enough sleep the night before. Why didn’t he do something then? He knew deep down that it wasn’t his fault, but in some strange way it made him feel better when he blamed himself. She didn’t deserve this. It should have been him instead.

Then one day, it all came crashing down. She was at work and her shift was due to end. While he was waiting for her, he couldn’t help but star at her beauty and thanked his lucky stars that they were together. Catching his eye, knowing exactly what he was thinking, as she was thinking the same, she smiled. He watched as she bent down to pick up the tea towel she’d dropped. As she got back up, her face was drained of all colour and her whole body went limp. Rushing over he cradled her in his arms, calling her name, attempting to bring her around. He’d never been so scared in his whole life than he was there, in that moment.

Eventually, after what seemed like forever to him, her eyes fluttered open. He could see the look of confusion on her face, wondering how she ended up in the hospital. He explained what had happened at Noah’s and that the doctor was running some tests to explain why she fainted. Maybe they were having a baby after all. Maybe the test she’d done was wrong. As they excitedly chatted at the idea of becoming parents, they failed to notice the doctor standing in the door, with a grim look on her face.

The doctor cleared her throat and made her way over. Nothing could prepare them for what they were about to hear. “I’m so sorry. You have Leukaemia.” All they could do was just sit there with shocked looks frozen on their faces. There was no way this was happening to them; he couldn’t believe it. He just wouldn’t. Silence was the only thing they shared between them for the next few days. They were clearly both in denial.

She accepted it before he did. There was nothing else they could do but to enjoy what little time they had left together. She was far too weak to leave the bed, so he brought the world to her. They spent their final days together in each others arms. No words were needed.

He could feel her fading. She looked up at him with her beautiful, blue eyes and with her last laboured breath, she whispered, “I love you Jack.” And with those final words, she slipped away. Forever. He held her in his arms, his body wracking with uncontrolled sobs. Soon, he too would feel no pain. He thought back to the night when they reunited. Even if he had known then what the future held for them, he would still go through it all again. To him, the pain was worth it. He looked down at the sleeping beauty. “Martha, I love you. Always have. It’s always been you. There’s never going to be anyone else for me but you,” he whispered through his tears, reciting those same words that he’d spoken that special night.

He soon felt his head go light. It was like he was floating on air. The tears were now gone as he knew that he too would join her soon. Feeling the full effects of the pills, he brought his face down to hers to give her one final kiss. His eyes then closed for the last time as he fell quickly into eternal sleep, happy knowing that Jack and Martha would be together, always. Always and forever.

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