Always There

[LauraPhilly!!]

Thanks for all your comments!!

This is the 3rd last chapter, by the way.

Thanks to all of you for your support, its been a pleasure writing this story for you guys!! =)

Enjoy!!

Chapter 31

"So, that's all my news really," Belle told Aden, as he lay in bed, watching her. "Rob and Lizzie had a great time in Paris by the sounds of it, and Ben and Carol thank you very much for their Wispas!!"

Aden smiled. "I'm glad they liked them. I don't spoil them enough really."

"Good thing I'm around to do that then, isn't it?" said Belle, laughing.

"Babe, I want to renew our wedding vows," said Aden, suddenly.

Belle's mouth dropped. "Are you serious?" she asked, startled. "I mean, are you sure your well enough."

Aden nodded. "Belle, I know I don't have much time left. I've accepted that. It would mean so much for me if you would do this. It would be the perfect -"

"Don't you dare say goodbye yet, Aden Jefferies," cried Belle, as tears flowed down her cheeks. "I'm not ready to lose you yet."

Aden smiled, taking her hands. "Sweetheart, you will never lose me," he promised.

She looked up at him, her vision clouded by her never-ending tears.

"I'll always be here," he said, placing his hand gently on her heart.

She placed hers over his. "Always."

*

"It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all today," said the Reverend, smiling at the people sitting in the seats.

Lizzie and Rob were there with Carol and Ben. Nicole and her husband Jack had flown over from their home in Ireland that morning to be there. With them was their eldest daughter, Katherine and her fiancée, Kevin.

"We are gathered here today to witness the renewal of vows between Aden and Belle," said the priest, smiling at them. "Both have been through life together, walked through the toughest of storms, braved the roughest oceans, and they are here today to celebrate and remember all that."

Belle kept her eyes on Aden's face. He had never really changed. Age hadn't done much to him, except maybe add a few crease lines and wrinkles. He was also not as toned as he used to be, something he disliked, highly.

He smiled back at her bravely. The stroke had taken its toll on him. He had privately asked his doctors whether it could happen again. They said it was probable. He had asked when. For that, they had no answer.

When it came to the "I do's", they answered the priest, not taking their eyes off each others faces. They wanted the moment to stay focused on them. Just them. Together. Like it should be.

Lizzie and Catherine were in tears when the mass was over, while Rob and Kevin tried to calm them down. Nicole however looked on at them proudly.

"Aden, Belle, that was absolutely beautiful," she said, her eyes sparkling as she tried to hold back the tears.

"Thanks for coming, Nic,” said Aden, as Lizzie and Rob helped him back into his wheelchair. “You really shouldn’t have.”

“Aden, stop it,” said Nicole, sharply but kindly.

“I was sorry to hear about your accident,” said Belle, noticing Nicole’s crutch. “How’s the leg?”

Nicole glanced down at it quickly. “That, oh that happened ages ago. I’m still keeping the crutch though, for my own comfort.”

Belle smiled at her, sympathetically.

“Anyway enough about me,” said Nicole, impatiently. “Let’s go out for lunch. It’s only right after that beautiful ceremony.”

Aden smiled, taking Belle’s hand as Lizzie pushed his wheelchair from behind.

*

Belle looked into Aden’s peaceful face. It was as if he was asleep. He was in a sense, asleep, but not the asleep we think of.

Belle looked down and took his hand, rubbing reassuring circles in his palm. She closed her eyes as the memory came flooding back.

*Flashback*

“I’ll have the Caesar salad please, and the sirloin of steak,” said Nicole, handing the waiter her menu.

“Aden, darling, what would you like,” asked Belle, reaching across and taking his hand.

Aden looked distracted as he fidgeted with the ring on his right hand. He appeared not to have heard her.

“Aden,” said Belle again, squeezing his hand.

Aden looked up this time, but instead of the warm, familiar look Belle usual saw, his eyes were glassy-looking, almost translucent.

He squeezed Belle’s hand tighter and tighter, restricting her blood.

“Aden, darling, stop it,” said Belle gently. “You’re hurting me.”

He didn’t stop; he continued to keep a tight grip on her hand. Then suddenly, he fell back into the seat, his eyes rolling back into his head, his cheeks going a deadly pale.

“Aden, Aden!” said Belle, rising up off her seat, rushing over to him.

She knew what was happening; she knew she couldn’t stop it. She knew it wouldn’t be far worse this time. She knew he might not pull through.

Lizzie was at her side in an instant, wrapping her arms around her reassuringly as Kevin called for an ambulance.

Catherine and Rob were on either side of Aden, their arms gripping onto his, trying to calm him down. He was having a fit; his body was shaking madly. They couldn’t stop it; they didn’t know how.

*Flashback over*

Lizzie knocked lightly on the door, then opened it a crack. Stepping slowly into the room, she observed that Belle hadn’t moved an inch since they had arrived with Aden.

She sat on the chair beside his bed, just staring into his face. She came to sit at the edge of her Dad’s bed, taking his other hand.

As she looked into her father’s eyes, tears came flowing from her eyes. She had known this would happen. The doctors had told her privately that the odds of it happening again were high. She also knew the chances of him pulling through this time weren’t in his favour.

As her sobs grew louder and louder, she leaned forward and hid her face in her father’s warm, still lap.

She inhaled deeply, taking in his scent as much as possible. That was one of the things she would miss most about her Dad. It sounds weird, but Lizzie always felt he smelt wonderful.

She would miss the warm hugs he would give her if she was upset or worried about something. She would miss the proud smile he would give her, like the one he had the day she told them she’d received a scholarship to the Australian National University.

She cried harder again as she thought of how much Ben and Carol would miss their grandfather. But nothing would compare she knew to how much Belle would miss Aden. Lizzie knew this but she hated to think of it.

Her mother had always said there was no world without her father in it. That life would only be more of a struggle once he was gone. Lizzie never really understood how strongly her parents felt about each other, till she met Rob. Then she understood completely.

Rob made her life complete, made her feel like a whole person. She loved him with all her being. She couldn’t even contemplate what it would be like if anything were to happen to him. It just couldn’t happen. She wouldn’t allow it.

And as she sat on the edge of her father’s bed, she wished that there were some way she could pull him out of this deep sleep. She wished she could rid her mother of the pain that was going through her. She wished she could remove the look of utter pain and terror that was as clear as black and white on her mother’s face.

From across the bed, Belle looked up at her daughter. Their eyes met for a moment, before Belle looked down and took her daughter’s shaking hand.

Lizzie smiled at her gratefully, squeezing her mother’s hand gently.

Mother and daughter smiled at each other a bit longer before turning their gazes back to their beloved husband and father, as he slept peacefully, his mind preparing itself for his one-way trip up to the stars.

Thanks for reading!!

x x x x

[LauraPhilly!!]

Thanks so much for all your comments!

Its great to hear that your still enjoying the story and that no one is finding it boring!!

Hope you enjoy the chapter!!

Chapter 32

Belle's point of view

A young man once said that love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening. That no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.

For all that Aden and I have been through, I believe are love is one of an unstoppable force. I love him with all my being. What makes him happy, makes me happy, what hurts him, hurts me. We go through everything together. Its never just one of us. We were always in everything together.

I am prepared for what tomorrow brings. I am prepared, I hope, to face the rest of my life without Aden by my side. I know that he will always be there, somehow, whether he be in the wind or with each new sun that rises every morning. I know he will be there somehow. He promised.

Although, I would like to believe I am ready, I still find it impossibly hard to even contemplate that in a few short days, maybe even hours, the one person who has helped me through everything in my life, will be soon gone...forever. It is rather odd really, rather unimaginable.

Aden...Aden has been my best friend, my most loyal companion, and the most faithful husband. He is everything I could have dreamed for and more. Everything I ever wanted.

Death is just a part of life and I accept that. I know that we will not be apart forever, though. I know that one day I will join him, and we will be united again. I look forward to that day.

Although, Aden isn't...dead...yet, the man I love isn't the man lying in that hospital bed. He isn't there anymore, he has left already. He has joined his brothers and his mother above, and he will wait there, wait for me to join him.

I slowly climb out from under the duvet, and land lightly on the carpet. I walk across the room and open the bottom drawer of my dressing table. From it, I take a large leather book. I walked back over to the bed, curling up onto it, placing the book in front of me.

Carefully, I lift the book up to my nose and breath in deeply. The smell of leather calms me. I open the book, carefully to not skip any pages.

The wedding of Aden Jefferies & Belle Taylor

20th July

I smile as I run my fingers down across the writing. How well I remember that day, that day I finally had Aden all to myself. I was able to call him my own. I was able to call him my husband.

I turn the page, smiling as I looked at the first picture. It was of me and Irene standing outside the beach house before we headed off to the church. I smile as I stare down at the smiling Irene. How I missed her. How I missed talking to her.

As I went through it, I continued to smile. The day came flooding back as I went through the book. Annie and Nicole had been my bridesmaids, both wearing red-wine coloured dresses. I had worn a simple white dress. Strapless, slimming in the upper half, then flared from below the waist.

The final picture had a lasting effect on me. It was of me and Aden, seconds after we had tied the knot. He looked so happy, I observed as I looked down at the photo, carefully to keep the tears from hitting the page.

Love and death meant very little to me until this point. Until I faced losing the one I loved the most. I know that love can go beyond all boundries. I know that you don't stop loving a person from the moment they die.

I know that death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us, while we live. When Aden...dies...I know that a massive part of me will die because a massive part of me is him.

I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. That some people don't live forever, like we wished. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next.

A brief candle; both ends burning

An endless mile; a bus wheel turning

A friend to share the lonesome times

A handshake and a sip of wine

So say it loud and let it ring

We are all a part of everything

The future, present and the past

Fly on proud bird

You're free at last.

- Charlie Daniels

Thanks for reading!

x x x x

[LauraPhilly!!]

Well this is it, the last chapter!!

I wana give a big shout out to LAURZY! and Taniya_K who have stuck with me from the beginning and have given me amazing support and inspiration. A big thank you to everyone else to who has read and/or commented on my fan fiction!!

Chapter 33

Belle's point of view

A thousand words were going through my head; "persisted vegitated state", "coma", "not likely to wake up". I tried to distinguish which word was the least horrible, but they were like that all in their own way.

I took his hand as a tear rolled down my cheek. His hand was warm, still. I could feel his pulse beating weakly underneath his skin. I sobbed quickly as I realised it would not beat for much longer.

Lizzie, Rob and the others were all in the room with me; silent and still. The machines were still there. I heard Lizzie say that the doctors were coming to take them out. I tried to block out all this, tried to pretend it was just me and Aden alone in the room. This was easier than I imagined.

I imagined him opening his eyes and smiling at me. In my mind I saw his push himself up against the pillow, asking when he could leave, insisting that he was fine.

I saw him complaining he was hungry. I saw his asking the nurses what was for dinner, then groaning in disgust when they told him. Aden had always hated hospital food.

I saw him scratching his arm where the IV was inserted, complaining that it was still in. I smiled as I saw him reach out to me. It was only when I realised that no one was clutching my arm, that I realised I was imagining this.

I opened my eyes again to see my husband, my reason for being, lying as still as before in the bed. I watched as the doctors came in. I turned back to look at Aden. This was it. My last few moments with him, my soulmate, had arrived.

The doctor came to the other side of the bed and looked at me. I listened vaguely as he explained to me what he was doing, and what the outcome would be. I already knew what he was talking about.

He would switch off the machines and Aden would only be living off his heart. Once his body recognised his brain was dead, it too would begin to shut down. This only ever took a couple of minutes.

I looked away as the doctor put his hand around to the back of the machine. I looked at Aden's face. This image I knew would stay in my mind forever, until I would join him. The image of him lying still on the bed. That image I would never forget.

I heard the flick of a switch and the beating of the machine decrease slowly. I never looked away from Aden's face. Finally the beeping stop and all that we heard what the monitor recording Aden's heartbeat.

It was irregular as before, and it was not expected to change. The doctor left quietly, wheeling the life support machine after him. Lizzie came around to sit on the seat opposite me. She took her father's hand and pressed her lips to his pain.

I watched as she began to sob quietly. Rob came to stand beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She turned in towards him and hit her face in his chest as tears began flowing rapidly from her eyes.

I turned back to Aden and leaned forward. Now was the time.

"Aden darling," I said, quietly. The doctors had told me there was some chance that he could hear me. It was a small chance but I was going to take it. "I don't know if you can hear me but I'm going to say this anyway. You are, and have always been, the best thing that ever happened to me. Without you, we would never have had Elsie or Edward, or even Lizzie. You are the most amazing husband and I love you with all of my heart, and if I could trade places with you right now I would do it! Just saying "I love you" doesn't do my feelings any justice because I love you way more than words alone can describe. I will miss you so, so much and I look forward to joining you when it is my time."

Everybody watched me as I sat back into the chair. I wiped away the few tears that were now hanging from my eyes.

"Dad," said Lizzie. She looked at me nervously, and I smiled in encouragment.

She nodded. "Although Mum pretty much summed up everything I feel for you already, I just want to add a bit myself. If it wasn't for you and Mum, I wouldn't even be here. I wouldn't have met Rob, I wouldn't have my two beautiful children and I wouldn't have had the most brilliant parents in the world. The two of you are just amazing and I love you both so much."

She stopped for a moment to calm herself down.

"You always understood me Dad, from the first memory I had of you, you always understood me the most. I knew I could talk to you about absolutely anything, whether it was boys, sex or just some random problem. I knew I could go to you about anything. You gave me that confidence. Its thanks to you and Mum that I have turned out the way I am today and I will be eternally grateful for that. I love you so much, Dad and I will miss you forever and ever."

I smiled at Lizzie, understandingly, as she sat back, taking Rob's hand. He bent down and kissed her forehead lightly. I was extremely grateful he was here; Lizzie would need him when Aden...when Aden was not here anymore. She would need Rob's support.

We all sat there awhile longer, listening as Aden's heartbeat grew slower and slower. When it got dangerously slow, Rob went and called the doctor. He came in and sighed as he listened to the machine.

"Only a few minutes left," I heard him say, however his voice sounded like he was far away in the distance.

Only a few minutes left, oh my God. I held Aden's hand tighter in my own. I closed my eyes, waiting for the heartbeat to stop. For the last time, I felt Aden's pulse beat against his skin. Then the machine stopped and he was gone...

*

I slipped out of my shoes carefully, and walked straight out into the brilliant sun. The sand blew across the beach, the waves crashed and rolled in the ocean. I smiled, feeling the heat against my face.

I held the urn containing Aden's ashes tightly in my hands. I could hear my friends and family walking slowly behind me. They stopped before the water hit there hit but I continued on, walking in the warm sea water.

I looked up into the sun and smiled. "You said you would always be there. I know now this is true, you are with me where ever I go. Thank you, and goodbye."

I took the lid off the urn carefully and tipped it upside down, sprinkling the ashes into the ocean. I watched as the ocean carried them away, taking my heart with them.

My heart was where it belonged, with my one and only love, and for this reason alone I could not be sad. Only happy. Happier than I've ever been. Happier than I ever will be.

Thanks so much for reading!!

I really hoped you enjoyed the story!!

Lots of love,

Laura xXx

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