One Day

[kitkat1992]

Story Title: One Day

Type Of Story: One Shot

Main Characters: Nicole, Belle/Aden

BTTB Rating: T

Genre: Grieving

Any Spoilers: No

Warnings: Mention of past storylines

Summary: Nicole dealing with Belle's illness/death

My first attempt at a story...hope you like it.

The day Belle told me she had cancer I was in shock. How could someone so young be so ill?

I walked in on her popping pills and just assumed that she had slipped back into her old ways. I jumped down her throat, accusing her, not giving her a chance to explain herself until afterwards. Never before then had I felt so guilty. My stomach lurched as she told me; the floor might as well have been ripped from beneath me.

Words just weren't enough to console either of us at that moment so we stood in silence for what seemed like hours. When I finally got my head straight, a thought just kept coming at me, a big sign with flashing lights round it. Aden didn't know. How could he know? If he had known there was no way he could have kept it together, not when his Belle was so sick.

My voice had abandoned me, but somehow I managed to ask just one thing of Belle, how long? Not that I really wanted to hear the answer. I knew just by looking at her that she didn't have much time. Still all I could think about was Aden. How would he cope with this? So much had happened in his life; his mother's death, his grandfather abusing him, his dad drinking and the court case. Now he would have to face the love of his life, the woman who had got him through everything, dying before she had even had a proper chance to live.

I left soon after, I needed to get some air, I needed a chance to think. Guilt overwhelmed me for being so selfish, for leaving Belle when she was most in need but at that time, I couldn't help her. All I could do was urge her to tell Aden, the man she was going to marry.

Avoiding Aden wasn't easy. Belle had asked me not to say anything to him, so I had no other choice. I knew that if I spoke to him it would all come spilling out. The sea was so calm that day that just sitting by it helped to process everything. But then out of nowhere I saw him. If I turned and walked away he would follow so I faced him, told him I couldn't be his ‘best man’. He wouldn't back down but I managed to get away without letting slip about Belle. Thankfully.

***

Seeing Belle lying on the floor motionless, I feared the worst. Her body was so frail; it was as though she had aged sixty years in a heartbeat. I helped her up and got her to the hospital.

Lying to all her family and friends, saying she was too tired to meet them for drinks was as much as I could take. My lips quivered and my voice cracked as tears stung at my eyes but I managed to convince them. All of them but Aden.

Belle's secret was out. Aden refused to believe what I told him. He wanted to see for himself. Underneath it all I could tell that he had crumbled. Suddenly his eyes no longer showed great joy, just immense fear. The journey to the hospital was silent. So silent it scared me. I thought that at any minute he would just flip. I was wrong. Even at the hospital the only sound was Belle's voice, pleading and apologetic.

He ran. I followed. I held him in my arms as he sobbed. I ignored Belle's frantic screaming through the door.

***

Morning came, the letter from dad lay on the table and I left. Aden needed time to think.

Irene's was bustling with activity, hair being done, make-up applied, clothes put on. Belle begged me to let her know if Aden would show up and I had to admit to her that I had no more idea than her. I hated seeing her so upset, but I couldn't give her false hope.

***

The wedding...well it was beautiful. Aden showed just as Belle was about to call the whole thing off. I cried till my eyes ran dry, unable to tell Geoff why I was so emotional. Inside I knew that Aden had made the right decision and I felt relief that he finally knew about Belle's illness.

***

Every night I think of Belle and Aden, their short lived happiness and how I have failed Belle. As she lay dying I promised that I would help Aden through the grief and yet instead I am sitting here in a hotel room with Liam still asleep behind me.

One day I will return to help Aden, but until then I can't face the bay.

One day I will go back.

One day.

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