Breathe (Cheryl Fanfic)

Chapter 22

Tears have stopped, there are nothing else more they could shed. Cheryl told her daughter all about her condition with the help of Simon and it drained Athena out. She feels like the world has given up on her and is now letting her go slowly. She wasn't suppose to be like this. She should be in the process of recovering from her foster parents.

"We'll fight this together. I will do everything for you to get better" Simon says firmly as he faced Cheryl and Athena whose hands are clasped tightly together. Though she's in doubt, Athena believes that she can beat her illness. Cause she doesn't want to die.

"You're chemo will start the day after tomorrow." Athena weakly smiles at Simon. She already looks at him as her father and in honesty, she's a bit jealous of Eric cause he has a father like Simon. She then turn to her mother and looked in her eyes.

"I'm gonna be okay"She whispers and it made Cheryl smile ate her. She's trying to act strong because her daughter needs her most but in the inside, She's dying. She wants to believe that this is another nightmare of hers but no, this is reality. And in the reality, her daughter is dying.

"I'm a soldier"Athena, with all her strength raised her arm giving her Mam a salute and let's out a soft giggle and this only made Cheryl emotional. Athena looks at the positive side but she knows it won't be too long cause even though in her mind and heart she want's to get better, she still can't remove the fact that there's a huge possibility that she might not make it. And that thought haunts her starting now.

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It's the day of Athena's chemo and The couple waits outside of those double doors as they wait for their daughter. And Cheryl has been feeling uneasy all throughout. She feels that there is something wrong, not quite sure what it is.

Suddenly a doctor walked out of the double doors making the couple shot out of their seat. The doctor removed her mask and looked at her face tells Cheryl a million words. And it's not good.

"Her body can't take chemotherapy anymore...Her immune system is too weak and her body is battered... I'm really sorry but-"

"No, she needs to get better. Do everything for her to get better, money isn't an option here" Cheryl cuts her off. She doesn't understand why they can't cure her. They're doctors, they're suppose to do anything just to save their patient.

"We're just risking her life even more Mrs. Cowell... All we need to do is be there for her until the end."

"NO! She needs to get better."

"Che-"

"Just do something, think of something that will make her better."Cheryl was out of control. She doesn't want to believe that her daughter is dying and will not get better. She was desperate.

"Mrs. Cowell we need to accept it-"

"No! Don't tell us that. I would never accept the fact that my daughter is dying" She hissed and the doctor was somehow taken aback by what she heard. She didn't knew Athena was her daughter.

"I'm really sorry.. Excuse me" She immediately excuse herself as she felt the tension rising up leaving Cheryl to break down in tears. Simon pulls her into him allowing her to cry in his chest as himself, is also getting emotional. 

Athena already captured Simon's heart the moment he saw her. And in that moment she was very special to her and to know what she have been through and witness this in front of him breaks his heart. Then this. It wasn't fair on the child, she's nothing but an angel. Their sweet angel but why does this has to happen to her.

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Athena opens her heavy eyes and felt extremely weak. She doesn't have the strength to move her body but she managed to squeeze the hand she was holding. With what she's feeling, she knew there is no chance for her to get better. Yes, it hurts her but there's nothing really she can do about it. She already cried about it last night. And she's slowly accepting the fact that she's won't last any longer. And all she just wants to do now is to spend her remaining time with her love ones specially her Mam.

Cheryl rose up from her seat as she felt the squeeze in her hand and looks at her daughter seeing as she blinks at her. Cheryl's tears then starts to fall and with that she broke down again as she sat back to her seat and dropped her head on the side of the bed crying her heart out. This action already tells Athena what she needs to know.

And the scene of her mother crying for her breaks her into pieces. She wants to reassure her that everything will be alright. That she would be okay. She just doesn't want someone crying for her, she hates that because it breaks her into pieces.

"I-I j-ust got y-you back" Cheryl sobs and with every sob that escapes her mouth sends daggers in Athena's heart. She wants to make it all better. Bring her life back to normal but she knows that's impossible.

"M-mam. I-It's okay" She whispers as she touched her mother's hand making the brunette look up to her. Cheryl shakes her head as her tears rapidly flows down on her cheeks. Athena is trying to stay on the positive side and manages a smile as she wipe her mother's tears.

"E-very thing w-will be okay."

"No baby. P-please don't say that. " Athena just let out a small smile as a tear fell down her eye. She's scared. Scare of what will happen or how long will she last, how will her mother cope with her situation and the thought of leaving her little brother behind terrifies her.But she's the one who's trying to be strong.

"I'm still here" She whispers making her mother look up to her and Athena returns it with a small smile. 

"W-When I get out of here, I want to live at yours. Spend my time with all of you. Take care of my little brother. Live a normal life. D-Don't cry for me Mam. It will be okay"

"You've got months left" Cheryl sniffs 

"I still have time." Cheryl stares at her daughter a new set of tears daring to come out. She was amazed on how positive her daughter is. How she can manage a smile when she knows that fact that she's gonna die in a number of months. 

"It will be fine" And she tries to make herself believe that. That everything will be fine.

It will be alright