The next couple days passed quickly, and Charlie even stayed in her old room that she shared with her sister again. She had started to go in it before she left for College, but after being away from home for so long, Charlie thought it was time. She stayed there the entire break, and the boys even woke her up on Christmas morning in host room, carrying her downstairs by her arms and legs like they usually did, a tradition of sorts. It was also something she didn't get to do the two years before as she was sleeping on the couch, and last year, she had taken to using her parents room since they were gone so often.
They plopped her on the couch and handed her a hot cocoa and coffee mix, a drink she started up on in her senior year, and then passed around the stockings. Her parents come from their room when they heard all the ruckus, and smiled when they saw their children all gathered around the living room, laughing and talking, just enjoying the holiday.
The chef made breakfast for everyone and soon they were all fed, and that's when Cameron and his family arrived. Just like last year, the Hunt's were going to conjoin their Christmas'.
Games were played, presents were opened, and soccer matches were held in the snow. Charlie joined in on a couple of them, seeing as her boyfriend taught her how to play, and she played against her brothers side. With Cameron here, there was always going to be a match, considering Carson as playing for his rivals college for first place this year it was extra competitive. It was a friendly match, but competitive non the less, and everyone enjoyed it.
After dinner and everyone was inside, hanging around the living room, and Charlie was drinking hot cocoa by the fire with Cameron's arms around her. Charlie wished her sister were here to share in the time with her, but at the same time, she couldn't have been happier with where she was now, who she was, and who she was with.
Cameron suddenly pulled Charlie to her feet with a smile, then got down on one knee, and this time, pulled out a real engagement ring, and proposed right there in front of all her family.
"Charlotte Baker, I may have only given you that promise ring ten months ago, but I just want to hold the girl I'm in love with in my arms and be able to call her my wife. Yes, we are young, but I know for sure that you are the one." He smiled up at her, his eyes sparkling and full of love. "Will you marry me?" He asked, his voice a tad quieter. Emotions were building up and her chest, tears were pooling in her eyes and smile that could outmatch the cheshire cat's stretched across her face till her cheeks hurt.
"Yes!" Charlotte cried out, practically jumping in glee. She was wrong before, now, she couldn't be more happy.
"Yes?" He asked, smiling widely. Charlie pulled him up to his feet and threw her arms arrow him, then kissed him smack on the lips, he returned the kiss, slipping the ring on her finger in the process, and then grabbed her around her waist and pulled her tighter to him.
The whole room was clapping and cheering, excited for them and happy to be adding new members to each other's family. Their mom's were in tears and the brother gave their usual death threats if anything ever happened to her because of him.
Charlie's life could not have been turning out more perfect. And that's when her health started to decline rapidly.
~
For two years she avoided most of it, for two years Charlie was able to keep her health up with frequent blood tests to keep an eye on everything and her eating habits still perfectly tailored to give her the best health imaginable in her condition. Now, Charlie's health was at it's tipping point, and it couldn't have been worse timing. She was only engaged to Cameron for three months before the pains returned, before the horrible symptoms started showing, before her appetite dropped. luckily there were no fainting spells.
Charlie's parents hired a round the clock nurse and chef to help her keep on track since she was busy most days, since Charlie refused to receive treatment. But of course, Charlie refused for the nurse to do stuff for her when she was perfectly capable herself to do it. But it did help Charlie finish her second semester at school when she was have awful days.
Charlie and Camron married right after their first year of schooling was done, as well as soccer season. It was a summer wedding, on the beach. Charlie was barefoot in the sand, a white flow dress on, flowers in her hair. Cameron was in a casual tux, stars in his eyes as he watched her walk down the isle. The whole family was in tears, especially the mothers. Rings were exchanged, vows were taken, and then Cameron kissed his bride, It couldn't have been a more perfect wedding.
During their first dance, Charlie and Cameron were swaying slowly to the music, her head resting on his chest. He loved the feeling of her in his arms, loved calling her his wife. He loved the angelic look as she grew tired against his chest as they swayed, and he loved how even through all this, she was still herself. Even feeling bad during half the semester, almost bed ridden, she was still silently smiling.
Cameron's hand traveled down to Charlie's waist and he held her closer, bending his head an kissing her cheek. Her eyes fluttered closed and Cameron smiled softly before widening his eyes as Charlie went limp in his arms.
"Charlie!" He called to her, looking over her worriedly as he held up her weight. "Charlie, please... No..." tears started to pool in his eyes. She fainted.
"Charlie!"
"What happened?"
"Charlotte!"
Panic had settled over the crowd of the room. People started to gather around, 9-1-1 was already being dialed, Cameron was a mess, her brothers were freaking out as well. Everyone knew this was coming, but they didn't expect anything to happen to her today, not on her wedding day.
"Charlie, please... Don't leave yet. Don't be gone just yet." Cameron whispered brokenly, looking down at his angel in his arms, his wife, his love. Tears finally spilled over and he held her closer. "Charlie..."
Charlie was able to go home after a day, having fought the doctors in florida about receiving treatments. They told her nurse about what needs to be done during different situations, what care they said she should now receive.
Cameron sat on the edge of the bed, holding Charlie close as they doctors told them very specific directions. The whole time they listened, but Cameron couldn't keep his eyes off his wife. From the ways the doctors were talking, he didn't know how much longer he had to hold her. It could be this month, it could be next, it could be a year from now that she would give out. Cameron knew though that he would hold her for as long as he could, for whatever time was allotted to him.
~
School started again and Charlie was back in school with everyone else. She had a specials doctors pass this time incase she ever needed to miss class for health reasons. On those days that she did, it was only because she couldn't walk from the pain. Cameron or Sarah, her nurse, would fetch her schoolwork and Charlie would stubbornly do it when she was sitting in her bed instead of resting.
During holidays, Charlie and Cameron would still travel back and spend their time with each of their family's. And when they could, their family's would come up to the school and see them. They all knew they needed the support right now, both Charlie and Cameron.
When the next spring semester rolled around and soccer season started, Cameron was starting to spend less time with Charlie but made sure to always be there if she needed him, always right by her side when it counted. She made sure he was always at practice though, saying "This is your dream, whether or not i'm here to see you accomplish it". He would fight her on it, saying she would be here, but of course Charlie had to talk about the inevitable.
"Cameron, face the facts. I'll... die someday... You need to keep going, live your life, live your dream." She spoke softly, cradling his face in her hands as tears spilled over his cheeks. He held her hands there, leaning into the comfort they gave.
"I want you there, Charlie. It's not my dream if you're not there spending it with me." he told her, biting his lip. "I don't want to have this dream anymore if it means I can keep you." He trailed his hand down her arm and around her waist, pulling her closer and held her tiny frame in his embrace ."You promised you would fight." He reminded her.
"I'll always fight." She smiled, tears of her own landing in his shirt. "I don't know what I would have done if you never came into my life Cameron." her voice came out a whisper.
"I can say the same about you." He smiled weakly, leaning his forehead against hers.
"But you saved me Cameron. You made me open my eyes, open my heart..." Her words made Cameron look up at her. "You saved me."
"What a good job I've done, right?" He chuckled half heartedly, referencing to her condition.
"You saved me from myself, from my thoughts, from hiding who I am, from hiding what I feel. You saved me in more ways than you know." She said again, ignoring his words. He was about to say something again but she beat him to the punch. "My condition has nothing to do with you, you saved me from what counts. To me, that makes you my Hero, Cameron."
"I didn't save you though," He whispered, hanging his head. "You saved yourself Charlie, all I did was-"
"Give me someone to love, someone to care about, someone to make me realize I didn't want to shut the world out." She interrupted again. "Don't you dare say you didn't do anything. You did everything." She smiled through the tears streaming down her face. "Now please, I'll fight, just like I promised. But promise me something now in return.... Don't give up your dream. Don't stop living for me, don't ever give up on what you love."
"Okay," He nodded his head, pulling her lips down to meet his.
"No, promise me Cameron." She shook her head, pulling back to look in his eyes.
"I promise." He said fiercely, meaning the words he spoke. Charlie's tears were happy then and she happily met his lips with hers. Cameron promised, an now he would stay true to his promise. He wouldn't give up on anything he loved, not his dream, and not on Charlie.
~
Charlie was bed ridden during most of the school year, but she was not only able to complete her classes, but attend every soccer game, even the ones that were away. Even if it meant she was in a wheelchair cheering him on. Her smile never dimmed, she kept her full perky self alive, if not for her, then for Cameron. He was the one who brought it back out of her in the first place, she wouldn't let him see it slip away again.
Charlie was there for him every moment she could be, just as he was by her side every moment he could be. They were each others strength, as well as their sanity during the drama of school and life. Cameron was there when Charlie was getting worse. Through the tears, through the pain, through the times when they were sure Charlie was at last breath. She wouldn't let them call her an ambulance or take her to the doctor this time round.
Even if she fainted, her nurse knew what to do. Charlie was at the point where she was weak, where she hardly moved from the bed.
Cameron was coming home one night, holding flowers in his hand that he was bringing Charlie to brighten her room. She was complaining about it being a little boring, so Cameron wanted to give her something to liven it up. Add some life to it.
He had a smile on his face as he thought of the pleasantly surprised look she would give him, the gentle kiss o this cheek, being able to hold her in his arms all night as they slept. He was always looking foreword to every time he get's to hold her.
When he opened the door, Sarah, Charlie's nurse entered the hallway and looked up at him with a distraught face and Cameron's heart fell.
"What's wrong?" He tried to ask calmly, not wanting to assume the worst.
"She's... you better get in there. Her time is almost up." She spoke softly.
Cameron's stomach dropped to his feet, his hear shattered and his breath caught in his throat. The flowers fell from his hands. He turned to look towards their room, then bolted to the door, everything feeling like it was moving in slow motion.
He topped in the door way, both hands catching him to keep him upright, he looked over at his wife, her face in pain as she laid there on the bed, her eyes closed and face as white as a ghosts. Carefully, he walked over towards the bed and gently touched her arm. Charlie tired and looked over at him, smiling up at him through the pain, sweat sheen on her forehead.
"Hey," Her voice came out soft. "You're home." She relaxed her head back on the bed.
"I'm home... I'm here, I'm not going anywhere." He said, promising her, grabbing her hand in his and sitting in a chair next to the bed.
"Cam..."
"No... No, please." He shook his head, tears starting to pool in his eyes.
"Cam... It's time." She whispered, her voice frail.
"Please Charlie, not yet. I'm not ready." He begged, his hands shaking, holding onto hers more tightly, reaching up and cradling her cheek with the other. A tear slipped form the corner of her eye as she smiled softly.
"You have to be."
"No, not yet... Not like this." He pleaded. "Just a little more time. I didn't even get to take you sky diving." He laughed weakly, biting his lip. "Give me a little more time, I can't lose you just yet. I can't..." He shook his head, his hand running over her hair, caressing her cheek. He bent down and put his forehead on hers.
"You can... You promised." She said, cradling his head with her weak grip, running her skinny fingers through his hair.
"You promised too, You said you would fight. You said you would fight Charlie." He cried, tears finally spilling over. "You said you would fight..."
"I did fight Cam... I fought for the last two years. I don't have the strength to fight anymore." She cried softly. "Not anymore. Not like this." Cameron's body shook, his breath coming out in vibrations. she petted his hair and gripped him as tight as she could. "I'm tired, Cam." She whispered.
"Then..." he whispered, turning his head to look up at her, resting his chin on the mattress. "You should rest." It came out choked. His eyes red and cheeks blotchy, but a smiled plastered on his face anyway. "I'll be right here, till the end." He promised.
"I love you." She told him, a tear slipping down her cheek as she rated her head back on the pillow. "Always remember that, my hero."
"I won't ever forget." He breathed out. "I love you too... Even after death." he spoke, kissing her lips for the last time.
He sat back down, tears streaming down his cheeks, watching the love of his life close her eyes. He watched the rise and fall of her chest for what seemed like hours, but was only minutes. Each one he took with her, syncing their breaths. Charlie's hand tightened on her husbands for a brief second as more pain shot through her, and then it was suddenly gone.
A peaceful look fell over Charlie's features and she breathed out her last breath.
Cameron felt pain in his chest, felt the agony of loss. He turned his face down into the bed and cried, wetting the sheets with his tears. His whole body was shaking as he begged her her to come back. But she wouldn't not now... Not ever.
Charlie was finally resting, was finally at peace. Away from the pain and agony she's been going through. Reunited with her sister...
Cameron pounded on the bed and turned around, kicking the side table, flipping it over as he shouted in grief. He walked over to the dresser with heavy breaths and swept his arms across it, knocking everything off. And when he heard glass break, he looked down at the picture of Him and Charlie other wedding day, and fell to his knees.
He picked up the frame with a choked sob and cradled it in his lap, hanging his head and letting out the rest of his tears.
Charlie was gone.
He tilted his head back and looked up at the ceiling, recalling their last words. He had to make good on his promise. He'd have to live his life, live his dream, even though his new dream was not going to be by his side. He promised. He would keep that promise, for Charlie.
He would be her Hero one more time... Just for her.
___________________________________________________________________
Don't hate me! Please! It was always planned to end this way! I'm sorry I sent you through that emotional rollercoaster! Did I at least get the emotions of the scene right?
Please comment your grief! Let me know your thoughts! Vote!
#NaNoWriMo2015
-KenZ_Dizzy95