Here's the long awaited Chapter 56-the FINAL chapter of Tara's Story!!
*****************************************************************************
*Conner’s POV*
The sounds of sobs all around me made me snap as I stood up and paced. Why did this happen? Why must she be the one out of all the others that died? Why must we be the couple torn apart? Why, why, why?
I let out an enraged roar and smashed my fist into the wall, creating a nice, big hole in the plaster. “Conner,” my mother whispered. Just one look at her and the girls; terrified faces made my anger dissipate.
My hand dropped from its crater and I looked at it incredulously before my shoulders sagged. All my energy washed away and I slumped back into the chair next to Tara and gazed upon her pale, yet beautiful, face.
“How can I do this?” I whimpered. “How can I ever live without you? I love you so, so much…” Breaking down once more, I sobbed over her still body. This was more than I could take.
*Tara’s POV*
Just as I was about to reach the blinding whiteness with my father, a whisper was carried to me on an invisible breeze. “I love you…” it said.
“Wait a second,” I held my father’s arm. The sound of nearby weeping had me turn to see a figure on his knees. His head hung down as he cried.
“Tara…” The voice seemed familiar to me. I took a hesitant step towards the person when suddenly a wave of memories swept my mind, causing me to gasp.
“Conner,” I breathed. He didn’t look up, but now I could pick out distinct features such as the color of his hair, the shape of his broad shoulders, and more.
I turned towards my father. “Dad, I have to leave you. I can’t leave him.” I glanced back at Conner. “I love him.”
“I know,” my father smiled. “It’s okay. I will see you some other time. I have no problem in patiently waiting.”
Giving my dad a tight hug, I buried my face into his shoulder, taking in the old familiar scent. “I’m going to miss you,” I admitted while fighting the urge to cry.
“That’s okay. You can live without me. He needs you much more than I do.” Dad pulled back and kissed my forehead. “Go on living. Tell your mother I love her.”
I bit my lip and nodded, engraving the image of his peaceful smile in my mind before dashing back to the sobbing figure of my true love. Just as I was about to touch him, a warmth spread throughout me as I was brought to another realm.
*Conner’s POV*
As I was crying, a warmth suddenly emanated from Tara and I sat up. “Am I imagining this?” I asked, looking around the room full of sullen faces.
“Great, now he’s hallucinating,” my mother croaked.
I squeezed Tara’s hand and felt its warmth. Her face had color once more, my heart was no longer aching, this must be real. “No, I don’t believe I’m hallucinating,” I replied. “Come here, I think she has a pulse.”
Carlisle, who had been quietly observing the situation from a corner in the room, came forth and held the wrist of her other hand. His face turned to one of shock. “He’s right, she does have a pulse.”
“Oh my baby!” Tara’s mom flung herself upon Tara’s bedside. “She’s not dead, she’s not!”
Beaming, I brought the girls to my side before kissing Tara’s hand and murmuring, “Come on baby, wake up. I know you’re there. Wake up now.”
It took a minute or two, but eventually her eyelids did flutter. I didn’t bother suppressing my grin. “Tara honey, I’m right here.”
Her eyes finally opened and blinked a few times before finding their way to my joyous and tear-streaked face. She gave a small smile and it took everything I had not to start crying tears of joy; as the girls were doing.
I pressed my lips to her hand once more. “It’s good to see you. I thought you had left me for forever….again. I love you beyond belief.”
Tara just continued with her small smile before her thumb wiped away a stray tear that had leaked out of my eye. In that moment it did not matter that our lives were truly screwed up forever (even though they were beforehand, just more so now), it did not matter that I would have to go through explaining Sara and our baby’s deaths, and it did not matter that we may not be able to have our own kids or even ever understand how Tara’s body worked. I still had her in my life and she was finally not going anywhere. There was nothing more on this earth that I could ever ask for.
Softly, she said, “I love you too, Conner.”
Those words made everything entirely better.
********************************************************************
So tell me what you think! There's still an epilouge to follow after this. It's been a long journey for all of us to get to this point. *wipes away tear*