A Love Like This

Last Breath

January 25th, Five months since diagnosis.
Day of death.
Scout: 11
Sage:8

"You need to wake her up." Beverly said to Maureen.

Maureen softly tapped Amelia's shoulder. Amelia sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily.

"They're coming real slow. We aren't far." Beverly said.

Marcus sat next to Amelia. Amelia held Link's hand in hers and watched his chest rise and fall.

"I love you." Amelia kissed his hand.

"Dr. Shepherd?" Link asked.

"Can I help you?" Amelia asked.

"I'm Link, new head of ortho." Link said.

"Dr. Lincoln, yeah I've seen you around." Amelia said.

"I would love to pick your brain about nerve graphs." Link said walking with her.

"Well I have a few minutes before surgery." Amelia said setting her tablet down.

"I have to reconstruct a drunk shop teachers hand. How about tonight over dinner, 8:00?" Link asked.

"Are you asking me out?" Amelia asked.

"I am." Link smiled.

"I don't even know you." Amelia pointed out.

"Well we can fix that." Link said.

"It's okay baby. You go ahead." Amelia said softly.

His face was pale, lifeless. His hands were cold you could see all the weight he had lost.

The last months Amelia found herself in true appreciation of simple things, one being just hearing his voice say I love you.

He had stopped truly talking when he slipped into psychosis. He talked but it wasn't true sentences or anything people could recognize.

Amelia sat here watching him breath so slowly. His chest rattled with every breath he took. It was a struggle for every breath he took.

Amelia knows she would give anything in her life to go back a few months and hear him tell her "I love you." one last time.

-

"What song is this?" Amelia asked the wind blowing her hair in the Jeep.

"That's Alright With Me." Link laughed.

"You're a crazy person." Amelia laughed.

"You love me." Link said.

"I do, I love you so much." Amelia gave.

"Don't know where the wind is blowing, that's alright with me. Cause I know after it's all frozen, it all turns green." Link shouted.

"I could do this for the rest of my life." Amelia sighed leaning into the seat.

"Me too. But we have real lives apparently." Link chuckled.

"We also have a baby on the way, and a kid at home so I think we have to go back to reality." Amelia laughed running her hand over her bump.

"I wish we could just move me, you, Scout and Bean out here forever." Link smiled.

"That'd be nice." Amelia said.

"Okay if we actually have to pack to go home then why am I still driving." Link joked.

"Just one more round. It's pretty outside." Amelia dismissed him.

" You'll be okay. I'll meet you in our favorite place again one day." Amelia whispered through her tears.

-

It had been hours. And then it happened.

Link's chest rose. And then fell with one deep inhale.

Beverly stuck the stethoscope onto his chest. She waited a moment before turning to Amelia, Eric, Maureen and Marcus.

"That was the last one." Beverly said solemnly.

Amelia broke into tears. She laid her head on his arm and cried.

Maureen and Eric held each other closely while letting their emotions go freely.

Amelia looked at Link. He was at peace. He wasn't in pain anymore.

"You're okay now baby. You're okay." Amelia said.

"Should someone call the kids?" Eric asked.

"I'll tell them." Amelia said. Donna brought the kids to the house and Amelia sat them on the couch.

"Okay I have something to tell you guys." Amelia said softly.

"Okay." Scout said.

"It's okay to cry and yell and be upset ok?" Amelia said.

The both nodded. Amelia took a deep breath before continuing.

"Daddy died." Amelia said.

Instantly like she expected Sage and Scout burst into tears. Sage crawled into Amelia's lap and buried her face into her shirt.

Scout sat with his knees at his chest as the tears rolled down his face. Amelia took her thumb and wiped them away.

"It's okay to cry baby." Amelia kissed his head. He leaned into Amelia's open arm.

For the first time he wasn't mad at the world or Amelia or anyone. He was just devastated.

"It's gonna be okay babies." Amelia said.