forever & always

the last leaf

*present time*
Joe's pov

Selena
Joe, taylor she..

I open the message and get up immediately, putting on clothes and heading to hospital immediately.

"selena for real?" i asked through tears as she nodded in excitement.
"when can we see her?"
"doctor will tell us with news on her health" she grinned and hugged me.

"Mrs gomez?"
"yeah? Is she alright?"
"well not gonna lie she woke up but she is still so weak and i don't think she will last long" she said.
Our smiles soon disappeared from our faces as we just nodded and awkward silence hit the time.

"can we see her?" i asked and she nodded letting us in the room.

She was lying in the hospital bed, staring at the wall with a blank face. She was pale like a ghost and she had bruises on her arms and neck. Even her soft, pink lips lost its color. She had losen so much weight and her whole body was just lifeless.

Even all of these she was still gorgeous like an old taylor. My taylor who was just perfect with all of angles. Who i adored so much. Besides her electric blue eyes lost its spark, her eyes still lit up a little as she saw us entering room.

"hey tay" selena whispered as she approached her.
"hey sel" she whispered back.
"how ya feelin' bestie?"
"everything hurts a little" she faked a smile which selena bought but not me. I've spent years with her and i know her so well to recognize her faked emotions.

I approached her bed slowly, stroking her cheek softly "how's our warrior doing?"
She just chuckled and stared at me until speaking up "sel could you give us a minute?"
"sure, I'll get some coffee" selena said and left room.

"what's all of these?" taylor frowned.
"what do you mean?"
"all of these actions like you care about me, you don't have to show up after 13 years and be in my life like this joe, leave me alone understand?"
"taylor i never stopped caring about you im just.. I don't know but please can we be at least be friends? I also can't leave you like these"
"joe please get out of my life i don't need you and understand that oh my god!"
"taylor-"
"no joe"
"please" i made puppy eyes as i knew it was her weakness and she just sighed, thinking for a while.

"fine we'll stay as friends"
"yay!" i made a victory dance which caused her giggle but soon this giggles turned into deep coughs and blood..

"doctor!!" i screamed and run to find her doctor which luckily was meters away from me.
"please she needs help" i said and followed her to room stopping outside.

"what happened?" selena asked as she saw me panicking.
"i i don't know she was coughing up blood" i answered in worried tone while we waited for doctor to come out.

"miss snow is she okay?" i asked as she came out of room.
"she's alright right now but she has pneumonia and chances of surviving her are 68-70%."
"thank you" selena said holding back tears and breaking down soon as doctor left us.
"shh it's gonna be okay, she'll be okay" i reassured her while fighting with my own tears.

13 days passed by but Taylor's condition was getting only worse and worse which was hard for both of us. For me and sel.
Even taylor started to believe she wasn't gonna make it which made us all loose hopes.

I enter the hospital room once again and see taylor under covers watching out in window muttering something that sounded like "8, 7, 6"
"taylor?"
She glanced at me with her cold look "what?"
"what are you doing?"
"you see that ivy over there?"
"yeah"
"when the last leaf falls i must go too. Didn't doctor tell you that?"
"no you're not going anywhere! what does this plant has to do with your health? It makes no sense!"
"each day leaf falls on the ground i get worse! Now leave i wanna watch the last one fall before i go too." taylor said and glued her eyes on window.
"taylor please. Just close your eyes and sleep okay?"
I could tell she was tired so she once obeyed and started falling asleep as rain came down with a strong wind, making outside world go black and white. Only us staying in color.

I watched leaves falling on ground only the last one hanging on there.
Even in these strong and terrible weather it stayed and kept its green-yellow color like it was taylor in this whole crazy world trying to survive.

I held her warm hand, rubbing it with my thumb while playing with her hair. She didn't wake up until early morning where she was grinning with now spark in her eyes.

"im going to survive" she grinned at me and selena.
"oh so you finally understand that?!" selena said in fake-disappointment tone.
"yes! Look! Look at ivy! It still has last leaf on it!"
"soo your life depends on this leaf?" selena stood confused.
Taylor stayed silent but then spoke up
"actually i was going to die when it would hit the ground but- but it still stayed there even in this weather, c'mon guys that means i can survive too!"
"kinda makes sense" i mumbled and went over to hug her.

"ouch" she muttered between bone breaking hug.
"sorry" i giggled which caused all of us giggle and we just continued our day with some hot coffee and marshmallows.

was inspired by short story 'the last leaf' by O. Henry go read it, it's pretty good story tbh.

Ty for reading have a good day/night - sofie🤍