The Baker

Chapter 41

"Cass," Julianne cried in relief when she saw her, Ben, and Kelly walk through the hospital doors. Cassie and Kelly both sprinted up to their mother and hugged her. "He's awake," Julianne whispered in Cassie's ear. "But not for long. He's asking for you." Cassie pulled back from the hug and gave her mom a quaint nod, before turning to Ben and taking his hand. He held on to her tightly as they slowly walked up to Liam's room.

Cassie approached the door and took a deep breath. Her hand was halfway to the door and her eyes were closed, but she kept taking more and more deep breaths. "Honey," Ben whispered softly. He took her halfway, reached out hand and brought it up to his lips. "You can do this," he encouraged. "I'll be right out here, alright?" She nodded, but still clearly uneasy.

Slowly, she took her hand from him and opened the door. Ben gave her a small push after she stood there for a few more seconds, unmoving. She walked into the dimly lit, yet very spacious, hospital room and saw her dad getting fed ice chips by a nurse.

Liam looked over to Cassie and gave her a small smile. "Hi, baby girl," he rasped. He gestured for her to go over to him and she did with heavy feet and tear filled eyes. He opened his arms as widely as his weakened body could and she got into the bed with him and curled up to his side.

Liam sighed contently and wrapped his arms around his little girl. "I remember when you used to do this whenever we watched the football or baseball games together." His voice was barely above a whisper, but Cassie understood every word. She smiled and sniffled.

"Stay, dad," she begged through tears. "Don't leave. Not yet." Liam closed his eyes and let a few tears fall. "I want to, Cass...but I'm not sure I can." It almost killed her how weak his voice was, compared to his naturally strong vocal self. He sounded so broken.

"Is Ben here?" He asked, attempting to change the subject. Cassie nodded. He chuckled, "He's a good kid. I'm glad you found him." Cassie smiled and told him, "He found me." It was quiet after that and Cassie thought Liam might have fallen asleep. When she looked up at him, she saw him staring at her with heavy eyes.

"I tried," he croaked. "I really tried to stay, Cass. But I want you to do me a favor when I'm gone--." Cassie shook her head and inturuppted, "Don't talk like that, please--." "No, Cass, you need to hear this. Don't hold back your life. Go home with Ben and continue on, do you understand me? Don't let me going away affect you. I will always be with you. I promise."

Cassie was silently sobbing. She nodded at him and hugged him as best she could without snagging any cords or crushing his frail body. "I love you, daddy," she cried. Liam cried and told her, "I love you, baby girl. So, so much."

That's how they stayed for a while. They didn't talk because no words needed to be said. He did, however, request that Kelly not see him because he wanted her to remember him as she last saw him. Cassie wholeheartily agreed.

The nurse that was in the room notice that whenever Cassie moved or hugged Liam tighter to her, that Liam's heart rate would go up to where it needed to be, rather than it staying well below the safe zone. She actually cried after seeing the two fall asleep together.

Cassie woke only a few minutes later, thinking she should let Liam sleep. When she attmepted to get up, his heart rate jumped a few times, and then went back down. She grimanced at the monitor and looked to the nurse. She simply gave Cassie a nod to tell her it was fine.

After giving her dad a kiss on the forehead, she went ahead and walked out of the room. She found Ben sitting on the floor...alseep. How long had she been in there? She sat down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder, making him jolt awake. "Hey, you," he smiled. "How is he?" Cassie's lip started to quiver as she shook her head.

"Oh, baby," he softly sighed. He hugged her close to him and kissed her head. He rocked them back and forth for a bit, trying to soothe her in any way. "I'm so tired," she cried. "I don't want him to leave and the want is mentally exhausting, I don't know how much more I can take."

Ben lightly shushed her and stroked her hair. "Don't think," he told her. "Just don't think about anything right now, alright? I'm here, your mum's here, your sister, your family...everyone. We're all here to help, okay?"

She nodded into his chest, but continued to cry. After a few minutes, Ben could feel her growing a bit heavy from not being able to sit herself up any longer. It was then that he swiftly lifted her bridal style off the floor and carried her down the halls of the hospital and into the waiting room.

By the time he got her there, she was passed out. The mental exhaustion was definitely taking a toll on her, he painfully noted. Her family was still there of course, waiting for any sort of news, but it all remained the same, besides the fact that Liam had woken up, and then fallen back asleep.

Ben set Cassie down on the couch and got in behind her, spooning her tightly. She unconsciously had taken a hold of his hands and he took the liberty of lacing them together. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and fell asleep with her. 

It only seemed like seconds later when he heard their names being softly called. He opened his eyes to see her entire family standing and staring at Liam's doctor. Julie was gently prodding him and Cassie awake. When Cassie opened her eyes to see what Ben saw, she jumped up and quickly went over to the doctor. Ben was right behind her. 

Liam's doctor took a deep breath and said, "...I'm sorry. There wasn't anything we could do." The whole room broke into gasps and sobs. While everyone was hugging and crying into one another's arms, Cassie stood there with her arms crossed, her eyes closed, and tears falling one at a time down her pale cheeks. Ben went up behind her and gently rested his hands on her upper arms before resting his forehead against the back of her head. 

"Cass," he whispered softly. She shook her head and took a deep breath. She eventually opened her eyes and turned to see Julie and Kelly making their way over to her. All three of them hugged and cried. Ben stood there, not really knowing what to do, so he stepped out for a moment. He walked a little further down the hallway and took out his phone. He quickly dialled a number and leaned against the wall. 

"Mum," he choked out, "I know it's late there and I'm sorry, but...can hand the phone to dad, please?" While his mother was doing that, Ben glanced behind him to make sure Cassie didn't come looking for him. He was brought back when his father's tired voice rang, "Ben? Are you alright, son?" Ben sniffled and said, "Not really. I just wanted to tell you that I love you and mum so terribly much and I apologize if I don't say it enough, just know that I do." 

"We know, son, we know. Now what's happened that's got you like this?" Again, Ben made sure Cassie wasn't behind him before saying, "It's Liam, he...he didn't make it. Cass was able to get his few last moments awake telling him all those things and it just got me thinking. I guess I scared myself a bit." 

He could hear Tim telling Wanda what he had just said, and then heard a gasp. "Ben, is Cassie alright?" Tim asked. "I'm not sure," he answered. "I left her alone with her family." There was a short pause, then Tim said, "I'm glad you called. And don't worry about us, son. We won't be going anywhere for quite some time. Give Cassie our love, will you? And when she comes back to London, let us know and we'll make sure she's alright for you." Ben smiled and said, "Thanks, dad. Again, I'm sorry for waking you both." 

After long, heartfelt goodbyes, Ben hung up. He sighed and started heading back to the waiting room, until he saw Cassie step out. She gave him a weak smile and looked down at the floor. He slowly walked up to her, but didn't touch her. He didn't know how sensitive she was. It was then that he felt a blow to his stomach and her arms wrap around his waist. He responded immediately, hugging her tightly against him. 

He couldn't hear her, but he could feel her tears soaking through his shirt. "I'm so sorry, baby," he whispered in her ear. "I'm so, so sorry." There wasn't anything else he could do, no more words he could say. How could he? Nothing can help him in this situation at this point.