The Lost and the Found - Michael Morbius

The All Life Foundation

New York City, Present Day

WELCOME TO THE ALL LIFE FOUNDATION GALA

"Thank you, thank you all! Thank you all so much for being here tonight to support the All Life Foundation. I am the founder, Selina Nicholas, and I am so honoured tp be here, and especially with all of you. Without you, we wouldn't be able to do what we do. As someone who has grown up with my physician father, I have lived side by side with children battling a whole range of illnesses. So I cannot thank you enough for your love and support, it is deeply valued and appreciated. Thank you so much. Please, enjoy the evening."

Applause followed her down from the podium and onto the floor. The atmosphere was buzzing. 

She had picked out three familiar faces at the front of the crowd right away. "You're here!"

"Of course, we did we wouldn't miss it," Michael assured her. 

"My guests of honour."

"And your favourite anonymous doners," Lucien added.

"Yes. How was my speech? Did I seem as nervous as I felt?"

"No, no. Not at all," her father assured her.

"Oh good! No matter how many times I do it I still get nervous! But you should see our donations, they're amazing."

"People really believe it this," said Lucian. 

"Yeah, they really do."

"They believe in you."

"Oh, well-" She brushed away his praise. "But the evening's going so well, I'm so glad."

"Yes and after all the long hours and hard work you've put into it, enjoy yourself," Papa said.

"Oh, I will! I have to make a few more greetings, but I'll be back soon, I promise." With that she scurried off like a busy bee. 

"Martine, thank you so much for coming."

"My pleasure." The doctor gave her a warm smile and squeezed her hand. 

Dr. Martine Bancroft was a close colleague of Michael's helping him in his research and who had become a friend and confidant. 

"There's so much hope," Michael said when he and Selina met up again later, just the two of them.  "It wasn't like this when we were kids."

"Making good progress then, aren't we."

"So it would seem. I should have died years ago-"

She sighed.  "Please don't-"

"It's true-"

"Michael stop, just stop. I don't want to hear it. You're here, that's what matters. Tonight's about giving the chance of life - let's not talk of death." She stormed away.

"All, right over here?" Lucien found her by herself. 

"Oh, yeah. Well, not really.  Michael was talking about death."

"Ah, again."

"Yeah, again."

"He never stops."

"I cherish ever day I have with the both of you. Every moment."

"I know. And we cherish it with you too." He leaned on one crutch for full support as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a comforting squeeze. "Come on, Miss Nicholas, you should be celebrating. I've ordered drinks."

"You can't drink with your medicine."

"No silly, you can have both, one for me and one for you."

This made her laugh. 

Michael found her again later in the evening.  "I'm sorry I upset you," he apologized.

"It's all right - I know you have a sense of death that I never will."

"But I don't need to bring you down with me."

"Well like Papa says, if there's a cure for your disease, you'll find it. If anyone can, it's you, Dr. Michael Morbius. Don't give up."

"Never."

(Was going to start with  a different chapter but then had this idea, so here we are :)

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :))