celebrity one shots

24 hours, HM

Warnings: Angst, cancer, death, mentions of abortion and adoption, unedited
Helen McCrory x reader

Y/n's pov:

If you had 24 hours left to live, what would you do?

I left the doctor's office in tears as I held onto my mother's arm my breathing was erratic.

My legs felt jelly-like as my knees became weak the pounding never left my chest. I thought I was getting better, not worse.

My mother pulled me into her embrace kissing my head lightly as she softly drew shapes along the length of my back.

I was left home alone.

"Helen?" I asked as the phone answered, I never told her about my condition not wanting to stress her.

"Y/n? Hi!" Helen greeted me over the phone "hi" I smiled tearily "what's up?" She asked cheerily.

"Can you come over please?"

"Of course, I'll be over soon" I smiled a little brighter as I waited.

A picture album sat on my lap as my fingers skimmed the pages.

A gentle knock on the door broke my blissful silence, quickly I answered the door so as not to keep my guest waiting outside.

"I'm so glad that you could come" I smiled leading her into my living room.

"I've got news" she blurted lightly.

"Is everything okay?" Helen asked as we sat on the plush sofa, I grabbed her hand in mine gently.

"Helen" I started.

"You're my best friend you know that right?" We both nodded as tears pricked my eyes.

"Well, there are a few things I've been hiding from you" I admitted as my voice started to strain.

"Like what?" She asked sweetly although worry laced itself behind her chocolate-coloured eyes.

"I'm in love" I admitted almost dreamily as I glanced directly into her eyes.

"With who?"

"You" I admitted shamefully lowering my head.

"How long?" How long? Long enough to know that if this sickness didn't kill me this feeling of unconditional, unrequited love I had for you would.

"Seven years" I responded meekly.

"Seven years!" Helen cried "I'm sorry Y/n but I just can't, if you had asked me two months ago maybe"

I only nodded my head "I might call you tonight" I whispered as she left my side kissing my temple.

Just like that, I was meant to die alone.

3rd person pov:

"Mum, who's she?" Manon asked pointing to the Y/h/c woman smiling sadly a small baby in her arms as she sat in a hospital bed.

To Manon, she looked familiar.

Helen glanced over her breathing hitched "that's Y/n" she whispered looking at her daughter.

"She's beautiful" Manon Smiled

"She was" Helen placed a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder "what happened to her?" She asked.

"She passed away when I met your dad, she had cancer and didn't tell me until it was too late. She didn't even tell me actually" Helen tried not to cry.

"What happened to the baby?" Manon asked politely "that's her daughter Ashley" Helen smiled in nostalgia.

"She was so excited when she found out she was pregnant... but her partner didn't want a child"

Helen breathed deeply "he wanted her to get an abortion but she wouldn't so instead she left him but couldn't raise the baby by herself and in the end adopted her out" Helen admitted sadly.

Her thumb rubbed the picture delicately "wow" Manon whispered "wow is right" Helen chuckled waterily.

"Y/n?" Manon wondered as she tried remembering why it seemed so familiar until it hit her.

"Y/n Y/l/n?" She asked her mother shocked "yeah why?" Helen was confused
"You knew the Y/n Y/l/n?" Helen nodded.

"Did you ever have a crush on her?" Manon asked.

Did I? Helen wondered no. But she did oh god everyone did.

"She had a crush on me and I a small one but it was too late" Helen rushed

"You're telling me that Y/n Y/l/n had feelings for you and you didn't... why?"

Why?

"I had just begun dating your dad" Helen shrugged like it was no big deal.

"I would dump anyone for her" Manon admitted dreamily "what was she like?"

"Marvellous" Helen whispered

"She was god damn amazing but I was a fool" Helen admitted before rushing to her bedroom for a letter.

"Chère Helen, je t'aime plus que la vie elle-même, mais tu n'es pas à moi, mais parfois je prétends que tu aimerais que tu le sois. Je crée cette idée que vous me voulez secrètement. Et j'oublie souvent que c'est juste quelque chose que j'ai inventé. Vous ne voulez pas de moi, et vous n'êtes pas à moi." Helen read out loud her face scrunched in confusion.

(Dear Helen, I love you more than life itself but you are not mine, but sometimes I pretend that you wish you were. I create this idea that you secretly want me. And I often forget it's just something I've made up. You do not want me, and you are not mine.)

Manon smiled sadly looking at her google translate "anything else?" She peeked her head into the box.

"Only small notes your dad wrote" Helen held them up "mum that's the same writing" Manon pointed.

Making Helen gasp quietly "oh I'm so stupid" she cried.

Helens pov:

I can feel it coming, all my family and friends know about my cancer I placed a small photograph of Y/n in my bra before laying down.

"I'm coming Y/n" I whisper glancing at Damien's sleeping form before closing my eyes with a peaceful smile.

As Y/n reaches her hand out to grab me whispering sweet nothings to me, I know my family will survive without me.

But for now, I've been given a second chance at love with my girl.