100 Things •JB•

Part 14: The Last Fight

My heart was racing and tears were still pouring out of my eyes.

I had to make a decision.

It should have been a no brainer; I should have just been able to pick up my nearly lifeless love with no doubts and rush her to the hospital. But if she died in the hospital I would never be able to forgive myself for betraying her last wish.

But could I ever forgive myself for not trying to save her?

I gritted my teeth, running my hands through my hair roughly and kicking over the bedside table in an attempt to let out my frustration.

Steven had promised. He promised me that if I brought her to the hospital she would live. But Sofia swore he was just trying to help a lost cause. I didn't know who to believe.

Then I finally looked back at Sofia. Pale faced, barely breathing. Almost dead. I didn't even have time to register the fact that I was picking her up before I'd already sprinted outside and hailed a cab.

My breathing was jagged as I slid into the taxi and yelled for the driver to take me to the hospital. I only hoped it wouldn't be too late.

I stroked Sofia's beautiful deep chestnut hair, and kissed her forehead that was giving off a cold sweat. "Hold on, Baby. Hold on a little longer." I whispered, a tear finding its way out of my eye.

Steven had better be right, was all I could think. When I met him that night in Belgium, I could see the sincerity in his eyes.

"Take her to the hospital." He said, "As soon as she can't struggle, take her there. Ill be waiting, and I promise you she'll live."

When I tried to protest, all he said was, "If you love her, you'll do It."

And now, here I was, madly in love with the girl dying in my arms, and betraying her last wish, desperately trying to save her.

Her breaths were slowly becoming less and less frequent. I bit my lip and punched the back of the drivers seat, yelling, "Faster! You have to go faster!"

He seemed to get the message and started to floor it, possibly breaking speed limits - I was so grateful.

I almost wasn't surprised to see Steven sitting at the front of the hospital when we pulled up. I just got out, Sofia's limp body clutched tightly in my arms. "Steven!l" I shouted, catching his attention.

His head snapped up and relief washed over his face. "Hurry." He said, starting towards the entrance, matching my quick pace.

As soon as we burst through he doors, Steven was calling out, "She's here. I need someone to take her to the ER. Now!"

Several nursed appeared in front of us, one of them taking Sofia from me, and placing her on a gurney, pushing her down the hall. I followed immediately, not wanting to leave her alone for a second.

"Where are they taking her?" I asked, my question directed at Steven, who was keeping step with me.

He cleared his throat and I looked to him, for the first time noticing his ragged appearance. He was still in the huge ski jacket he'd been wearing in Belgium but the scruff on his chin had grown thicker, and the bags under his eyes deeper.

"She's going to get her stomach pumped. Get out all the medicine they can that way, then start to try and cleanse the blood of it, too."

Sofia was pushed into a room, the doors swinging behind her, and a nurse standing guard at the door, wagging her finger, not allowing us entry.

Steven cleared his throat again, and I decided it was more of a habit than something actually being stuck in his throat, "they'll take care of her." He said, but his eyes contradicted his confidence, shining with unshed tears.

I stared at the doors that hid my Sofia from me for a few more seconds before finally focusing the majority of my attention on Steven, "Wait, why are they taking out her meds? Its what's been keeping her alive so long."

Steven brought up a hand to cover his eyes, and he rubbed them, either from drowsiness or frustration. He found himself a small seat at the side of the corridor before shaking his head and saying, "No, its what's been killing her."

"What?" I'm sure that I would have sounded more surprised, had I not been so drained, emotionally and physically, "What the hell do you mean?" I asked, taking the seat next to him, and putting my head in my hands.

"Its a little complicated." He sighed, "And that's why I couldn't get Sofia to listen to me. Its not something I can just say, I have to explain."

"Why didn't you explain to me that night in Belgium?"

He shook his head, "I could see it in your face. You weren't going to let her go down without a fight. I didn't need to explain because I didn't have a doubt that you'd take her here."

I bit my lip and nodded, "I'm in love with her."

He sighed, "I know." After a second I felt a shove to my shoulder making me lose a little balance on my chair. Before I could even question it, Steven said, "But, if you ever hurt her, Ill kill you, got it?"

I would have been scared had he not had a slight smile tugging at his lips. A similar one spread across mine, "Never." I said, shaking my head. My smile dropped as quickly as it came, though, as the white lights reminded me of where I was, "Will she live long enough for me to even have that opportunity?"

Steven sighed, "Hopefully. You see, the medicine they had given her was in testing. After she left they discovered that the medicine either doesn't take any effect, or kills all or almost all of the cancer."

My head shot out of my hands, "But obviously it took effect on her, otherwise the cancer would have killed her a long time ago."

He cleared his throat, "That's what I'm hoping, but here's what I was trying to warn her of the entire time. After the medicine kills the cancer, it slowly starts to kill you."

My jaw hung loosely, "Sofia's cancer is gone?" I whispered, tears coming to my eyes. She was going to live. My love had a future.

Steven shook my shoulder, "Yes but the medicine might have killed key cells that are vital to her body. But at least she has what she didn't have before. A chance."

"So why would they give her medicine that was killing people after two or three months?" I asked, still in disbelief of the good news.

Steven shook his head, "It only worked on very few people, for most it was less effective than chemo. Doctors definitely didn't want to give it to her, but Sofia can be really persuasive when she needs to be."

I smiled slightly, "And leave it to Sofia to be the lucky one. It worked on her."

Steven nodded, his smile only faltering slightly, "Let's hope she didn't use up her luck." He said, as a doctor strolled towards us.

He looked at the both of us and then asked, "Steven Reyed?"

Steven stood up, "Yes sir?"

Heaven must have been on our side or an angel looking over Sofia, because the doctor smiled, "We've successfully gotten the chemicals out of Sofia's stomach and most from her blood. We're going to keep her on some new meds, that will build back up her body, slowly. She'll be weak for the next few months, but things are looking bright."

The feeling in my chest at that moment was indescribable. Complete and utter relief and thankfulness and joy. All I could think about was Sofia's face, with a healthy smile plastered across it. My love was going to live.

Stevens eyes were shining but he managed to choke out, "thank you so much, sir." And waiting for the doctor to disappear down the hall before bursting into tears.

I pat his back, tears running down my cheeks as well, "You did it, man." I choked out, knowing he needed to hear it, "You saved your sister."

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This is the last chapter before the epilogue.