More than Life Itself (an Ed Sheeran Imagine)

The Beginning of the End (Part 3)

Ed pulled the chair in the corner of the room beside the bed where Elizabeth lay sleeping, a bulky white bandage wrapped around her head. Looking at her made Ed tear up.
"Mr. Sheeran?" A nurse popped her head in.
Ed looked up at her.
"Um, you're welcome to stay here all night if you'd like." She was young and seemed uncomfortable.
"Yes..I will...thank you." Ed said quietly.
The nurse turned and took her time to close the door gently.
Ed slowly retuned his gaze to Liza, asleep.
"Oh, Love..." he sobbed, "why'd you have to go and do this?"
Ed took her hand in both of his and hung his head. He cried silently for hours until he fell asleep.

It was seven thirteen in the morning when Liza squeezed Ed's hand. Immediately Ed snapped his head up,
"Liza?" He whispered.
"Mmmm." She groaned, still not opening her eyes.
"Liza!" Ed exclaimed, jumping out of his chair to hug her.
Tears fell down his face as he held her. She opened her eyes and brought her hand up to his face.
"I love you Teddy." She whispered.
"I love you too." Ed said, sitting up so that he was perched on the side of the bed.
Liza suddenly frowned, "My head hurts, Ed."
Ed's smile faded, "I know baby. I know." He whispered, brushing her hair behind her ears.
Liza asked, "Is it bad?"
Just before Ed was about to speak, a doctor and two nurses walked into the room, messed with some buttons on the monitor beside the bed, checked her vitals, asked how she felt, wrote some things down on their clipboards, then left.
"Ed?" Liza said teary eyed.
"Yeah?" Ed spoke softly.
"Ed..I know it's bad. You wouldn't have been crying if it wasn't bad. I know it's bad. What's wrong with-"
Ed cut her off, "Love, slow down."
Liza sighed as a tear slipped down her cheek.
Then, Doctor Gallifrey entered the room.
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but over hear your conversation."
Awesome thanks. Ed thought to himself.
The doctor continued, "Would it be alright if I explained what's going on to the both of you?"
Liza nodded her head.
The doctor sighed, "Mrs. Sheeran...I'm sorry to have to break this to you...the cause of the seizure you had...we discovered a tumor in...in your head.."
Liza sucked in a breath and grabbed Ed's hand tightly.
"...it's cancerous. It's already began to attack vital systems in your body...there are treatment options if you would like to allow us to try and help you."
Liza opened her mouth to speak, "Doctor, I need a minute alone." She whispered.
Doctor Gallifrey stood and left the room.
Liza immediately sat up and began to cry. Her immediate thought was that she was going to die...soon. She cried in defeat, in anguish, in frustration, in anger, in sadness, and in loneliness.
Ed wrapped his arms around her and cried with her. Liza buried her face in her hands. She shook her head back and forth.
"What are we going to do, Ed?" She whispered, completely hopeless.
"I don't know..." Ed began. "All I know is that we're going to do the treatment, and we'll go from there."
"No." Liza said sternly.
Ed pulled away from her, "What do you mean,'no'?"
Liza pushed him away, "I mean no!" She almost yelled.
"Liza you have to do the treatment or you'll..." Ed's voice trailed off.
There was a long silence. Ed glanced up at Liza who's  head was hung low. He couldn't tell what her expression was. Nor could he even begin to think of what was going through her head.
"I know Ed." Liza looked up at him, tears in her eyes.
Her voice was shaky as she continued, "Remember when I was studying in medicine before I dropped out? Well...I learned a thing or two about cancer treatment."
Ed looked at her as if he wanted her to go on. He didn't understand where she was getting at.
She sighed, "The two types of treatment they could do for me would be radiation and chemotherapy."
Ed still looked confused as she continued,
"Look..." Liza paused. "Radiation...if I-" Liza lost it and began to cry.
"Radiation will either...cause a premature birth or-or kill our baby."
Ed went cold. It was a fight between his unborn child whom he had never met, but loved with all his heart, or his wife, who he loved indefinitely since the day he laid eyes upon her. There was no good option. He didn't know what to say....or do. So he just hugged her.
After a few moments, Liza pulled away, teary eyed and looked at Ed, who was also crying. Ed held his wife's gaze as he gently placed his hand on Liza's stomach.
Liza whispered, "We have to save our baby."
Ed took his hand away in shock.
"Liza, what are you saying?! What-I can't...I can't. I love you both...there...there had to be a way to-"
"There isn't." Liza said, a tear falling down her cheek.
"Well," Ed began, "Well what about chemotherapy?"
Liza paused, "I don't know. I'm not sure how that would affect..." Liza trailed off, looking up at Ed, whose head was in his hands. He was shaking slightly and crying silently.
"Teddy?" Liza whispered.
Ed looked up at her. Liza sucked in a breath at the sight of him. She selfishly hadn't thought about how all of this was affecting him. Ed looked defeated...and...broken. He looked like he hadn't slept. His eyes were swollen and red from crying so much. His hair was a complete mess. He looked hopeless...and he almost was.
He spoke, "I can't loose you Liza. I can't loose either of you."
Liza reached her hand up to touch his cheek.
"I won't leave you, Ed." Liza whispered.
Doctor Gallifrey walked in the room.
"Mr. and Mrs. Sheeran...if you're ready....I have a couple treatment options you can consider."
Liza looked up at Ed hopefully and he faked a faint smile.
"Elizabeth," The Doctor began, "I'm aware you are four weeks pregnant. Sadly this limits our treatment options...unless you're willing to allow the termination of your pregnancy."
Liza became angry that the doctor would even suggest this. She squeezed Ed's hand as she said,
"No. No I am not willing to kill my baby. I don't know one single sick fu-"
Ed squeezed her hand, signaling for her to calm down.
The doctor continued, "Well then chemotherapy is the only option. It's been proven safe for pregnant women. Millions of women, in fact, have survived the procedure and given birth close afterwards."
Ed smiled at Liza. There was hope. Liza would make it through this. Liza looked at Ed's smiling face.
"It's just a bump in the road." She said. "We'll be home in no time."
Yeah. Ed thought. No time at all.

Yooo. So what's up guys. I'm gonna be a lot more active on here (not that you care) but yeah so that's the tea. Also feel free to comment whatever you want cuz I like feeling like people like me woo. Okay bye it's late. Ga' night y'all.