The Other Side (A Sebastian Stan Fanfiction Story)

Chapter 48

A/N: Sorry this took far longer to be updated. I really do appreciate there were still people adding my stories to their lists even though I couldn't promise an update. I really, really appreciate it!

On to the update!

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Sebastian couldn't keep up, no matter how desperately he wanted to. It was too much in such a short span of time.

Earlier this morning he was leisurely sipping coffee with Charlie at their shared home, casually going through their schedule for the day. It was supposed to be a day spent running errands for the wedding.

Except it wasn't.

Instead of running around the city to meet with possible suppliers, they were running through the airport in Chicago to get to the hospital. A frantic call from Elena just before noon jolted the couple to book a last minute flight back to Charlie's hometown.

Richard had a heart attack.

Sebastian couldn't wrap his head around it. Wasn't it only a few weeks ago that he was sitting with him at the back porch of his house, talking about feelings and Charlie and everything in between? It seemed surreal to him even as he was sitting in the waiting room with his fiancé who he finally had somehow gotten to calm down. Her head was resting on his shoulder while a protective arm wrapped around her as she took a nap. She'd been so exhausted that even if she forced herself to stay up to wait for the doctor, she was unable to fight off the sleep that wanted to consume her.

They'd been sitting like that for a few minutes until Elena arrived. She was in her scrub suit, hair in a haphazard bun on top of her head and a clipboard in hand. He momentarily forgot she was also a nurse in the same hospital. Her entire demeanor showed composure, but her eyes gave away the worry and the stress her husband's condition has caused her.

"Elena," Sebastian wanted to move, but didn't want to wake Charlie. The older woman sat beside her daughter, gently pushing a wisp of hair from her face. She sighed and turned her gaze at her future son-in-law. "Anything yet?"

Elena shook her head slowly. "He's always been so stubborn, I guess it's where Charlotte got it from. I knew the signs and I've tried everything I can to get him here to be checked, but he always said that if it's his time, it's his time and that no one, not even medicine can stop it."

"I..." Sebastian began to speak again but stopped. He was at a loss at what to say. It was for the best too, as Charlie stirred from his grasp and slowly fluttered her eyes open.

"Mom..." she mumbled as soon as she saw her mother. "Seb, how long was I out?"

Sebastian gently pushed her off of him so she can sit up straight. "Just enough."

Elena tugged on her Charlie's hand and the mother-daughter duo stood up to walk to the other side of the room. Charlie looked back at Sebastian and he gave her a nod to tell her it was okay for him to be left alone for a while. From the way Elena gazed at her daughter, there was so much that needed to be said while waiting for news about Richard.

"Mom, what is it? Have they already told you about Dad?" Charlie asked anxiously as her mother led her to sit in one of the private patient lounges.

Elena's eyes started to water but she cleared her throat, she needed to be the strong one for their family right now. She proceeded to tell her only child that her father's prognosis wasn't looking very good. They were waiting for some tests to come back and Richard's attending doctor had been very upfront when she talked to Elena to remain positive, but try and be prepared for the worst.