Till death us do part

'In sickness'

 'How are you?' His daughter asks, as they board the lift. It's empty. HDU is only on the second floor, and Amy could make it down the stairs, she just wasn't sure her dad could. 'I'm glad you called us.' She confesses, not telling him about the conversation the siblings had a few days ago. They wanted to be able to say goodbye, but they also wanted to respect their parent's decision. She could understand where her mum was coming from, but she also thought about her dad.

He was innocent, naïve even. She didn't know how he would cope, once the inevitable happened. It was hard enough coming to terms with their mum dying, but they also knew how much her dad would suffer. They were the fairy-tale love story. They were in inspiration for all their relationships. She knew the story of when Zoe and Alfie got together, but it didn't seem nearly as magical as Joe and Dianne's. Dianne was the real-life Ariel, and he was Prince Eric.

'I'm okay.' He mumbles, as the lift beeps, the doors opening to a sea of people. He feels a bit overwhelmed, and he can't explain why. Americus gently guides him towards the table, he tries to buy the teas, but she insists that she will, he needs to go and sit on a table. He obliges, as she eventually brings over his order over, a tea. He used to have a dirty chai latte, but only with Dianne. That was their thing. 'Thank you.' He smiles, realising he hadn't drunk very much today. 'Zoe and Alfie came this morning.' He tells his daughter, studying her reaction. It wasn't the shock he was expecting.

'I know.' She confesses. 'She told me last night.'

'Why?' She just shrugs, she did know why, she wasn't going to tell her dad that they were all really worried. They weren't worried about Dianne, they knew that it was going to happen. Sometimes it seemed crueller to keep her alive, she was in a lot of pain and she was really suffering. She didn't deserve any of this. They were, however, very worried about her husband. He seems to have been able to distract himself with all of this, but soon be won't be able to, and everyone is wondering how he will cope.

'She just wanted to let us know, we are all worried about you dad. Both you and mum.' He shakes his head, trying to convince her not to worry.

'But I'm not the sick one.' Americus notices how he uses the word sick, not dying. A subtle way of him denying what was happening.

'I know dad, but we are worried about the pair of you.' She clasps his hands, being careful not to spill the hot drinks. Max had inherited Dianne's clumsiness, Amy was a bit better, she had her moments though. She studies him properly, he's lost weight. His top is hanging off him, where it once fitted nicely. He also looks older, not that should would tell him. She presumes that he isn't eating well, if at all. Dianne used to cook for him, most nights, and when she couldn't she always reminded him to eat. 'Remember we love you both.'

'I know darling.'

'You and mum were the best parents we could have wished for, and I wouldn't have changed anything for one moment.' In the distance, he spots a familiar face. The body is moving towards him, getting quicker and quicker by the second.

'Grandad.' It beams, pulling him into a hug. He lets the small person do that, wrapping his arms around her, it was something he didn't realise he needed. 'I love you so much.'

'I love you more my angel.' He tells her, as she steps back, as a chair is placed behind her. 'How was school?' She just shrugs, she liked school some of the time. Today wasn't one of those days. She hadn't expected to have Emily tell her they were leaving early. Emily taught at her school, but she taught year three, and Mia was in year five. They didn't spend a lot of time, in the school day, with one another. That was why it was such a surprise for the ten-year-old to see her big sister appear at the door. Emily brought her home every day, they were in the same place it made sense, but in school they didn't interact.

Emily had explained that Nana was really sick, and that they all needed to go to hospital. She was told that she wouldn't have to go in if she did want too, but they needed to be there for grandad. 'I've missed you.' He tells her, as the other girl comes towards the trio.

'Hey my lovely girl.' He greets her, as she wraps her arm around the older man. 'You ready?' He questions his daughter, who nods. The quartet walk to the lifts, the youngest grandchild talking about how she got 10/10 on her latest spelling test. He listens to the idle chatter, with a smile on his face. Simple things like that reminds him of when their kids were little.

When Amy had announced that she was pregnant, it had been a massive surprise. None of them were expecting it. Mia was a welcome surprise, a miracle. It was a joy, for the pair, to be able to watch another little person grow up. As they reach the ward, she falls silent. 'If you don't want to go in, we don't mind.' Joe reassures his granddaughter, though he's not sure which one yet. 

A/N Thoughts? Also, guess whose finally finished the prequel? Yes that's right, me! It should be up tomorrow or Thursday, I need to think of a title (If you haven't gathered I tend to use song lyrics as the name of the book and i'm trying to figure out a name). It's not as long as colder than ice, but some of the chapters are LONG....