My cousin Heath Ledger

You Promised

"Life is going to be perfect for you My Cherry, I can tell," Heaths warm and welcoming voice resonated in sixteen year old Marie's head. The only place she would ever his voice again would be in her memories.

"Really?" She recollected her five year old self questioning him with a beaming while clinging onto his back for a piggyback ride.

Then came his unique and unmistakable laugh that brought Marie so much joy as Heath stood up, carrying his favourite cousin on his back, the sand of the beach beneath his feet. "Of course it will, Cherry, I'll be by your side to prove it to you."

"Together forever?"

"Together and forever more."

Marie giggled childishly, her arms wrapped securely around Heaths neck as he jogged around the sandy beach plain. Nothing could be better than this, for as long as she could remember Heath was always there for her. "Even when the going gets tough?" She laughed, copying something she had heard Heath say before many times.

"You'll always find me there helping you through it," Heath answered playfully toppling to the floor, rolling around the sand together in a fit of giggles before he began chasing Marie in a game of tag across the sunlit horizon, the tide passing through.

"Heathy!" The child giggled, throwing a fist of sand towards her older cousin, "haha! Stop! It Tickles!"

And if things couldn't get any better, Ashleigh, Heath's half sister, ran towards them wanting to join in with her brother and cousin's game. Nobody in Marie's life could compare to Heath, this him before he had his big break in '10 things I hate about you', known by a few and with only a small number minor but impressive roles under his belt. This was her Heath, and he always would be.

But that was all just a memory she had to keep safe from the claws of forgetfulness. Marie refused to let any recollection of him fade from her mind. She wanted him back as impossible as it was. She just couldn't accept her cousin, her Heathy, had died. She stood there, at a gravestone thinking it all to be some nightmare. Her eyes had cried so many tears but more seemed to appear even when she thought she couldn't cry anymore.

'Heathcliff Andrew Ledger

1979-2008

Legend. Cousin. Father. Son'

Seeing his name written in stone made everything seem so final yet so untrue at the same time. It was a beautiful warm February day in Perth but it might as well have been pouring down with rain with broken Marie's heart was. Heath was gone and he was never coming back. That she found so incredibly difficult to accept. She had no flowers in her empty hand, what was the point if he wasn't there to appreciate them? She felt alone without her beloved cousin in her world.

Marie Ramshaw-Ledger was an only child, her mother was the sister of Heaths mother and her Father was Kim Ledger's (Heath's dad) younger brother. So needless to say Heath and Marie were closer than anything, almost practically like siblings. But none of that didn't matter now, not anymore. The sixteen year old was taking Heath's passing really hard. At the time of his Marie had been living in New York with her mother who happened to be Heath's publicist. He was keen to keep his family close. So Marie got to spend so much time with him growing up. Since his very unexpected death People often told her that the time they spent together should help numb the pain when in reality it only made things worse.

Marie's was one of the first people to find out what happened and the young girl would have found out later if she hadn't overheard her mother speaking on the phone.

"Yes I can confirm Mr Ledger has unfortunately passed away..." Were her mothers exact words as the young girl came home from school. Her school bag dropped harshly against the floor and she stayed there blinking with wide eyes not saying a thing before letting out a scream. "You're lying!" Marie kept repeating over and over again. She had spoken to Heath the day before, it had to have been some sort of mistake. He would never leave her he promised he wouldn't.

It had taken her a while to speak to anyone after the news. She wouldn't sleep properly and ate very little. Everyone had their way of dealing with grief and this was her method. He was her best friend, he confidant. The one she told her dreams to and who promised to support her every step of the way. Who would she have now? He wasn't the same as everyone else. He understood her.

Obviously the press had to have their say as usual. Calling him a drug abuser and all sorts of horrific things, all of which Marie was sure could never be true. Her cousin was better than that and wouldn't risk having his daughter grow up without her father in her life. Marie knew how much Heath hated paparazzi and how they always hounded him. He was rather shy and despised that sort of attention much preferring his privacy. If he had his way he would have been an actor without any sort of media attention. But like so many things, it was impossible for him in the Hollywood industry. It was heartbreaking to see how her cousin was treated. Like the time he was on the red carpet and some disrespecting members of the press sprayed him with water guns. How dare they? What gave them the right to do that to him?

At his grave all the memories welled up in Marie's mind as she tried as hard as she could not to break down. She had to remain strong, just like Heath would want her to. But her strength was getting weaker to keep up, being by herself she didn't see the point of it.

"You promised you'd be there whenever I needed you, whenever I call your name... You're not anywhere..." Marie's voice wavered as she let out a broken sob. Tears tracing down her cheeks. "I'm trying to hold on, just waiting to hear your voice, one word just a word will do. To end this nightmare."

That's exactly what life was like without him. A never ending nightmare.

"I know it's impossible... You can't even hear me.." Each word hurt worse than the one before, "...I want you to come home.. Please.." Though she knew her wish could never come true, Marie prayed to see her cousin again. "...Cherry misses you." she added painfully, using the nickname only Heath ever called her. A part of her most certainly died with his death. She hadn't smiled since.

Nothing was the same for her. Lost. without him.

((Authors note: Hey everyone! I know it's taken a while to update this first chapter I just wasn't sure how I wanted to go about writing this.

I'm a huge Heath Ledger fan and I wanted to write a story about him. And here it is :)

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please let me know what you think in the comments

Thank you :) ))