How To Save A Life [A Robert Downey Jr. Fan-Fic]

Chapter 23: Omen

I laid down in Robert's bed, right next to him, gently caressing his hair while he was asleep. His eyes were closed, his chest slowly moving. Earlier, he has got another dose of diazepam because he was too unsettled again. Therefore, he at least wasn't fixated anymore.

"I love you, Robbie", I whispered quietly and regarded him closely, "We'll get through this together. And I'll be waiting for you. As long as it takes..."

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and quickly sat up, catching his breath, his hands shivering.

"Are you okay?", I asked anxiously, stroking his back to calm him down.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Just a dream", he mumbled quietly, fighting against the demons of his mind, "It was just a dream..."

He swallowed hard.

"I'm here for Robbie", I whispered, "I'll always be."

Suddenly, the door opened and a young nurse entered the room.

"Mr. Downey?", she asked as she got closer, "Is everything alright?"

He nodded quickly and faked a smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine", he answered and looked out of the window, just to recognize it was all dark outside, "Uhm, what time is it?"

The blonde woman searched for a clock inside her pocket.

"It's 2:30 am", she replied then, "Enough time left to fall asleep again."

Her voice was soft and welcoming as she half smiled at Robert.

He nodded slightly before she left him alone again. As soon as she was gone, he sighed and I recognized a single tear streaming down his cheek.

"If only I could", he muttered and leaned back, closing his eyes.

I gently kissed his cheek, running my fingers through his messy dark brown hair.

I entered the kitchen and wrapped my arms around Robert's waist from behind, burying my head in his neck as I closed my eyes and tried to guess what he was cooking.

He chuckled and softly kissed the back of my hand.

"Hello Princess", he greeted smirkingly.

"Hello Prince Charming", I mumbled jokingly and kissed his cheek.

"How can I help you?", he wanted to know.

"What are you cooking?", I asked curiously.

He grinned and turned around, holding me in a tight embrace before he gently kissed my forehead, resting his chin on my head.

"Wanna try?", he said then and handed me a spoon, "But be careful, it's still hot."

I carefully tried his creation and marveled.

"Mmh, that's great, Robbie. Delicious!", I said and quickly kissed him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

He grinned cheekily.

"Well, you should think about cooking for three", I suggested then and smirked at him.

For a second, he simply looked at me. But after a while, he understood and his smile widened.

"You are..."

I nodded quickly.

"I'm pregnant, Robbie", I whispered before he held me in a tight embrace, gently lifting me up.

"Mr. Downey?"

Immediately, Robert opened his eyes and sighed as he recognized the doctor standing at the end of his bed.

"Hey, doc", he mumbled quietly, "Can I finally go home again?"

The doctor looked down at the file in his hands, a standoffishly expression in his eyes.

"What's wrong, doc?", he repeated anxiously as I reached out for his hand.

"Mr. Downey", the man with dark green eyes repeated, nervously shifting from one foot to another, "When you arrived last night we took a blood sample of you..."

Robert shrugged, obviously not interested in the doctor's words at all.

"Your inflammatory as well as your tumor markers are increased...", the man continued anyway, "We'd like to observe you for a few more days, make some tests to see what's up with you."

Finally, Robert looked up to him.

"Tumor markers?", he repeated in surprise and raised his eyebrows with suspicion.

The doctor nodded slightly and patiently waited for Robert's agreement.

"Do you have any pain?", he wanted to know as he recognized Robert wouldn't answer him.

He slowly shook his head and apathetically stared through the doctor.

"No pain you could cure", he whispered then, "Do I have to stay?"

"Well", the green- eyed man explained and scratched his neck, "You don't have to. But it'd be better if you stayed. Just to be sure..."

"No", Robert replied then, "I don't want to know. I just want to go home... Please, doc. Let me go home."

His voice was now weak but still a part of him seemed to be relieved as his eyes filled with tears.

The doctor nodded slightly before he left Robert alone again.

I sat down on the corner of his bed, softly stroking the back of his hand.

"Robbie, don't do this", I urged him strictly, "Don't give up on life. You have to fight, okay?"

He sobbed and a few tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Kate, are you here?", he asked hesitantly and nervously looked around, "If you're here, please don't go away. I've found an exit. I've finally found my way out of these terrible agonies. Just keep waiting and I promise you, I'll come and find you. I'm on my way, Kate."

My eyes filled with tears as I gently ran my fingers through his hair.

"No, Robbie", I countered quietly, "Your time has not come. You should keep on fighting. And I'll always be waiting for you. So, don't give up. Promise me, not to give up!"

My voice was weak and shaky. I was worried about him. He was probably fatally ill but didn't want any help. He didn't even want to know what was wrong with him.

Quietly, he started to laugh, covering his eyes with his finally loose hands.

"She's waiting for me", he kept repeating for himself, "She's waiting for me."

Suddenly, I recognized a bright light from the corner of my eye and in the next second, a little girl with dark brown curls, big brown eyes and a little snub nose playfully jumped through the room. She stopped next to Robert's bed, looking up to me.

I simply stared at her, didn't know what to say.

"He's on his way", she said and reached out for Robert's hand, "You know, you can't change his mind. You know him better than I do. He has always been stubborn..."

And with a quiet giggle she ran away and disappeared in another bright flash of light.

I still stared at the place the little girl has just disappeared and wondered what had just happened. Who was that girl?