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

Chapter 27: Encounter

"Mum?", her bright voice echoed in my head as I apathetically stared at the bleached walls.

"Grace", I stuttered scarcely audible, violently shaking my head like I could have disappeared by doing so.

For a few seconds, everything around me was quiet. There was no sound- not even the slightest. I didn't even hear my own breathing. But after a while, I heard the sound of teardrops falling to the ground that were slowly trickling away.

"Mummy, why are you crying?", she asked quietly and I recognized her walking towards me as her little feet touched the wooden ground of her room.

I closed my eyes and buried my head in my hands.

"Stop wasting your tears", she said and gently touched my shoulder, making me shiver immediately, "Why are you sad? I'm here..."

Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked up right into her dark brown eyes that reminded me so much of Robert's.

She gently caressed my arm, trying to console me.

"Everything is alright", she assured me.

"You're here", I sobbed as I finally managed to speak again, "You're okay?"

She nodded slightly as I carefully touched her face, tears streaming down my cheeks.

She looked so much like Robert. It was undeniable. Her puppy eyes that were regarding me closely, the cute snub nose, the dark brown hair...- I had seen her before.

"You were there", I said, "You were at the hospital when..."

She nodded as my eyes filled with tears again but she softly wiped them away, making me smile at her immediately.

"You're so beautiful", I whispered quietly, running my fingers through her hair.

Carefully, she reached out for my hand, holding it in her own little ones.

My smile widened as I felt the comforting touch of her soft skin. I would have done anything to keep this moment forever.

Hesitantly, I wrapped my arms around her little fragile- looking body, holding her close to me, her warm breath on my neck as I closed my eyes, resting my chin on her head to protect her from this bad world.

"Grace", I whispered again, smiling from one ear to another, "You don't know how happy I am right now... Promise me to stay as long as you're allowed to, okay?"

"Okay", she agreed and nodded quickly, hugging me tightly as the tears started to stream down my cheeks again.

I had never imagined to ever hold her in my arms again. Feeling her like this...

I still remember her laying in that little incubator with all those tubes, not able to breathe at all. Her body had been so fragile and hypogenetic.

"Why are you here?", I asked quietly, "Why are we able to meet now?"

"The lines between your and my place are quiet unstable", she mumbled and buried her head in my neck, "It's not like the one between yours and daddy's..."

Robert held my hand in his, regarding our little princess through the window as she laid in the incubator, barely breathing.

"Dr. Montgomery said we should tell her our decision by the end of the day", he mumbled, gently stroking my back.

I nodded slightly, tears streaming down my cheeks.

"We're going to kill her", I sobbed and leaned my head against his shoulder, closing my eyes to escape this hell, "We can't do that, Robbie."

I lost my voice.

"We're going to deliver her from pain, Kate", he corrected me quietly, placing his soft lips on my forehead, "She's enduring horrible and immense pain..."

Slowly, I looked up to him. His eyes that were now characterized by this sad expression regarded me closely.

"It's up to us", he added and gently kissed my forehead.

I took a deep breath as he tucked a strand behind my ear.

"I can't decide that, Robbie", I sobbed and swallowed hard, closing my eyes again, "I can't do that..."

"I know, Kate", he whispered, kissing my forehead again, "I know."

"Mummy?"

Immediately, I opened my eyes again.

"My time has come", she added quietly and slowly escaped my embrace, "I have to go now..."

I nodded slightly and ran my fingers through her hair once more.

She half smiled at me before she quickly kissed my cheek.

I giggled happily. But suddenly, a thought I used to refuse during the past days came to my mind, taking all the happiness I've felt because of her sudden appearance away.

"What did you mean when you said he's on his way?", I wanted to know, afraid of the words she was going to tell me, "Is he sick? Is he going to die?"

My eyes already filled with tears again.

"Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to tell you", she answered quietly and softly wiped away my tears before she constantly moved away from me, slowly vanishing, "Take good care of him. And tell daddy that I love him."

I nodded quickly.

"Of course, Gracie", I promised and faked a smile.

She smiled back at me with this heartwarming smile that reminded me of Robert again.

"Grace?", I asked as she was almost gone, "How's the place where you are?"

Her smile widened.

"It's beautiful, peaceful. Everything is possible", she replied calmly, "It's up to your imagination."

And with those words she faded away, chasing the light, leaving me behind in that dusted room with the bleached rosa walls.

"I'll aways love you, sweetheart", I whispered in the desperate hope she could still hear me, "Always and forever."

Tears still streaming down my cheeks, I exited her room to lay down next to Robert again. I softly kissed his cheek, wrapping my arms around him to feel his warmth and the comfort of his beating heart.

"She's here, Robbie", I sobbed and half smiled at him, "She's alright, she's healthy."

I took a deep breath.

"She loves you", I added then, my smile widened, "And she'll be waiting for us until our time has come."

Although I was delighted because of Grace's return, my worries about Robert have exacerbated.

What was wrong with him?

Was he sick?

Was he going to die?

Thousands of questions came to my mind, driving me crazy.

That night, I was unable to come to rest.

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Hey everyone!

Just dropped by to wish all of you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and of course a few days of peace and quiet to relax :D

Now that I'm already here, I've written some teasers for stories that came to my mind during the past weeks. Feel free to check them out, I've got some huge plans for them ;)

Love,

Sarah :)