Tom Hiddleston one shot/drabble collection

Melissa's final wish

Summary: It's Melissa's twenty-first and she has been diagnosed with cancer for the third time. She was given the diagnosis a couple of months before.

Melissa was first diagnosed at the age of six, and she kept hold of her final wish. As she believed there was going to be a special day waiting for her at the right moment. Her twenty-first birthday. Only one detail however, she did not know about prior to her garden party. A surprise her parents and the Make a wish foundation organised, to make her birthday all the more unforgettable.

Warning: some readers may find this triggering - main character's death, grief/mourning, some swearing and mentions of cancer

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August 12th 2018, Melissa's twenty-first birthday

Melissa is twenty-one today. A day she thought she would never see, given what she has been through in order to get here. At the age of six, Melissa was diagnosed for the first time with Leukaemia.

At first the doctors were highly positive she would pull through until she had a turn for the worse. Which made everyone predict Melissa would use her final wish, to go to Disney-Land, like so many children would at her age. And, to make a last perfect day, before she was too weak to make the trip. However, Melissa refused to use her wish on Disney-Land, and chose to save it for something more special. Her twenty-first. A few days after refusing to use her wish on Disney-Land, however, her weight loss became scarily dangerous. And, the amount of blood which she had lost within such a short time, seemingly only weakened her more. This forced the doctors to advise her parents Emma and Joshua to say their final goodbyes.

Flash back

The doctors had given the family some space to spend what could be their final moments together.

Melissa had been moved into a private room, as they believed she was nearing her end, and they thought it would be for the best.

Emma sobbed uncontrollably as she sat upon the hospital bed, and cradled her child in her arms, trying to sooth her cries. Emma's own tears splashed down onto Melissa's pale skin of her forehead. Her words came out in a soft and loving whimper.

"Our little Melissa, you truly have been a blessing, and we're thankful for the time we've had together. No matter how long or short it may have been. We love you so much and no one could ever replace you in our hearts."

Joshua brushed his hand through Emma's hair to try and comfort her. Then Emma released herself from Melissa's embrace, so Joshua could sit down, to say his last few words. He took her hand sandwiching it between both of his own, hers felt small and soft in his large and rougher ones.

"Melissa, baby girl. My Melly-moo!" Melissa managed to muster up a light chuckle at his nickname for her.

"You are our world and we couldn't have asked for a better daughter. One day we will all be together again, until that day we will always look up to the brightest star, and we will know it is you." His words came out in a teary-eyed rush.

"We love you," Emma and Joshua said in unison.

End of flashback

Luckily, it was not the end. Melissa's body managed to fight back, and responded to the treatment well. Some say because of her parent's final words, along with the decision that she didn't want to go yet, as she still had a wish to for-fill made her stronger. The doctors were astonished by how well she fought back, and how stable she had become. Especially as the night progressed into a couple of days, then into several weeks. Emma and Joshua were overjoyed and overwhelmed, by Melissa's sudden recovery progress, after already saying their goodbyes.