The Truth Behind the Champion (A Steven Stone fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-One

"Don't act out of line" my father told me. He would bend down, since at the time I was only six or seven, ruffle my bright pink hair. "Your main job is to be a strong, well mannered, woman. Oh and also to live your own life" he looked up at the ceiling. "Most of all, never let your name get in the way of your success as a person. Please promise me that you will try this for me?" His voice was soft as a whisper.

At the time I had no clue of what he meant, being my own person? My name getting in my way? What was this all about? All I knew was at the time this seemed important to the man who meant everything to me "Yes daddy, I promise"

He would ruffle my hair "Go play" He would laugh and smile at me.

Little did I know that his soft smile and green eyes were hiding a deadly secret, heart troubles. He never once said anything that would lead on that he was sick.

"Lady Zira" the voice of my father's nurse snapped me back.

"Yes?" I asked politely. Of all of the things my father taught me, that lesson was the one I had tried to keep.

"It seems that for now, your father's condition has improved a small amount"

I sighed, they had been telling me that for months, he would get better. I should have agreed with my brother and mother when they said he wouldn't make it and move on.

"Thank you" My voice came out soft.

Like always she bowed to me, unlike normal, she gently touched my shoulder "Honey, when was the last time you slept. After all" she gave a gentle smile "Someone as beautiful as you shouldn't look the way you do right now"

I shook off her compliment and her hand "Thank you for the advice Joy, I know my limits and I'm not close to them" I may have growled in reply.

"Then how about this!" Joy growled "As your families trusted doctor, I am ordering you to get some rest. You are not proving anything by staying here and becoming one with that chair! What happened to your dream? Shouldn't you be in school or something?"

I shrugged. School I decided when my father had his massive relapse that I wouldn't leave his side, that may or may not have been months ago. In school I was planing on working towards my professors licence, that felt like a life time ago. "Things, more important things, have come up. My goals can be put on hold. I mean yes I still have them, but I'm needed here" my eyes wandered to the small white room in front of me. My father's room.

"I would suggest going back to school and finishing out your licence after all, I can't wait to begin calling you by a title!"

I shuddered at that word as my father's most important lesson came back to me "Titles mean nothing, it is about the human behind the title that is important"

She let out a groan "You sound like someone else I know, he also had a traumatic event, both of you need to realize this isn't the end of the world and look at who you are and stop living in the past!"

I sprung out of my small chair. She was still taller than me, most people are I am only about 5'4 anyway. "I'll move on once my father is well again!" I spat.

That one sentence made her soft eyes fill with unshead tears, she reached out and brushed a strand of my long pink hair that had escaped my ponytail from my face. "Oh honey, I hate to tell you this but I honestly do not think he is going to get better" She whispered.

"Tell me little one, why do you and your brother have so many problems with each other" the father questioned.

The little pink haired girl shrugged at the large man standing in front of her "I can't help it daddy! He's mean!"