WHO: Henry Wadock and Heidi Twilfit
WHAT: I can't
WHERE: St. Mungo's
WHEN: Tonight
“Bran clocked Seth right in the head with one of his toys,” Henry said, smiling at the image. He held his fiancee’s hand tightly in his, running his fingers through hers. “I think we’ve got ourselves a Chaser.”
He looked down at Heidi’s face, hoping that the story about their son would cause some sort of reaction. She had been in a magically induced coma for the past week and a half and while the healers kept telling him that this was for the better, that it would maintain less stress on her body, Henry still found himself unable to let go of his fears. She looked better, she wasn’t constantly dripping with sweat or shivering violently, but who knew how long that would last.
Henry frowned, feeling himself getting caught up in the negatives once more. Seth had come to his rescue in his offer to take in Brandon and he knew his brother had his hands full with both the baby and his own daughter. He had to remember to bring home dinner tonight, but the hours passed by at St. Mungo’s so quickly that it would be ten o’clock before Henry realized he should get home. He ducked his head to the bed, resting down for a moment, trying to even out his thoughts. Deep breaths, deep, calming breaths.
The last thing she remembered,
really remembered, was seeing Henry’s retreating back as he took their son to the hospital. She’d been so glad that he was taking care of things, and she’d been sure that she would wake to a happy, healthy baby boy and probably some treat from her husband-to-be. After that, things got -- hazy. She remembered bits and pieces of things even if she had tried to forget them: her late husband showing up from nowhere at her side, casting Cruciatus on her and causing her to twist and writhe, telling her how hideous she was for falling into bed with the first man who looked her way … Henry, throwing glances at her that she was sure were disgusted half-glares. She knew she’d been wasting away even in such a short time, how could she blame him?
It was that last bit that made her realize maybe she wasn’t thinking so clearly, that made her think she was sicker than she’d first thought. Henry
loved her, and she wouldn’t dare doubt that after all the things they’d been through. She had to make sure he knew that she loved him too, that he was the best thing that had happened to her! It was like a shock that rippled through her system, jolting her upright in bed --
-- she couldn’t leave yet. Where were her clothes? These itchy, papery robes were not what she wore to sleep, and the suddenly insistent whistling of devices right next to her (sirens, the steady whine of a machine as her heart rate climbed) made her eyes slam open. She inhaled sharply, the first real breath she felt like she’d taken in days, and tried to call her husband’s name through the feverish haze. No noise came out. In fact, her throat felt tight...not dry, but as if each gulp of air she tried to take was through a smaller and smaller straw.
Henry jolted up at the sudden movement, and gaped at the sight of---”
Heidi!”
He couldn’t believe it! The chair skittered back and fell to its side as Henry shot to his feet. His hands went to her shoulders and he was nearly crawling onto the bed to try and get closer to her, to help her, she looked so
scared.
“Heidi, breathe,
breathe, love,” Henry said, hoping that his voice stayed even and calm.
He needed to be calm, he needed to be calm to get her to calm down, to relax, but it was proving difficult as it almost felt like
he couldn’t breathe out of pure elation that she’d woken up. His emotions were all twisted up; excitement, fear, concern, gratefulness! She had woken up on her own! That was good, that had to be good, how else could someone push themselves out of a magical coma if it wasn’t with magic? Her body must have beaten the virus, it---she pushed through the barrier that had been holding her back, there was no other explanation for it. He could
cry, and took a few deep, shuddering breaths before lurching forward to get close to her, to look her in the eye.
“Heidi? Heidi, deep breaths, slow---deep breaths. You’re all right,” he said, voice cracking at his own words. He couldn’t believe this was happening!
Maybe she’d heard his voice through the fog that had been filling her mind. It was the only thing she could think of, and hearing the way he was barely holding himself back from sounding so happy … she’d never thought something like that could fill her full of such dread. With the way that she was feeling now, how she could almost feel the last moments of her life slipping away … she knew that joy wouldn’t last. Was this really how it felt to be dying? Her body, burning up with fever like some sort of phoenix, while her mind was suddenly crystal clear?
She felt rushed, but never had she felt more certain. At his behest she did try to breathe, forcing gulps of air that burned her throat until she was sure she had the strength she needed.
“Henry,” she let herself drop against him, forehead against his. She could feel tears stinging at the corners of her eyes, but she forced them away -- she couldn’t be sad right now. If this was the last thing she could do in this world, she wanted to try and make it perfect. Henry’s beautiful face -- like an angel -- she couldn’t think of anything else she’d rather see right now. Seeing Brandon would be too painful -- thinking about all the things that she was going to miss in his life made her chest even tighter.
“I love you. You made me whole again.” And somehow it seemed so
unfair to have to leave him now, but even as she let the last few words slide past her lips she knew it was happening. The machines in the background were making urgent noises again, she could hear footsteps shuffling in the hallway … but that all faded away quickly. It was finally quiet here, in her wonderful fiance’s arms. She could rest, now.
He couldn’t believe this was happening. Henry wasn’t
understanding what was happening. The great joy he’d felt at seeing Heidi awake had caused his vision to blur with the happiest of tears, but in an instant---it was an
instant. He’d never thought it to be true, that your life flashed before your eyes when you faced death, but as the overwhelming recognition about what was happening swept over him, Henry felt like he was disappearing along with her. He could see her smile as clear as day, he could see the shine of her eyes, the beautiful eyes that she’d passed on to their son. Henry gasped for air, but was unable to breathe.
“I love you too,” he had managed to choke out, but the words were soft and nearly lost as she lightly fell into his chest. Henry’s eyes widened, his entire body shaking as his arms wrapped around her tightly. “Heidi,
Heidi? No, no, no love, breathe, you’re all right, love, just breathe, you’re
all right----”
No, no, no---someone rushed into the room, a flash of neon green robes. Henry resisted as they attempted to pry his arms from around her, but a strong pull took him off the bed. He watched as the healers pulled out their wands and let out a volley of quick-muttered multi-colored spells, but he knew it was useless. Henry backed away from the bed, hands to his head as he watched them hover over Heidi’s lifeless body. Her lifeless body...
A nurse turned to him, a grave expression on her face, and Henry let out a choking sound. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t
breathe and he barely felt his knees crash against the floor as his legs gave out.
This couldn’t be happening, he couldn’t believe this was happening...
