(no subject)
Continued from here
"Take care of her, Wesley. Make sure she knows I love her. She's going to need you now. You can't let yourself slip away. Regan's going to need you, and you're going to need her. Oh God...I'm so sorry. I don't want to leave you. I want to stay and watch our daughter grow up, and grow old with you. Why can't I stay? I was always good. Wesley...please..."
The words echoed in her ears as she the room grow colder. Wesley's arms were still wrapped around her, giving her one last moment of warmth before the world around her spun around her and went black. Fred was sure this was what death felt like. Too cold and too dark. She wanted the light and warmth back.
Her body stilled and she waited for whatever came next. Was there a Heaven? Would she see a bright light, filled with love and hope? Or what she stay on some other plane?
When the warmth returned and the blackness became light, Fred's eyes flew open. She was no longer in Wesley's arms. Instead, she was lying on a soft bed, a blue comforter pulled over her. The cold she'd felt started to wash away and she sat up. Had she not died? Had it been a nightmare?
As she sat up, Fred was greeted by the image of her cousin Bonnie. It had to be Heaven since Bonnie had died when Fred and her were just seven. Holding out her hand, Fred smiled when Bonnie took it. There was a surge of power and Fred could hear them grieving. She could hear her daughter's soft cries and her husband's soft whispers as he tried to comfort Regan.
The in front of her turned out not to be Bonnie. Instead, she was a guardian, sent to protect her soul from the creature who had tried to destroy it. The young girl explained to Fred how nothing would happen to her there, and when the time was right, she'd be able to go home and be with her family again.
Fred asked when it would happen, the girl didn't answer.
Days, weeks, and eventually, months, went by and there was no indication Fred was going home. The girl visited often, each time she would hold Fred's hand. Images of Regan and Wesley always flooded her mind then - images of them trying to move on with their lives and sounds of hallow laughter. They were never happy, and they never mentioned Fred.
She began to wonder if they missed her or not. Fred supposed part of them was angry with her for leaving them behind. She wanted to withdrawal and make the girl go away. She started to refuse her hand, not wanting to feel the pain of missing her family.
Fred had been there for over a year when the girl stormed in one day, her face bright and smile wide. "I spoke to her," she said as she twirled around the bedroom. "It's almost time."
"What?" was all Fred could say.
"Regan. I was finally able to speak to her. They said I could when it was time," the girl said before she ticked her eyes up. Her smile grew more and she turned toward Fred. 'They've figured it out. You'll be home soon. But now, you must rest."
Fred opened her mouth to protest but the mumbled something and soon she felt herself falling into a deep sleep, where she dreamt of a large house and her family cuddled next to her on a bed.
She didn't wake again until the moment she felt something warm run through her body. There was a slight push on her chest and she gasped out for a breath. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears, something she hadn't heard since dying in Wesley's arms.
When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a clear sky with thousands of stars twinkling above her. She was lying on the ground and could hear her husband’s voice, followed by Regan’s. Fred turned her head and saw Regan was holding a weapon and trembling. “Regan, sweetie? Put that down before you hurt yourself,” she whispered, her voice hoarse.
Her eyes ticked over to Wesley and she smiled. “Hey,” she said before reaching out a hand for him. “When’s the last time you slept?”
"Take care of her, Wesley. Make sure she knows I love her. She's going to need you now. You can't let yourself slip away. Regan's going to need you, and you're going to need her. Oh God...I'm so sorry. I don't want to leave you. I want to stay and watch our daughter grow up, and grow old with you. Why can't I stay? I was always good. Wesley...please..."
The words echoed in her ears as she the room grow colder. Wesley's arms were still wrapped around her, giving her one last moment of warmth before the world around her spun around her and went black. Fred was sure this was what death felt like. Too cold and too dark. She wanted the light and warmth back.
Her body stilled and she waited for whatever came next. Was there a Heaven? Would she see a bright light, filled with love and hope? Or what she stay on some other plane?
When the warmth returned and the blackness became light, Fred's eyes flew open. She was no longer in Wesley's arms. Instead, she was lying on a soft bed, a blue comforter pulled over her. The cold she'd felt started to wash away and she sat up. Had she not died? Had it been a nightmare?
As she sat up, Fred was greeted by the image of her cousin Bonnie. It had to be Heaven since Bonnie had died when Fred and her were just seven. Holding out her hand, Fred smiled when Bonnie took it. There was a surge of power and Fred could hear them grieving. She could hear her daughter's soft cries and her husband's soft whispers as he tried to comfort Regan.
The in front of her turned out not to be Bonnie. Instead, she was a guardian, sent to protect her soul from the creature who had tried to destroy it. The young girl explained to Fred how nothing would happen to her there, and when the time was right, she'd be able to go home and be with her family again.
Fred asked when it would happen, the girl didn't answer.
Days, weeks, and eventually, months, went by and there was no indication Fred was going home. The girl visited often, each time she would hold Fred's hand. Images of Regan and Wesley always flooded her mind then - images of them trying to move on with their lives and sounds of hallow laughter. They were never happy, and they never mentioned Fred.
She began to wonder if they missed her or not. Fred supposed part of them was angry with her for leaving them behind. She wanted to withdrawal and make the girl go away. She started to refuse her hand, not wanting to feel the pain of missing her family.
Fred had been there for over a year when the girl stormed in one day, her face bright and smile wide. "I spoke to her," she said as she twirled around the bedroom. "It's almost time."
"What?" was all Fred could say.
"Regan. I was finally able to speak to her. They said I could when it was time," the girl said before she ticked her eyes up. Her smile grew more and she turned toward Fred. 'They've figured it out. You'll be home soon. But now, you must rest."
Fred opened her mouth to protest but the mumbled something and soon she felt herself falling into a deep sleep, where she dreamt of a large house and her family cuddled next to her on a bed.
She didn't wake again until the moment she felt something warm run through her body. There was a slight push on her chest and she gasped out for a breath. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears, something she hadn't heard since dying in Wesley's arms.
When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a clear sky with thousands of stars twinkling above her. She was lying on the ground and could hear her husband’s voice, followed by Regan’s. Fred turned her head and saw Regan was holding a weapon and trembling. “Regan, sweetie? Put that down before you hurt yourself,” she whispered, her voice hoarse.
Her eyes ticked over to Wesley and she smiled. “Hey,” she said before reaching out a hand for him. “When’s the last time you slept?”