𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗 ━━ 𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐝

forty four | home

"You don't have to say any. . .thing. Don't say it."

"Beth, I'm sorry."

"Don't. . .don't say anything. Okay? Don't say anything. Don't say anything. Just don't say anything! Don't you say anything to me! Don't say anything!"

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"Given the situation, I would understand if you didn't want to proceed with the surgery." Derek says to the three.

However, his words are mostly directed towards Beth who's been dealing with the pain of heartbreak. . .and losing a loved one.

"We still were able to learn from Jeremy, though." I choose to remain optimistic. "The viral cocktail injected into the tumor will be adjusted for Beth, of course."

"We have not yet had a positive outcome." Derek stays with his pessimistic, hopeless self.

"Liz?"

"I want to take her home."

"We understand."

"No, I want the surgery." Beth interrupts. "I want the surgery."

"Honey. . .that's the grief talking." Mrs. Monroe brushes her head against her forehead.

"No. I want the surgery. . .today." Still, she forces a look of determination.

"We're not letting you have the surgery because you want to die with Jeremy." Mr. Monroe shakes his head.

Beth tilts her head up to look at them. "If I go home, I die. I die in a few weeks, a few days. . ."

"I-I don't want to lose you."

"Mom. . .you won't. Because I'm not finished." She assures her mother. "Daddy. . .he loved me. Yeah, you know, he really loved me. And he'd be so mad if-if I just gave up. So please. . .do the surgery today."

He exits the room swiftly, leaving me to chase after him.

"We can alter the viral cocktail and save her."

"She just lost the love of her life. How could you encourage her to do the surgery?"

"Derek —"

"You backed me into a corner in there. What was I supposed to do, say no?" He slams the file against the countertop of the front desk. "Again, how could you encourage her to do the damn surgery?"

I shrug my shoulders. "Because you wouldn't encourage her. We can save her, give her a normal life." My breath grows heavy. "She's a kid, Derek. A kid who deserves a second chance at life with this surgery."

"A surgery that could very well kill her, along with the other twelve patients." He states over and over and over again.

"Be a little more negative, why don't you, Derek?"

"When Beth's surgery is over, we're done."

"I didn't mean it literally —"

"I don't want to work with you, I don't want to see you, I don't want to talk to you." Derek clicks his pen. "We are done."

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"She's still stable." I stand at the foot of Beth's bed.

"The ICP's thirteen." He gazes at the monitor. "We'll see."

I look at the back of his head. "Derek. . .she's alive. We haven't made it this far with any other patient, and she's still alive."

"But for how long?"