Hell's Angel

Chapter 55

Getting dad home was a hard task, he could barely move which meant getting him from the hospital bed to the car and from the car to the house difficult. But we managed, mostly thanks to Alex. We settle him on the sofa, he lets out a chesty cough that has us all on edge. He looks over to my mother "I would love a cup of tea my love." He says and she nods, I can tell she is trying to hold in her tears. Mum goes into the kitchen, Bella following after her.

"You should sleep." Alex whispers from behind me and I shake my head my eyes still trained on my father who is talking to my sister. "I cant." I say as quietly "what is something happens and I'm not here." Alex rubs my shoulders soothingly and I feel them untense slightly but as soon as he pulls away the tension returns. "You won't be any use to him on no sleep. I promise if something happens I will wake you up but I'm sure me and your mum can handle it."

I cave and lean into him "ok." I say finally and he pushes me slightly for the stairs. I slowly make my way upstairs, I stop halfway and look at my father. He is lying, skinny, pale and sickly on the sofa. He is clutching Veronica's hand tightly between the two of his and he is telling her something. Ronnie is looking at him intensely, not even blinking as though afraid if she does he will disappear.

Mum and Bella come back in and Alex leaps into action taking the tray from my mothers hands which contains five cups of tea and a plate of cookies "I've got this." He says and mum looks at him gently. "Thank you so much for being there for her." I hear her say and Karev shrugs, gently placing the tray on the coffee table "she would do the same for me." He replies "I know how much her family means to her."

I then carry on up the stairs and into my old bedroom. I don't change out of my clothes I wore straight from Seattle Grace, instead I just climb straight into bed and curl up on my side.

I don't know how long I lay there without sleep when I hear a light knock on my door. I turn around as it opens to reveal Bella and Ronnie. "Mind if we join you?" My older sister asks and I throw back the covers. The two of them climb in with me, like we used to do when we were little. The last time dad was sick.

We all lay in silence for a while before Bella finally says "do you think its worse then last time?" I bite my lip, thankfully its dark and she can't see my facial expressions. "Maybe." Ronnie answers after a second of hesitation but I start shaking my head. I'm in the middle of the three of us so grab the others hands and giving them a tight squeeze.

"The doctors at the hospital said they could only make him comfortable." My voice wavers as I explain "we only say that when there is absolutely nothing we can do." I hear my younger sister gasp slightly and I stifle a yawn. Before I know it darkness claims me.

-

The next morning I am the first to wake out of my sisters and I artfully climb out of bed, careful not to wake them. I move through the house and I go down the stairs. "I was wondering when I would see you my little Star." A gruff, sickly voice says and I look down at my father lying on the couch. I move over to him, trying to become upbeat. "Well, if I come over there, I don't know what I might catch." I jest lightly before taking a seat on the floor in front of him.

"You're a doctor." He says coughing into his hand "I thought you'd have more balls than that." I smile gently and raise my knees to my chest. "Guess I'm just a wimp like my father." I reply which makes him laugh, my father laughs so hard that he starts coughing and my heart feels like it's in my throat.

He finally recovers and tries to sit up, I leap up and help him. "I'm fine." he says waving me off "you don't have to baby me." I roll my eyes and sit back down "if no one babied you, you would have been dead years ago." He suddenly goes very serious and stares down at me like he did when I was a kid and I misbehaved. "That may be true." He says "and that would have saved my girls a lot of pain."

I wrinkle my nose and shake my head "you aren't hurting us Papa." I insist but he chuckles darkly. "Don't lie to me Andromeda, you were always the worst at it." He warns, I take one of his hands in my own and rest my head on top of them.

"You've always been my favourite Little Star." He says, his voice croaky. I smile weakly again before standing up "you say that to all of us. Stay there and I'll go and get you some water."

As I move into the kitchen I hear him call "like I can go anywhere else." I chuckle to myself and go about making him some breakfast and a drink. I feel guilty for leaving Seattle unannounced but I am sure if there was an emergency they would call me. Or Arizona could take it.

I go back into the living room to see Alex whispering with my dad. I frown as I make my way over with his breakfast and a drink "what you two whispering about?" I ask and dad shrugs me off "if we wanted you in the conversation we would have invited you."

I roll my eyes and hand him the plate and the glass "just drink." I say and he does as he is told. I lean into Alex and he wraps an arm around me waist, kissing my temple lightly. My dad watches us carefully "Alex, would you mind if I talk to my daughter alone?" He asks and Alex shakes his head. "I need to call Robbins anyway." He tells me and disappears out of the back door.

My dad coughs and I snap my head back to him "how are you and the boy." He asks after a pause and I sigh, glancing quickly at the door "we are good. You'll be glad to hear we have a venue for the wedding." A grin spreads across my fathers face and I match it.

"That's good, he'll look after you." He tells me and I pull a face, clutching his hand in my own "I can look after myself papa." I say. I bring his hand up to my face and he replies "you know what I mean Little Star. You'll look after each other, that's what marriage is." I nod slowly and kiss his hand.

The stairs creak and my sisters and mum come down the stairs. "Why didn't you wake me?" Mama asks but dad just waves her over "you need sleep. I'm not going anywhere." The others come over and we all sit in front of him.

Dad rolls his head to look at us, his gaze softening "my girls." He says "I am so proud of all of you. I couldn't ask for a more perfect family and I love you all so much." Tears threaten my eyes as dad has another coughing fit. Then he stops moving.

Mum cries out and with a shaky hand I feel for his pulse. Tears finally fall and I feel Ronnie's hand on my shoulder. I lay my head on his arm, sobbing into his body. He's gone.