A Problem Shared

3

"What do you mean no?" Lisbon asked, her voice cracking and eyes filling with tears "What's wrong with him?"

You knew who she was. You knew what this woman had done to Marcus, how she'd broken his heart and left him a shell for some weeks when he'd first started. You'd silently hated her from afar for years but now, as she stood across from you with tears staining her cheeks you could no longer keep that grudge.

So you told her.

"Well, he was diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of the year. He's in remission but he got a cold which turned into Pneumonia and now his organs are failing." You stared, eyes flitting up at her audible gasp and you noted the fat tears rolling down her face "The doctors have advised we turn off life support. His organs aren't strong enough to sustain him and we're just prolonging his suffering now."

"Have his parents come?" She asked and you shook your head, finally allowing your emotions to show.

"No, they uh... Well, they don't want to turn the machine off. They don't want to make that decision and I get it, I wouldn't either." You answered and she nodded sadly "I guess there's a part of me that's still holding out hope he'll make it." You said as you rested your hand on your stomach, her eyes following the motion.

"Are you?..." She asked, trailing off and you simply nodded, a small smile gracing your lips "Is it his?" You nodded again.

"Our own little miracle." You said and she smiled back at you.

A sad, tense, silence washed over the two of you as the information you'd given the other agent filtered through. It was a few minutes before she composed herself enough to speak again, her shoulders shaking as she carefully arranged the words she wanted to say.

"He doesn't deserve this." She stared, grabbing your attention "What I did to him... He deserved better."

"He did." You said and she winced a little at the statement.

"I did really care for him." She assured you "I would have come here and married him if Patrick hadn't told me he loved me. I know I would have made me happy and I like to think I would have to but..."

"You weren't in love with him." You said and she shook her head.

"No."

"He understands that." You said to her and she gave you a weak smile "Despite how broken he was for a while, I don't think he ever held your decision against you." You continued, eyes drifting to the engagement ring on her finger "You can't help who you love."

Lisbon nodded her head as she gave you a weak smile, tears escaping from the slight movement.

"Can I see him?" She asked softly and you could only nod in reply.

"I can take you later." You said after a few moments of silence.

"Thank you." She replied and you nodded, giving her a weak smile before leaving the kitchen with your lunch in hand.

...

Your arrival at the hospital went the same way it had every day only this time, you weren't alone. You reached his room, hands shaking as you opened the door to his glass room. He was the same as the day before. Smothered in tubes and wires, eyes sunken into his skull.

"Hey, sweetheart." You said sweetly as you stopped at his bedside and bent down to place a kiss on his brow "I brought someone to see you." You said, turning your head to look at Teresa who was stook by the door awkwardly "Come on." You said, motioning for her to approach before stepping back so she could stand beside him.

"Hey, Marcus." She said softly, her voice wobbling a little "Normally the convention is to ask you how you've been but... Well, that would be pointless." She said, chuckling to herself "Can't answer me anyway." She choked, her hand taking his carefully and her eyes drifted down to it "Shit Marcus I'm so sorry this has happened to you... You deserved so much better than this."