Breathe (Cheryl Fanfic)

Chapter 21

Athena lays on the hospital bed. Wires and tubes connected to her and the sight breaks Cheryl into million pieces. Seeing her daughter in the state was unbearable. They all wait impatiently for the results that were taken earlier and it was making them more feel uneasy. They want to know what's happening to Athena cause this isn't a normal fever. 

It's not just a fever

Eric in all of them was confuse on what was happening. He's not really aware of what really is happening. All he knows is her sister is sick but he doesn't know how severe it is and he doesn't need to know.

"Babe, Eric's sleepy already" said Simon making Cheryl look up and saw Eric rubbing his eyes while looking at her. She let's out a small smile and took Baby Eric in her husband's arms and cradles him in her arms placing a kiss on his forehead as the little boy cuddles to her as he starts to close his eyes.

Simon knelt in front of his wife and placed a hand on her cheek making Cheryl smile as she leaned on Simon's hand. He was getting worried about their situation and it makes him sad to see his wife looks sad again. And behind those smiles he can see her pain. 

She's hurt

With unsaid words, Simon got up and placed a deep kiss on his wife's forehead giving her some kind of comfort and Cheryl understands what Simon is trying to do immediately and she appreciates it very much especially in a situation like this. And finally, the doctor walked in with the results they've been craving to know.

"We've taken some tests to know what is her condition and I'm telling you that it's not good." Cheryl's heart clenched as she tries to take in the words and in an instant she doesn't want to hear the doctor has to say. Cause she knows that the words that will come out of his mouth will just only break her and she doesn't want that anymore.

"But let me ask some questions first," The doctor started. "Her back, it seems it's burnt. What happened to that?" All of them exchanges looks waiting for someone to just say it. Say the truth cause Athena's health condition is at stake. 

"It was caused by acid." That's all has been said and it made the doctor sighed. This action made all of them feel anxious.

"Was it treated immediately?"

"No" 

"Enough with the questions, just tell us what it is" Simon said firmly. The doctor sighs and looks up from his clipboard then his eyes traveled to Athena.

"It seems that the acid that caused her burn on the back resulted to her having...Leukemia" Cheryl shuts her eyes as soon as she heard this trying not to break down. And at that moment she was starting to ask why. When she had found her, then she would be taken away again. 

She looks at her daughter and bit her lip, so hard that its already turning white. She wanted to cry so bad. She wants to let her emotions go. But there's something that is preventing her to do so and she doesn't what is it. 

"I'm really sorry but the cancer cells had already spread into other parts of her body...I'm afraid she would only last for a few months.. I'm really really sorry. Excuse me" And with that the doctor left leaving the room in complete silence. 

No one knows what to say. Everybody was in the process of taking in the news. Simon's eyes traveled to his wife seeing her as she stares at Athena noticing that she was close to tears. He walks to her and place a hand on her shoulder and Cheryl tried her best not to let out a sob as the first tear fell followed by a few more. 

All she feels is pain. Pain in every inch of her body especially her heart. She's in reach, she already had her daughter back but immediately would be gone in a few months. Its not even specific so it can be a month. And just the thought of that kills Cheryl.

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Cheryl was left on the room while Simon drove Eric to Nicola's for him to spend the night. Lisa and Marvin already went back to the shelter and told them they would come back in the morning so that leaves Cheryl just in the room and she haven't stopped crying since then.

She rests her head on the side of the bed holding Athena's hand firmly as she softly stroked her daughter's soft locks. She can't take the words that the doctor said awhile ago off her mind and it was driving her insane. She won't accept it.

She's suddenly angry at herself and to the world. she was partly blaming herself for what her daughter is getting through. She thinks that life is so unfair and she's trying to figure why did the world made a way for them to meet if she would be taken away from her immediately and that's what breaks her soul.

Athena starts to stir as she squeezed the hand she's holding and it made Cheryl shot up wiping her tears. The little girl squinted and opens her eyes and immediately noticed that she's not in her room in the shelter no more in fact she doesn't know what had happened and where is she.

"Baby.." Her eyes travel to Cheryl, a small smile appeared on her face but suddenly fades as she felt her head pounding and she feels so weak. She wanted to speak but the tube on her mouth is preventing her to do so.

Cheryl placed a long kiss on her forehead as tears flow down her cheeks. Her heart clenches at the thought swirling round her head like how will she tell the news to her. How will she tell her that she would only last for a few months and ho will she do this without breaking down.

She lets out a breath as she pulls away and sat back on her seat taking her daughter's hand and placed a kiss on it. And this somehow made a small smile appeared on Athena's face in spite the pain she's feeling.

"You want us to get the doctor?" Athena squeezed her hand before raising her hand to wipe her mother's tears. Cheryl silently cursed herself, she was having a hard time coping with this and her heart breaks every time Athena would give her a smile. She just can't take that smile away. 

Cheryl held her daughter's hand before pressing the red button above the bed letting the doctors know that they need them. They wait patiently just staring at each other. Athena was confused on what was happening to her and she's figuring that it's bad. 

A few seconds later, doctors came rushing in making Cheryl let go of the girl's hand and stepped away letting the doctor's do their job checking up on her daughter. Cheryl kept her eyes locked on her daughter who closed her eyes and let out a breath. 

"Uhm.. Mrs. Cowell" Cheryl looks up to one of the doctors as she wipes her tears and raised her brows.

"I would just like to inform you that she needs to eat so she would somehow be able to regain her energy cause right now, She's very weak." Cheryl nods and with that they left. Cheryl brings out her phone and texted Simon to bring some food on the way before going back to her seat. And by this time the tube on Athena's mouth has been replaced with an oxygen mask.

"D-Don't c-cry" Athena croaked and it just made Cheryl burst into tears shaking her head.

"I-I c-can't.." Cheryl holds her daughter's hand looking in those now pale blue eyes.

"I-I'm okay"

"N-no. No your not... I-I don't want to lose you again"

"W-why would y-you lose me?" Cheryl stares at her daughter as her heart stopped at the question and she silently curse with the fact that she'd be the one to tell that she's dying.

"Y-you have...Leukemia" Athena's heart stopped upon hearing this. Her smile fades, her blood dropped as she stares at her mother crying her heart out in front of her. The news just won't sink in to her.

I'm dying

She doesn't know how to respond to that so she looks away and covered her eyes with her arm and in a matter of seconds she felt her tears escaping. She's lost and doesn't know what to do. She doesn't want to die. She's too young for that, she wants to spend more time with her family. But how will she do that if she would be often laying on a hospital bed with wires and tube connected to her. 

She wants to spend time with her Mam and fulfill the times when they weren't together. She wants to take care of her little brother until he grows up. He wants to hang out with Simon like he was her real father. But something bad will always come up preventing all of that to happen and it's really unfair.

Life's unfair