A Legacy of Hope

Chapter Twelve

Ben's POV
It had been three years since Hannah had been diagnosed with leukemia, and since she had gone through two years of chemo and radiation, and she had to have a bone marrow transplant. I knocked on the door, opening it. She sat up, grinning. She had been back for the last three months, since she had been in remission, gotten sick, and it had taken almost six weeks for the fever to go away. She had pneumonia right now, but she was doing a little better. The doctors were worried about her low blood pressure, but she seemed fine.

"Hey, beautiful. How're you doing?" She blushed, kissing me on the cheek.
"Okay. Mom went to get lunch, and Joel and Moriah said they'd be here soon." I smiled, sitting beside her on the bed.
"I'm glad they can come. How's little Peyton doing?" She grinned.
"Doing good. She calls me Anna too. Last time, she was here before the cancer left, she was fascinated by my missing hair. Could you hand me my guitar? I wanna play something." I handed it to her, and she thought for a moment, then started to strum.

You paralyze me, you shut my eyes
When I'm trying to find some hope.
You are a prison, you're on a mission
To keep me from where I should go.
Oh, I've had enough of your scheming,
I'll be leaving.
Oh, I hope you know your end is near,
Oh fear, You'll never keep me here!

I hear freedom calling,
I feel my chains falling
I see Jesus coming,
You'll never keep me here,
I know my God is near,
I know my God is near.

You were the lock and,
You tried to stop me, but now
I hold the key.
The door is open and
I'm finally breathing
I'm believing.
Oh, you've held me for so many years.

Oh fear, you'll never keep me here!
I hear freedom calling,
I feel my chains falling,
I see Jesus coming,
You'll never keep me here,
I know my God is near,
I know my God is near.

These are the moments,
I feel courageous,
God is with me, I can face this.
These are the moments,
I feel courageous,
God is with me, I can face this.

I hear freedom calling.
I feel my chains falling,
I see Jesus coming,
You'll never keep me here,
I know my God is near,
I know my God is near.

I hear freedom calling,
I feel my chains falling,
I see Jesus coming,
You'll never keep me here,
I know my God is near,
I know my God is near.

Oh fear, my God is near.

When she finished, I recognized the song. Oh Fear (My God is Near). Her aunt did that song. Then, we heard quiet clapping. Moriah, Joel, and Peyton came in the room.

"That was really good." Moriah said, smiling. Joel winked, and she blushed.
"I have to agree with that. How's about another?" Hannah grinned.
"Peyton, do you wanna choose?" She grinned, hopping up and down.
"Bloom! Bloom!" I looked at her, confused, but she smiled and started to strum again.

Have you ever heard you are beautiful
I know what you're worth
But you don't see it at all
After the rain has fallen down the sun comes out
Just keep believing

You'll see a new season soon
You're turning into something amazing
Baby, you were born to bloom, bloom, bloom, bloom
I wish you could see you were made for more
And your wildest dreams can't compare

To what God's got in store
Someday soon you'll kiss the sky like a butterfly
Just keep believing, you'll see a new season soon
You're turning into something amazing

Baby, you were born to bloom, bloom, bloom, bloom
Bloom, bloom, bloom, bloom
Just keep believing, you'll see a new season soon
You're turning into something amazing

Baby, you were born to bloom, bloom, bloom, bloom
Bloom, bloom, bloom, bloom
You were made, you were made to bloom
You were made to bloom, you were made to bloom
You were made to bloom, you were made to bloom
Bloom, bloom

She finished the song, and then her dad and mom came in.

"Why is it that every time I finish a song, someone else walks in?!" We all laughed, and about an hour later, Isaac called her dad. Everyone was smiling and talking, and then I noticed that Hannah was getting paler and paler, and her smile was fading. She started coughing even harder, but she managed to stop.

"Hey, sorry, but we have to go. I'm going to lunch with Courtney, and Joel and Luke are watching the kids." Moriah, Joel, and Peyton all got hugs, and slipped out. I saw Hannah was closing her eyes, and she was trying to hold back a cough.

"Hannah, are you sure you're okay? I can go if I need to, if you need to rest." She shook her head, placing the guitar on the chair beside her, and another coughing fit wracked her body. She tried to hide it, but I could see her struggling to catch her breath after each cough. I stood, kissing her in the cheek.

"Get some rest, beautiful. I'll be back later. Love you." I just didn't realize what was going to happen next.

Isaac's POV
I woke up to my phone ringing. Mom. It was about one o'clock in the morning, and it was a Saturday. I groaned, picking it up.

"Hey mom. What's up?" Dad was the one who answered.
"Isaac? Sorry if I woke you, but you needed to hear this." I could hear his voice trembling, and I started shaking as I stood. Skylar was at one of her friends houses for a slumber party.

"Dad? What's going on? Is Hannah- is she okay?" I heard mom in the background, and she kept saying the same thing over and over.
"This is so wrong. It's just so wrong." Dad choked down a sob.
"She- She died about an hour ago. The pneumonia- After the transplants, she was just too weak to fight it." My knees buckled, and I hit the ground, crying.
"What? How? I'm- I'm coming in a little while." He started to cry as well.
"Alright. Just wait until you tell Sky. No, it's too early. Never mind. Just call Moriah, Courtney, and Ben." I took a shaky breath.
"Okay. Bye." I hung up, dropping the phone and sobbing. This couldn't be real! As I cried, I called out to God.
"God, why?! Why did you take her?! She- She loved you with everything she had! Why did you take her?! What did we do to deserve this?!" As I cried, I realized something. God was crying with us, but Hannah was with him. That didn't make her dying any easier though.

Author's note- hey! So sorry about this! I know this isn't the best way to end a chapter, but it's not the end of the book! It'll get better, I promise! Btw, here's to jilnysoto for the song Bloom, and heavenknowsyoumatter for Oh Fear. Thx you guys! Love you all! :) - Craver_Priceless