Chasing Fate- New Beginnings (UNDER EXTREME EDITING)

47

"Someone get over here!"

I sat down next to Derek, who'd been rocking himself in horror. Red and blue lights flashed in my dazed vision. "Derek, we have to go." He shook his head.

He was scarred, presurizing Candice's chest, yet it didn't help. "You said it was a hit and run?" A familiar voice called. I looked up to find the nurse that had helped us the other day. I shot up, wrapping my arms around her. She chuckled, giving into my embrace.

"What are you doing here?" She smiled looking at me, then frowned as she looked down at Derek. I sighed. "The girl that was hit, that's his ex wife. Everything is confusing but you'd have to go to court to hear it." She laughs looking back at me.

"I never told you my name. Pearl Harht. I don't tell my patients, but I felt like you needed to know." I smiled. "Caroline Johnson. And that's Derek, followed by my parents Laura and Tom. Your patient, my brother, Isaac." She nods, pointing to the little ones.

"Alyssa and Wren. Derek is Wren's father, I'm Alyssa's mother." Her expressions drops as does mine. "Don't touch me." Derek growls.

"Hey, it's okay. He's just worried about you, don't take it out on him." Derek's eyes look up to mine, having a great horror held in them. "I don't want to see him now.. I can't look at him." I knew they weren't supposed to be around, but I called my parents up and told them what happened.

When they arrived, I found out they brought the kids, which wasn't a good idea considering this is Wren's mom that had just been hit. Derek was torn. Wren would really never see his mom again. I sat down next to him, rubbing his back. "I may have hated her, but I never wanted her to end up like this." He was shaking his head in disappointment.

"I know.." I leaned my head against his shoulder, he gave in and leaned back. "I just checked on the update." Pearl came jogging up, looking stressed. "Can I talk to you Ms. Johnson?" I nodded, walking over to her.

D E R E K

As she walked away from me, I knew it wasn't good. I watched as they talked for a few minutes, gestures going here to there. Caroline then covered her mouth, I figured she was crying or shocked. I got up walking slowly to them. She looked to me and gasped turning away.

"Derek, I need to speak to you alone." The nurse from before, Pearl I believe her name was, walked me over to the back of the ambulence. "We did some DNA samples, and found some saliva of yours. Your not in trouble because I know you were giving her CPR, it's what we found in the sample of yours." I didn't quite know what she was getting at till she looked at me in the eye.

"I don't- I.. I can't." She grabs a clip board showing me things I'd never thought I'd see. "These are cells in your body, cancer cells." I felt like I'd been shot, making me crumble slowly but painfully. I looked over to Caroline, who was crying her eyes out, hugging her mom in terror. She couldn't see me, she felt so bad it hurt.

"Derek listen, Caroline didn't expect it either. But I can help you. I can be your doctor when it comes to the kemo, or the MRI's." I nodded, not looking away from Caroline. I watch as she slowly falls to her knees. Tears welled in my eyes, just from watching how much pain I caused.

"I'd go see her, she needs to look at you."

"But she barely can look at me from a distance." Pearl pushes me gently closer to her. I look back at her one more time, she nods.

"Caroline.." I say, nervous that I might be right. She looks up, her eyes puffy and red. I let tears roll down my face. "Oh Derek!" She wails getting up and throwing her arms around me. I creep my head into her neck, sobbing. "I'm so sorry.." She says holding me so tight I wouldn't want to leave her embrace.

C A R O L I N E

It had been a week. The police and doctors took care of Candice's body. We went to her funeral, but didn't stay long. Derek has already started kemo therapy, and is doing good. I'm still not processing this carefully, but I'm getting the hang of it.

"Hey hon, I'm gonna be late for work, and you need to get up, you have school."I opened my eyes, shooting up and getting ready right away. I had been taking school off a lot, and I had to get myself back in gear with everything that has happened.

I was startled by Derek, poking through the door and kissing me. His lips were soft, distracting even. I mumbled through his lips letting go. "I have to get ready, I'm sorry." He grins as I turn away. I can feel his eyes on me.

I look back to find he is gone. I sigh, feeling really bad. Ever since I found out he had cancer, I've been taking extra time off, not only on school, but other things as well, just to be here for him. I didn't want to take too much time out of school, and I'd been thinking of switching to the online version.

"Derek I'm leaving, the kids are at my parents house right?" I rounded the corner to walk down the hallway. As I got to the kitchen, I saw his hand lying on the ground. I rushed to him, seeing that he wasn't shaking. I laid him on his left side, like Pearl had told me, and held him still. "Derek come on.." I grabbed my phone and dialed 911.

-

"How is he?" I was scared. I didn't want anything more to happen to him. "He's fine, it was a slight seizure, but he fainted. I'm glad you did your best, thank you Caroline." Pearl held a hand on my shoulder. I looked at him in the hospital bed, he looked so peaceful.

"Well, look at the odds." I turned around to find Isaac, walking with a IV tank. I walk over to him, hugging him tightly. I cried into his shoulder, not holding anything back. "What happened to him? I've been left out, even when mom and dad visited me.

"Just a week ago, Candice was over at his parents house. We talked to them, and got in a fight. She ran out, and out of nowhere a car came and.." His eyes twitched with horror. "She's dead.." He said. I nodded.

"They did some samples of her DNA, and found some of Derek's saliva. They did a run test on that, and found out that.. that he has cancer." It hurt saying it out loud. "Oh god, wha- they haven't been doing anything?"

"No, they have. He's been to kemo therapy twice this week, and he was doing good till this morning. I don't know what happened but he had a slight seizer and fainted." I looked at him, wondering how he can handle this. I felt like he was used to it, or maybe he knew how to handle it.

"Caroline?" I walked over to him, holding his hand. "I'm here.." He groaned, opening his eyes completely. He looks beside me, smiling. "How you holding up Isaac?" Isaac smiled. "Not as bad as you look." They both laugh. "Well how do you feel, I heard the news." The room felt tense. "I'm okay I guess, I mean apart from the aching kemo, and now, I'm okay."

"Okay's good."

Isaac left after an hour of visiting, back to his room. I grabbed my phone to see that it was 8 sharp. I decided to send an email, saying that I would like to switch to the online version since I missed today.

Right away, I got an email from my chancellor.

We've missed you Caroline. I'm glad you've been trying to keep up with everything that has been going on. Thank you for being honest and making this decision, it would be helpful for your family, and your boyfriend. I appreciate your suggestion, and I will except it. The link to your class is below, thank you for your time.

I sighed in relief.

"What?" I look at Derek, who was holding a worried look on himself. "I sent an email to my chancellor, I'm switching to the online version so I can watch you." He smiles, grabbing my hand. "You didnt have to."

"Oh I did. I haven't been to school for a while, it's about time I decided to switch." His sincere look gave me whiplash. "What?" He shook his head, smiling. "I'm just so thankful I have a girlfriend that would do anything to take care of me."

"Derek.." I was thankful for a wonderful boyfriend like him. I was happy that he stuck around. I was happy that I met him, and I was thankful to share my feelings with him in every way.