Tell No One (COMPLETED)

Chapter 144

"Where the hell have you been, how dare you make us suffer like this" Heather yelled as she raised her hand to slap Tim.

Maggie grabbed her quickly, "stop it Heather!" she demanded " you have no right, you have no idea what he's going through".

"What he's going through? I don't give a rats ass what he's going through. My brother is laying there with no life left to fight, and you want me to sympathize for him. No friggin way, Momma." Heather yelled back.

Jake grabbed Heather " Come on girl, lets go" he told her. Heather tried to wriggle away but he kept a hard grip on her and escorted her out.

"I'm sorry Tim, she doesn't understand" Maggie told him. Tim moved closer, embracing her.

"I know Ms. Maggie, which is why it's time to tell all of you, and Chance, why" Tim replied. "And, I would never make a decision without discussing it with all of you first. You're his family, he asked me only because he didn't want you to carry the burden" he told her.

"You're family too, Tim. I know you all are, but your bond is different and you know why" she remarked.

"Yes, ma'am" he answered.

"Tim, we need a decision and now" Dr. Lynch stated.

Tim turned, sternly he replied " You'll get it after I talk to him and his family.  So if you'll excuse me" as he headed for Chance's room.

****
'That's my Timothy, taking care of the ones he loves, not letting anyone sway his intentions' she thought to herself as she watched him walk into Chance's room.

Alan stood beside her, watching as well. "Do you think he will listen to him" he asked.

"He's the only one, but he still needs to make the decision here. None of us, not even Tim, can make him do that. He has to want it" she replied.

Chance heard someone quietly call his name. He was drawn to a window. Peering through he saw himself laying in the hospital bed, machines beeping and humming. And Tim,  sitting on the side of his bed.

"Buddy, I need your help. You've given me a huge responsibility and I'm torn.  I need a sign, something from you, to get me through this. I've been here before and it hurts like hell. I still have nightmares, I still carry the guilt.  So, I don't know if you can hear me but I need to say this before I walk back through that door" Tim told him.

Chance listened as he revealed his secrets when Caroline appeared next to him "Is this all true" he asked quietly.

"Yes" she replied sadly "I would give anything to take away his pain. He blames himself, believing his decisions caused my death. But they didn't, it was inevitable, the cancer could not be stopped".

"Just like my Dad's " he mumbled.

"Yes. But yours wasn't cancer,  you can go back. We never can" she sadly replied.

"I still don't fully understand our connection" he told her.

"Think back for a moment, you will" she said before fading away.

****
Jenika met the guys in the hotel lobby "Where's Tim" she asked stepping from the elevator.

"He went to the hospital, said he needed to talk to Chance's family " Austin replied.

"I don't envy him one bit" Nate remarked.

"I don't know if I could do it" Rob stated, choking up a bit.

"Me either and to have to face it again. It's not fair on so many levels"
Adam stated.

"We should go to the hospital, show our support, for all of the them" Jenika said.

"Yeah but it's a private matter. I mean I agree but I feel like I'd be intruding" Austin responded.

"I know this family, believe me they're  going to need to know we are there for them. And Tim is going to need all the support he can get when Heather finds out he's back" she told them.

They shook their heads in unison and headed out the door.

****
"I hope you understand everything now. I love you like a brother Chance but I need a sign, anything" he told him as he sat there waiting.

Jake and Heather came back inside just as Tim walked out of Chance's room. Tim stopped, allowing them into the waiting room first, keeping himself behind Jake in case Heather was still upset.

Once in the room he asked everyone to have a seat, including Steven and Mina. Once settled, he revealed his story once again.

When he finished, everyone was in tears even Steven, having finally realized what pain he endured from his loss.

Tim looked at everyone for a moment, then pulled the papers Chance and he had signed the year before out of his coat pocket. He handed them to Heather and Maggie to read.

"I want you to know, none of this was by my suggestion. I refused, several times, to do this for him until the one day it finally hit me. He was experiencing so much pain like my Caroline had, I saw everything she felt through him. So I reluctantly agreed. But I told myself that I would not do what he asked until I discussed everything with you, his family" he explained.

Heather held her hand over her mouth as she read her brothers requests. It was true, his instructions for Tim to follow should his life come to this were clear. "I'm so sorry Tim, you shouldn't have to do this. It was kind of selfish on his part to ask you with all you'd been through" she told him.

"He had no idea, not until today" he replied quietly.