flatline [m.s]

epilogue.

- - -
it's all about lines. the finish line at the end of residency, waiting in line for a chance at the operating table, and then, there's the most important line. the line separating you from the people you work with. it doesn't help to get too familiar. to make friends.
- - -

rain is streaming down the large bay window of lia's living room, whilst she sits, tapping on the arm of the couch, listening to the rain pounding against the glass.

this sound used to be familiar to her when she lived in seattle, but in the many years she'd been living in la, she could probably count on both hands the amount of times it had rained like this. whereas she'd probably only need one hand to count the days it hadn't rained in seattle.

her eyes flick back and forth between the blank tv screen and the clock above it, and she groans as more and more minutes pass by.

when she hears the door knob rattling, signalling that someone is about to enter, she jumps up from. the couch and turns towards the front door.

"where the hell have you been? you were meant to be here half an hour ago," lia stresses.

"sorry," jackson holds his hands up. "traffic."

"okay, well, she's in her bedroom. she's packed so she should be ready," lia tells him. "i've already said goodbye to her, so can i please go because i am really late for an appointment?"

"yeah, that's fine," jackson assures. "go, go, go."

"thanks," lia smiles, picking up her keys and heading for the front door. "see you later."

"bye."

- - -
you need boundaries between you and the rest of the world. other people are far too messy. it's all about lines.
- - -

"finally!" mark groans, lifting himself from the wall he's leaning against, when he notices lia making her way towards him. "you're late."

"i know, i know, i know," lia holds her hands up. "but when you're name's above the door, you can be as late as you want."

"shut up," mark shakes his head with amusement and lia laughs.

"i'm kidding," lia tells him, as they proceed inside. "i would've been on time, though, if jackson hadn't been late picking his daughter up."

"no you wouldn't," mark furrows his brow.

"yeah. you're probably right," lia agrees and he chuckles.

- - -
drawing lines in the sand, and praying like hell no one crosses them. at some point, you have to make a decision. boundaries don't keep other people out. they fence you in. life is messy. that's how we're made.
- - -

"okay, so everything looks good here," dr. kingston assures with a smile as she uses a blue paper towel to wipe the gel off lia's exposed, swollen, stomach.

"oh, thank god," lia let's out a sigh of relief as mark squeezes her hand.

"however, i do have a question for you," dr. kingston tells them.

"sure," lia nods.

"do twins run in either of your families?"

- - -
so, you can waste your life, drawing lines, or, you can live your life crossing them. but there are some lines... that are way too dangerous to cross. but here's what i know. if you're willing to take the chance...the view from the other side is spectacular.
- - -

hello my lovelies,

we have finally reached the end of the book, and i would to thank every single one of you that read, voted, or commented throughout. i really hope you enjoyed it, and as i promised, i didn't kill mark off, and i made him and lia endgame. as i've said before, i will be writing a sequel that follows darci and lily's lives, and it's more than likely going to be a vlog squad fan fiction, but i'd like to know who you'd be interested in seeing as their love interests from the vlog squad. so please let me know and i'll try and start working on it as soon as possible. but in the meantime, stay safe.

update: i have started the sequel. it's called 'clickbait' and it's now up on my profile. i'll try to update as often as i can.

second update: i have also started another mark book called 'trauma' and it's now up on my profile if you want to check it out☺️

lots of love

liv xxx