Just Another Day
By Missy

SERIES: Just Another Day
PART: 1 of 1
RATING: PG (Adult thematic material)
PAIRING(s): S/L; F/S
DISTRIBUTION: To LW, Kai, Myself and FG so far; any other archives are
welcome to ask, but disclaimers must be included, my email left intact.
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CATEGORY: Crossover
FEEDBACK: PLEASE?!
SETTING IN TIMELINE: Post California-era.
SPOILLER/SUMMARY: "Tomorrow's just another day...and I don't believe in Time." -Darius Rucker

****

It's somehow wrong that he's on the fifth floor. The man is royalty in this town, and the best they could offer him was a windowless room?

She holds the little hand tightly, even as it pulls, fascinated by the gore and the newborn life, newborn death. Her mother, in business suit, is more practical than a five-year old.

Is that the right room? 500. Right in the middle of the hospital. She smirks at the old memories, surfacing and curling around her, like steam off a plate of freshly boiled spaghetti. 500; the name of the bike he used to take her around in.

The door is open, and his wife sits there, watches her with an intensity that shocks her to stillness.

"Which one are you?"

She blushes. The question isn't without malice. "High school friend."

"Oh."

She enters the room. Her daughter stares with a detached fascination at the white-haired man straining for breath in the bed.

He lifts his eyes. "Why - bring - kid?"

"I couldn't get a sitter, Lenny's doing a convention in Vegas." She smiles bravely. "You knew I had to come."

"Long - time -gone."

"What's wrong with Uncle Fonzie?" the little girl asks.

"He's sick."

"Can't you make him better?"

She shakes her head. "I can't."

He shrugs, then pathetically smiled at the kid. "Ey-" He brakes off into a coughing fit and starts sucking at his oxygen tank, causing the girl to scream.

"I'll take her out of the room." The girlfriend said, above the noise.

"Thank you, Ashley."

When the door closes, he manages to ask. "Why?"

"Because I know you don't have time left."

"Don't - believe - in -time. He good to you?"

She nods.

"You love him?"

"Yeah."

He sighs deeply. "I-left."

"I don't blame you. I had to get away. I knew you couldn't stay with me."

He shakes his head. "Mistake."

"You know it isn't a mistake. I love Lenny. And you love Ashley."

He nods toward the door. "She - don't - know?"

"No."

"Good. Lenny?"

"Yes."

He rests against the pillows. "Did - my - best."

"I know. I'm sure Heather and David know that, too."

He nods. "Love them." With a deliberate smirk, he added. "LIKE you."

She smirks. "Yeah. I like you, too, Fonzie."

Ashley enters the room with her daughter. "She won't stop crying."

"I wanna go home," She weeps.

I know "Okay. We have to meet daddy tonight."

Bitterness shows itself in Fonzie's eyes.

Ashley walks them to the elevator. "They say they don't know he got it. It could have been from anything." She closes her eyes. "It's so hard, sometimes. All of the people who want to say goodbye...I don't have anything of him for myself in the end."

"You have your memories."

"What am I going to do with those when he's in the ground?"

She fades into the elevator. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm the one who's sorry. I'm being ungracious."

"But I understand."

She tries to remember the words her father had taught her. Tu Duos, her Latin teacher had pronounced. I forgive, I forget, I release.

But none of that could be helpful to Ashley.

"I'll pray for you."

And the words are her release. "Thank you."

And the forgiveness that Shirley needs.












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