I Will Remember You  This story came to me at work while listening to "I
will remember you" by Sarah McLachlin. Please excuse any grammar errors as
this was written during lunch. All disclaimers apply. Comments welcome!
Jackeec@aol.com I WILL REMEMBER YOU by JACKEE C. "Everything changes, when
you love someone, love someone..." the woman sang along to the upbeat tune
on the radio. "I'll never be the sa-ame..." She could attest to those
words. She'd changed. Seeing the man she loved lying on the ground of a
train station, his life's blood flowing away frighteningly fast, had
broken something cold and angry and replaced it with something else. That
something had carried her in the months that followed. She'd been hungry
for any information on him. Having learned that he'd recovered from his
injuries and still worked at the consulate, she'd gotten herself together.
She now had a decent job. Honest. It didn't pay as well as she would have
liked but she got by. Now she was ready to go to him. To ask his
forgiveness. As she passed the sign that said: "Welcome to Chicago" her
heart rate tripled. She took a deep breathe and blew it out. So close. She
took the appropriate exit from the interstate. Her hands shook as she
shifted into first gear when the traffic light switched to green. She
never saw the Bronco that rounded the curve and plowed into the side of
her vehicle. Constable Benton Fraser was awakened from a deep sleep by a
pounding on his door. He looked sharply around the dark room, before his
eyes settled on his wolf, now awake as well. "Dief," he spoke softly.
Something felt faintly wrong. The pounding came again at the door. Ben
pushed the covers back to reveal his red pj's and went to see who needed
him in the middle of the night. "Mr. Mustafi?" he asked curiously when he
saw his rumpled neighbor standing there. "Phone for you," the man informed
him. Ray was awakened from a deep sleep by a call from Mr. Mustafi. "Wait
a minute, slow down...now he did what?" Ray spoke, irritated into the
phone. "Did he say why?" Ray asked the disembodied voice across the
connection. "Who called? Alright, I'll take care of it..." Ray slammed the
phone down in it's cradle and was dressed and out of the house in record
time. Ben entered the hospital at a run. The nurse at the desk urged him
to calm down so she could help him "I got a call a short time ago," he
said breathlessly. "Someone listed me as a contact in case of an
emergency. My name is Benton Fraser can you tell me where to go?" "Do you
know the name of this person?" the nurse queried. "No..." he breathed
after a slight hesitation. "Just a minute," the nurse said efficiently and
turned to her computer. "Ah, here it is," she said after a minute. A
slight from passed over her face. And then the look of pity. Fraser paled
at her expression. "What is it?" he asked. "Here, come with me," she said.
"You need to get to intensive care right away." With that she grabbed his
arm and lead him through the winding halls toward the Intensive Care Unit.
Through the door, she led him to a bed in a darkened cubicle. "I'll send
the doctor along shortly," she said. "Thank you," Fraser said as he
stepped further toward the figure lying on the gurney in the shadows. He
wasn't prepared for what he saw there amidst the myriad machines.
"Victoria..." he choked, frozen in place. "Mr. Fraser," a voice called,
bringing him out of his reverie. "Yes," Ben followed automatically when
the doctor urged him into corner of the room. "I'm sorry there isn't
anything more we can do for her," he said. "There are massive internal
injuries..." Ben leaned against the wall, hands over his face as he tried
to come to terms with the Dr.'s words. "No hope..." With effort he pushed
himself away from the wall to go to her in her final hour. As he
approached, her eyes opened and she smiled as if she'd been waiting for
him. "Ben," she whispered with considerable effort. "I knew you would
come. I h-" she coughed. "I had to see you one last...time." Ben knelt at
her side, taking her small hand in his. "You know I couldn't do any less,"
he whispered. "I know," she said. "You changed me, you know. I've gotten
it together, Ben. I got a real job. I was coming to ask you to forgive me
for all that I've done. I don't know...I don't know if you can love me any
more, but if you could forgive me..." "Of course, Victoria. I forgive you.
I understand. I love you." Ben whispered around the tears that wouldn't
stop falling. She smiled. "You always gave me everything. In the end you
gave me your life. Remember me," her voice broke on her last word,
"Benton." And then she closed her eyes. Ben stared blankly at her eyes,
forever closed. He was too numb to notice the alarms set off by the many
machines or the white clad figures that rushed into the room. Or even the
gentle hands that pushed him from her cubicle. All he could see was her
face, even after the curtain obscured her from his vision. He blinked and
turned at a familiar voice. "Come on, Benny. Let's go home." THE END  
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