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