Emily sat in her room, tears in her eyes as she looked once again through the box Caroline had given her. Filled with various art supplies, sketch pads, paints and canvas. But the most important piece was the painting of the two of them on the beach while in the Cayman Islands. Memories of that day flooded her mind, for a moment bringing her happiness amongst the surrounding sadness. "How she remembers every detail is amazing" she thought. Wiping her eyes, she looked around the room to find the perfect spot to hang it.

Dena occupied herself in the kitchen, preparing meals for Tim and Caroline so he wouldn't need to spend one minute away from her side. She stood back for a moment, looking at all the prepared food before her. "Ummm.I may have over done it..just a bit" she thought as the timer went off on the oven.

Caroline sat on the sofa talking with Kris while Tim took a shower. She came everyday to evaluate Caroline's status and to relieve Tim for a few hours, but he always refused. He would only leave her long enough to shower, the rest of the time was spent with her, just as he promised.

Standing in the shower, the hot water pounding against every inch of his tired body, he cried. Not for himself, but for her, the love of his life, the only woman he would ever love. The past few weeks she had become weaker, more forgetful and now in pain. She was suffering and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. No matter how much he pleaded and bartered with God, each day was the same. She was the one dieing, not him.

Caroline had come to terms with the fact her last days were rapidly approaching but it didn't stop her from not wanting to leave.  She wanted one more birthday, one more Christmas with Tim. She wanted this nightmare to be just that, a nightmare she would wake from and find herself in the loving arms of Tim, reassuring her that it all was just a bad dream. But it wasn't. It was reality, at 27 years old, it would soon end. Shaking the thoughts from her mind she turned and smiled as Tim walked into the room. Oh how she loved him, staring as he walked in, memorizing everything about him to carry with her into the next life.

****
Tim helped Caroline into the car using the wheelchair Dr. Kim had sent over when she began showing signs of weakness. Lifting her gently placing her into the front seat, she kissed him on the cheek as he fastened her seatbelt. "What was that for" he smiled looking into her beautiful green eyes. "Just because" she replied softly. He quickly stored the chair in the trunk, grabbed the picnic basket Dena had prepared and headed down the driveway.

Caroline looked lovingly at him as he parked the car, then ran to the trunk to fetch her chair. She was having a good day on this beautiful Texas afternoon and suggested spending time at their favorite place that held so many fond memories, the Botanical Gardens. Opening the door he bowed to her "Your chariot awaits, my lady" he said with an attempted English accent overwhelmed by a deep southern drawl. She giggled as he helped her into the chair, then placed the blanket on her lap. The picnic basket handles were wide enough he could hang it from the chair while he pushed her along the path to their spot, the old oak tree.

Caroline rested her head on his lap as he read her favorite poems and lyrics he'd written. Closing her eyes she reveled in the sound of his voice,  comforting her in so many ways.

"Sing to me" she asked, rolling onto her back, looking up at him. He smiled while he gently ran his fingers along her face as he sang her favorite song, the one he had written just for her.

"Promise me something" she said when he finished.

"Anything" he replied softly.

"Promise me you will always sing, that you will follow your dreams. Will you do that for me?" she asked.

Tim looked at her, unsure if he could make that promise. She was his muse, his sole reason for living, without her there would be no music, no life left in him. "I will try" he said quietly as a tear escaped his eye.

Caroline sat up, taking his face into her hands and kissed the tears that trickled down his cheeks. "You'll still be singing for me, I will hear you" she whispered against his lips. Tim pulled her close as they kissed each other tenderly, both crying tears of sadness and love.

Tim held her in his arms as they watched the sunset over the horizon. The colors were magnificent as if painted across the sky. "How beautiful" she remarked as the final glimpse of light faded to darkness.

****
Dena, Emily and Bobby stood at the elevator door. Feverishly Emily pushed the elevator button. "Come on damn it, come on" she spat as the doors finally opened.

Tim sat in the waiting room talking with Dr. Kim and Kris when his family arrived. "Tim, what happened,  where is she" Emily demanded, her voice shaking with fear. "Emily, please, calm down" Bobby told her, wrapping his arms around her.

Dena sat down next to Tim, taking his hands in hers. Tim just shook, he couldn't say anything. "Momma" he cried, burying his face into her lap.  Dena held him, rocking him as the tears flowed down her face. She looked up at Kris and Dr. Kim, fearing what they were about to tell her.

"Caroline is resting, we've given her morphine. She was in excruciating pain when they arrived. We performed a quick scan, the tumor..." Dr. Kim hesitated as he looked around at everyone"...I'm sorry, there is nothing more we can do than make her comfortable" he explained, his voice cracking.

"Can we see her, please" Emily solemnly asked.

"Absolutely " Kris replied "Come, I'll take you to her room". Emily and Bobby followed her while Dena stayed with Tim. Dr. Kim sat next to Tim, placing his hand on his back as he sat up wiping the tears from his face.

As they entered the room Emily asked if Caroline could hear her. "Yes, she's very groggy from the medication so she may not respond, but she can definitely hear you" Kris replied. "I'll give you both some privacy, if you need anything I'll be right outside the door" she added.

Bobby stood by the door as Emily made her way to Caroline's side. She gently took hold of her hand and called her name softly. Caroline's eyes fluttered a bit till she opened them more. Giving a slight smile she said "hi squirt".  Emily leaned over, hugging her as best she could,  sobbing, telling her how much she loved her. Caroline raised her hand slowly patting Emily on her back "shhh, don't cry, it's okay" trying to reassure her.

Bobby had stepped forward, now behind Emily he gave a sad smile to Caroline. "Take care of her Bobby, she deserves to be loved like no other " she told him. Bobby teared up as well as he promised Caroline he would. Emily stepped back, turning into Bobby's chest as she continued to cry, Caroline drifted back to sleep.

"Baby, let's go be with your Mom and Tim, let her rest" he told her guiding Emily out the door.

Tim stared at the papers in front of him. The ones made out in Dr. Kim's office nearly a year ago of Caroline's wishes. Before he signed them to discontinue invasive treatment, to give her time, more quality of life. Now it was his responsibility to decide how to end that same life he so desperately clung to.

"Will the pain stop, will she know what is happening, will it be instant" he asked the doctor.

This was the second hardest part of being a doctor, advising a family member when it was time to let go. "She will merely go to sleep, Tim. No pain, no suffering, just blissful sleep" Dr. Kim replied. "We will gradually increase the morphine over a few hours"

"Can I stay with her, please. I promised I wouldn't let her die alone. I wanted her to be at home, in her own bed, not in a cold disinfected hospital room" he said through his tears as his hand hovered over the papers in front of him.

"Yes, Tim...you can stay with her..we wouldn't have it any other way" Kris told him through her own tears, rubbing his back to comfort him.

Dena sat next to Caroline, holding her hands in hers as she prayed for a  peaceful journey for her. Caroline opened her eyes and had been listening to Dena's prayer. 

"Thank you, Mom" she whispered.

Dena looked at her, gently stroking her face. "Thank you, Caroline. Thank you for coming into our lives, thank you for loving Tim. May you be richly blessed in heaven" she told her.

"Please take care of him, let him know none of this was his fault" she asked before drifting back to sleep.

Tim was handing the papers back to Dr. Kim when Dena returned. She pulled Tim towards her "go, go be with her,  don't waste one more minute away from the dear child" she told him.

****
Caroline drifted in and out of consciousness over the next few hours. Tim lay next to her in bed, holding her close, hoping that the longer he held her the more time they would have. During her moments of awareness she would briefly reminisce about their life together or ask that he sing to her. She would ask him to promise to follow his dreams, to live his life and not wallow in her death.

"Remember me as I was, not as I will soon be" she told him.

"I will Darlin, I promise" he told her as he cried.

"I'm sorry, Tim. I'm sorry I put you through this hell. I'm sorry I couldn't give you a child. I'm sorry we never married, I wanted to give you so many things. The only thing I did do was give you my love" she whispered as tears fell from her eyes.

"You gave me everything. You were my first love, my only love. You were my wife in every sense of the word. You gave me courage. Without you I would be nothing" he replied, holding her tighter.

"I will always love you Timothy" she told him and at that instant, she was gone.

****
The sun shown brightly in the clear blue sky as they gathered around for their final goodbye. Tim sat staring at the casket laid before him, Dena to his left, Emily to his right with Bobby next to her. The school faculty stood nearby with all her former students and college classmates that came to pay their respects. The high school choir sang a short distance away as the preacher from Dena's church performed the eulogy. Each person had been given a flower as they arrived that they could place upon the casket as they bid farewell or merely keep in remembrance of her.

Once the service ended, Tim stayed behind while Dena and Emily walked slowly back to their car.

"Aren't you coming with us" she said to Bobby as he stopped a short distance away.

"You two go ahead, I'll be there in minute" he told her, giving her a quick kiss on the lips.

He then turned back, facing where Tim had been seated. Tim was now laying across the casket. Emily and Dena saw him from the car, their hearts breaking even more at the sight.

Bobby slowly walked back to Tim. Standing behind him he placed his hand upon his shoulder,  "Come on buddy, it's time".

"NO!" Tim yelled as he shrugged off Bobby's hand. Bobby pulled him off the casket, turning Tim towards him, embracing him tightly.

"Yes, Tim. It's time. Remember you promised her" he coaxed.

Tim fell into Bobby, pulling him down to the ground he gave in to her wishes, his final goodbye.