Gus was hustling into the hospital when a voice stopped him. He turned to find Jenny walking quickly toward him, her jet-black hair whipping in the wind. He'd got in late the night before, and the toll everything weighed heavy, causing him to sleep in. In the past, he'd have unloaded his burdens on her. However, lately, they'd been at such a crossroads it was easier to avoid her.

"I can't right now. I don't have time," Gus stammered as she grew closer.

"You've been avoiding me," she accused. "Ignoring my calls. What am I supposed to do, Gus? I can't sit in limbo."

"I know, I get it. You just don't understand. A lot is going on right now."

"There is always going to be a lot going on; that's not the problem here."

"Of course it is. You hate that I'm busy. You hate my career—"

"No, that's not what I hate."

"Yes, it is it, Jenny."

"No, I hate that you won't find time for us within your busy career. Not, can't, Gus, won't. Because if you tried hard enough, you could."

"Jenny—"

"No. Let me finish for once; let me have one second of your precious time to set myself free."

"What?"

"It's over, Gus. You don't have to worry about avoiding me anymore. You can have the apartment. My sister offered me a room at her house for now."

"Jenny, don't..."

"I can't sit around waiting for you to decide to be a decent boyfriend or break up with me. It's not fair to me."

"I'm sorry. I am. I- let's not do it like this," he pleaded. "Let's sit down and talk; let's—"

"Talk about what? Why drag this out?"

"I..  damn it. I didn't want to break up in the hospital's parking lot!" He brushed his hair back with a frustrated sigh.

"It's fitting in a way. You don't even have time for the breakup." Her almond-shaped, piercing dark eyes, which always seemed to see right into his soul, were dimmed as if she'd shut herself off him. She looked at the hospital behind him with a wry smile. "This hospital is the one you were married to and always will be. I hope it's worth it in the end."

"I'm sorry."

"Said with no emotion,"  she sighed. "Did you ever love me?"

"Of course I did. I mean I do!" This was going horribly and he was feeling crummier by the moment.

"You said it right the first time. At least you did at one point." She sounded so defeated and yet  he couldn't deny it. When did he fall out of love with her? He was unsure where they stood and if they could continue on, but he thought he still loved her, he thought that's why he was holding on but as he stood there he realized it had faded. He forgot that relationships are a living breathing thing, if neglected for too long they die.

"Goodbye. Gus," she said as she turned to leave. He simply watched her walk away. He didn't chase after her; he didn't see the point. His heart felt heavy and his stomach was balled up in knot knowing it was all his fault. Jenny was acting strong but he knew her. She'd go home and cry and it'd be all his fault, he felt like such a tool.

"You've turned into your father."

"Excuse me?" He turned around to find his mom walking towards him. London's old sketchbook gripped firmly in her hands. "How long were you out here listening?"

"Long enough."

"You shouldn't have been."

"On the contrary I wish I'd been more involved in your life sooner. You just let a fantastic woman walk away."

"This was a long time coming, mom," Gus said, "and like I said, none of your business."

"Career isn't everything, Gus," Stacey replied curtly. "Learn from this mistake so you don't end up alone."

"You think keeping myself at arm's length is something I learned from Dad?"  Gus shot back.

She flinched from his harsh words. It was too late, though, he'd opened the gate, and before he knew it, all those pent-up words came barreling out at her.

"You'd never told him anything. You always held back from him, me, hell even London at times. You'd get sad, withdraw for days, and refuse to tell us why. How was he supposed to stay with a woman who only gave him half of herself? How was I supposed to learn to open up when you never did?" 

"I tried,  I did, but I couldn't — I couldn't talk about her." Stacey's voice was full of all the emotion she never showed Gus, which stunned him. He went silent as he listened. "I knew he'd hate me. I knew you'd all would. I couldn't lose you and your sister's respect and love. I didn't want you to hate me like Cricket did- or does."

"She doesn't hate you," Gus said, his voice slightly softer. "I don't know my sister that well yet, but she's not hateful."

"How could she not? I abandoned her."

"Why?" Gus had to ask; he had to know. "Why did you leave her?"

"I was so young. My parents were so angry I was pregnant, to begin with. I told Stone to take us away, far, far away. I said we'd start over and be a little family... but-"

"But what?"

"It was all wrong, from the very start. I never got that magical connection with her they'd talk about. She'd never stop fussing or crying for me. But when Stone would pick her up, she was the happiest baby ever. I felt so worthless with her, sometimes I honestly felt like she hated me. Over time, I felt so suffocated at home. I started to drink, but I hid it from Stone. I'd throw away the bottles in the neighbor's garbage. I knew I shouldn't have been drinking; even Stone had cut back on weed and beer with a baby in the house. I couldn't, though; it was the only way I could cope."

"Mom," Gus's voice broke as a tear slid down his cheek. "That sounds like postpartum depression. No wonder you used alcohol to cope. You needed help."

"Maybe it was, but all I knew then was that I had a baby that hated me and a boyfriend who was always working at the bar. Then one day it wasn't even noon and I was wasted. I thought Cricket was upstairs napping. I went into the kitchen to refill my drink, and there she was on the floor with a butcher knife." She shuddered, and Gus could tell the memory was vivid for her. "I left that night."

"That must have been horrifying for you." Gus felt a new understanding wash over him. "Did you ever seek help?"

"No, Gus," she confessed tearfully. "I continued to drink myself numb until I got arrested one night."

"Arrested!?"

She nodded sadly, "My dad picked me up and took me straight to rehab. The only good thing that man ever did for me..."

She trailed off as her eyes filled with pain. She never spoke about her parents. Gus and London had never even met them. He didn't even know if they were still alive.

"Anyway, I met your dad not long after that, and it was a second chance for me at life. I jumped on it  and tried to hide my shameful past."

"Did you ever tell Kit this?"

"Some of it. I don't know how much she believed me. Her argument is I never came back, and she's right; I didn't. I broke my little girl's heart and I'll never forgive myself. I have a hard time even looking at her. It fills me with regret and shame."

"And you told her on the call that you never wanted to know her or her to know us?"

"Only because I was afraid I'd lose you. I hate myself for that call. It was so brave for her to reach out, and I dismissed her."

"You wouldn't have lost me," Gus countered. "I was what, ten at that time? I might've been confused and angry initially, but I'd have understood eventually. London was so young she'd have just been happy to have a big sister."

"You'd have never seen me the same. When your dad found out, he looked at me with absolute disgust, and you always reacted so similarly to him.  You were always looking for a reason to pick him over me."

"Because you always picked her. I was second in your eyes; we all were. London was everything to you. I accepted it, Mom. I didn't get it, but I accepted it. It was easier to live with Dad and focus on my future than live with you and feel like second best all the time."

"You were never second best," she gasped in horror. "I just- she- she was my best friend. She was my second chance. She - my baby girl. And —"

She started to break into sobs, and Gus took a step closer. "Mom, it's okay; I'm sorry."

"...And now she's going to be gone forever. I told them I'd do it. I told Cricket and her husband they could have her heart. I will lose her... just like I always knew I would."

"You did!? You- really?" He stopped talking and pulled his frail mom into his arms. "This is the right thing, Mom. You're doing the right thing. You'll be okay, we'll all be okay."

She sobbed softly as he comforted her, his earlier anger all but forgotten.

🌹🌹🌹

Loni was trying hard to comprehend what her mom and dad had told her, and she couldn't wrap her head around it. Dr. Morgan and John had come while Kit and Luca explained everything, to Loni. They chimed in from time to time, to clarify certain things.

They wanted to remove her heart and replace it with her aunt's heart. 

How? How could she ever do that? It meant that London would die. John tearfully explained she'd already passed, but Loni had difficulty understanding that.

She felt tears stream down her face, and Kit and Luca rushed to her bed. Her dad pulled her into his arms and held her as her mom rubbed her back.

"Shh, I know, honey. I know how scary this all this," Kit soothed her.

"How can she be dead if she's alive to give me her heart?" Loni pulled herself away from Luca and addressed her question to the doctors. "What if she could wake up?"

"She has been on life support for six years, " John said slowly.  "There is no way for her brain to recover from the damage it took. We should have let her off life support years ago, but. Well, that doesn't matter; what does matter is now it doesn't have to be for nothing. London can continue, in a way, through you."

"But.."

"You'll get the best part of her." Gus had stepped inside the room now, and Loni looked up to see him. "She had the world's biggest and kindest heart. I'm so glad that part of her can live on."

"Really?" Loni sniffled back more tears. "But she's your sister and she'll be gone."

"She's been gone," Gus said as he walked over and sat on the edge of her bed. "And it's been hard, but now I have another sister and two nieces. That makes me so happy; you have no idea. I can't wait to get to know you all more, but I don't want all our time to be in hospitals, Loni. I want to see you thrive."

"We all do," Kit added as she squeezed her arm.

"If I don't do this, then what?" Loni asked. "Does that mean I'd die?"

"You will need a heart replacement sooner than later," John spoke up. "There is a temporary fix we can do to buy you time. But it isn't perfect and comes with it's own set of risks. It could be years before another compatible donor would become available."

Meaning someone else would have to die; she shuddered at the thought.

"Meanwhile, London will have to come off life support soon," John continued. "Whether she gives you her heart or not. A person can't stay on it indefinitely."

"London's organs won't only save you," Dr. Morgan added. "She'll help a lot of other people."

Loni swallowed back a thick lump in her throat. "I guess I understand. I'm just very freaked out."

"We all are," Luca said as he squeezed her arm.

"Will this change .. what I feel? I won't have my own heart anymore?"

"No, Loni. I know I said you're getting the best part of her, and you are.  But technically, your heart is not where all your memories, feelings, and personality are stored," Gus explained.  "You will still be you."

Loni suddenly felt silly for asking that. Of course, it wouldn't change who she was. She didn't know why she thought that. Yet Gus was so calm and kind about it, she really appreciated that.

"But people have talked about feeling a connection to their donor after," Dr Morgan offered. "Some even become friendly with the donor's family."

"Really?" Loni perked up some at that.

"I think that, in some ways, you're already connected," Kit said as she ran a hand softly through Loni's hair. "You had the dream of the flower field she used to go to. I think her spirit has been watching out for you, waiting until it was time to help you."

Kit looked at the doctors and wiped a few tears from her cheeks. "I know that's not possible, but I feel it."

"I believe you; not everything can be defined with science," John agreed.

"I do, too," Gus said, offering Kit a soft smile. "The art and flowers, they have so much in common."

Loni felt a deep sadness overcome her. "It would have been so amazing  to have had an aunt that loved drawing too. We could've sat side by side in the field of flowers and painted them together."

"Maybe, you can go there after, and see it for yourself," Gus said softly. "I go there sometimes. I can show you where it is."

"I'd like that," Loni whispered.

"Well then we need to get you fixed up so you can go," John said his voice a bit rough.

"What happens next?" Loni asked as she took a brave but shaky breath.

"You'll need some time to recover from your current surgery," John explained. "London will be transferred here. Once you're able to handle the surgery, her surgery and yours will happen at the same time. This is so her heart can be transferred to you as soon as we possibly can."

"Can you do this surgery? Isn't it like a conflict of interest or whatever?" Luca asked John.

"Loni isn't blood-related to me, I can because of that clause. Technically I should opt-out. Touching my own daughter's heart is a major grey area. But, I don't want anyone else operating on Loni. This is too crucial. It all has to be done right."

"What about you, Dr. Morgan?" Loni asked. "You won't do the surgery?"

"I'm the head of the cardiology department; my role is to develop a plan for the patient. Be it drugs or surgery. While I have performed many heart surgeries, my expertise isn't focused on that. Whereas Dr. Blake, on the other hand, is the top heart surgeon in the country. He's performed countless heart surgeries, including transplants. I will be right there to assist him the entire time. We will call in another team to do London's surgery as we will have them harvest her other organs as well."

"Okay, " Loni nodded, it all made sense, yet it was still so scary and sad. The word harvest felt so awful.

"Can I see her before this all happen?" Loni asked. "London, I mean."

"Of course," John said. "She'll be moved here soon, and we'll bring you in to see her."

"You okay, Pumpkin?" Luca asked as he studied her carefully.

"Not really," Loni admitted.

"It's okay, honey," Kit said, "it's a lot to take in. Your dad and I aren't so okay either. But we'll get through this."

"We do have a little something that might help cheer you up some." Dr. Morgan waved at someone through the door as she spoke.

Loni's eyebrows raised as a wheelchair was brought into her room. "What's that for?"

"You're getting a little trip outside," Luca said with a slight smile on his otherwise tired face. "Ready to see the sun again?"

"Really? I get to go outside!" Loni did perk up at that as the doctors wheeled the chair over.

"For a little bit," John said. "We think a little fresh air will do you some good. We'll keep you on your oxygen but get you unhooked from the other machines. An hour a day will be fine for you to do this."

"Thank you so much! I can't wait, even the lobby will be great at this point," Loni said.

"It's your lucky day you get the lobby and the parking lot," Luca joked.

As Kit wheeled Loni to the elevator, her dad was texting someone. She felt there was more to this than just going outside, but she didn't want to set her hopes up.

When they got down to the main corridor, Loni was stunned at how busy it was. The waiting room was full of people, and many doctors hurriedly walked around. The upstairs wing she was in was always so quiet, what a difference.

Kit pushed her along to the big main doors, and Dr. Gupta was standing there. He offered them a big smile and a wink at Loni as they passed through.

Loni knew something was up then, but she took a moment to close her eyes and enjoy the sun on her face.

"Where are they?" Kit whispered to Luca.

"Coming now."

"What's going on?" Loni asked just as her grandpa's truck pulled up upfront.

Her eyes filled with happy tears at who was in the passenger seat.

"Lucky!"