You guys are going to hate me for this. Heck, I hate myself for it. I figure I'm going to start bawling, so I should probably go get another tissue box. If I get enough requests, I might do a second part, but really it's just very SAD, trust me. Kinda depressing too.

Spoilers: "Jenny Sloane"

Rating: PG-13, could be upsetting to the younger crowd.

Disclaimers: I don't own, Gary, Lois, Bernie, Chuck, Marissa, or Toni, but Gary has a permanant place in my
heart. They all belong to CBS and Sony TriStar.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Superman's Cape
by Ally McKnight

Would you know my name,
If I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same,
If I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong and carry on,
'Cause I know I don't belong here in heaven.
     -Eric Clapton
*********

  It was as most hospitals are, busy. Amidst it all, there was Gary Hobson, on his deathbed. His parents, Lois and Bernie were at his side, with his pregnant wife, Antonia, and his two best friends, Chuck and Marissa. All his other friends were in the waiting room. He was already over the limit of visitors allowed.

  Gary lay on the bed, pale and weak, his heart monitor line going up and down slowly. His hair had never fallen out, the chemo had never worked. Gary knew he would die, he didn't have to be told. He also knew he had to say things before it was too late.

  "Mo-m, D-ad, everyone," he said weakly. They turned to him. They were all weeping.

  "What is it, sweetie?" Lois asked her son.

  Gary swallowed, feeling the fatigue wash over his senses. "No," he thought. "I have to do this."

  "I know, I-I'm going to.... die," he said, softly.

  "Oh, honey, no you won't," Lois said.

  Gary weakly held up his hand. "We both know it. You have to be strong, and get through this."

 "We can't lose you," said Bernie.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Would you hold my hand,
If I saw you in heaven?
Would you help me stand,
If I saw you in heaven?
I'll find my way through night and day,
'Cause I know I just can't stay here in heaven.
      -Eric Clapton
**********

  Gary remembered, being diagnosed with leukemia. He had been constantly tired, and cranky. His newlywed, wife, Det. Antonia Brigatti, now Hobson, was worried and sent him off to the doctor's. And on that day, The Berlin Wall crumbled, The Leaning Tower of Pisa fell over, and Gary Hobson had leukemia.

  Gary had been scared, real scared. How ironic. In all the fires he could've burned in, in all the bullets that could have been on target, he was dying because of cancer?!

  Telling his parents had been the hardest. They had been so happy when Gary had married Toni, he didn't want to upset them. He was mad at himself, really. Mad at himself for being sick. Bernie and Lois had immediatly left Hickory to care for him. Unfortunatly, all the bowls of homemade soup in the whole world were no match for leukemia.

  Gary found himself too weak to take care of the paper. He felt terrible every day, and he was tired and weary after something as simple as tying his shoes.

  The hospital stay horrendous. His hair had never fallen out, the chemo had never worked. His hair had never fallen out, not like Kevin's.

  Kevin. Gary remembered the boy who refused to take his chemo. It took Jenny Sloane, a woman with a few weeks to live to convince him to go back on chemo. Of course, she had turned out to be a fake, but even so... Sometimes Gary felt like Kevin had. Like throwing in the towel, and giving up. Then, he saw his mom, and dad, wife, and friends, and pushed harder, towards life. But, he knew it was time, and he was going to die.

~~~~~~~~~

Time can break you down,
Time can bend your knees.
Time can break your heart,
Having you begging please,
Begging please.
   -Eric Clapton
**********

  "I don't own much to give, but everything I own, I want you guys to split up amongst yourselves," Gary said.

  Gary took a gold chain from around his neck. He shakily took Marissa's hand, and put the chain gently in the palm of her hand.

  "St. Jude," she said softly. "The patron saint of hopeless cases." Gary gently wiped a tear from Marissa's cheek.

  "I love you, Marissa," he said. "I leave you my soul, may it be put to good use," he finished. Marissa gently kissed his forehead. Gary gave a weak smile, and turned to Chuck.

  "My best friend since seventh grade," he said softly. "I leave you my spirit, hopefully a long running TV series will result," Gary began to cry as he talked to his friend.

  "I love you man," Chuck whispered.

  "You still can't have my Bud," Gary said and started to chuckle.

  "You can't die on me, man. You can't."

  "I wish I didn't have to," Gary said. "I wish I didn't. I'll never forget you, Chuck, or you, Marissa. I love you both." He turned to Toni.

  "I love you, more than words can say, not that I'm very good with words anyway. I want you to have my heart, and, and share it with our child. I-I-I love you so much," he broke off. "Kiss the baby for me."

  Toni kissed his cheek, lightly, and started to sob. "Please, don't leave us. I love you, you can't go, I need you." She patted her stomach. "We need you," she corrected herself.

  Gary put a trembling hand to Toni's tear streaked cheek. With his thumb, he gently swept the tears off her cheeks. "You'll do fine without me." He swallowed thickly. "We'll be together again... some day." He faced his parents.

  "Mom, Dad, you've been there for me, through everything. I leave you my life, my love, and myself. I will die soon."

  "No, Gary, you won't," Lois sobbed.

  "You can't," Bernie weeped.

  "Yes, I will," Gary said softly. "I can never thank you for all you've done for me. You've raised me, and loved me. When I wouldn't listen, you'd still talk, because you cared, and wanted me to learn from my mistakes. I will miss you, but you have to be strong. Please," Gary choked back a sob. "For, for, me, be strong. He swallowed.

  "Remember that song, the song you'd sing to me, when the weight of the world was on my shoulders, and I couldn't get away? Remember the one that made me feel better no matter what? Do you remember my song? Please sing it, one last time... and be strong, for me, be strong."

  Bernie and Lois knew the song, and granted his last wish. The song was known by the whole group and they all began to sing quietly.

    "You don't tug on Superman's cape,
     You don't spit into the wind.
     You don't pull the mask of the 'Ol Lone Ranger,
     And you don't mess around with..."

  "Gar," Bernie said, almost silently.

  And Gary's eyelids drooped, and his heart monitor line went flat. There was no sound in the room, but the weeping, and the 'crack' of a million hearts breaking, as Gary Hobson was pronounced dead.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Beyond the door,
There's peace I'm sure,
And I know they'll be no more tears in heaven.
      -Eric Clapton
*********

 Two months later, Gary Matthew Hobson Jr. was born.

~~~~~~~~

Would you know my name,
If I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same,
If I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong and carry on,
'Cause I know I don't belong here in heaven.
       -Eric Clapton
 

Email the author: Ally McKnight
 
 

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