Killer Decision
Author: Kara Murphy
Rating: PG
Summary: About three years into the future B&B are Married and
Charlotte is Bron's Best friend, nothing much has changed. Bron has a
problem with her pregnancy.
Authors Note: I don't think that the characters in the story are
anything like the ones in the show. Sorry my brain wasn't working and
I was too tired to change it. I will write a better one next time.

KILLER DECISION

I am so sick of all this throwing up all day long and 24/7. Having a
baby defiantly has its bad points. Ben has been so good through all
of this if it wasn't for him I don't think I would have been able to
get through it.

It was a wet and rainy day on Tuesday and I really couldn't be
bothered to go to work, so I did something that I would never
normally do, I had a day off. Me the workaholic and to make matters
worse I am married to one. I was sitting on the sofa when the sharp
squeal of the phone pierced my ears and at that moment I lost my
train of thought. As I got up to answer the phone a wave of dizziness
overcame me, and I had to hold on to the table to steady myself. When
I picked up the phone and heard the voice I scanned my brain for the
most likely possibility of who it was, when I came up with nothing I
just waited until the voice told me itself. When he announced that it
was Dr Peters the penny dropped he was the one that was filling in
for Dr Williams while he was on holidays. He was the Dr looking after
my baby. A stab of horror ran through me was there something wrong
with the baby? Is that why he was calling me? He informed me that I
needed to come and see him immediately and on my own he specifically
told me not to bring Ben. I rang Ben the second that I hung up from
Dr Peters when I informed him that I was going to the doctors. He
became very nervous and asked me if I wanted him there. When I told
him that yes I did want him there he basically dropped that phone and
came straight home. For a moment or two I considered leaving, so that
when he arrived he would come home to an empty house. Then I decided
against it. If he was taking the time to leave work the least I could
do is be here. He arrived only minutes later he must have flew across
town to get here in time. As I informed him that the doctor wanted me
to come alone, and when he asked why I really didn't have an answer
for him. He told me that if there something was wrong then the doctor
would recommend that we come in together. Then I suggested that it
wasn't something important and Ben said that if it wasn't important
then why couldn't he come just for the sake of it. I really had to
agree with that, I mean he did have a point. The next thing I knew
was that we were in the car and on the way to the hospital.

When we were waiting in the doctor's office I began to get nervous.
The feelings of dread when you can feel that morning's food creeping
up your throat. Ben took me hand lovingly and all but assured me that
everything would be all right. He tried so hard yet I still had a
feeling that the doctor had some bad news for me. When the door to
the waiting room opened and I saw his face I nearly fainted right and
then. "Mrs Markham you may come in now."
"Oh god Ben I'm scared," I told him as I clutched my hand tighter
around his. He didn't reply my guess is that his heart was in his
throat too but he was tiring to be strong for me. Doctor Peters
please tell me if there is something wrong I wanted to just blurt out
but I was to upset to speak so I just let the doctor do all the
talking.
"Mrs Markham I have some bad news for you" he started to say. I just
wanted to wrap my arms around Ben and cry uncontrollably.
"When we took the last ultrasound" the doctor began "we found an
unusual lump in the wall of your uterus". I sat there to frozen to
move or say anything for that matter I think that I felt Ben squeeze
my hand but I couldn't be sure. Up until that point I though that
what I was just told was the worst news of my life how wrong I was.
When I heard the sound of a throat being cleared I snapped out of my
paralysed stage and stared up at the doctor he began.
"I'm sorry". Why is it that whenever someone says that it only makes
you feel worse? After the I'm sorry came the bad news the doctor told
me that I had a choice between having chemotherapy or not, this time
Ben spoke
"Of course she will have it why would you even suggest
that?" "Because Mr Markham" he said becoming very annoyed with Ben
"If she dose have the chemo then there is a very good chance that the
baby will die. I understand that this is a very big decision that you
will both have to make I will give you a chance to talk it over with
each other I will schedule you for another appointment in about a
weeks time". My mind was swirling faster than it ever had before. I
was stuck in a world all of my own. Nothing would work, when I tried
to clear my throat nothing happened. My legs didn't feel like they
were there but they must have been because I was walking. It took me
a while to realise it but before I knew I was waiting for Ben to open
the car door. When I heard familiar sounds of the car beep I slid in
and sat there not moving. Not even breathing, at least not that I can
recall anyway. The car trip home was totally silent not even the
sounds of our breathing or maybe I just didn't notice. Over the next
few minutes a lot started to happen I felt the car slow and finally
stop, the door open and close, and then another door open and a cold
blast of air on my face. It took me a second to focus but then the
familiar sights came swirling back before me. The car, the garage,
and the front of my house. I was home. I took Ben's hand feeling a
little light headed and spacey. He led me up the garden path and
through the front door and I barely noticed when he sat me down on
the sofa. All of a sudden my arm shot out and grabbed the side of his
coat. He looked at me with a surprised but loving expression. I went
to open my mouth to say something but shut it again because I had to
rethink what I wanted to say. I began
"Ben I have thought about this and I have made a decision I am not
going to have the chemo". That statement created a wave of tears in
both of there eyes. Ben blabbered out
"What how could you even think about that? Of cause you are." I
understood that he was angry but it was not helping the situation, I
tried to speak calmly but whenever he shot something angry back at
me, I just could help but lashing out at him.
"Don't tell me what I am going or not going to do this is my
decision."
"Your decision" he shot back
"This is our child not yours. Since when did you get exclusive
rights to our unborn child?"
"It's living inside me not you and..."
"And what" he said still angry.
"And if I have the chance to bring our child into the world then
don't think that I am going to pass up that opportunity for
anything." I firmly told him.
"Oh Bron sweaty I didn't know that you were thinking along those
lines. Don't you see that you are the most important thing in the
world to me, the only thing that matters is that will have a long
life together."
" Ben don't you see that I cant kill our daughter."
" How do you know that it is a girl?"
" I don't know I just have a gut feeling. But that's not the point.
Ben please listen to me, now I know that you will most probably
disagree with me but, I know that if I have the chemo it still won't
work and I will leave you with nothing whereas if I don't you will
have a beautiful baby to look after."
"Bron don't talk like that you don't know that it won't be successful
and can't see that you are all I care about."
" Ben I am sorry to do this but this topic is not open for discussion
I have made my decision and it is final. I will see you later I am
going to Charlotte's for a while" Bron said angrily probably more so
then she wanted it to come out.
"Wait a minute I think that we need to talk about this, don't you?"
"Not at the moment no, I don't think that we do." She told him.
" How can you just drop this on me and walk out." He shouted
" Drop this on you. Are you kidding me, this is for me to deal with
and I'm sorry if I upset your day." Bron yelled in reply and slammed
the door. As she climbed into her car her mind was having an argument
with itself.
How dare he who the hell does he think he is?
But, he is your husband!
True but that doesn't give him the right to treat…
"Oh Shut up" Bron Screamed to her brain.

Charlotte Beaumont was sitting on the couch of her apartment watching
some cheesy soapy show when she heard a knock on the door. She got up
to get it wondering who it could be at this hour as everyone was
still at work and she had got the afternoon off. As she opened the
door she was standing face to face with her best friend Bron.
She looked terrible with a very pale and tears stained face as she
just glanced at her friend then collapsed in her arms in a fit of
tears.

It took Charlotte about an hour to get Bron talking and it took her
another half an hour to tell her the story. Yet she still listened
through the whole thing and being a doctor was defiantly a plus as
she had a more realistic understanding of the outcome. By the time
Bron had finished her story Charlotte was also in tears and she knew
that this wasn't going to help Bron so she tried to stay strong for
her. Charlotte knew that even with the chemo there wasn't really a
high success rate yet she didn't tell Bron that. For the next hour
she tried to persuade Bron to have the chemo yet she still wouldn't
budge so she gave up.
"Look Bron the last thing I wasn't to do is fight with you, you have
obviously had a very big day but can I just say one thing?" Charlotte
asked and when Bron didn't answer she took this as permission. "Even
though you have already seemed to have made up your mind I would just
like it if you talked it over with Ben first. He does deserve it. And
after this talk if you still continue with this pregnancy then I will
support you 100%. But Born please consider it and I mean seriously
consider it." Charlotte looked over at Bron who did look awfully
exhausted and she thought that they had had enough for one night so
she got up and got some blankets and stuff from the cupboard for Bron
to sleep on the sofa. When she got back she said to Bron
"Why don't you go had have a shower and I will make you a cuppa
coffee, it will make you feel better. Trust me I'm a doctor and
coffee helps everything." She tried to lighten the mood and was happy
to see when it worked.

Bron let out a small laugh and said "Well who can nock back advice
like that. Thankyou doctor Beaumont" Bron smiled her first smile
since she got there. Bron got up and walked to the bathroom while
Charlotte walked in the other direction to make the `Medicine'.

Bron had to admit that she did feel better after the shower. "Thank
you doc that shower did help" Bron said when she walked into the
kitchen to where Charlotte was waiting for her. She really did feel a
lot better but didn't want to think about all the problems that she
had now let alone talk about them. Bron's thoughts were disturbed by
Charlotte's hand on top of hers.

"C'mon its still early what do you say that we watch a video, eat
lots of junk food and veg out?" Charlotte asked she really wanted to
get Bron's mind off things, and thinking that this was the Best way.

"Yeah why not, what are we going to watch?" Bron asked she was
actually glade that she had come over tonight.

"You'll see" Was all Charlotte said and smiled very mysteriously. She
got up and went to the cupboard and got a huge amount of stuff that
Bron was sure defiantly wasn't what the doctor ordered but she didn't
feel like doing anything else. Charlotte gestured for her to follow,
which she did and settled down on the lounge where the heap of food
was tipped into her lap. There was even ice cream and two spoons yet
Bron didn't see Charlotte got to the freezer. In a few seconds
Charlotte had returned and plopped next to Bron and grabbed at the
chocolate. They watched the screen and when the title flicked on Bron
couldn't help but laugh.

"Grease"
"Yep it's got everything Love, Drama, Dancing, Music and it is a
classic what else could you want from such a show. And I know all the
words" she added. For the next two hours they laughed and sang and
ate their way through it. When the movie finished they both got up to
clean up, said goodnight and went separate ways.

Bron awoke early the next morning to find that Charlotte was already
up, showered and dressed.
"What are you doing up so early?" She asked still very tired.

"I've got an early start. Whatcha gonna do today?" She asked Bron
hoping that she would be wise and got talk to Ben.

"I'm going to talk to him to day so don't worry." She answered as if
she read her mind.

"Good girl! I would love to stay and chat but I have lives to save
and the world depends upon me being there on time. Let me know how it
goes yeah?" She said as she walked past her and kissed her on the
cheek. As she opened the front door she turned and said, "You'll be
right and don't forget to lock up." Bron had to giggle to herself it
was such a Charlotte thing to say.

Bron sighed and went to have a shower. She knew that talking to Ben
was going to be hard but Charlotte was right he did deserve it.

As Bron walked up to the house she felt the calm over it. God she
hated when it was like this, she almost preferred it to be stirred
up. When she walked in she found Ben sitting on the lounge, he looked
like he hadn't slept at all last night. Bron then felt guilty about
all the fun that she had had with Charlotte. Ben looked up when Bron
came over and sat down next to him on the lounge. This was going to
be one very hard conversation and neither of them were looking
forward to it.

"Look" Bron started this was going to be harder than she
thought. "Ben I know that your not going to agree with me on this but
please this is what want to do. I want to bring our baby into the
world and I wont let anyone rob me of that even you. I know that you
hate it but please I love you and I want you to support me in my
decision." That was it that was all she had, just those words and she
spoke tem very calmly.

"Bron if that is what you want then that's what it will have to be.
You know that I love you and I would do anything for you and this is
one of those things. Your right I don't agree with it, I don't even
like it but I respect your decision." Ben said this all without
showing any emotion but Bron knew that this was tearing him up inside
yet he had shut he pain off. Shoved it somewhere no one could reach
it. It was the only way he could cope.

"Thankyou" Was all she said but she did wrap her arms around his neck
and he held her till her had to go to work.

The next few months were pretty bad but when Bron had baby Elizabeth
somehow things became easier. Ben had Charlotte to rely on while her
nursed Bron half over the day she was crying out in pain and the nest
she spend in a restless and painful sleep. It killed Ben that he
could do nothing for her. He could tell that she didn't have long
left maybe only a couple of days so he arranged for everyone to come
and say their last good bye. That afternoon Terri, Jarred, Von,
Nelson, Scott, Luke and even Paula came and said goodbye to their
friend. An irreplaceable friend was leaving them. After everyone had
left Ben Charlotte and Elizabeth sat with Bron until the early hours
of the morning until she had drifted off into the final peaceful and
painless sleep that they had been wishing for the last few days. It
was wrong to make her suffer like this for their own selfishness in
not wanting to let her go.

It was that moment that Ben realised just how much Elizabeth looked
like Bron and he would always treasure her for that.

The funeral followed in the next few days and the most touching
speech came from Charlotte:

"Bron was my Best Friend and I always used the same words to describe
her Kind, Brave, Caring, Beautiful and Stubborn. She was all of these
thing all rolled up into one package and that's why we all loved her.
Look around see how many people loved and liked her. I know that it
will be terribly hard for people to get over the death of this
wonderful person but we all have to because that's what Bron would
have wanted. Her best quality was her bravery. She forfeited her own
life to bring a beautiful baby girl into the world and that should
not be forgotten. Even though Elizabeth will grow up with out her mum
I will make sure that she grows up with as many stories about her
that I can find. Bron was a terrific person that will be terribly
missed. I hope that I can offer you some comfort in this poem:

With tears we watched you suffer,
We had to let you fade away.
Our hearts were truly broken,
As you fought so hard to stay.
You didn't want to leave us,
But you never went alone.
Because part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.

Tressure Bron in our memories forever and never forget the sacrifice
that she had for her daughter, it was a killer decision."

THE END