Fandom: The Practice

Title: Seeds of a Lifetime

Author: Carla

Email: cmfloresfd@yahoo.com

Rating: G

Disclaimers: As usual I still don't own them, DavidE. Kelley still has that honor. No profit made. No harm intended.

Archiving: Ask I doubt I'll say no.  Otherwise all of my stuff can be found at http://www.realmoftheshadow.com/carla.htm

Feedback: Will begging get me any more.  I doubt it but if you should feel inclined please share your POV on this story with me at cmfloresfd@yahoo.com.

Author's Note: I live in Seattle. It rains alot. Need I say more.

The room was quiet save for the muted hiss of the humidifier and the occasional beep from a monitor, which monitor Lucy was unsure there were so many. She dragged a chair over to her usual spot by the bed, took off her jacket and draped it across the back of the chair. She leaned over the bed to place a gentle kiss on still lips, straightening up she sighed and wiped at the tears making their way down her face.

"Hi sweetheart."

Lucy watched as her lover struggled to open her eyelids.  Clearly today was not a good day.  Not that any day with ALS was a good day she thought bitterly. Though it hadn't been so bad in the beginning but six years later it had come to this.  Lucy praying that today would be the day the call came from the nursing home.  Praying for her lover's release.

"Hey there beautiful."

Praying for peace.

"I hope you don't mind but I brought dinner with me. I thought we could eat together. You of course will be enjoying the finest in liquid sustenance I will be having Chinese take-out."

Praying it would be their last meal together.

She knew she hadn't but Lucy liked to think her lover smiled at the ritual nightly banter.  She sat down, pulling out the Chinese food containers from her bag as she did so. Just then the nurse poked his head in.

"Hi Lucy, is now a good time?"

"Sure Justin I was just saying we were going to be dining together."

Lucy watched as the young man pushed thick liquid nutrition through the feeding tube.

"Noooo"

"Did you say something Ms. Hatcher?"

"Uh-uh I think," she stopped eating and quickly put the container she was holding down. She sat on the edge of the hospital bed and took a hold of her partner's hand. "I think she's trying to say something. What is it honey?"

"Nooooo"

"No.  No what? 'No' that's just a sound you're making. 'No' you don't want me to eat right now. You don't want to eat right now.  'No' you want Justin to leave?"

"Moooore"

"What? Justin did you understand that?"

"I think she said "No more" Ms. Hatcher."

"No more? No more what sweetheart?" Lucy concentrating on the precious words her usually silent lover was struggling to speak never noticed when the nurse left the room.

"Time"

"No. More. Time. No more time?"  She gently brushed, now sweaty hair, from the other woman's forehead.  "You're tired huh? I know.I know." She gingerly lay down next to the frail body. Holding the other woman in her arms she began to speak softly. "I miss sleeping with you sweetheart.  I will always miss sleeping with you, next to you.  Touching you.  But you're tired and it's time.  Time for you to go my love.  My beautiful angel."  She pressed her lips against the other woman's forehead.  Traced her beloved's profile with a fingertip.  "Do you remember the night we met, really met?  It was raining and I was trying to hail a cab. And then there you were all cool and elegant looking in your London Fog offering to share a cab.  I'm so glad I said yes.  I've never regretted it. Never no matter what anybody said."

And there had been comments, ranging from the benignly bemused to outright sneers, about the difference in their ages.

"I remember the first time I realized I wanted to kiss you.  We were at the movies.  'Fire', that was the name of the movie and when those women kissed it was like.WOW.  And I knew that I wanted to kiss you that way. I love kissing you.  I fall asleep at night remembering your kiss.  Sometimes in the middle of the day out of the blue I'll remember what it was like to kiss you that first time and me knees still get weak."

The first time had been in the older woman's car, their customary goodnight kiss gone awry when the younger woman's lips found the corner of her companion's mouth not her cheek.  It had seemed so natural to move ever so slightly so that their lips met fully. And when the older woman's tongue licked at her bottom lip seeking entrance into the heat of Lucy' mouth the younger woman had given it eagerly.

"I've loved every moment of my life with you.  Even this, even these last years you hear me. I love you. I will always love you."

"Loooove...you...toooo."

"I know." 

"Lucy in the sky." She had always said that Lucy was her sun. The monitors all began beeping at once finally settling into the long protracted whine which signified that there was nothing left to monitor.

"Bobby Angel how I love you." Lucy sang softly.

*** Flashback ***

"Lucy Hatcher right?  You're Bobby Donnell's secretary aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Roberta Kittelson," she stepped off the pavement and waved for a cab. One seemed to materialize in front of her and she opened the door. "Can I give you a lift?"

"No it's okay I'll get the next one."

"Please I insist.  You look like a drowned rat and this is the first cab that's been by in ages.  Who knows how long you'll end up waiting."

"Well if it's not a bother."

"My pleasure."

"Then 'Yes'."