Meaning It
or
What's So Good About Goodbye
Note: This is my first ever AMC fic. I based the story on my favorite couple, Leo and Greenlee. I don't own the characters, but the story itself is mine. I do copywright all my work, so please do not reproduce it in whole or in parts without my permission. The opening dialogue in this story is taken from AMC 10/17/02. Let me know what you think. Enjoy.)
Greenlee Smythe was just about to give up. She didn't have the energy left to hold on, she had no reason to. Leo was all that mattered in her life and now he was gone. She wanted to just let go and plunge into the rapids. At least then, she and Leo would be together. But just as she was about to quit, she heard a soft, comforting voice.
"Greenlee? Hey, Greens."
Greenlee glanced up. Leaning down, grasping for her hand was Leo. "Leo?" she said. "Leo, I thought you were gone."
Leo smiled at her. "Like I could ever leave you."
"But you... the falls..."
"Are you gonna make this harder on me?" he asked. "Now, come on, give me your other hand. Just like you did when we got married." Greenlee quickly took hold of his other hand. "That-a-girl," he said, pulling her up and cradling her in his arms. "Now how many time do I have to tell you? Our love is forever. Now and always."
"I believe it," Greenlee said weakly as her eyes began to flutter. "I do."
"You're safe now," Leo said as Greenlee's eyes closed. "You're safe now, baby."
As Greenlee's eyes began to twitch once again, she could feel her body aching. She slowly eased her eyes open, adjusting then to the bright light. At first, it was blinding and she could vaguely hear a muddled voice. She couldn't quite focus on the blurred figure that stood over her.
David Hayward bent down by the edge of Greenlee's bed and took her hand. He could see that she was getting frustrated by the brace around her neck.
"Greenlee," he said. "Do you know where you are?"
As Greenlee's eyes came into focus, she saw David sitting beside her. "Where's Leo?" she asked. "Is he here?" David didn't answer her, but felt the tears welling up in his eyes. He fought to hold them back. "David," Greenlee continued. "Where's Leo? I want to see him. I want to see Leo."
David took her one hand into both of his. "Greenlee, honey, listen to me." David's voice was soft, however, the pain became more obvious in his eyes. "They still haven't found Leo. Anna has a team out searching the rapids..."
"No," Greenlee cried. "He pulled me up from the cliff. Leo saved me. He's not in the rapids. I want to see him, David. Let me see him. Leo!" she called. "Leo!"
"Greenlee. Greenlee." David attempted to calm her, even though he was obviously grieving for his brother. "The best men are out there looking," he assured her. "If anyone can find Leo, it's them."
"They will find him. He's on the cliff. He pulled me up. Leo saved me. They'll find him, and they'll bring him back to me."
David knew that Leo's fate had not been good. He however attempted to stay positive for Greenlee's sake. "I promise I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything, OK?" Greenlee was silent. "Greenlee?"
"Promise me you'll bring him to me safe," she said. David didn't answer her. "David, promise me he'll be alright."
David kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Get some rest," he said avoiding her request. "I'll come back later."
Greenlee rested her head back against the hard pillow as David exited the room. No sooner had the door closed the Greenlee moaned. "Leo!"
David rested his back against the outside of Greenlee's room. He brought his hand up to his face and rubbed his eyes. "Oh, god," he said. He took a deep breath and pushed it out through his partially pursed lips, his eyes still shut.
David didn't need to open them to know that someone else now stood with him outside Greenlee's room. As he opened his eyes, he saw Anna standing in front of him.
"Have you heard anything?" David asked her. Anna stood silently as if she didn't know how to answer him. "Is it Leo?"
Anna walked closer to David. She wanted to reach out and take his hands. There was no easy way to tell him. "The team just reported in." she paused. David's eyes widened in anticipation of what Anna was about to say. "They found Leo."
Just the tone of Anna's voice confirmed David's fear, but he needed to ask anyway. "Is he..."
Anna nodded. "They found him...washed up on the rocks. I'm so sorry, David." There was a short silence. "Do you want me to tell Greenlee?"
"No," David answered quickly. "She just finally calmed down a bit. This would destroy her. I can't do that. I just can't do that to her, not now."
"David, we need her to identify..."
"I'll do it. He was my brother, I'll identify the body."
"You will need to tell her."
"Let her hold on to what little hope she has left, Anna," David said. "At least until we're sure it's Leo."
"David..."
"Just... just let me ID him first. Please, Anna."
There was a long pause as Anna Devane stood, her eyes set on David. "Fine," she finally said. "But I won't let you do it alone."
David and Anna walked to the lowest level of the Pine Valley Hospital. The air was stale, and even as a doctor, David couldn't stand to be down there. They continued down a long hallway and came to a stop outside a door, the word Morgue written upon it.
David turned his back towards the room. "We could wait," Anna said. "Or you could call Trey. Maybe he could..."
"No," David said. "I can't ask him to come down here. And Greenlee...I can't let Greenlee do this. How could I?" Anna put her hand on David's shoulder. "Let her remember him the way he was. I can't let her see him like this." David paused for a moment and took a deep breath before he turned and pushed open the doors to the morgue. Anna stayed close behind him. They approached one table where an officer stood.
Anna took the officer aside. "Is it du Pres?" she asked him.
"We're about 100% sure," he answered her.
Anna quickly glanced back at David, who stood motionless, hovering over the white sheeted table. "What about Vanessa Cortlandt?"
"She still hasn't surfaced. The team is still canvassing the area, but I don't think it's possible that anyone could have survived that fall."
"Keep looking and let me know what you find, will you?"
"Yes, ma'am," he said. The officer turned and exited the room as Anna walked back towards David.
"Everything inside me wishes that it's not Leo under there," David said without breaking his stare.
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"I have no choice." David stretched his arm out, taking hold of the edge of the white sheet. He slowly pulled it back, revealing bit by small bit, the body that laid underneath.
Anna held her breath as David pulled the sheet down passed the face. "Oh, God," she said softly, closing her eyes and biting her bottom lip.
"Leo," David said, turning his head away. Anna lifted her hand, placing it on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. "It's him. It really is him."
"David..."
"I think I... I want to be alone with him for a minute."
Anna nodded. "Sure," she said pulling back from him. She wanted to say something, but didn't know what. She had never seen David like this before.
David waited until Anna had left the room to speak. "Oh, Leo," he said. "Leo, why didn't you listen to me? Why didn't you just go to Paris when you got the chance?" David looked down at Leo's pale body. Besides his soaked through look, there wasn't a scratch on him. For a 100 foot fall, there was no blood, no bruising, nothing. "It looks like you should just jump up. Like one of your sick jokes." He paused. "I don't know how I'm gonna tell Greenlee your gone." David wiped the tears away from his eyes. "But I promise you. I promise you, Leo. I'll look out for her. I'll protect her anyway I can. With my life if I have to. I promise, Leo."
Greenlee turned her head, resting her left cheek on the pillow. It took her a moment to realize that the brace was no longer around her neck. She opened here eyes and saw David sitting in a chair by the wall, his head in his hands.
"David?" Greenlee said. David quickly wiped his eyes as not to alarm Greenlee, but it was to late. "What is it?" she asked. "What happened? Is it Leo, did you find Leo?" David stood and walked towards her without saying a word. "David, answer me!" Greenlee yelled. She didn't like silence. Silence was never good. "Answer me damn it."
David took a seat on the edge of Greenlee's bed and took her hands. "They found him."
"Good," Greenlee said. "Fine, that's great. Bring him in here, I want to see him." David didn't budge. "What are you waiting for, David? Go get Leo. Leo! Leo!"
"Greenlee, he's not...." David started as Greenlee still cried out for her husband. "Greenlee, Greenlee. He's not out there." David moved directly into her sight. "I need you to listen to me. OK? Just listen. Leo didn't make it. He didn't survive the fall."
"Yes, yes he did," Greenlee cried. "He pulled me up. He can't be dead. Leo can't be dead."
"I don't want to believe it either, Greens..."
"Don't call me that," Greenlee yelled pulling her hands out of David's. "Get off of me, don't touch me. Leo...is not...dead. He's not, do you hear me!? And unless you've seen him...." David looked her in the eyes. Greenlee's tears began to flow even more freely now. "You saw him. Oh, God. You saw him, David, didn't you?"
David nodded. "Yes. I did. It's him, Greenlee. It was Leo."
"No," Greenlee bawled. "No, not Leo. Not Leo." Greenlee threw her arms around David weeping. After a short awkward pause, David put his arms around her also to comfort her. "Oh, Leo. How could you do this, how could you leave me?"
"Shhh," David said, bringing his hand up to the back of her head. "It's alright. It's going to be alright. I promise."
Note: This is my first ever AMC fic. I based the story on my favorite couple, Leo and Greenlee. I don't own the characters, but the story itself is mine. I do copywright all my work, so please do not reproduce it in whole or in parts without my permission. The opening dialogue in this story is taken from AMC 10/17/02. Let me know what you think. Enjoy.)
Greenlee Smythe was just about to give up. She didn't have the energy left to hold on, she had no reason to. Leo was all that mattered in her life and now he was gone. She wanted to just let go and plunge into the rapids. At least then, she and Leo would be together. But just as she was about to quit, she heard a soft, comforting voice.
"Greenlee? Hey, Greens."
Greenlee glanced up. Leaning down, grasping for her hand was Leo. "Leo?" she said. "Leo, I thought you were gone."
Leo smiled at her. "Like I could ever leave you."
"But you... the falls..."
"Are you gonna make this harder on me?" he asked. "Now, come on, give me your other hand. Just like you did when we got married." Greenlee quickly took hold of his other hand. "That-a-girl," he said, pulling her up and cradling her in his arms. "Now how many time do I have to tell you? Our love is forever. Now and always."
"I believe it," Greenlee said weakly as her eyes began to flutter. "I do."
"You're safe now," Leo said as Greenlee's eyes closed. "You're safe now, baby."
As Greenlee's eyes began to twitch once again, she could feel her body aching. She slowly eased her eyes open, adjusting then to the bright light. At first, it was blinding and she could vaguely hear a muddled voice. She couldn't quite focus on the blurred figure that stood over her.
David Hayward bent down by the edge of Greenlee's bed and took her hand. He could see that she was getting frustrated by the brace around her neck.
"Greenlee," he said. "Do you know where you are?"
As Greenlee's eyes came into focus, she saw David sitting beside her. "Where's Leo?" she asked. "Is he here?" David didn't answer her, but felt the tears welling up in his eyes. He fought to hold them back. "David," Greenlee continued. "Where's Leo? I want to see him. I want to see Leo."
David took her one hand into both of his. "Greenlee, honey, listen to me." David's voice was soft, however, the pain became more obvious in his eyes. "They still haven't found Leo. Anna has a team out searching the rapids..."
"No," Greenlee cried. "He pulled me up from the cliff. Leo saved me. He's not in the rapids. I want to see him, David. Let me see him. Leo!" she called. "Leo!"
"Greenlee. Greenlee." David attempted to calm her, even though he was obviously grieving for his brother. "The best men are out there looking," he assured her. "If anyone can find Leo, it's them."
"They will find him. He's on the cliff. He pulled me up. Leo saved me. They'll find him, and they'll bring him back to me."
David knew that Leo's fate had not been good. He however attempted to stay positive for Greenlee's sake. "I promise I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything, OK?" Greenlee was silent. "Greenlee?"
"Promise me you'll bring him to me safe," she said. David didn't answer her. "David, promise me he'll be alright."
David kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Get some rest," he said avoiding her request. "I'll come back later."
Greenlee rested her head back against the hard pillow as David exited the room. No sooner had the door closed the Greenlee moaned. "Leo!"
David rested his back against the outside of Greenlee's room. He brought his hand up to his face and rubbed his eyes. "Oh, god," he said. He took a deep breath and pushed it out through his partially pursed lips, his eyes still shut.
David didn't need to open them to know that someone else now stood with him outside Greenlee's room. As he opened his eyes, he saw Anna standing in front of him.
"Have you heard anything?" David asked her. Anna stood silently as if she didn't know how to answer him. "Is it Leo?"
Anna walked closer to David. She wanted to reach out and take his hands. There was no easy way to tell him. "The team just reported in." she paused. David's eyes widened in anticipation of what Anna was about to say. "They found Leo."
Just the tone of Anna's voice confirmed David's fear, but he needed to ask anyway. "Is he..."
Anna nodded. "They found him...washed up on the rocks. I'm so sorry, David." There was a short silence. "Do you want me to tell Greenlee?"
"No," David answered quickly. "She just finally calmed down a bit. This would destroy her. I can't do that. I just can't do that to her, not now."
"David, we need her to identify..."
"I'll do it. He was my brother, I'll identify the body."
"You will need to tell her."
"Let her hold on to what little hope she has left, Anna," David said. "At least until we're sure it's Leo."
"David..."
"Just... just let me ID him first. Please, Anna."
There was a long pause as Anna Devane stood, her eyes set on David. "Fine," she finally said. "But I won't let you do it alone."
David and Anna walked to the lowest level of the Pine Valley Hospital. The air was stale, and even as a doctor, David couldn't stand to be down there. They continued down a long hallway and came to a stop outside a door, the word Morgue written upon it.
David turned his back towards the room. "We could wait," Anna said. "Or you could call Trey. Maybe he could..."
"No," David said. "I can't ask him to come down here. And Greenlee...I can't let Greenlee do this. How could I?" Anna put her hand on David's shoulder. "Let her remember him the way he was. I can't let her see him like this." David paused for a moment and took a deep breath before he turned and pushed open the doors to the morgue. Anna stayed close behind him. They approached one table where an officer stood.
Anna took the officer aside. "Is it du Pres?" she asked him.
"We're about 100% sure," he answered her.
Anna quickly glanced back at David, who stood motionless, hovering over the white sheeted table. "What about Vanessa Cortlandt?"
"She still hasn't surfaced. The team is still canvassing the area, but I don't think it's possible that anyone could have survived that fall."
"Keep looking and let me know what you find, will you?"
"Yes, ma'am," he said. The officer turned and exited the room as Anna walked back towards David.
"Everything inside me wishes that it's not Leo under there," David said without breaking his stare.
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"I have no choice." David stretched his arm out, taking hold of the edge of the white sheet. He slowly pulled it back, revealing bit by small bit, the body that laid underneath.
Anna held her breath as David pulled the sheet down passed the face. "Oh, God," she said softly, closing her eyes and biting her bottom lip.
"Leo," David said, turning his head away. Anna lifted her hand, placing it on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. "It's him. It really is him."
"David..."
"I think I... I want to be alone with him for a minute."
Anna nodded. "Sure," she said pulling back from him. She wanted to say something, but didn't know what. She had never seen David like this before.
David waited until Anna had left the room to speak. "Oh, Leo," he said. "Leo, why didn't you listen to me? Why didn't you just go to Paris when you got the chance?" David looked down at Leo's pale body. Besides his soaked through look, there wasn't a scratch on him. For a 100 foot fall, there was no blood, no bruising, nothing. "It looks like you should just jump up. Like one of your sick jokes." He paused. "I don't know how I'm gonna tell Greenlee your gone." David wiped the tears away from his eyes. "But I promise you. I promise you, Leo. I'll look out for her. I'll protect her anyway I can. With my life if I have to. I promise, Leo."
Greenlee turned her head, resting her left cheek on the pillow. It took her a moment to realize that the brace was no longer around her neck. She opened here eyes and saw David sitting in a chair by the wall, his head in his hands.
"David?" Greenlee said. David quickly wiped his eyes as not to alarm Greenlee, but it was to late. "What is it?" she asked. "What happened? Is it Leo, did you find Leo?" David stood and walked towards her without saying a word. "David, answer me!" Greenlee yelled. She didn't like silence. Silence was never good. "Answer me damn it."
David took a seat on the edge of Greenlee's bed and took her hands. "They found him."
"Good," Greenlee said. "Fine, that's great. Bring him in here, I want to see him." David didn't budge. "What are you waiting for, David? Go get Leo. Leo! Leo!"
"Greenlee, he's not...." David started as Greenlee still cried out for her husband. "Greenlee, Greenlee. He's not out there." David moved directly into her sight. "I need you to listen to me. OK? Just listen. Leo didn't make it. He didn't survive the fall."
"Yes, yes he did," Greenlee cried. "He pulled me up. He can't be dead. Leo can't be dead."
"I don't want to believe it either, Greens..."
"Don't call me that," Greenlee yelled pulling her hands out of David's. "Get off of me, don't touch me. Leo...is not...dead. He's not, do you hear me!? And unless you've seen him...." David looked her in the eyes. Greenlee's tears began to flow even more freely now. "You saw him. Oh, God. You saw him, David, didn't you?"
David nodded. "Yes. I did. It's him, Greenlee. It was Leo."
"No," Greenlee bawled. "No, not Leo. Not Leo." Greenlee threw her arms around David weeping. After a short awkward pause, David put his arms around her also to comfort her. "Oh, Leo. How could you do this, how could you leave me?"
"Shhh," David said, bringing his hand up to the back of her head. "It's alright. It's going to be alright. I promise."