Disclaimer: I do not own any part of The Fault in our Stars.

I recently read the Fault in our Stars and I cried my eyes out. I couldn't believe how badly I had cried. But then I began to think of what would happen when Hazel died. I hope you like it.

My time was finally up.

The cancer like any other living organism was just trying to survive. But it's life was my death. I knew this day was coming… it was always a matter of time. I knew I would never live to old age. Never die old and gray in my bed. But lying in a hospital bed at seventeen gasping for air against the fluid in your lungs was not the way I wanted to go.

It was painful… and heart breakingly slow. I wish it could just be over. Kiss the pain goodbye. Yet spending eternity in a box. No consciousness. No nothing… I wanted to prolong it a bit longer. I turned my attention to the machines to my right, there were so many. One machine for my heart rate, one pushing air into my drowning lungs, another my blood pressure and one controlling the numbing medicine into my body. I studied the machines my heart wasn't beating on time and the lines were small. They weren't going as high as healthy heart. The cancer was slowing my heart. My blood pressure was low as well… I couldn't even focus my eyes to read whether the number was a three or an eight or maybe a five. It didn't matter… the inevitable was coming. Death was in the room… hovering somewhere unseen to my mortal's eyes but waiting with dripping teeth in anticipation.

My mother came into my view, her eyes were glassy. She was trying so hard not to cry. I couldn't see dad but I knew he was crying somewhere in the room. I could hear him sniffling. Mom said something I couldn't hear… the cancer now had my ears.

Clearing my throat my voice was scratchy and rough, my lips chapped. It was ironic I was drowning in the bed yet my throat was dry and so were my lips. "?"

"I asked if you were ready sweetie?"

"I'm ready" I answered without hesitation. It was my usual response; she shouldn't have to worry if I had last minute regrets or fears. Her daughter was dying she didn't need to know the thoughts inside the dying persons head.

"It's okay to let go. You know that right?" she continued keeping my attention, it was hard to focus I was taking on more water. It was getting harder to form words in my throat so I just nodded. It wouldn't be long now.

"You'll see Augustus soon. He's waiting for you. You won't be alone" she couldn't hold the tears any longer. They began to pour from her eyes staining her cheeks with grief.

I couldn't speak anymore, but I wouldn't tell her I didn't believe I would see Augustus again. He had been dead a year… I never felt his presence or believed in an afterlife. He wasn't waiting… we'd never be together again. His cancer had won and mine was about to win as well.

My lungs began to wheeze against the fluid in my lungs. The burning of lack of oxygen in my body began to heat my limbs. I could feel the burning in my lungs and slowly creeping up my entire chest. I wondered who would read the eulogy Augustus had written for me. Would my parents? Would Ian? Would the pastor? It didn't matter, I just hoped someone would read the beautiful words he had written about me. Give his and my memory one last breath of life. I would be added to the long list in the heart of Jesus. How long would I be at the top? How long would it be before I was at the end of the list and was just a name on a page? No one even having a memory of the girl who was named Hazel; that the love of her life called her Hazel Grace.

The wheeze was beginning to choke and I could hear the disgusting sound of my lungs choking for air. This was it. I closed my eyes for a moment hoping the drowning would be quick and painless. Like I would just close my eyes and it would be over like falling asleep. But it wasn't, I was more aware of the drowning with my eyes open.

I opened my eyes and there at the end of my bed stood Augustus Waters. He just stood there with a cocky smile on his lips, his cigarette gone. He was dressed in his funeral suit and I didn't know if my brain was so deprived of oxygen but he was more handsome than I remembered. It wasn't the weak Augustus who tried to fight his illness and lost. He looked young and mature at the same time. But most of all he looked strong and healthy.

I pressed my eyes closed trying to clear my head. Don't torture me with images of my dead love. After three blinks Augustus was gone and I saw my parents around me. Their tears staining not only their cheeks but also the collars of their shirts. The doctor was next to me giving me the tight-lipped nod. He turned up my medication hoping to make me sleep my death away.

God dying hurt. My chest heaved to bring air into my lungs but nothing was working. Drowning officially was on the top of my list of things that sucked. I pressed my eyes closed while my mouth gasped for air. Just closed my eyes for a moment, I wanted to get one last look at my parents.

But there he was again. This time he was grim faced staring at me intently. He was also closer to me this time. Standing to the right of bed where the machines are supposed to be. He grabbed my hand. It was surprisingly warm against my skin.

"It won't be much longer Hazel. It'll be okay. There isn't anything to fear"

I wanted to question him why he was here. Why he was assuring me everything was okay. I was dying and he was just a figment of my oxygen-deprived brain. My throat still wouldn't form words.

I blinked a few more times, in between seeing August and my parents. I didn't know who I wanted to see more. But then I didn't have to choose anymore. My parents were on my left and August was on my right. He was still grim faced. Then he bent to my level and pressed his lips against my own calming my lungs pain.

It was silent for a full minute. The pain in my chest evaporated. My lungs no longer felt the pain of drowning.

I took a solid breath through my nose, filling my lungs with the air it had been deprived. I took a bigger breath than I had ever been able to take in a long time. I raised my hand and moved my lips against Augustus returning the kiss before pulling away. I didn't know when I had closed my eyes but when I opened them, I saw Augustus and I were all alone.

"I've missed you Hazel Grace" he whispered pecking a kiss to my lips quickly.

"What happened? How are you here?"

"Your dead. The pain is gone. It got both of us"

"dead" I whispered trying to understand, my consciousness had survived past death, and Augustus was here. I began to look around trying to understand where I was, what had happened. It was then I noticed we were nowhere. I saw nothing. This big S something was nothing. It was just after a rainy day and the fog was hugging the earth. My parents the hospital and even my air tank… gone.

I looked down at my body, already dressed in my funeral dress. The dress I wore with Augustus in Amsterdam.

"where?"

"anywhere… everywhere… the Big S something."

"Is it a good place?"

"Yes, and we are together again. I have missed you Hazel Grace" He pressed another kiss to my lips. "We can be together now. No tragedy of cancer to pull us a part. Okay?"

"Okay" I couldn't help but smile pressing my body close to his. I felt healthy for one in my life. He was healthy. Could you be healthy in death? I wrapped my fingers in between his feeling so happy and content.

And just like that,

We had changed the fault in our stars.

So I hope you liked the story. Please review and tell me what you think.

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