/doe/ - rudy x carol

from /doe/ - Noelle Holiday General #661
https://desuarchive.org/trash/thread/75931908/#75934356
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>things had not been progressing smoothly
>issues after issues, the stress of everything had been getting to her
>and the underlying thoughts behind it all
>it was a race against time
>one she seemed to be losing
>the ice-cold mayor approached the hospital, her presence as she opened the door enough to make the receptionist freeze up
>"oh, h-hello Mayor Holiday, here to-"
>"you know what I'm here for, save your breath." she responded, marching in, opening the next door in, though it was the middle of the night, she felt the need to add
>"no more visitors tonight, got it."
>"...got it."
>with that, Carol closed the doors, even locking them before she made her way further in
>Rudy's room laid ahead of her
>with her usual 'elegance' she'd push the doors open, her husband greeting her with a look of surprise at first, before-
>"Carol, Darlin'... are you alright? you're looking worse for wear." his expression was quick to falter, her being here probably wasn't a 'good' sign, even if he did WANT to see her.
>"me? Rudy, you're..." folding her arms and looking off to the side, her expression seemed upset, but the hint of color on her cheeks told him that his words were still effective.
>"you should be more worried about yourself, Rudy."
>this got a slightly sarcastic, albeit concerned look from him as he replied,
>"well, what do you want me to do...stack another hospital bed in here so I can be infirm twice over?"
>that hint of a smile that pulled from her, told him he still had it.
-
>though that smile didn't last much longer as she approached the bed
>sat on her knees and...
>set her arms and head against his chest, she sat there in silence for about a minute before she said, simply
>"I'm scared, Rudy..."
>his hand had found it's way to the back of her head, attempting to soothe his wife, he responded
>"I know, I'm scared too, Angel... Angel, Angel-knows I'm scared... but I gotta keep looking forward, right?"
>another coughing fit, worse than the last she'd heard, it was enough that Rudy felt a warmth from her that he'd not felt in a while
>warm, wet, blotching against his bedsheet, her tears.
>"you don't deserve this, Rudy, nobody does."
>with a soft laugh, Rudy would answer, "hey, I'll be sure to opt-out next time, honey."
>"stop it...we both know there isn't going to be a next time." Carol lifted her head, her expression, normally so stoic... she looked devastated
>Rudy's expression fell seeing that, he couldn't do much to light her way right now.
>"look, how about we... talk about somethin' else for now, yeah?"
>"her guitar..." Carol started, her expression slowly beginning to mimic the look that she'd given Susie earlier that day
>"I saw her, that girl, Susie, playing it..."
>Rudy's face froze up there, he had a feeling the intention behind the act wasn't malicious but... he knew Carol, he knew himself, he knew there were lines that shouldn't be crossed.
-
>"it felt like she was telling me that Decem-... Dess wasn't coming home, Rudy."
>Rudy wasn't about to argue with her on such a sensitive issue, Noelle hadn't had the chance to give him HER side of this story yet...and seeing how hurt Carol looked right now.
>he wasn't sure it'd ever be worth it fighting for the girl who was still a stranger to him.
>"all we can do right now is believe in her, in Dess." he responded, giving his best attempt at a reassuring look to his wife.
>"I want her home, Rudy, I want... I want my baby back, I want her to be able to see you one more time." the tears had began to flow again, it was so rare, even in private with family like this
>"I know... I want that too, we all want that, Elly, Azzy, Krismas, Tori and Gorey all want that, all we can do is hope for the best, and..."
>angel preserve him, now he was crying too,
>"prepare for the worst, I'm not scared for me... I'm scared for Elly, for you... you know I don't wanna leave you alone, leave her alone, we all need each other... we just don't..."
>"work without all being together." Carol responded, attempting to wipe his cheeks, he'd always been the more emotive of the pair of them...
-
>"what can I do while I'm here, Carol? how can I... fix things if I can't even fix myself?" Rudy then asked, Carol softly cupping his cheek and replying
>"I'm... I'm working on a few things, I want to fix this, fix you, fix us... fix everything."
>Rudy's expression became uncertain, he wasn't sure what her plans entailed, exactly, but... he knew she meant well,
>"Carol... you can't expect everything to work out like that, you need to... do what YOU can, yeah?"
>her expression faltered again, before she averted her gaze, "but what can I do?"
>"you're a mother, Carol, it'll come naturally to you, even if being the town mayor's sorta... superseded it for a while."
>yes, she was a mother.
>yes, it was clear that Noelle needed someone in her life
>and yes, Carol knew that couldn't always be her
>Kris would support Noelle, the Dreemurrs would support Noelle
>but, there had to be something else she could do, even if Rudy didn't make it much longer, even if Dess didn't come home, there had to be...
>a way to bring a piece of him into the future.
-
>almost as suddenly as she realized it, it all seemed so simple, and she rather suddenly pulled her husband into a firm, impassioned kiss, easily taking him by surprise.
>after breaking it, Rudy would give a soft chuckle, face and nose beaming a bright red, "Carol, sweetie, what's gotten into you all of a sudden?"
>"... you, hopefully." she responded, moving back to the door to the room, locking it as well and approaching the bed once more.
>Rudy gave a little laugh, but felt he had to disappoint her here, "Carol, you know I'm not really... much for that right now."
>her response was to set a finger to his lips, "I know, I know Rudy...I just want you to relax, let me handle this...handle you."
>he seemed a bit uncertain but, well, he wasn't about to deny her, even in this kind of state
>"I'm thinking... Feliz, if it's a boy, or Eve, if it's a girl." Carol would then add, making her true intentions for the night going forward clear
>the thought of that, even now, it was enough to cause the man to grin rather suddenly
>"oh Carol, honey..."
>"I'm sure they'll make me proud."