Angelica frowned as she walked closer to the bed, enabling her to see Megan fully. Megan's eyes were still staring ahead of her, her breathing erratic, and her skin glistening with sweat although the room was uncharacteristically cold.
"Megan?"
Angelica's voice was unanswered as she swallowed a lump in her throat, tears coming to her eyes, and falling over to wet her cheeks. She quickly backed out of the room and ran to Bette and Tina's bedroom. Angelica didn't bother to knock as fear settled into her stomach that Megan was dying.
"Mom?" Angelica called out causing Tina and Bette to stir. "Mama B?"
Angelica shook Bette to ensure she was beginning to wake up.
"Get up," Angelica ordered. "Megan's breathing weird."
"Weird?" Tina asked as Bette shot out of bed and ran toward Megan's room.
Tina quickly got up and put an arm around Angelica. She ushered her toward the French doors that opened into the backyard from their bedroom.
"I want you to go to Aunt Shane's," Tina peered outside to ensure Shane's car was parked in the driveway. "Stay there until one of us comes to get you."
"But..." Angelica felt fear more than any other emotion and desperately needed to feel comfort.
"It's okay sweetie" Tina whispered, placing a quick kiss on her daughter's head. "Now go! Hurry so I can watch you."
Angelica ran across the back yard and into Shane's yard quickly. She knocked at the backdoor and quickly, the back porch lights were turned on. The door opened and Shane appeared, rather confused and disheveled, listening to Angelica speaking loudly about Megan not breathing well. She quickly waved to Tina and pulled Angelica inside, to shelter her from the harsh reality of death.
Tina ran down the hallway to join Bette beside Megan to assess the situation. When Tina arrived, Bette was sitting on the bed next to Megan who was staring at the ceiling, hardly blinking as she struggled to breathe.
"Megan," Bette placed her hand on Megan's cheek to try to get her attention. "Honey please don't go."
Bette's tears fell freely as she grabbed Megan's hand and held it in her own. The contrast between Megan's pale, cold, frail hand resting in Bette's strong, darker one was immediately noticed by Tina. Tina walked up behind Bette and placed a hand on her shoulder and one on Megan's hand as well.
"Stay with me Megan," Bette pleaded as her tears dripped from her cheeks and chin onto Megan's face.
Janet and Megan watched from the corner at the scene playing out in front of them. Megan began to cry as Janet held her in her tight in her arms.
"God I can feel her pain," Megan cried harder. "She's hurting."
"She doesn't want to let go," Janet explained. "Go to her, go back and say goodbye, give them peace by letting them say goodbye."
Megan blinked as more of Bette's tears fell on her face and Bette began to shake from crying. She placed her hand, once more, on Megan's cheek as she blinked her eyes. Megan looked over to the corner, ensuring that she could still see Janet, who nodded her approval to encourage Megan to say goodbye.
Megan squeezed Bette's hand tight and looked up to smile at Tina.
"I've made my peace," Megan whispered as she struggled to take her next breath. "This is how it's supposed to be."
"Please," Bette pleaded as Megan flinched, feeling Bette's emotional pain physically. "Don't go."
"I need to."
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