[ Royce moves, sliding to curl on the bed with his wife. He sits behind her, gathering her up in his arms and holding her, smoothing her hair back out of her face. Mercy sniffs, and Gwen presses a kiss to the side of her head. She doesn't have the strength to do or say much else - her breathing is shallow and thready.
Royce knows he shouldn't let Mercy be here for this, shouldn't have to feel the life drain out of her mother slowly, and selfishly, terribly, Royce wants these last moments to himself. He wants to tell Alfie to take Mercy and go, but he doesn't. Doesn't know what the right thing to do is. He won't, anymore, not with her gone, she's always been...
He swallows his words and hides his tears in Gwen's hair.
When he takes her hand again, Gwen slowly strokes her thumb against his, and Royce lets out an almost inaudible noise that sounds like her name, desperate. ]
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Royce knows he shouldn't let Mercy be here for this, shouldn't have to feel the life drain out of her mother slowly, and selfishly, terribly, Royce wants these last moments to himself. He wants to tell Alfie to take Mercy and go, but he doesn't. Doesn't know what the right thing to do is. He won't, anymore, not with her gone, she's always been...
He swallows his words and hides his tears in Gwen's hair.
When he takes her hand again, Gwen slowly strokes her thumb against his, and Royce lets out an almost inaudible noise that sounds like her name, desperate. ]