AU Backdarft corrie

"I won't," she whispered. She let go of her sister and slid out of the bed, mindful of her IV and sat in Opie's lap. Nuzzling against neck, she grabbed one of his arms and put it around her waist.
"I'm sorry, baby," she held on to him and fell asleep in his lap.

Tig glared at Opie, "you need to stop hiding shit from us. We're her family!"

Opie glared back at his father-in-law, "She asked me to. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't want to betray her trust."

Waves of anger flowed off Tig, "That is my daughter. I've already lost one kid, how dare you feed me that bullshit! What else are you fucking hiding for her?"

Corrie's hand snaked into the front of Opoe's flannel shirt as she slept in his lap. Her breathing even, but rattling in her chest.

Opie, in aggravation, growled. "Wanna know? Okay. In order to live, she needs a bone marrow transplant. No one matches...except Dita."

Tig's mouth dropped open in shock. He knew they'd tested them all but had't know she was actually going to need it. He shook his head, what the hell were they going to do? Dita was only 7 months along that was at least two more months before anythig could be done. Corrie looked like hell. he understood why she kept that information to herself, he knew Dita would be guilt ridden over this.

He looked at Opie, "Oh Jesus."

He hugged dita to him.

Dita looked remorseful, "I knew...I knew we should have waited."

Corrie woke up to everyone looking distraught and her sister crying into their father's shoulder. She stood up, still very unsure on her feet and looked around the room. Her sister was muttering that she should have waited and that it was her fault. Immediately she knew what had happened.

"What did you do?! What the hell did you do?!" she hissed at her husband, "Why? Why would you tell her?"

Opie sighed, "They have a right to know, Cor."

Dita tried to come up with a solution, "Maybe...maybe I can talk to my doctor, tell her what's going on...maybe they can induce me..."

Corrie threw her hands up in the air, "No, god damn it!" she coughed, but persisted on, " I will not put them at risk for me. I won't! They need to be in there as long as they can, this is why I didn't say anything. If I have to die, so fucking be it, but this, no I won't. I'll be fine. I've made it this far. I can wait a few more months, Dee. I won't have this over my head. No one else in our family needs to be fighting to survive."

She glared at Opie, "Still think they had the right to know?" she felt so hurt by what he'd done, "I can't believe you did this."

During her nap a nurse had come in and adminstered her chemo dose for the day. As the nausea swept over her she jerked her head towards the pole to see the bag hanging half empty. She dropped to her knees reaching for the trashcan, puking into it at Opie's feet. Tears slid down her face, her family had yet to see this part in action.

"Get out, she sobbed, everyone just get out!" she sighed and leaned her head on Opie's knee feeling bad about kicking them out, "I...I just need a few minutes, ok? Please..."

She held on to Opie's leg so he would know she didn't mean him.

Opie looked down at her, stroking her head, "I'm sorry..."

She moved the trashcan away from her, finally regaining some balance in her head, and wrapped her arms and legs around his right leg like a child riding their father's leg. She held him as tightly as she could, which wasn't much, and she shook her head.

"No, I'm sorry, you've been suffering and I didn't see it," she leaned her bald head back and looked up at him from between his knees, "Why didn't you tell me it was so hard for you? I would have let people help. I've been so selfish."

Opie shook his head, "I wanted to...I wanted to talk to somebody, but..." He looked away from her; tears stinging his tired eyes.

Her heart broke for her husband. He had tried to be so strong for her and she hadn't even seen how he was struggling. Pulling herself to a standing position, despite being exhausted, She pulled his head to her chest. She knew the sound of her lungs was probably shocking, but she needed to support him. She stroked the spikey hairs beginning to grow back on his head.

"I will never let you feel this way again. Make a schedule with the guys they can take turns staying with me. You do what you need to do, Ope. I love you."

Opie shook his head, holding her tight, "I'm not leaving you."

She kissed the top of his head, the spikey hair hurting her dry lips, "I don't want you to leave, but you need breaks, Ope. You can't do this by yourself. It's only going to get worse. what if I'm bedridden? I'd need you everything."

She shook her head and wiped his tears. The love she felt for him was all-consuming. Protecting him was her priority.

"Harry," she rarely used his name, "I will never make you hide anything for me again. I promise."

He looked up into her eyes, tears brimming his own. "I love you...so much...please...you have to make it."

It was like someone slapped her across the face. Putting on her bravest face, she kissed his lips.
"To get me away from you even death would have a fight on its hands, Ope."

She was exhausted, but unwilling to let him go. Clearly he needed this.

Opie pulled her into his lap, "I feel so bad...hurting Dee like that..."

"It's my fault, not yours," She leaned against him, listening to the steady beat of his heart, "I'm sure you'll make it up to her."

She was content, here in his lap.

Opie held her close, kissing her forehead. "I want to buy them a house."

Corrie stared at the man, a house in New York was expensive. She would never get used to having all this money.

"You'll have to go about it the right way. If she thinks it's an apologiy she's likely to tell you no. She doesn't like handouts."

She yawned coughing at the end. The cough took forever to stop.

Opie smiled softly, "That's where you get it from then..." His smile faded as he heard the cough, "Come on, let's get you back in bed."

She settled into the bed without a fight, feeling like a rock was on her chest. Her hand firmly in his, she drifted off to sleep.

One month later



She'd been in the hospital two weeks before they let her go. Now that she was home she just had no real will left. She weighed 98 pounds and they were threatening her with a feeding tube. she just was never hungry. When she did eat she puked it back up. She laid on the couch downstairs with Morrow watching TV. The older man laughed and she smiled. They'd gotten to be as close as him and Juice were. Opie had to go get some groceries and her medicine. She also had wanted some ice cream, now she wasn't so sure she did.

Her skin was so pale it looked abnormal and her lips were so dry they'd begun to crack. She hadn't even been with her husband since he became her husband. She was depressed, but told no one. at this point she didn't care what the outcome was just so long as there was light at the end of the damn tunnel. She would never dream of telling Opie that, it would crush him. He was making all kinds of plans for after the transplant. She sighed and morrow looked over at her.

"It'll be ok, you know," he spoke to her, "That boy has enough hope to keep you noth going."

She nodded, looking at her nearly skeletal fingers.

Opie felt selfish...wanting so desperately for Dee to have the boys...healthy of course, so she could do the transplant. He hated watching Corrie suffer this way.

Opie had come home, given her a bowl of ice cream, then went back into the kitchen to make his own dinner. Morrow had gone home. Corrie wanted to go upstairs and lay down, unable to bear the looks Opie kept giving her. She knew she looked like walking death, he didn't have to confirm it. not wanting to ask for help, she mustered up all the strength she had and stood. She made it almost passed the kitchen door before she tripped and fell. Laying on her stomach she sighed.