Date: 02 Jun 2013 00:05 Title: Chapter 14
Q. Hard truths to come by, he seems to be teaching her lessons now rather than the other way around. Taking her to see Doug, in his final moments, to drive home the point that comfort need not just be given to children when changing diapers (which, hey Q, you’re 100 percent right about is a nasty thing) but can also be given to adults in their final moments. Watching Doug and Melisa here, you know what’s coming and so does Lili. But, as Q says, it’s inevitable. It’s a hard truth for humans to comprehend that, some day, those we love most will die. And we will be without them.
That truth is thrown right into Lili’s tear stained face here as we watch Doug go down (hey, he was talking about getting active later anyway) with Melisa by his side. Melisa’s desperation at keeping Doug fighting, at keeping him alive, is all too apparent here but Doug seems to know this is it. Modern medical tech may have saved him, maybe, but Doug was done.
You portrayed his final moments rather poignantly and him, seeing the bridge, seeing it filled with people he didn’t know but then a few very important ones he did (notably Kevin) was both sad and happy. He went on to a place where he had company.
And at the end, he did die with Lili’s name on his lips … because she was there and he perceived that in his final moments.
Author's Response:
I write the MU and the prime universe as being rather intimately entwined. Maybe it's Lili he sees. Maybe it's Charlotte.