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Title: From Here To Eternity

Author: Sue

Part: 1/1

mailto: passionate pen@juno.com

Rated: PG

Content Warning: Some angst, death of a character...

Author's Notes: To say goodbye.......

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  "Morning Aunt Dix."

  Dixie McCall opened her eyes and watched as the pretty young nurse opened the blinds. Soft golden sunlight spilled across the bed.

  "Morning Al," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

  "Time to take your vitals."

  Dixie watched in silence. Lord had times changed. She could still remember how proud and excited she'd

been the day she'd graduated nursing school, and how she loved wearing that starched white uniform and cap. She let her eyes travel across Allie's bright blue scrubs. Today's nurses hardly ever wore dresses, let alone starched white ones. Her time had passed, but what a wonderful time it had been! Now Allie was the head ER nurse, an ER that was a whole different world from the one she'd worked so many years ago.

  "What are you doing up here? You've got a department to run." she said aloud.

  "I know, but I had to check on my favorite patient." Allie DeSoto smiled, "Daddy and Uncle Kel will be in to see you after lunch."

   Dix smiled at the mention of her Kel. "You and your mom take good care of him, you hear?"

   "We already do, Aunt Dix, and so do you. Don't worry, you'll be back home in no time."

   Dixie shook her head, the silver shining in the sunlight. "Not this time, honey."

   Allie turned away from the IV she was checking, "Aunt Dix, no." she said softly.

   "Your uncle always said there's a time when medicine stops and something bigger takes over. This is that time."

   Allie gazed at her beloved aunt. At 74, she was recovering from her third heart attack. Although frail and weak, she was still as beautiful as ever. Ever since she could remember Allie had dreamed of being just like her, and now, running Rampart's ER at age 30, she was.

    "Uncle Kel still says that, but Aunt Dix-" she sat down gently beside her and took her hand.

    "It's okay, honey. I'm not afraid of what's to come. I've led a wonderful life." Dix smiled and closed her eyes.

    Allie's chest tightened as she turned to look at the monitor. Relieved, to see it still beating rhythmically, she stood up and slipped out the door, careful not to disturb her. When she got back to the ER, she found two paramedics waiting for her, a tall, ruggedly handsome man with the same blue eyes as hers, and a slender young woman with dark hair and an exotic beauty about her.

    "Hi guys."

    "Hi yourself, kiddo. We need some supplies." Chris DeSoto replied, grinning.

    Allie eyed her stepbrother. "Well you know where they are." she said sweetly.

    "Brat!"

    His partner, Jessie Gage, grinned. "Play nice you two."

    "Hey, I'm the senior paramedic here, I'll decide how we play, rookie." Chris teased.

    Jessie rolled her eyes. "I knew I should have gone to medical school."

    Allie was silent.

    "Hey Al, something wrong?" Chris asked.

    "It's Aunt Dix. This heart attack's hit her real bad. You should have heard the way she was talking earlier."

    "Well, they say when it's your time, you know it." Jessie said softly.

    "I know, it's just-" Allie began.

    "RA51, are you available?"

    Chris reached for the radio. "RA51 available. Don't worry sis, Aunt Dix'll be okay."

    Allie nodded. "Later guys," she called as they hurried out.

*************************************

   Kel Brackett walked into the hospital room and smiled. After all these years she still took his breath away.

Quietly he crossed the room and sat beside her, leaning over to press a kiss against her lips. Slowly her eyes fluttered open.

   "Kel," she whispered, a faint smile on her lips,"I've been waiting for you."

   "How ya feeling, honey?"

   "Oh, just fine. Kel, do you remember how you always said there's a time when medicine stops and something else takes over?"

   "Sure do. You were always my constant reminder of that." he smiled.

   "Kel, promise me you'll let that something else take over." Dixie whispered.

   "What? Dix-"

   "Promise me, Kel."

   He sighed. "Alright. I promise, okay? But I hope you're not planning on going anywhere too soon." he tried to smile.

   "Not until it's time." she replied. "Not till it's time."

   "Shh. Just get some rest, okay? I'll be right here."

   Dixie closed her eyes, a feeling of peace washing over her. "I love you Kel."

   "Love you too, sweetheart."

   His voice seemed far away, then she was dreaming. There was a warm pink light in front of her, and she felt a sense of excitement about it. Dixie reached toward it, her heart beating wildly. As she got closer a figure began to appear.

   "Hey Dix."

   Dixie couldn't believe her eyes. "Joe! Oh, Joe! "

   Joe Early smiled. "It's time Dix. C'mon over." he held his hand out.

   A feeling of joy surged through her as she reached over and took it.

*******************************

   "Code Blue, Room 314. Code Blue, Room 314."

   Allie looked up sharply. "Oh god, that's Aunt Dix!"

   As she hurried to the elevator a trio of voices called out to her.

   "Al! Hold up!"

   She turned to watch her parents and Uncle John rushing over, and held the door open.

   "C'mon, hurry!" she called.

   "We heard as we came in," Roy said breathlessly. "Is Kel-"

   Allie nodded as she punched the button. "Yeah. He came in about an hour ago."

   When the doors finally opened again, they couldn't get out fast enough. As they reached the doorway to

Dixie's room, their breaths caught in their throats. Kel was holding Dixie in his arms, as the heart monitor showed V-fib. An angry doctor stood nearby with a crash cart.

   "No!" Kel repeated, "I promised her I'd let her go. I promised her, and I won't break that promise."

   "Dr. Brackett, with all due respect-" the doctor began angrily.

   "He's right, Dr. Brice. Besides, she has a DNR order on her chart." Allie handed it to him.

   Kel cradled Dixie against him. "It's okay sweetheart, I kept my promise. You can let go know. It's time for that something else to take over." he whispered, tears in his eyes.

***************************************

   Dixie hugged Joe tightly. "It's so good to see you again!"

   "Good to see you too, Dix. It's been too long." Joe took her hand and began to lead her further into the light.

   "We've all missed you so much."

   "I haven't really been gone, you know. I've been keeping my eye on all of you, especially little Joey." Joe said, referring to Chris DeSoto's 3 year old son, named after him.

   "Joe, where are we going?"

   "To the next life. Wait till you see it. The food could be better-damn I miss Hank Stanley's chowder, but you'll love it."

   "What about Kel?"

   "It's not his time yet, Dix. Just yours. You ready?"

   Dixie smiled up at him. "Yes, I think I am. Lead on, Dr. Early."

   "My pleasure, Nurse McCall."

*************************************

   As they gathered around her bed, the monitor slowly flat lined. After a moment Roy reached over and touched her neck.

   "She's gone." he said softly.

   Kel nodded, slowly lowering her back to the bed. She had a peaceful expression her on face, and a faint smile on her lips.

   "I can't believe it," Johnny said, wiping a tear away,"there'll never be another one like her."

   "Oh Auntie Dix.." Allie whispered, letting her tears fall freely.

   Roy slipped his arms around his weeping wife and daughter. Emily leaned into his shoulder for a moment then looked up.

   "I hope she's with Joe now." she said softly.

   "She is, I'm sure of it." Kel said, his gravelly voice rough with tears.

   Emily left Roy's embrace and walked over to him. "Kel...Kel are you alright?"

   He smiled through his tears. "I think I will be. Dixie knew it was her time. She's in a good place now. But damn I'm gonna miss her."

   "We all will. God broke the mold when he made Dixie McCall." Roy said, crying.

*************************************

    Dixie was laid to rest not too far from Joe on a gem of a Southern California day. Kel, Emily, Allie, Roy, Johnny, their families, members of Station 51 past and present, a dozen paramedics, and most of Rampart General gathered around to say a final goodbye. Kel laid a bouquet of red roses on her casket and looked up into the clear blue sky.

   "I kept my promise sweetheart. Hope you'll keep my place warm till I see you again. I love ya Dix."

********************************** 

  Far above,Dixie stood next to Joe, looking down on the group. "I love you too, Kel."

  She turned to him. "I wish we could let them know I'm okay."

  "You can." Joe said. "Watch."

  He closed his eyes for a moment then smiled. "There. Now they know."

  "What? How?"

  Joe laughed. "You've got a lot of wonderful new things to learn, Dix, but promise I'll teach you everything I know."

   Dixie took one final look at the scene below, then reached for his hand. "Well then, let's get started."

   "Yes Ma'am." Joe smiled and held out his hand.

   Dixie followed him back into the pink glow. Lord it was wonderful to be alive!

****************************

   As the service ended, Kel looked up again, and gasped. "Aww Dix." he wept.

   Emily pointed toward the west. "Look!"

   As the others looked up, they too began to weep.

   In an otherwise cloudless sky was a single cloud in the shape of a heart.

 

 

                           In Loving Memory of Julie London

                                         1926-2000