TEEN: - Ongoing A Heart Left Empty

[PokeKorra295]

Hello, welcome to my new fic about heartbreak and healing!

One thing before the fic starts: This story utilizes flashbacks and time jumps to tell it's story, using dates to help keep the audience on track and to avoid any confusion.

Also this fic is a period piece set in the mid-2010s, as that was my childhood, with flashbacks set in the late 80s up the the 2010s.

With all that said, and without any further ado, please enjoy my fic!​

CW: Implied death

"Say something," whispered Leah as she sat over the hospital bed, tears welling up in her eyes as her lover laid motionless. "Please just say something..."

The heart monitor solemnly beeped in the background, a cruel tone that Leah knew would eventually fade, the thought causing her to tear up even more. She had known Autumn since highschool, toughed it through thick and thin with her, and now she's on the brink of eternity and Leah couldn't bear it.

"Ma'am, unfortunately you need to leave," A nurse spoke behind her. "It's past visitation hours."

Leah lifted her head, streams of tears marking her face. "Can't I stay overnight?"

"I understand your despair but there are certain protocols we have to enforce."

Leah nodded and stood up, wiping away her tears as she looked at her comatose lover one last time. "Thank you for all you're doing to try and save her," she said with a shaky tone.

"It's the least we can do," the nurse responded, "Your love for her is quite evident. You two must've been really close."

"Like you wouldn't believe," Leah half-heartedly chuckled as she walked into the hall after grabbing her stuff. She made her way through the sterile maze, trying hard to keep it together until she got to her car. Even at the other end of the hallway she could hear the beeping of the heart monitor, it's rhythmic tone weighing heavy on her heart. That's when she heard it, a single choke of the tone, and she clutched her bag tightly trying to not think of what it could mean, tears welling up in her eyes once more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

December 18th, 2015. Leah walked through Times Square, snow falling around her as she admired the Christmas decorations and lights. She stopped at the Toy"R"Us on the corner, as the Christmas display caught her eye through the window. It was a large 10 foot plastic Christmas tree with twinkling lights and rotating shelves, each one holding an assortment of toys and gadgets advertised in their Winter catalog. And on the very top shelf, standing like a golden idle at the center of an ancient temple, was a miniature solar system set, the exact same one her an Autumn had always wanted to own. As soon as the last thought entered her mind her enamored expression quickly turned to one of sorrow.

"Something on your mind?" A voice spoke behind her.

"OH FU-" Leah jumped backwards, falling into a snowdrift and sending a plume of snow into the air. As the snow settled back down her face shifted from startle to amused annoyance at her friend. "Carrie, you need to stop sneaking up behind me like that... How do you even manage to be so quiet?"

Carrie extended a hand out to help Leah up, giggling behind her purple locks. "Don't know, but I definitely enjoy using it to spook you."

Leah took her hand and stood up, brushing snow off. "I really wish you wouldn't. Or at least not so often."

"Awww, come on, don't be a sourpuss," Carrie bantered, "It's all just good fun."

"Yeah, yeah..." Leah turned back to the window and sighed, her eyes finding the solar system set once more. Carrie followed her line of sight and spotted the same set, immediately understanding. She turned towards her friend to see a mix of wonder and sorrow in her eyes, the type of expression usually reserved for watching a depressingly beautiful movie or play. To top it all off the lights from the display and the street sparkled like stars against a midnight sky in Leah's deep blue eyes, and Carrie couldn't help but get mesmerized by them. Nearly five minutes passed before Leah noticed. "Uh, Carrie, you good?"

"Oh! Uh... Yeah... Sorry about that." A nervous chuckle escaped Carrie's lips as she quickly turned away, opting to change the subject. "So a solar system kit huh? She would've loved that."

"Yeah, planets, stars, and other celestial objects were everything for her, she loved them all to Heaven and back," Leah lamented as she turned to return to her walk. "Her dorm was littered with glowing stars and planets like it was an arcade, don't know how she slept with all that ambience to be honest. Anyhow, wanna walk with me? I was actually getting bored on my own."

"I have nothing else planned for today, so sure," Carrie answered, walking alongside her as they continued down the sidewalk.

Leah's mind kept going back to how Carrie was staring at her, seemingly entranced. She didn't want to think Carrie could be falling for her, especially since in the 8 years of knowing her, Carrie never once seemed interested in any type of relationship. Besides, Leah's heart was still in pain and in need of recovery, getting into anything now is a surefire way towards even more pain. Still, there was no doubting that the way Carrie was staring was more than her simply spacing out, but Leah decided to brush it off for now, she had other things to focus on, like preparing the decorations and floor plan for the office Christmas party.

After an hour of walking and chatting about random topics the two of them headed to Leah's apartment as the street lamps came on. As they reached the stoop of the building the snow picked back up, catching in the glow of the street lamps like thousands of tiny diamonds floating in the air. Combined with the glittering strands of warm-white fairy lights hanging on each window, and the stars twinkling in the deep sky, the moment was as magical as ever, and both of them could feel an undeniable spark. It was a hot minute before Leah spoke.

"Well, uh..." she hesitated as she stood on the stoop, "Thanks for walking with me today. It was fun."

"No problem, lo- Leah," Carrie replied, hoping her slip-up wasn't noticeable. "You certainly know the most scenic routes during the holidays."

Leah just nodded before going inside. Carrie thought she saw a blushed smile on her face before the door closed.

The moment Leah entered her apartment she collapsed against the door as her mind was moving at a hundred miles an hour. She didn't want to believe it, but the spark on the stoop was clear as day. She was falling for Carrie, and Carrie was falling for her. Her heart was still broken, but something about Carrie seems to ease the pain, makes her feel like life is still worth living. She took a deep breath and stood up. Instead of wallowing in melancholic heartbreak any longer, she decided to follow this spark to see where it goes, but going at a steady pace to avoid any more damage.