The Captain's Daughter: Prequel Scenarios

Goodbye

Levi's POV

Over the past couple of weeks, Valerie's condition has continued to worsen. She's lost her appetite, constantly has a fever, and can barely get out of bed. I knew from the beginning that this wasn't just some regular cold.

"I made you this to make you feel better, mommy." Sophie said as she crawled up on the bed. She held out a piece of paper with a drawing of all of us.

"Awe I love it sweetie, thank you." Valerie kissed Sophie's cheek. "Now how about you let mommy rest a little, okay?" Sophie nodded and walked out of the room. "Don't look so happy, Levi." Valerie joked.

"How can you joke around at a time like this? You're seriously sick, Valerie." I sat on the bed next to her.

"I'm going to be okay, Levi." She placed her hand on mine. "This is going to pass and we're going to be back to normal in no time." I looked down and gripped her hand.

"Valerie I... I can't lose you." I said, holding back tears. "I need you. Sophie needs you."

"Levi you're not going to lose me. I promise." She smiled at me. I still didn't believe her, though. "I love you." I didn't respond for a second. I looked up and gazed into her eyes, still so full of love and hope.

"I love you, too..."

Time skip

About five days have passed since then and for the past few weeks Farlan and I have been searching non-stop for a cure for Valerie. We searched absolutely everywhere and I would have done anything at all to help save her. We were too late, though.

"No, please... you promised..." I croaked out as I held Valerie's hand.

"I know... I'm so sorry, Levi." She barely managed to say. "Promise me something, Levi. Promise me that you'll get Sophie to the surface. Promise me that you'll give her the life we always wanted her to have."

"No don't talk like that!" I gripped her hand and sat on the bed. "You're going to be just fine."

"Levi, we both know that's not true." Her soft words struck me like a knife to the heart.

"I'm sorry... I couldn't save you..."

"That's not your fault, Levi. We all know you did everything you could."

"Mommy, what's going on?" Sophie said from the other side of the bed. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I don't know, sweetie." Valerie cupped her cheek as a tear slipped from her eye.

"Please, Valerie, I can't lose you. Not like this." I choked on my tears as I remembered how my mom passed away, the same exact way.

"I'm so sorry..." She ran her fingers through my hair. "Sophie, sweetie, I need to tell you something."

"W-What is it?" Sophie shakily asked, about to cry.

"Take care of daddy for me." She said and her breath started getting more shallow.

"Please, Valerie, don't leave me... Don't leave us..." I begged her. She kissed her hand and put it on my cheek. "I love you so much... You're the only one who's ever understood me. You're a part of me. I can't lose you!"

"I love you so much, Levi." She said.

"Mommy, please don't go!" Sophie started crying and hugged Valerie.

"I'm so sorry, sweetie." Valerie placed an arm around her and kissed her head. "I love you so much. Please don't forget that." She then looked at me with tears in her eyes. "Please get her to the surface. Please keep your promise."

"I-I promise... But!-" I looked down and then back up to her face. Her hand slowly dropped from my face and her eyes closed for the last time. "No no no no no... please, come back! Valerie I need you! I love you!"

"Mommy?" Sophie leaned back from the hug and put her hand on Valerie's face. "Mommy? Mommy wake up! Wake up!"

"Come on, Sophie." Isabel said softly as she picked Sophie up.

"No! Let me go!" Sophie squirmed in Isabel's arms as she tried to take her out of the room. "NO! LET ME GO! I WANT MOMMY! MOMMY!!!" She continued yelling throughout the house, but I couldn't hear anything. I looked into the face of my wife. The love of my life. The mother of my child. Yet another person gone from me.

I lowered my head onto her stomach as I felt my heart continually break off into tiny little pieces. My body wreaked with sobs as I felt a whole new type of heartbreak. I finally lifted my head up and kissed her faintly still warm cheek. "I promise." I whispered and went to leave the room. I paused with my hand on the doorknob and turned back one last time. "I love you." I whispered and left the room.