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bebepac · 2 years

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A Piece of Heaven on Earth: Part 4

AN1: So I thought I could finish this in four parts, but I was wrong. This story really seems to almost write itself. I originally thought three parts would work, but now I think I’m splitting this last part up. There will be 5 parts and an Epilogue. I think this works the best. This is part 4 of A Piece of Heaven on Earth, to catch up on what you’ve been missing, please check out: A Piece of Heaven on Earth

The Book: TRR (no royals) Pairing: Liam x Riley Word Count: 3225 Warnings and Ratings Profanity, sexual innuendo, mention of character death: Teen Summary: Liam makes a choice that could impact both his and Riley’s lives. Song Inspiration: Make You feel My Love by Adele Movie Inspiration: Just Like Heaven

Original Post: 03/29/22 at 3:59PM EST

A/N 2: This is very special to me. So please be kind. I’m writing this as a tribute story to my Riley FC, the late Cheslie Kryst, in a way to deal with my grief which has almost been consuming my life. I started following her in 2019 when I was watching the Miss USA pageant. I rooted for her immediately. Not only was she from my home state, but she was just this bright twinkling light on stage, she was a minority, like me. So when I came to the fandom in January 2020 and started writing stories for TRR I picked her as my Riley FC because she embodied what I wanted my “Riley” character to be. Even in her untimely passing, I am still finding out more about her life and I have written her pretty accurately, even down to having depression. So I will say it again. If you need help please reach out.

Three Years Ago

RILEY

When they had all got back to the apartment they shared at 4AM, she had thought they really should have tried to get a few hours of sleep before rounds, but they listened to Nico instead.

His idea was to just stay up, go to the corner diner and get breakfast, and roll into work, on no sleep and as much coffee as they could drink.

Just so we’re clear.....It was not a good idea.

At 7:45AM when they should have been preparing to start rounds, Riley was waking up after she had face planted on the table at the diner. Still groggy from lack of sleep, she realized that they hadn’t even ordered breakfast, but the waitress just let them sleep. Tracie, the usual waitress there, had seen many of the interns come into the restaurant over the years.

“God Nico, you actually drooled on the table.”

“Um at least I don’t have a quarter stuck to my face.” He plucked the quarter free that was lodged to Riley’s left cheek.

“This was your worst idea yet Nico.”

“At least we’re going to be at work on time. Shit we’re fucking late!!!”

They put cash for a tip for Tracie on the table and ran across the street to Mount Sinai. They hid at the corner, and when their group of interns walked by.

They tried to seemingly incorporate themselves in like they weren’t almost a half an hour late for rounds, mingling in the back.

Dr. Ramsey noticed immediately.

“You four are late.”

“We’ve been here the whole time.”

Dr. Ramsey side glanced at Nico.

“Are you wearing women’s scrubs Karahalios?”

“I knew these felt too big.” Riley adjusted her top.

“Because they’re mine, Riley.”

“How do you know they’re yours?”

“Because my name is written in them!”

He pulled the back so he could see the collar. Riley twisted the top so she could see his name written on the collar in black permanent marker.

“What are you, five? Then why did you not put on the scrubs with your name in them, Nico?”

“Because they weren’t in the dryer!!! You got dressed first remember!!!! But these do wonders for my figure. Damn RB1, I get why you twitch in these.

My hips don’t lie.”

There was a light dusting of laughter from Nico’s comment which infuriated Dr. Ramsey.

“You four over here now!”

“I’m putting you on morgue duty for the rest of the week. If you don’t want to take this seriously, you don’t need to be here. Coming in a half hour late for rounds wearing each other's scrubs, is bad but this conversation that ensued after is down right ridiculous. You four were accepted into this program because you showed promise. You four are like the Harry, Ron, and Hermione of your class.”

“That’s really a compliment, because we win it all in the end though.”

“Nico, shut up. Not helping!” Hana whispered, shaking her head.

“Get your shit together you four.”

Over the next few days they had prepared many bodies to take to the morgue. Mostly older people, which you can always say lived a full life. The trip to the kids’ cancer ward was sad. Even though all the children knew but shouldn’t have known at their tender ages what death truly was, all the children’s doors had been closed and the shades pulled tight so they couldn’t see the Morgue crew bringing the body of another child out of the cancer ward, because they lost their battle with cancer.

On the last day, it was her.

“How do you think she died?”

“Don’t know, don’t care.”

“Nico don’t be an ass.”

“I’m not, we are morgue crew this week, it’s not our job to care, about what happened to them. We are just here to bag ‘em and tag ‘em.”

“She has no bruises so, it wasn’t in an accident.”

“And she’s still wearing her pajamas from home.”

��So it had to be something quick, they didn’t get a chance to even take her out of her clothes. Maybe an aneurysm or something. Possibly anaphylaxis or an asthma attack. She looks too young and healthy for some sort of cardiac event. She was DOA on arrival most likely.”

Riley stared at the woman with a fair complexion with long crimson locks.

“The husband was a mess.”

“You saw him, Bryce?”

“Leaving yes. I don’t think I’m ever going to get completely used to watching people cry after we deliver bad news.”

Riley again looked at the young woman with the scarlet hair in sadness.

“I couldn’t imagine starting the day with someone you love, and before the end of the day, you lose them. It must have been difficult, for the both of you.” She whispered to her.

When Riley went to wash her face, she felt the equivalent of what felt like an electric shock to her body, and during it she was sure she could hear someone whisper, but she couldn’t make out the words. It really scared Riley.

“Can we hurry up guys?” The uneasiness was evident in her voice.

Nico laughed.

“Are you scared Riley? Come over here, I’ll protect you.” Nico flexed his muscles.

“Ugh never mind Nico.”

“Come over here girl! I mean it’s only a formality now as we’ve already been in each other’s pants. We mine as well, make it official.” He winked at her.

“I’m not putting those scrubs on again until you wash them. There’s no telling what’s going to jump off you onto my lady garden.”

“So we’re clear, is it a garden that is well trimmed, or a jungle safari?”

Hana gasped.

“And the next body the morgue crew is picking up is....” Bryce whispered.

“Hey now I didn’t say I wasn’t down. I’m definitely down, and go down. I’m just saying I need to know what kind of tools do I need to bring on the first ever RB1 expedition.”

The group roared in laughter at the two of them. He actually had calmed Riley down quite a bit.

That night was the first time she had a dream of his garden.

Riley felt the need to straighten out her clothes as the woman approached her.

“This must be strange for you isn’t it?” She asked.

“I don’t know what this is.”

“Isn’t this garden beautiful?”

“It is. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“He’s very creative, you know. The way he manipulates flowers, is the way artists use paint on a canvas. Make sure he continues to share his gift with the world.”

“Who?”

“You showed me kindness and were empathetic for me, for us when you didn’t even know us. A trait I don’t have, that the both of you share. That’s how I know.”

“Know what?”

“This whole situation is going to change who he is, and make him grumpy, sarcastic, and possibly a bit mean, but I think you’ll be able to still see past all of that to see him for who he really truly is. I think in another place, another world, you and I could have been good friends."

She paused for a moment.

Actually knowing me probably not.”

She laughed.

“I don’t understand.”

“I know you want answers to your questions Riley, but that’s not what I’m here for. You will get all the answers you seek in time. Just know, fortune smiles on the kindhearted and empathetic, and that’s what’s going to bring the two of you together.”

The Present

LIAM and RILEY

“Wow. Liv came to you in a dream after her death basically giving you her blessing for now?”

“Looks like it.”

“So we’ve been connected through her all this time?”

“Yes, it appears so.”

“It’s almost unbelievable.”

Liam was so flabbergasted, he didn’t even hear his phone ringing.

“Liam your phone.”

He jolted back into reality glancing at the caller ID.

“It’s Taylor, I’m going to put it on speaker.”

“Hi Liam. Is Riley with you?”

“Hey Taylor. She is.”

“I’m sorry Riley. They don’t believe me.” She burst into tears on the phone.

“I feel like if it was you telling them they would believe you. They think this is a scam, and Liam is trying to scam us. I even told them about Chance. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to do!!!!”

“It’s okay Taylor.”

“Is she angry with me Liam?”

“No Taylor, she’s not angry with you. Riley loves you and she always will.”

“Riley, I wanted to tell you in case, this is the last time I get to talk to you, and for you to hear me. We don’t know the baby’s gender yet, but I already decided, since the name Riley can go both ways. I’m naming the baby Riley after you. Max is completely okay with it.”

“She says thank you. Your husband’s name is Max?” Liam asked.

“Yes Max, short for Maxwell.”

“Maxwell Beaumont?”

“Yes….”

Liam slammed on the breaks. Riley flinched, her whole body drawing up in fear.

“I’m sorry Riley I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m so sorry.”

“You’re saying Maxwell Beaumont is your husband?”

“Yes. What is it Liam?”

“Three months ago my brother called me to see if I would be interested to go on a blind date with one of Maxwell's friends but dinner was canceled.”

Realization hit Liam like a ton of bricks.

“I was going to meet you that night Riley.”

“But I got into a car accident.”

“The BMW SUV, was your vehicle wasn’t it?”

“It was.”

“You’re DOG MOM!!!!”

“I am.”

“I wondered about what happened to you. I saw your vehicle. How did you survive that?”

“Nico saved my life.”

“Did you leave flowers in our door Liam?”

“I did. They were for my blind date. For you Riley. There are so many coincidences that put us together. This is not how this is going to end. I refuse to let things end like this for us Riley. Taylor, we’ll figure this out. We’re down but we’re not out yet. There’s still time.”

After he hung up with Taylor, he glanced over at Riley. Her head was hung, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Talk to me Riley.”

“I don’t want to die, Liam.”

Liam bit his lip trying not to cry as Riley sobbed in the car next to him.

“I know.” He whispered.

“But I believe my parents think they are doing the right thing, given what they know about science, my odds for recovery, which are nonexistent at this point, and my current physical condition.”

She took a few deep breaths trying to control her crying and relax a bit.

“If this is really going to be my last day on Earth, I don’t want it to be a sad one Liam. So can we go somewhere special? I want to see one of your gardens.”

“Okay, we’ll go, but know Riley, this is not me giving up on us.”

It took a little over ninety minutes to get there, and Riley was shocked.

“I’ve been here before, this was the one in my dream that I had about Olivia.”

“This was Liv’s favorite garden. It was my first one. I…. proposed to her here. Is that weird I brought you here? I’m sorry if it is.”

“She was right, you are so talented. Why aren’t you doing this anymore?”

“Because I lost my muse, and my love for it. Losing her changed me.”

“And you say I’m Casper the Cranky Ghost, but you’re actually living your life as a ghost Liam, but you can’t even call it living. You have a chance to just live Liam, and I need you to do that.”

“I NEED YOU TO LIVE TOO RILEY!!!”

“I don’t know if that’s possible. But I promise, I will be here with you as long as I can. And you might not always be able to see me, but know my heart is with you. Let’s just walk around for a bit, and enjoy the evening together.”

They walked around the gardens in silence.

“You know, I can smell the flowers. I don’t remember smelling anything before when I was with you. Even when you had pizza, and Liam I love pizza.”

“Yeah, I like it myself, probably eat a little too much more of it than I probably should.”

“But that’s life though. It’s all about balance. Breakfast, an egg white, spinach and cheese omelet, lunch a grilled chicken salad with almonds and arugula but for dinner, a double bacon monster burger with chili cheese fries from Ruby’s a large chocolate milkshake and a brownie sundae.”

“That’s a very specific example Riley.”

“I’m a very specific person Liam.” She winked at him.

“You have a gift; a gift you should be sharing with the world. The world needs more of this beauty. Please stop hiding. Get back out there.”

“All I’ve known is loss. Everyone I love leaves me.”

“That’s not true. You still have your brother, and you love him. There is love all around you Liam, you just have to grab hold of it. Promise me, you’ll try Liam.”

“I promise.”

“If there is such a thing as unfinished business, I think I’m here for you Liam.

That night three months ago changed so many people’s lives, but you’ve been stuck in a day from over three years ago, and it’s time to let that go. And I believe that’s what Olivia would want, and I know it’s what I want for you. It’s time for you to start living again.”

“Why?”

“That answer is so simple. Because you can. You owe it to yourself and to the people that you have loved and lost to live your life to the fullest, and after tomorrow, I might be on that list too, and I'm really sorry for that.”

Riley wiped her eyes, and gave him a weak smile.

"Let's watch the sunset together, it looks like it's going to be a beautiful one."

They watched the sunset in silence.

“Are your feet hurting?”

“What would you do if they were, if I was your girlfriend?”

“I’d carry you Riley.”

“What do you think it would have been like if we would have met that night?”

“I wouldn’t have been able to take my eyes off you, in that dress. Just like now.”

“I wish it would have happened like that.”

"It's okay though we still met Riley. We were fated to meet."

“You're right. We were. Are you hungry? We’ve been gone all day and you haven’t eaten. It’s getting late, we should head back.”

Liam stopped at Ruby’s and got a double bacon monster burger and chili cheese fries.

“You talked it up Riley you know I had to get it. I’m going to eat it in a little bit, though.”

He rummaged through his pockets.

“What’s wrong?”

“I guess I locked myself out. My key must be in the apartment.”

“I keep a spare under the fire hydrant over there.”

When Liam moved the fire hydrant there was the spare apartment key with a red tip, the same color red that matched Riley’s door.

Forty-five minutes later Liam was putting his plate on the table, he had reheated his food, and when he brought out his drink Riley smiled.

Liam had put his last Tahitian Treat he had bought in the freezer and was taking it out, and Riley saw it had frozen a bit.

“You did say letting it get slushy was the best way to drink it.”

“I did….. I know what you’re doing Liam.”

“This isn’t me saying goodbye to you Riley. It’s not. Because we’re not. We need more time and we’re going to get it.”

“How?”

“They can’t pull the plug on you if you’re not there for them to pull the plug… Is it an actual plug Riley?”

“It’s a machine, you turn it off, and how am I not going to be there? We tried putting me back together and I wouldn’t stick.”

“I’m going to steal your body from the hospital.”

Riley laughed.

“I’m serious Riley.”

Riley abruptly stopped laughing.

“Okay Liam, let’s board the bus back from Crazy Town. You can’t do that. They could put you in jail. You could get arrested.”

“I don’t care! It would give us more time together to figure this out.”

“There would be so many things to consider. Do you know how many things you would need to sustain the life of a person that is in a coma?”

“Well you’re a doctor, you can tell me, and it would only be temporary until we could get you back together. This could work, Riley. You just have to tell me what to do. We could do this. It could work.”

Riley thought for a few moments.

“First we are going to need a van, and someone you trust that has a proclivity to be a little bit morally gray.”

“I need to make two calls.”

First Liam called his friend Drake.

“Drake do you still have your white serial killer murder van, and can I borrow it tomorrow?”

Liam gave a thumbs up to Riley. The second call was to his brother.

“Leo I need you to come over, I need your help.”

Leo showed up a little while later. Liam explained the whole situation to Leo.

“So you’re telling me she’s like a ghost but not, and you want to steal her body from the hospital, because you care? Tell her to stand behind me. Ghost chick! Tell Liam how many fingers am I holding up behind my back.”

“Three….. Five….. Two…. three….. None….. now three again….Hey, are you giving her the finger right now?!?!?!”

Leo turned around to look for her, but he couldn’t see her.

"That's some crazy shit, and you can see her behind me right now. RIGHT NOW?"

"Yes, she’s standing right behind you. She's actually giving you the finger back."

"I like you Ghost Chick. My bad maybe I should be more PC. Would you prefer the term Lady Spirit?"

"She's good with Ghost Chick. Or you could not be a dick and call her by her given name which is Riley. Those are her words."

"Okay now I really like you…. Riley."

“So what are you thinking Leo? Will you help us?”

“We ride at dawn Bitches!!!!!!"

“And.....Morally gray? Check.”

"Dawn is too early. More like 10:30AM."

"We ride at 10:30AM BITCHES!!!"

After Leo left he looked at Riley. “Please stay with me tonight.”

“I wasn’t going anywhere.”

Liam talked to Riley as long as he could until she could tell he was starting to fall asleep. Half asleep he whispered the words to her.

“I will do everything in my power to make sure you’re still here, this time tomorrow Riley.”

“I know you will. I believe in you.”

The next morning when Liam woke Riley was not next to him.

“RILEY!!!”

“I’m right here. I’m still here.” She was sitting in the lounge across from the bed.

“I thought you left!!!”

“No. not yet. Did you take this?”

She pointed to the picture beside the bed. The photo of Riley from New York.

“Yeah. I thought I might never see you again when I left you with…. You. And I wanted something to remember you by. I’ve never been to New York; I’ve always wanted to go and see the Statue of Liberty in real life.”

“Then promise me you’ll go.”

“I want to go with you.”

“I don’t know that I can.”

“Promise me Riley. Please.”

“I want to, but I can’t.”

Riley burst into tears.