Final Goodbye
by Ann Katlin S.
Rated: E
Disclaimer: Tom belongs to Columbia/Tri-Star and the writers/producers of Vertical limit. No copyright infringement intended.
Pairing: Tom McLaren/Other
Spoilers: Vertical Limit
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Tom breathed softly in the darkness of his tent. This was his favorite timeof day, This close to midnight, everyone was asleep and all was quiet. The night had truly settled in and the only sounds were those of the mountain,the harsh howling wind, and the glow of the moonlight through the tentsfabric. Tonight, Tom was concerned, this time tomorrow Vaughn would be here,and they would be preparing for a long difficult climb.
Tom was being paid a Million dollars for this, with that money her could go home and give his fiance the kind of life she deserved, the life he'd promised her when he'd set out for K2 again six months ago. Tom had a MBA but hadn't had enough money to get started; now he could. He loved climbing, but this was no life, always she would have to wait and hold her breath wondering if he would come home alive. Quietly his cellphone rang, a phone that worked this high and at this place was hard to find, luckily he had found one.
"Hello love." The soft low voice that greeted him on the other end of the line was melodic and soothing, one he looked forward to hearing every day. Yet tonight something was wrong, her voice was sad, strained almost. "How's everything?"
"Great. Just think, in a week I'll be home again." Silence greeted him on the other end of the line. Odd. Tom wondered what had happened. Was she alright?
"Tom, why don't you come home tomorrow. Have someone else take Vaughn up that mountain. Come home to me. Please." Tom was confused. She had never asked him to back down from climbing Everest before, indeed she had always supported him beyond a doubt.
"Why?" Again that eerie silence.
"Because if you do, you won't come back to me." Tom was now confused. She had never in there entire relationship mistrusted him. His heart, or his skill as a climber.
"Hon, I'll be fine. You know I can do this. I have to. With a million dollars, I can start that business I've always wanted to. We can have a life together, and there will be nothing in our way. Now she was genteelly sobbing. Tom was disconcerted, but still he held firm in his conviction. "I have to do this." She was his life, his heart, his soul. He would never hurt her unless he had to, and now he had to.
If only he didn't. If only.
"Then, then just know that I love you, until the end of eternity Tom, I love you." This strangely emotional plea was the last thing Tom heard before the line went dead. He was unsure now, but still his certainty held. He would do this, and he would go home. Everything would be as it should. He sighed and went to sleep. Tomorrow would be a new day, and this time next week, he would be with his family and the woman he loved.
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Back in her apartment, she cried softly, cradling the phone to her chest.The tarot cards in front of her read death, death to Tom. Silently she prayed they were wrong, prayed that those last words would not be their final goodbye.
~Finis~
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