JACKSON'S POINT OF VIEW 
I couldn't believe my eyes. Cecilia was sitting right in front of me, her beautiful face pale but radiant. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, but this time it was a good kind of pain.
I rushed to her side, dropping to my knees beside her. "Cecilia," I whispered, my voice shaking with emotion.
She looked up at me, her eyes filled with tears. "Jackson," she whispered back.
I took her hands in mine, feeling a surge of joy and relief. I had found her. I had finally found her.
"Cecilia, why did you leave?" I asked, my voice cracking.
She looked away, her eyes welling up with tears. "I didn't want you to watch me die," she said, her voice barely audible.
My heart broke at her words. She thought she was protecting me, but she was wrong. I wanted to be with her, every moment, every second.
"Cecilia, I want to be with you," I said, my voice firm. "I want to hold your hand, to take care of you, to love you."
She looked at me, her eyes searching. And then, she smiled.
"I love you, Jackson," she said.
"I love you too, Cecilia," I replied.
In that moment, nothing else mattered. We were together, and that's all that counted.
I pulled her into my arms, holding her close as tears streamed down my face. I had found her, and I would never let her go again.
As we hugged, I knew that I would do everything in my power to make her last days count. I would cherish every moment, every second.
And I knew that our love would conquer all, even death itself.
CECILIA'S POINT OF VIEW
As Jackson held me in his arms, I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me. I was tired of it all - the pain, the fear, the constant running.
I was tired of being alone, of pushing away those I loved. I was tired of being scared, of death lurking around every corner.
But most of all, I was tired of being scared of love.
Jackson's arms felt like home, like a place where I could finally rest. I buried my face in his chest, feeling his warmth, his heartbeat.
"I'm so sorry, Jackson," I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "I was so scared."
"Shh, Cecilia," he whispered back. "You don't have to be scared anymore. I'm here. I'll always be here."
I pulled back, looking up at him. His eyes were filled with tears, but also with love.
"I want to spend my last days with you," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "With you, with my family, with friends. I want to be surrounded by love."
Jackson nodded, his face etched with determination. "We'll make it happen, Cecilia. We'll make every moment count."
I smiled, feeling a sense of peace wash over me. For the first time in months, I felt like I could finally breathe.
"Take me home, Jackson," I said. "Take me home to my family."
Jackson nodded, scooping me up in his arms. "We're going home, Cecilia. We're going home to love."
As we drove home, I watched Jackson's face, his eyes scanning the road ahead as he spoke on his phone. He made call after call, his voice low and urgent, but I couldn't make out what he was saying.
I didn't care. I was just happy to be with him, to feel his presence beside me.
The gentle hum of the engine and the warmth of the sun streaming through the window lulled me into a peaceful sleep. I rested my head on the soft leather sofa in the car, feeling Jackson's hand wrap around mine.
As I drifted off, I heard snippets of Jackson's conversations:
"...yes, we're on our way..."
"...please be there..."
"...I need you to..."
But the words faded away, replaced by the soothing sound of Jackson's voice, whispering my name.
"Cecilia...sleep tight, my love."
I smiled, feeling safe, feeling loved. And then, everything went dark.
When I woke up, we were pulling into my family's driveway. The familiar sight of our old oak tree and the porch swing brought tears to my eyes.
Jackson helped me out of the car, holding me close as we walked towards the front door.
It swung open, and my mom stood before us, tears streaming down her face.
"Cecilia," she whispered, rushing to hug me.
My dad followed, his eyes red-rimmed, and then my maids, all of them crying and laughing and holding me tight.
Jackson stood beside me, his hand on my back, his presence a steady anchor in the chaos of emotions.
"Welcome home, Cecilia," he whispered.
I smiled, feeling like I was finally where I belonged.
Home. With the people I loved.
The dinner table was filled with laughter and tears, a bittersweet mix of emotions. My mom and dad couldn't stop crying, their eyes red and puffy. I understood, I was their only daughter, and I was slipping away.
Jackson's family was there too, his mom and dad, his siblings, all of them trying to put on a brave face. But I saw the sadness etched on their features, the grief they were trying to hide.
As we ate, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. This was what I wanted, to be surrounded by love, to be with the people who mattered most.
But as I stood up to go to the bathroom, my legs gave out beneath me. I felt myself slumping, falling, and everything went dark.
I heard Jackson's voice, panicked, shouting my name. "Cecilia! Oh God, Cecilia!"
Arms caught me, holding me close, and I felt myself being lifted into the air. Jackson's face was inches from mine, his eyes filled with fear.
"Cecilia, please, stay with me," he whispered.
I tried to speak, to reassure him, but my voice was barely a whisper.
Mom...Dad...I'm sorry...
My vision blurred, and I felt myself drifting away.
Suddenly, I was in a hospital room, surrounded by beeping machines and sterile smells. Jackson held my hand, his eyes sunken, his face pale.
The doctor's voice was a distant hum, explaining something about my condition, about time running out.
I looked at Jackson, trying to focus. His eyes locked onto mine, filled with tears.
"I love you, Cecilia," he whispered.
I smiled, my heart full. "I love you too, Jackson."
The machines beeped louder, and everything faded to black.