hold me close, the sky is breaking

I'm looking for stories, either fic or books, and wondered if y'all could help me. I want stories about the part of loss that happens before death, stories about choosing to be with the dying. But I don't want maudlin death fic, or anything about romantic love reaching beyond death. The only story that I can think of that does this the way I want is sahiya and lightgetsin's Vorkosiverse fic What Passing Bells, with Ivan caring for Miles on his long way down. I love that part of that fic, more than I can say. And there's maybe something of what I'm looking for in the movie Chocolat, with Armande: her grandson, Vianne, knowing that she will be dead soon and being with her in that knowledge.

I'd really appreciate help finding these kinds of stories; I'm feeling in real need of them right now. The death can happen or not happen, but I want stories about the feeling of its inevitability, of the nearness of death, the approach.