Thanks to muffin_donat2007 for the beautiful banners. Brian's POV Two Weeks Later (Wednesday Morning) When my results came back, my fears were confirmed. I have testicular cancer. I've even started chemo, and ever since then, I've felt like shit. I already don't eat enough as it is, but now even the smell of food makes me run for the nearest bathroom. I'm pitching to Eyeconics, and I start to feel nauseous. I feel bile slowly rising in my throat, so I quickly motion for Cynthia and Theodore to finish the pitch, as I bolt for the nearest bathroom. A few moments later, I'm sitting on the floor worshipping the porcelain god. I don't know how long I'm sitting on the bathroom floor of Kinnetik, emptying the contents of my stomach. I do know one thing though, that the pitch is over no matter what. When I feel like I'm not going to vomit anymore, I slowly get to my feet again. Then I flush the toilet. I walk over to the sink, and take a paper cup and fill it with water. Then I take some water into my mouth, and then roll it in my mouth for a few minutes, before spitting it into the sink. I repeat this action several times, rinsing the disgusting taste of throw up out of my mouth. When I'm through, I silently exit the bathroom, surprised to find Justin standing right outside the door when I open it. The blonde looks like he wants to say something, but I just walk past him, and go into Theodore's office. When I walk inside, Cynthia and Theodore are saying that we still got the account. "Good job Theodore, Cynthia. As of this moment, I'm going home. The two of you will handle the rest of the meetings today. If you need me, call my cell phone or the loft phone. But only call me if it's an emergency. And Theodore, ask Emmett to pick up Gus from school and keep him overnight." Then I walk out of Kinnetik, and slowly get into my car. I slide into the driver's seat, and then I realize that I won't be able to make it home on my own. So I pull out my cell phone, and call a cab to come and pick me up and bring me home. The guy says he'll be here in ten minutes. When the guy gets here, I give him the address of the loft, and then I fall asleep. Before I know it, we arrive at the loft, and the driver of the cab is shaking me awake and demanding that I pay him. So I do pay the guy, and then I stumble to my loft, needing to lie down again. When my body hits the bed, that is it for me, and I close my eyes and drift off. It's late the next morning when I wake up again. It's eleven in the morning, and I moan softly in pain. But I ignore the pain, and ever so slowly head for the shower. I clean up and then step out of the shower. Then I dress and head for Kinnetik. When I walk inside, all of my staff stares at me, and I know that Theodore has been running his mouth. I stalk over to the man, to find him and Cynthia whispering to each other. I motion angrily in the direction of his office, and Theodore nods. We go into his office, and I slam the door so hard that it breaks. That's the only thing about having glass doors that sucks. They break too fucking easily. I take a breath to calm myself, but the anger flows through me, and so I know I have to rip him a new one. "WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING, THEODORE?! I ASKED YOU TO KEEP OUR DISCUSSION COMPLETELY BETWEEN US. IT'S NO ONE ELSE'S BUSINESS WHY I FUCKING LEFT THE MEETING YESTERDAY! GET YOUR SORRY ASS OUT OF MY BULDING!" After I finish tearing Theodore a new one, I deflate and collapse onto the couch in his office. "Bri? Are you okay? Brian!" It's the last thing I hear, before the world goes black. The next time I come to, I hear the sound of voices nearby, and when I open my eyes, I immediately close them once more. I repeat those actions several times, before finally forcing my eyes to stay open. The first thing I notice, is Theodore standing next to me. But from the position I'm in, I know that I'm lying down. Shit, I hope that I'm not lying on the floor of his office at Kinnetik. Then I realize I'm in a hospital bed. Fucking hell. "Theodore." When I speak, my voice is hoarse, and he jumps and turns toward me. A moment later he starts to yell for Debbie and the guys, and I groan, pulling one of the pillows out from under my head, to cover my eyes and ears. "Theodore! Shut the fuck up!" My voice is still hoarse, but apparently still strong enough to grab one's attention. Theodore looks at me, and says, "Yeah Bri?" "Shut the fuck up!" I hiss at him, and then I fall silent as the pain in my body gets worse. When I fall silent, Theodore tells me that he knows. That they all know about the cancer. I feel like hiding from the rest of them, but I know that it will do me no good. "Well, where are they then? I know the vultures, uh, family, will want to know that I'm awake, so that they can tear me a new one for not telling them about the cancer." Ted just shrugs. Then he says, "Debbie is going to kick your ass, you know. With Vic just getting out of the hospital with a cold, and with her worrying about Hunter and Ben as well, and now this. She's about ready to have a heart attack or stroke." "Shut the fuck up," I repeat. Ted just nods, and then the rest of the gang enters the room. Emmett sets Gus down on the bed next to me, and my little boy lies down next to me. I move a little, and kiss the top of his head. "Hey Sonny Boy," I say softly to him. Gus looks up at me and smiles. "Are you okay now, daddy? Auntie Em said that you don't feel good. Can I help make your boo boo go away?" I hug my son close to me, even though I just want to throw up and die. Moments later, as if conjured by my thoughts, I feel the need to throw up. I croak, "Trashcan," and then motion for Emmett to hand it to me, or the bedpan, whichever is closer. I really don't give a fuck, as long as the thing catches my vomit. As I empty the contents of my stomach, Debbie starts to freak out, and starts to leave the room, to get a nurse. She stops when I force out the word, "Don't." Then I motion with my elbow for Emmett to take Gus off of the bed once more. I know that my son is scared at seeing me like this, but it's not like I can really help it. I know what the doctor is going to say. That since I'm doing chemo, they can't do anything for me. He will say that it's just side effects, and for me to go home and rest. But I can't rest. My body hurts like a motherfucker, and now my son is going to be scared to be around me for a while. I sigh softly, and wonder when and why my life got so fucking complicated. Then I remember the merger. "Theodore. Talk to Justin, and hold off the merger for another week. I don't have treatments next week, so when I go back to work, we can get started then." Ted nods, and I can tell that he doesn't agree with my decision, but fuck him. "Okay Brian, whatever you think is best." "That's what I know is best, Theodore. If you question me or my decisions again, you will be collecting unemployment." Ted nods, and then Debbie walks over to me. I get the feeling that she's going to smack me upside my head, but thankfully she doesn't. Instead, Debbie bitches and rants at me, for not telling any of them about the cancer. Getting annoyed I snarl, "What the fuck for? So that half of the time you could call me an asshole who deserved it, or so you could bother me every fucking day, and come over to the loft crying, and upsetting my son?" I know that I'm being an even bigger asshole than normal, but I can't help it. Being stuck here in this fucking hospital is annoying the shit out of me. And also, having all of them now know my business and butting in where they don't belong, is driving me up the fucking wall. Thankfully the doctor comes in a few minutes later, and tells everyone to get lost so that he and I can talk. When they all leave the room, the doctor tells me a little about the cancer, and then asks me if I've been going to chemo. I tell him that I have, and that it was one of the reasons I've been so drained lately. The doctor nods and writes down what I'm saying. Then he tells me that I should really decrease my workload. "I can't do that, doc. I've got a business to run, and it's not going to run itself, you know." The doctor nods, and then asks if there is some sort of second in command who can run my company for a while. I shoot the man a death glare, and then say, "I'm perfectly capable of running my company and taking care of my son, doc." The doctor nods, as if just realizing something. "I had forgotten that you have a son to think about as well. Well, I suggest that you have your son stay with one of your friends, at least until you're capable of taking care of him." I feel anger boil within me, and I know that it's just below the surface. I also know that if this guy doesn't hurry up and discharge me soon, I'm going to knock his fucking lights out. Almost as if the doctor can sense the rage within me, he quickly hurries on with our talk. When the stupid doctor finally discharges me, I find Vic waiting for me in the waiting room. "Where are the vultures," I ask unkindly. Vic just laughs, slings an arm around my shoulders, and says that he wanted to drive me home, and so he sent the others all home. "Where's Gus?" "I sent him with Debbie back to the house. I also volunteered to stay the night with you at the loft." As we both get into the car, I roll my eyes and give Vic a smirk. "Well, you always did want to try and get me alone. I know I'm hot Vic, but you're too old for me to fuck." He knows that I'm joking, and makes a quip back. Then we are on our way to the loft. When we get there, the green light on my answering machine is flashing, but Vic tells me to ignore it. He also tells me to shower, and just go straight to bed, like a child. I shoot Vic a glare, but he only grins. So I shower and go to sleep. The next morning when I wake up, I notice that Vic is gone. I shower again, dress, and go to Kinnetik. It's the middle of the day, and everyone is out to lunch. So I go into my office, and start reading over some accounts, and working on them. I've been working on the accounts for an hour, and when I hear my staff returning from their lunch breaks, I quickly put my desk back in the order it was, before I even walked into my office. The only thing that is different about the papers on my desk, is that the work is now done. I pick up a few more papers, and start to work on them. I'm so glad that the staff remembers my rule about staying out of my office when I'm not in it. Otherwise, I'd always have paperwork up to my eyeballs to deal with. I feel myself getting drowsy, and the words run together. So I sit on the couch, and then find myself falling asleep.