Generations: The Long Game

One Last Time

TW: mention of potentially life threatening conditions, illness

He left the hallway feeling everything and nothing all at once. He turned the shower on as hot as it would go and stepped in letting the water sting his skin. He wasn't entirely sure what she was doing. Was she preparing herself? Was she really giving up? Resigning herself to the inevitable in her eyes?

He stood there until every inch of his skin was red. When he got out, he wrapped the towel around his waist. He stood in the bathroom for what felt like a long time.

When he reentered their room, she was sat on the edge of the bed putting on a pair of sneakers.

"Hey, gorgeous, you alright?" She didn't seem particularly sad or distraught. If anything, she seemed more herself.

"I'm alright, love. I figured I would get some use out of these blue jeans since I am not going into work today. I think I have only worn them once before. I guess they really were a waste of money."

He hadn't said that, but she took it that way and now he wished he had bought her ten pairs. He shook his head to dislodge the thought. He couldn't let himself believe this was it. It couldn't be.

They found themselves waiting in the same room once again. Waiting on the doctor to come in and tell them what the pathology of her biopsy was. To them if her fate was sealed, or if she had a fighting chance.

After the doctor walked in, everything was a blur for her. He was hanging on every word already planning what to research when they got home. Ovarian cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis. Stage 3. Less favorable outlook. Did the doctor just say less favorable? She closed her eyes and focused on Reece's voice. Why was he asking so many questions? She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Reece?" He was still talking. "Reece?" Still asking questions. "Reece!?!" He finally turned to her. "Reece, he doesn't know. We will have to wait until we see oncology."

She made the trip home in silence. She wasn't sure she could process all of this for days, but he was already making plans on what to research and who he could call that might be doing research on ovarian cancer. She often forgot that the siblings had connections outside of their nursery family.

She went straight to the lounge when they arrived. Mia wouldn't be bringing the children home for several more hours, so she had time to think. To relax. To let it all sink in. He followed her in and sat next to her pulling her into his side. He wanted to talk, and she could sense it. She just didn't know if she could right now.

"Gorgeous, I need to tell you something." She stilled herself. She was waiting for the "we can fight this" speech. She knew he meant well but she wasn't ready to hear it, and she certainly didn't want to discuss it. "This morning, I was in the hall when you were talking to Rory."

She inhaled sharply realizing he had heard at least a portion of what she had said. "Reece that wasn't meant for you to hear."

"It sounds like you have already resigned yourself to leaving us. You have to fight, Marjorie. You have to." The Knight stoicism was failing him, and her heart broke for him. She slipped herself into his lap.

"Darling, I have not given up, but I still must acknowledge that there is a possibility that she will grow up without me. That I will be gone, and she will have to rely on the women in her life." She ran her fingers through his hair. The ache for something normal burning deep within her. "You're an amazing man, my love, but still a poor substitute for a woman in her life. Especially when she has so many amazing ones to count on."

"I won't accept this, Marjorie. There is always something we can do. We can find a trial or go over seas if we have to, but you aren't going anywhere that we can't follow. Not until you are old and grey. Not until I can come with you."