The X Sickness X Within (KilluGon)

Chapter 5

"Killua!" Gon shouted as he shook his best friend's shoulders. It was no use. He was out cold.

Dammit Killua!

Gon hosted the assassin boy's limp body up piggy-back style and ran out of the apartment. The hospital was only a few blocks away. Gon could barely hear Killua's shallow breathing in his ear, even though his head was resting on his shoulder.

Killua...

Thoughts raced through Gon's head as everything they had been through together seeped into his mind. All of the battles, all of the missions. Everything. He barely remembered the times before he had befriended Killua. All of it seemed meaningless now.

One more block to go. People scattered quickly when they saw Gon coming, but he hardly noticed them. His mind was focused only on saving the silver haired, blue eyed assassin boy with cancer.

The hospital loomed into view as Gon rounded the last corner. A red cross rested on the front of the white building. Glass double doors swung open wide as a former patient exited the large building and Gon sprinted in before the doors closed again.

"I need to get Killua to Leorio! He should be here to perform a surgery!" Gon shouted at the receptionist in a rushed and hurried voice.

She took one look at the boy on his back and knew that he was the lucky patient that all of the doctors had been talking about this morning. The one who would be saved by the famous surgeon for free. She had nosily looked up what room he was in earlier and told Gon.

He sprinted away without thanking her- which was odd for Gon- and navigated his way through the maze of hallways.

402... 402... 402... 402!

Gon busted into the surgery room to find Leorio washing his hands. He was dressed in dusty blue doctor clothes with a face mask around his neck. A hair net thing rested on the counter next to him. The room was a sterilized white and brightly lit with various light fixtures. Two huge lights hung over a cushioned table surrounded by delicate looking machines.

Gon gently placed Killua on the table and turned to Leorio, who still looked a bit lost.

"He got worse. You have to hurry."

A look of determination filled his face. He nodded in confirmation and suited up. He pulled the hair thing over his hair, the mask on his face, and some rubber gloves over his hands. He turned on the lights over the table and pulled out a roll of sharp tools that looked like they had come from a horror movie. Leorio hooked Killua up to the machines and turned to Gon.

"Leave. Go wait in the waiting room."

"But-"

"Go! You can't help him in here. You'll only get in my way."

Gon looked at Killua. He took in the dried blood and limp silver hair. He knew that right now, only Leorio could help him. Gon turned and left the room.

Leorio spun around to Killua and got to work.

"Sir, could you please sit down?" The waiting room receptionist asked politely. Gon was beginning to make even her nervous as he paced back and forth with a horribly worried and upset look on his face.

"Sorry," he muttered and sat in one of the numerous waiting room seats. He was absentmindedly biting his nails as he stared at the floor. His eyes were swimming with worry.

Everything is going to be fine. Leorio has got everything under control.

Everything is wrong Killua shouldn't have passed out like that. Something is amiss.

The doctor had said that it was in its early stages. It could be cured.

The doctor is obviously wrong because that is not like the early stages of cancer.

A battle raged inside of Gon as the demon and angel on each of his shoulders argued back and forth.

He's going to die.

He is perfectly fine.

No more adventures. Ever.

We'll be going on missions as soon as he heals up.

I'll never see his smiling face again.

...

No response from the angel.

That thought had Gon in turmoil. Never see his friend smile again. He might never be able to break through Killua's mask of feelings to see him smile at one of his friend's lame jokes. He might never be able to see Killua smile happily as he defeats Gon in Halo. Never see Killua's soft smile as Gon tries to cheer him up when he remembers how unhappy he was with his family.

Never see Killua...

As Gon's thoughts drifted Leorio worked diligently. Leorio was doing a job that usual required three people working together all at once, by himself. But that was what his Nen was for right? He worked away, clearing the cancer from Killua's lungs. It had gone from being just in his right lung, to spreading into his left lung and reaching towards his heart.

The disease had progressed so much faster than normal. Every time Leorio cleared away some of the cancer he would gently send his Nen to the inflicted area. Stopping the cancer from returning. He continued until every cell of cancer was gone.

Three Hours later

"Gon,"

Leorio came into the waiting room and beckoned to Gon. He followed him out into the hallway and through the maze that Leorio navigated with ease. They arrived at a glass window. Inside was a room holding four beds. Only one was occupied.

"The cancer had spread much more rapidly than expected. I'm amazed that he wasn't in worse shape last night."

"He's strong." Gon said as he stared at Killua's motionless form.

"He has to stay in here for two days before anyone can visit him. He is very vulnerable to sickness right now and it's just a precaution."

"Did he wake up at all?" Leorio thought for a bit then simply said no.

Gon didn't want to leave but he wasn't allowed to stay. Leorio managed to drag him home by insisting that he could return tomorrow and that he needed sleep, or else he wouldn't be able to form coherent sentences when Killua woke up.

Gon left reluctantly after telling the unconscious Killua that he would be back as soon as he could.

After Gon left

Killua's doctor, Harold Smith, enters the hospital where he meets with the usual nurse. He gives her the 'nutrition' bags and she gives him his share of the money. But before he leaves he has a request.

"A boy with cancer just came here earlier. He has silver hair. Make sure he gets one of those."

"Yes, sir." With that they part ways and go about their own business.