Take This To Heart || ImmortalFox

Prologue.

"Stay safe, stay strong, and let me know that you'll be here while I am gone. Because I'm coming home, coming home tonight. Let's get this right.

You said it hurts and you know that I believe you. Searching every little thing to find a way to tell your heart just to wait a little longer.

I swear we'll make it."

---

My immediate reaction when faced with a serious battle with only one known possible outcome had always been submission. I'd lay my arms down and give up. When diagnosed with Lymphoma, my reaction was that I'd die. I knew that I'd probably never be cured and after fighting for over five years, I've welcomed the wholeness that death may bring.

I've given into this cancer. At night, I can feel it seeping throughout my bones and into my flesh. It ripples through my pours, and it's effects on my decaying body are somewhat torturous. 

Watching patients go throughout my years in this depressing Cancer Ward have not been pleasurable; whether it be cured or in body-bags. 

I've even heard tales and whispers in the Cancer Support Group of people, like myself, who have been suffering with this disease their entire life, yet somehow fight it with a smile. They're aware they may never recover, despite knowing that some have, and they'll continue to paste a smile on their face every day.

I doubted that I could ever be that strong. Not anymore, not after watching those that I have loved, leave me.

My family cared with open arms, but they had a dying son, and eventually they gave up on finding him hope. Past lovers stopped coming to visit regularly, or at all. Most people I'd known had given up hope on trying to find a blood donor. 

My condition isn't as dire as others, and most Lymphoma patients have overcome it, with a high survival rate. I've never been that optimistic.

Although someone came bounding through the doors of this dreary Cancer Ward and into my life. My meaningless, bleak, expiring life. He suddenly gave me a reason to smile, he gave me a reason to fight the damn cancer that loomed over me, and he gave me a reason to wake up at all.

Some cancer patients gave up, gave into the hands of the enemy. Some cancer patients had family, friends, and lovers to live for. Some people let the disease steal them away, where I let one person steal my heart.

There was a big difference between other cancer patients and me.

I had Aleksandr Marchant.

---

"One more night. And we'll go spinning around the room, and dance with our hearts on fire because every song is ours tonight. And if you love me so, I'm gonna tell the whole world that it's the greatest thing that's happened to me. I finally found a good reason to come home."