You're Not in this Alone *The final book in the We'll Carry on Series*

home is where you die?

Stormy's Point of View;

I had no idea what to expect for tonight, all I knew was I couldn't let him see me at my weakest. He claimed to still love me, but I wasn't sure if he said that only for the fact that I was dying, and he felt shitty. I could be getting ahead of myself completely; he could not even want me back. He left me; he told me he didn't want to be with me anymore. He hurt me. How could I ever really trust him again?

I'm dying. I'm leaving behind my family and friends, but worst of all; I'm leaving my little Bandit behind. Her reaction was the worst out of all of them.

Last night;

"Hey Stormy! I missed you." Lindsey said pulling me into a bear hug. Oh god, I was going to miss that. I held back my tears.

"So why are all of us here babe?" Ray asked, his hand placed on Christa's knee. His fro always made me smile and his smile was the greatest. My fro man...

"Mikey, I can't do this alone. I ca- Oh god." I started hyperventilating as Mikey and Alicia rushed to my side.

"You have to Storm, I wish you didn't but- but you do." Mikey's voice trembled. He was my little brother, how was I supposed to leave him behind?

I took a deep, ragged breath and shut my eyes. I had to tell them. In front of me, in our living room, was Frank and Jamia, Ray and Christa, Mikey and Alicia, my little Bandit who was sat on Lindsey's lap, and Audrey. My best friends, my daughter, and my family all sat in one small room breathing the same air that was too thick for my liking. The only person who was missing from this dismal reunion was my husband, was Gerard. Maybe that was for the best, the less he knows the better I guess.

Everyone's eyes were glued on me in anticipation of what I had to say, the rain was pounding on the roof of the little three bedroom house and I was suffocating. There was a glimmer of hope in all of their eyes; all of them except Mikey's who knew exactly what I had to say. I couldn't stall this any longer; it was time to break my loved ones' hearts.

"As you all know, I've been sick for close to a year and a half now. For a while we thought I was getting better and this treatment they had me on was working. Then I lost my hair and I think that's when we all realized that them upping my chemo wasn't such a good sign. We had my monthly scans and tests done about a week ago and waited for the results that would change my life, we just weren't sure in which way. It wasn't the way we wanted. The chemo stopped working three months ago and my cancer is spreading rapidly. There really isn't anything else they can do for me, so I decided to stop treatments and spend my last few months with you guys, with my family." I was trembling as I scanned the room.

Everyone look defeated and shattered, even Bandit who didn't really know what I was saying.

"Stormy, what are you trying to tell us?" Frank rose, stepping closer to me with tears in his eyes.

"Oh, Frankie, don't cry, please." Ironically I was wiping my own tears off of my cheeks.

"Answer my question, Stormy. What are you saying?" His voice was raspy and seething sorrow.

"I'm going to die, Frankie." I smirked, that was the closest thing to a smile that I could offer them. I knew it wasn't enough, but it was all I had.

"When?" He whispered, his face contorted in pain as the tears flowed freely.

"Six months, if I'm lucky." That was it, he was gone and in my arms before I could take another breath. He clung to me as the room fell silent. The only sound was the sobbing around me from the people whose heart's I just broke. I felt a small tug on my leg.