Fighter

Chapter 8

Inside his office, she sat across from him, neither having said a word. "Well?" He asked crossing his arms. "Olivia thought it was best if I came home for this." "This being what exactly? I told you to start over Erin, get a better life out in New York. Finally a fresh start for you where no one had left you as collateral." She nodded, taking a minute to allow him letting out his emotions. "It's bad, Hank. It's really bad, and I was scared so Olivia helped me come home." He rubbed his face with a hand in disbelief. "How bad?" He asked arching an eyebrow at her. She looked down at her hands, picking at a lose thread on the bottom of her shirt. "Cancer bad." She said softly. He stared at her, not quite sure he heard correctly. "They ran some tests after a bit of pain I had been having. There was some appetite loss, but I just put it off as stress from the new hours I had for the unit. So, my doctor back in New York gave the highest recommendations and-." "Did they tell you what it was? How far along it had progressed?" "It's Ovarian Cancer. They'll be able to tell me more when I meet with the oncology unit at Med this weekend." She said, reaching over to take his hand. "I'm sorry. I know coming back here is probably going to cause a lot of trouble, but I-." "No. No you won't be sorry for coming home. I'm sorry I overreacted." He rasped. "Where are you staying?" "At a hotel in town. Olivia booked us a room for the night." "Alright. After tonight, you stay with me. No debates." She studied his grave expression for a moment. "I wasn't going to give you any." "Good. Welcome home, kid. I just wish it weren't under these circumstances." "It'll all be okay though, you know me. I like a good fight." She joked, as she watched a smile, finally, form on his face. "That's my girl."