Madeline
October 28, 2015
The Fault in our Stars: An Alternate Ending
Hazel never thought that should would get this lucky. She thought Gus was gone for good when he slipped into a coma. For three weeks Augustus lay in his hospital bed hooked up to an IV and all different kinds of monitors and unable to breathe on his own.. They were waiting for him to die. Gus' family was about to take him off life support when he started showing signs of improvement. Every now and then his fingers would move and his eyes would flicker open for a few moments. The Waters put off their decision to take their son of life support. In the following days the doctors decided Gus could finally breathe on his own and removed his respiratory support.
The doctor's only explanation was that maybe the new cancer drugs were finally working and the tumors were slowly receding. His medical team decided that surgery was now an option to remove his tumors. The tumors that remained were in his abdominal cavity and his real leg. Gus underwent several surgeries to remove the tumors. The results were successful and he started um chemotherapy and radiation therapy once he was feeling better. A few weeks after the surgery Gus was finally able to go home.
Hazel wanted to see Gus as soon as possible but his parents thought it would be best to wait until Gus got used to being at home again. He had been in the hospital for two months and was happy to be heading home. While Hazel waited at home to see Gus she decided to check her e-mail. One new message. Hazel opened her inbox and read the address line, it was from Peter Van Houten. "Wow," she thought, "he must be feeling guilty for how he treated us in Amsterdam and is finally deciding to apologize." Hazel opened the e-mail, it read:
Dear Hazel Lancaster,
I received a concerning e-mail from your friend August Waters over two months ago regarding his current state of health. I responded promptly to his message and have not yet received a reply from him. I wanted to make sure everything was alright. I also wanted to apologize for the way I treated you and Augustus while you were visiting me in Amsterdam. I have been battling with alcoholism for several years now and have not be able to recover from severe depression. My assistant took me to a therapist and helped me to start my recovery process. There is no excuse for my behavior but I wanted to apologize for my behavior. Please let me know about your friend Augustus.
Yours Truly,
Peter Van Houten
Hazel was disgusted. She did not know how to respond to his message or if she even wanted to. Since Gus was in no state to reply to Van Houten's message she decided she owed it to him. Hazel wrote:
Dear Mr. Van Houten,
Gus has been in the hospital for the last two months recovering from a coma and multiple surgeries. He is currently home and resting now. Gus started his chemotherapy and radiation therapy shortly after surgery and the future looks hopeful. As for your behavior during our visit in Amsterdam I accept your apology. I do not excuse your behavior but I forgive you. I will let Gus know that you emailed him.
Yours truly,
Hazel Grace Lancaster.
Hazel clicked the send button. Her phone rang and she picked it up. It was Mrs. Waters telling her that it was okay for her to visit now. Hazel quickly dressed and drove over to their house. Gus was on the couch propped up with several pillows and wrapped in a thick blanket. He looked exhausted but he smiled when he saw her. Gus greeted her like any other day, "Hello, Hazel Grace, it's nice to see you." Hazel cracked a smile, "You scared us there for awhile. I thought you were going to leave me." "I know, I'm sorry" responded Gus. Hazel joined Augustus on the couch and curled up next to him. "Okay?" said Gus. "Okay," replied Hazel.