Hey! I'm Rutha and this is my first ever fanfic! :D
It does deal with some upsetting themes, so be warned.
But I hope you guys like it - I acknowledge reviews :)
Rutha x
Disclaimer; I do not own anything.
Coming to Terms
Chapter One - Finding.
Although the corridors looked familiar, they weren't.
This was a part of the hospital that not many ED doctors had come across; they hadn't needed to as their paitents were always referred. However Dylan Keogh found himself wandering the hallways looking for a department he wished he didn't have to. Oncology.
As he followed the directions, he tried to keep himself calm by breathing deeply and trying not the think the worst - something he was sadly, extremely good at. Dylan tried to look at the situation in a more positive outlook; the news could be good, though his mind knew different. Finally he got to the department after a walk from the multi-storey carpark that had seemed like an age.
Dylan was relativily calm after recieving the news he had recieved last Tuesday. When he had heard, he hadn't cried or do anything that a anybody would expect a 'normal' person to react; he just sunk into the chair, clasped his big palms over his face and breathed slowly - he was in shock perhaps.
He hadn't told anyone about his various scan appointments or indeed the fact that he actually had cancer, not even his beloved dog, Dervla - he didn't want to worry her and therefore just kept himself to himself, it was as if the news hadn't hit Dylan yet.
He was walking along to Oncology to collect his scan results - to see if the tumour had spread. He was then scheduled to have a meeting with his consultant to discuss further treatment, which was a neccessity. As he arrived, his hands started to shake along with his body producing excess sweat; he was reflecting on the past few months, the feeling of his heart dropping when he felt the odd lump in the shower one morning, the embarrassment of going to see his GP, the pain of the biospy and then the tension of recieving the news 'Dr Keogh, you have cancer'.
However Dylan had taken it in his own stride, depiste being a negative human being, he'd sat down after a long shift and worked out the percentages and odds while eating a sandwich. His cancer was extremely rare with a 80% survival rate, which was calming for Dylan however the results today could indeed change that number significantly and that was what was nagging Dylan - he liked stats and numbers and they reassured him, until they started to fall.
His father had died of the same disease; he was his inspiration to become a doctor so Dylan knew fine well what the cancer did to the body. He wasn't scared of the foreseeable future, more disappointed; though his colleagues would think differently, Dylan enjoyed his job and was saddend to be hearing that he would be out of work for some time.
The last time he was here, he had recieved the devastating news. The day replayed in his mind suddenly.
Greeting his consultant, Dr Edward Tennant, declining his offer of bringing a 'loved one' - he had thought of explaining all of this to Sam beforehand but had resisted; if the news had been positive, the full experience could of been just a memory and nobody would of have to of known.
Dr Tennant was upset to give Dylan the news, he had worked with him for a short period during their training, before they both spilt off in different occupational directions but Edward had become rather friendly towards the man and had surprisingly liked him as a person.
Once the news had been delivered and Dylan was sitting in the large office motionless, Edward stood up and walked around his desk and sat in the seat, usually for relatives, next to Dylan and patted his sunken back before exclaiming, 'I'm so so sorry Keogh, really I am'. Dylan then sat upright once again and asked for the treatment plan only to be greeted with the news of another scan before anything further would begin.
After returning to his tall leather black chair, Edward told Dylan the reasons for the scan, Dylan stared right into his eyes, making him feel very uncomfortable, as he took in every word he was saying before standing up sternly and stretching his hand out, to signal the end of the meeting. Edward took the hand before repeating, 'Keogh, I am terribly sorry', stressing on the 'am', which Dylan responsed with his usual 'half-smile' before saying 'Thank you for, urr, well the information about the scan, when will I get the results?'. Dr Tennant told him the following Thursday to which Dylan nodded then swiftly exited the room, leaving Edward in the cold empty space, feeling entirely guilty for the news he had just been forced to deliver.
Dylan shuddered as he marched up to the office marked 'Dr E. Tennant'. That day wasn't the best and he suddenly felt like he was 8 years old again, when his mother sat him down on his bed and told him the unfortunate news of his fathers passing - vunerable, small and afraid. Just before knocking on the cold, dark door, Dylan shook his head violently whispering 'Get a grip Keogh!', then hit the door firmly before entering.
Edward stood to greet his old friend, before looking pitiful when he asked, 'How are you doing?'. This annoyed Dylan, who had regained his strength as he hated feeling like an invalid or lower class then anybody - something him and Sam had in common. Replying, 'Fine' with an abrupt tone, Dylan took a seat in the same chair he had sat in a week and a half ago before looking at Edward, the tension burning in his eyes.
'So' Dylan said, breaking the silence between the pair, 'I presume you have my results, yes?' he enquired, his deep tone of voice slightly shaking, reflecting what his legs were doing. Edward agreed with Dylans question before looking down at his desk. He sighed and took of his glasses before meeting Dylans gaze. 'Urm, Dr Ke... Dylan' he began before breathing deeply, trying to keep himself professional and calm. 'The results from your most recent scan,' he said, fastly 'have urr, well Dylan they have confirmed, a urm *gulp*' Edward took a deep breath as Dylan gripped the chair, 'they have confirmed that your cancer has spread.' Edward said in one breath.