Hey people! I was (very politely) informed that I have been reported for putting an Author's Note up when it wasn't a story. So I'm gonna fix that and add my story to this.
To that anonymous reviewer who reported me: Thanks for being so nice about it. I'm glad you think I'm a good writer. And I appreciate that you believe you're doing the right thing by reporting me. I believe I'm doing the right thing by keeping this up. I honestly believe that James was in trouble and now needs support, which is why I feel like if it wouldn't be fair to take this down. He is doing better, so it's kind of funny that you reported me since I was about to take this down. But people still want to know what they can do to support him, because they still believe. So I'm going to modify this a little.
Some of you know FootballandBTR (James) and know that he's in the hospital right now with leukemia. He survived the surgery, which is good- that's step one. But he still has a long way to go in his recovery!
So let's start a movement, shall we? Please join us in writing one-shots in which a cancer victim survives, so we can let James know we're rooting for him and we believe he can fight through this!
And for those of you who have Twitter accounts- Tweet BTR so they can see this, ask them for strong words or to keep James in mind, and hashtag the tweet "#BTRDontGiveUp" so the trend can propel our thoughts to them. Hopefully we can start a GIANT movement to let James know we all support him!
Thanks so much you guys! Stay strong! Don't EVER give up!
~Lost
...
Her hand felt like velvet in his. It was the softest hand he'd ever felt. Carlos looked down at her face and studied the rosy cheeks and crystalline blue eyes as her eyelids fluttered open and she stared blearily up at him.
"Carlos," she murmured sleepily, sitting up in the white sheets. He reached behind her and fluffed her pillow so she could lean against it. "You came back?"
"'Course I did." Carlos' voice was gentle and soft, as if his usual high energy would evaporate her frail form. "And how's you today?"
"I'm okay." She smiled at him and he smiled back, loving the way her lips curved upwards and lit up his world. "The doctors say I might be getting better."
His eyebrow quirked. "Might be?"
She shrugged shyly. "Well, I don't feel any better. But they say the medicine's working."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"Yes." She thought about it. "I think so, anyways."
"Well," Carlos said thoughtfully, "you have been on chemotherapy for almost two years. It's good that it's working now. And your birthday's coming up, too, isn't it? How old?"
"Eleven," she said, giggling. "You knew that! You got me a teddy bear for my birthday last year."
"Oh right." Carlos grinned. "I forgot."
"No you didn't," she said, sticking her tongue out at him.
"You're right, I didn't."
They sat in comfortable silence until Carlos got up and walked to where he had set down the guitar he'd brought, leaning it against the doorway. She watched curiously as he struggled to get the strap over his head, making a show for her even though she knew he knew how to put it on right.
"I thought Kendall was the guitar player?" she said, giggling.
Carlos mock-glared at her. "I took lessons, okay?" He started to strum the guitar and said, "I wrote a song a while ago. You wanna hear it?"
"Of course I do!" she exclaimed.
"Okay." He opened his mouth to start to sing and then closed it again, blushing. "Um, I wrote this a year ago when I met you. So, don't laugh, okay? It's been a while."
"I won't laugh," she promised.
Carlos nodded and swayed to the music. This was his element. Well, this and hockey. Well, this and hockey and little girls with leukemia.
"You can't give up
I know it's not easy
To live life like it's not up to you
You can't give up
Don't let go of this feeling
You can only do what you think you can do
Don't cry, baby
You're so amazing
You can get through this with
Friends who stick with you and
Don't think that you are not worth
Those of us who'd hurt
If you let it all go now
Live life
Don't give up now
You are so close to being okay
But it's alright to be afraid
You can win
Fight for the right to live
And we'll be here every step of the way
Okay?
You can't give up
What about all the people
Who are praying, hoping, crying, dying
Whoa, you can't give up
Don't give into the evil
Don't let it take your life
Whoa, don't cry, baby
You are so amazing
You can get through this with
Those who stick with you and
Don't think you are not worth
Those of us who would hurt
If you let it all go
Live life
Don't give up now
You are so close to being okay
But it's alright to be afraid
You can win
Fight for the right to live
We'll be here every step of the way
You'll be okay
You'll be alright, baby
Don't give up, baby
Know we'll be here for you, baby
You can't give up
You can't give up, no, no
Please don't give up
No, no, no, no
Live life
Don't give up now
You are so close to being okay
And it's alright to be afraid
Whoa, you can win
Fight for the right to win
Oh, please listen
You'll be okay
You'll be okay
You'll be okay
You'll be okay
We'll be okay"
Carlos stopped strumming and looked up to see tears brimming in those large blue eyes. "Don't cry," he said, sounding worried as he set the guitar down and rushed to her bed. "Please don't cry. Did I do something wrong?"
"No, no," she assured him. "It's just… I can't believe you're doing this for me?"
He looked confused. "Doing what?"
"This." She gestured around the hospital room, to the teddy bear that sat next to her in the bed, to the guitar he'd just set down. "I mean, I was just a fan who wrote to you a year ago about my cancer, and you just picked up everything and came to visit me. Why would do that?"
Carlos shrugged. "Well," he drawled, leaning over to look her in the eyes, "I believe that everyone has the right to live their dream every once in a while. And you know, you didn't have to be a fan to get me to come. I would've supported you no matter what."
"But why?"
"Because, Sara Beth," he said, poking her in the stomach, "you're worth it."
Her grin lit his world all over again. "Thank you Carlos."
"You're welcome, Sara Beth."
He cupped a hand to her cheek, and then ran it behind her smooth, shaved scalp to lean her head forward so he could kiss her on the forehead. She smiled at him and he smiled back, picking up his guitar as he turned to leave.
"Carlos," Sara Beth called.
Carlos turned. "Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"Anytime." He grinned. "I'll be back in tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay."
He closed the door to her hospital room and turned around to face his friends. They each had brilliant grins on their faces.
"You did good, man," Kendall told him.
"Thanks, Kendall." Carlos let out a content sigh. "So… you think she's gonna freak when we tell her we started a donation center for leukemia victims in her name?"
"I think she's going to love it," Logan said sincerely.
"She's gonna love it more when we all show up to do a concert there," James grinned.
"You got that right."
Carlos looked through the window and waved at Sara Beth, who waved back. It had taken two years, but she was finally getting better. And that's all he could hope for.