2005
Joe walked up the empty hospital hallway looking for something to do. Nick had gone in for some more analysis' and he honestly got bored of watching them stick in a needle in his brothers' arm and watch the blood go through the looptiloop Cather and into the tube. He had been walking for about ten minutes and now noticed he was in the children's wing.
He stopped when he heard soft singing.
"You'll always be the one for me, my meant to be," the smooth voice sang.
"Thanks Daniella, you always know how to make me feel better," a child said.
Joe poked his head into the room and sitting on the bed of a little girl was a beautiful brunette.
"You think you can go to sleep now?" the older girl asked.
"Yeah, I think I can."
"Ok."
The girl kissed the younger girls' forehead then stood up. Joe quickly moved out of the room and waited for the girl to walk out.
"Hey," he said when she walked out.
"Hi," she said with a brilliant smile.
"I'm Joe."
"Nice to meet you Joe, I'm Daniella."
"I heard you singing in there. You're great."
"Well coming from a Jonas brother I'll take that as a really nice compliment."
"So you know who I am huh?"
She started down the hall.
"Every female on the face of this earth knows who you are and for the record I think you are great too."
"Thank you."
"So what is a superstar like you doing here?"
Joe followed her into the elevator.
"Nick came in for some blood tests."
"He has diabetes right?" Joe nodded. "I'm sorry about that."
"It's ok. We're here to support him and we know he'll get through it."
"He's just scared."
"Well I think every thirteen year old would be."
"Wow, you know our ages?"
"My sister is a Jonas fanatic. I know you are seventeen and Kevin is 18."
"You know my age. What's yours?"
"I'm seventeen too."
"Cool."
She smiled again making Joe's knees bubble.
"So…" he started once he gained his composure. "Was that girl you were singing to your sister or something?"
"No, she's just a patient here that I visit."
"Are you a family friend?"
"No."
"Are you a volunteer?"
"Nope."
He followed her into a room and she sat down on the bed.
"Whose room is this?"
"Mine."
"What?" he asked clearly confused.
"I'm a patient here Joseph," she said calmly.
"Patient?"
"Yeah." she looked up at him. "I have cancer."
Joe was taken aback. She said it so nonchalantly. Out in the open, just like that.
"Cancer?"
She nodded.
"You can sit if you'd like," she said as she tucked her legs underneath her.
Joe sat down on her bed and for some reason was very cautious.
"Joe lighten up."
"It's just… you look so normal."
She chuckled.
"Of course I do. Your brother has diabetes and he's normal isn't he?" he nodded. "Why can't I be normal?"
"I didn't mean for it to come out like that."
"Don't worry, I understand."
"How long have you been staying here?"
"About two weeks."
"Is it…"
"Chemo? Yeah."
"Are you scared?"
"I was at first. I was diagnosed when I was ten. It was pretty mild for a while but after sixteen it started to get more severe. This is my first time doing chemo and since I just started my hair is still in."
"You have very pretty hair," Joe said making Daniella laugh.
"Thank you."
Joe was honestly shocked.
Here was a beautiful young girl with a deadly disease and she was all smiles like everything was perfect.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked.
"You're just so calm and happy."
"Joe when you are given a certain amount of months to live you start to take life for what it's worth. I mean when they first told me I had the cancer I locked myself up in my room and cried for days. But then I asked myself, why waste my time moping and crying when I can be out there enjoying life? I'm not going to take the time I have left for granted. It's just never the way I planned things," she said with a shrug.
"But did you plan this? Getting cancer?"
"No but it wasn't something I could control."
There was a knock on Daniella's door.
"Daniella visiting hours are about to end," a nurse said.
"Ok Peggy, thank you."
Peggy smiled and walked away.
"Guess you have to go," she said.
"Do you stay here alone every night?"
"My mom stays sometimes but she has to work."
"And your dad?"
"He passed a few years ago."
"Cancer?"
"No, car accident."
"Oh. Sorry."
"It's ok," she said, her smile still on her face.
Daniella stood and walked Joe to the door.
"It was very nice meeting you Joe."
"You too."
He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Would it be all right if I came to see you again?"
"Sure. I'll be here."
"All right."
Joe looked at her pretty face once more before walking down the hall and heading down the stairs.
Joe visited Daniella's every day that week and the rest of the weeks he was in town.
One year later Daniella's cancer was gone and the two were happily together. It was like they were meant to be, actually, they were.