Why'd It Happen Again, Charlie Brown? Why?
Fanfiction by LivingOnLaughs
Linus sat by the oak tree, watching Peppermint Patty and Marcie play on the swings. They were able to swing the highest on the swings now. Linus clutched his blanket as the tears rolled down his face.
"Higher?" the tomboy asked, oblivious of the tears.
"No Sir. Linus is distraught…I just want to make sure he's okay" the bespectacled girl answered, hopping off the swing.
"Janice!" the insecure boy wailed loudly, hiding his tears in the outing flannel of his blanket.
"Linus, is everything okay?" Marcie asked, sitting next to the crying boy.
"No…" Linus sniffled as he wiped away his tears.
"Linus, what happened?" the bespectacled girl questioned, noticing the tears forming in his eyes.
"D-do you know Janice, Marcie?" Linus asked, blinking his eyes.
"The girl with Leukemia, yeah. I'm just glad she made a full recovery," the brunette answered.
"Well, her mom called my mom this morning…" he began; the words still audible in his ears.
~Flashback~
"Linus, Linus honey, wake up" Mrs. Van Pelt softly said, rousing her eldest son. It was only three in the morning.
"Mom, what happened? Why'd you wake me up?" Linus asked as his eyes opened.
"Listen, your friend, Janice was rushed to the hospital," his mom explained as his eyes widened.
"Is she alright? I'll visit her everyday" he responded, remembering when Janice was diagnosed with cancer.
"About that, Linus…she nearly died…she's on life support now, I'm sorry" Mrs. Van Pelt wept, hugging her son.
"This can't be! This has to be a joke!" Linus yelled, waking Lucy and Rerun.
"What's all the commotion about?" the former asked wearily.
"Not now, kids" the head of the Van Pelt household instructed.
"Mom, Janice will recover, won't she?" Linus asked; hugging his blanket as his mom became silent.
~Present Day~
"I never even found out why she was rushed to the hospital" Linus sniffled.
"Poor Sweet Baby" Marcie answered, kissing Linus' cheek.
"So I was going to ask Charlie Brown if he wanted to go to the hospital with me to visit her; but he's sick, so will you come?" the boy asked.
"I have a free schedule, Linus…of course I'll come with you to the hospital," the bespectacled girl answered with a hug.
"Marcie!" Peppermint Patty called out, catching the attention of both seven-year-olds.
"Sorry about Peppermint Patty, Linus" the girl sighed, walking over to the swing set.
"It's okay…" Linus wept softly, covering his tear-strewn face in his hands. If anything, he wouldn't let his Glasses Twin see him anymore distraught.
~Later~
"I'm afraid to go in," Linus explained as they got Janice's hospital room number. This was different from when he and Charlie Brown visited her in the hospital.
"Honestly, so am I, Linus" Marcie confessed, fixing her red hair bow nervously. Linus sighed as they headed to her room: second floor, room fifteen.
Linus carefully and slowly opened the door and nearly fainted at what he saw. Janice was hooked up to machines. A tube was in her nose and she had an IV in her left hand. Patches were also seen on her cheeks and chest. Her skin was a snow white too, yet the heart monitor showed she was breathing. The thought of being in her position made the two kids grimace.
"H-hi, Janice" Linus trembled, walking over towards the blonde girl.
Her eyes fixated from her daydreams to Linus. "Hi" she said with her right hand.
"How are you?" Marcie asked, wanting to hug Janice.
Janice sighed and gave the brown-haired children a thumb down.
"Are you going to die?" Linus asked, the words coming out of his mouth faster than he could control them as Janice pointed to the calendar on her bedside. The day she was pointing to caught the kids' attentions.
"You're going to die?" the seven-year-olds asked in a unison of disbelief.
"Jan, you can't die: you will get better…when you get better, I'll push you on the swing and we can play together forever and ever" Linus broke down as Janice sighed.
"Janice, you're strong…you'll make it out alive" Marcie reassured both Linus and Janice, who smiled slightly.
"Don't get your hopes up" Janice's younger sister in the blue dress and matching bow, Jennifer, explained. "The doctor says she has a 50% chance to live," she told her.
"Then I'll pray that you live, my little miracle girl" the brown-haired-boy smiled a little more as Janice's blue eyes widened in hope. They seemed to be saying "Thank you, Linus"
"You two will be back soon, right?" Jazmine asked. She was Janice and Jennifer's older sister and looked at the two kids with worry in her eyes.
"We will try, ma'am" Marcie promised.
"We?" Linus questioned.
"Yes, Linus. You, me and Charlie Brown will visit when we can" the bespectacled girl reassured.
"You're Linus, aren't you?" Jazmine asked, her eyes narrowing on the blanket.
"Why yes I am, and this is Marceline Carlin" Linus introduced.
"Nice name" Jennifer complimented.
"Well, you can call me Marcie" the brunette blushed at the thought of people liking her name, and not just her nickname either.
"You two better leave now" Jazmine explained, pointing to the nurse coming into the room.
"We'll be back" Linus answered, blowing a kiss to Janice, causing her to blush.