Chapter 2
When Mrs. Jones looks in the back to see why Ianto hasn't moved, she sees he's fallen asleep with his face pressed against the window. She takes a minute to smile at her son before she carefully unbuckles him, and lifts him into her arms. Mrs. Jones stops to grab his books and toy before grabbing everything else she'll need, and carries Ianto into the hospital. Ianto wakes slightly and looks up to see the white building before hiding his face in his mother's shoulder. "I don't want to go, mum." Mrs. Jones sighs slightly as she and her son step inside the hospital. "I know you don't, but you need to. Ok? The doctor needs to make sure you're ok, and then afterwards, we will go out for lunch. Sometimes we have to do things that we don't want to do, but need done." Ianto nods and rests his head on her shoulder watching the surroundings of the familiar walls.
In the waiting room, Mrs. Jones sets Ianto down to play as she signs him in. As soon as Mrs. Jones is sitting in a chair, Ianto is back in her lap with one of his favorite books, The Pokey Little Puppy. Ianto leans back into his mother's comforting arms as she holds him close, and starts reading. After only two pages, the doctor comes out. "Ianto, are you ready?" Ianto looks up at the lady. She is wearing a long white coat, and her dark hair is tied back into a bun. She has a kind face, but Ianto wants nothing to do with her. Slowly, he nods, and his mum picks him up to carry him into the exam room. The walls of the hospital are all familiar to Ianto. He has been coming here every other month for the past two years. He glances at the pictures on the wall, but keeps his arms wrapped tightly around his mum's neck. Mrs. Jones holds Ianto closer to her as they walk. She could feel her son shaking in her arms, and thought it would break her heart to keep putting him through this. If only she could help him understand more.
When they got to the room, Mrs. Jones sits Ianto down on the bed who glances around the room quickly, before looking over at the kit that he knew contains needles, and blood tubes. His mum reaches up and holds his hand. "You'll be ok, Ianto" she says quietly. The nurse comes over to Ianto. "Hello, Ianto. How are you today?" Ianto looks up at her before glancing at the box again. "I don't want to be here." The nurse smiles down at Ianto compassionately. "I know you don't, and if I didn't have to do this, I wouldn't. I'd much rather not have to cause you any pain or discomfort. Lie back please." Ianto sighs and lays back on the table before the nurse lifts his shirt and lightly presses on his stomach. "Does this hurt, Ianto?" In response, Ianto shakes his head. Next, the nurse lifts one of his legs until the muscle in his calf is just slightly stretched. "What about now?" Again, Ianto shakes his head. The nurse checks this on his other leg, and then has him change into a gown so she can check for any unusual bruising, or discoloration that could be pointing to his cancer getting worse.
Lastly, after is once again in his normal clothes, the nurse washes her hands, and puts on a pair of new gloves before turning to Ianto's mum. "If he would be more comfortable with you holding him, you can." Before Mrs. Jones can answer, there is an almost inaudible "Please mum?" Mrs. Jones looks down at her son and kisses his head. "I already planned on it, Love. She sits on the table and moves Ianto to her lap where she wraps one arm around his chest tightly to keep him there, and her other arm moves to hold his arm out, and steady. The nurse comes over and hands him a small stress ball to squeeze as she ties on the tourniquet which already has Ianto biting his lip in pain. "It hurts mum" The nurse looks away as she starts getting the needles ready, and sets out what she'll need to stop the bleeding. "I know, Ianto. I'm sorry. It's almost over."
Ianto watches the nurse, and a look of terror crosses his face as she comes closer to him. "I'm sorry Ianto. I'll be as quick as I can, ok? Are you ready?" Her soothing voice does little to calm Ianto's nerves as he nods slightly. The nurse places an extra hand on his arm as she carefully slides the needle in after cleaning his skin. Ianto instantly is in tears and pressing his face into his mum's neck as he cries out in pain. "Almost done, sweetie" the nurse tells him as she switches to the second vial. When at last the third vial is full, she slides the needle put, and bandages Ianto's arm before handing him a lollipop. "It's over. You did very well today." Ianto sniffles and wipes away his tears as him mum grabs a tissue. The nurse leaves to run the blood through one of the machines, and there's nothing left to do but wait until the results are back.
Ianto is sat on his mum's lap cuddling close to her when the nurse knocks on the door. "Mrs. Jones, would you be willing to cover Ianto's eyes and close yours please?" A hint of a smile is detectable through her voice. Mrs. Jones covers Ianto's eyes, and closes her own. "Ok, our eyes are closed." The nurse opens the door, and comes inside. There is the sound of her setting something down, and then she says "Ok. You can open your eyes now!" When they open their eyes, they see the nurse standing beside a good sized basket of candies, stickers, a puzzle book, and even a new stuffed toy gorilla. She is also holding a small black shirt that looks to be Ianto's size that says "I am cancer free" on it. Mrs. Jones looks between the shirt and the basket. "Please tell me you aren't joking?" Ianto looks around confused unable to understand fully what's going on. The nurse shakes her head and grins. "There were no more traces of the cancer. Ianto's jaw drops as he finally understands, and his mum hugs him tightly while crying and rocks him. The nurse smiles softly and sets the shirt down before saying "We'd like to see him back in about four months just so we can make sure it doesn't come back, but as of right now, Ianto no longer has cancer.