I'm gonna be honest, I really didn't want to finish this, but I wanted to finish something I've started, so here's the chapter. It came out better than I initially thought it would. Well to me. But I really want to hear what you guys think, so yeah. Review if you want, thanks for reading.

~Last Time~

Bramble cottage is not Bramble cottage anymore. Like it took a bath or something. The bus ride was tiring, and I wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep. But as soon as I got off the bus, I saw Dizzy, sitting in our old tree house. I started running.

"DIZZ! I'M HERE DIZZ! I'M HERE!" She almost fell out of the tree, but when she saw it was me, she jumped down and ran to me, folding me in her arms.

"Oh Mouse! I've missed you!" I pulled away.

"Then why wasn't I invited?"

"Mousey it was nothing like that. I'm here to help Finn."

"I can help Finn too. You never even gave me a chance." I looked up at the person that raised me for a whole summer. For a while, I considered her past my sister and more like the mother figure she was. Even now, her eyes only shone with love for me.

"Why don't you let Finn explain what's going on."

~Dizzy~

Finn had tried to smile for Mouse, which was a little good. But, my mind kept wandering to Tess. How could she not have known this would affect Finn.

"So what do you have to tell me?" Mouse asked. Finn's smile halfway slid off.

"Nothing buddy."

"But Dizzy said-"

"Why don't we get something to eat huh?" He interrupted, sweeping Mouse to the kitchen. I hugged myself before following them.

I took more time to study Tess. But she looked as good as ever. Glowing, and grinning as if everything in her world was okay. She gave Mouse a huge embrace, picking him off the floor and twirling him around.

"Oh Mouse! It's been ages!"

"You look great!" He exclaimed and Finn sat down, wincing. Tess seemed at a loss. As if she wasn't sure she should acknowledge the fact that Finn actually crawled out of his bed, or just accept it in silence. She didn't have to choose, because Niall said it for her.

"Look who decided to look to the light." He scowled.

"Niall." Tess scolded, but he ignored her, getting a cup of coffee.

"It's true mom. Haven't seen him since-"

"Niall that's enough!" Tess glared. He let it go this time, instead turning to me.

"I see why he's out now. How you doing Dizz?"

"I'm fine." My tone was stiff. I never really cared for Niall. When Finn had fallen in the fire saving Mouse, he blamed it on me. I was angry at first, but he's so moody and to himself it was quite easy to convince myself he wasn't anything more than a pesky, jealous bug.

"Thanks for raising the dead."

"How about you drop dead Niall!" Finn finally exploded.

"Finn!" Tess exclaimed, more shocked than anything.

"No mom, I'm sick of it. He's made this whole thing unbearable."

"We all go through it our own way-"

"He's not going through it; he's making everyone else suffer because of it!"

"Right because you're making it so easy hiding in a dark room sulking!"

"Stop it! Both of you!" Tess yelled. I've never heard Tess yell like this before. I grabbed Mouse's hand and started pulling him out of the room. This wasn't our fight and we weren't a part of this.

"Oh no, don't leave so soon Dizz." Niall sneered.

"Niall I'm only here because Tess called me." I snapped out before I could stop it. I wish I had tried harder. Finn looked crushed.

"Just because of Tess?"

"She called because of you Finn."

"Exactly my point! Couldn't anyone else wrangle him in, so we had to bring in some kid to solve grown people's problems!"

"Speaking of problems, let's talk about yours. What do you have against me? I've done nothing to you Niall."

"You are the brink of destruction. Everywhere you travel, every person you interact with, you tear them down. And the killing part is, you don't even realize it. You walk around like you're content with your situation, but you're not and it's so clear on your face. Face it Dizz, you're a falling rock zone, and anyone standing too close is getting smashed."

"Niall! I said shut up!" Tess screamed. But the damage was already done. I didn't rush out of the kitchen like I wanted, like I'm sure he wanted, instead I sank in the kitchen chair and just stared. Did I really do that?

~Tess~

We all go through our issues in different ways. Whether it be by seclusion or explosion, it's just a tact that just helps us deal with information we're not exactly ready to take on. As much as I love my sons, and I love them very much, I did not know the young men standing in front of me.

Finn jumped up and got in Niall's face, screaming at him to take it back. And Niall kept yelling that Dizzy wouldn't be here had I not been the one to call. He kept calling him selfish, and saying that he was making my whole situation a joke. Dizzy was sitting at the table, staring at the empty chair that Finn had sat in only a few seconds ago, and Mouse was just standing in the doorway, looking like he was ready to bolt at the first chance he got.

While I was thinking about what to do with Mouse and Dizzy, Finn had shoved Niall, and Niall shoved back. Before long, they were rolling on the floor. It escalated past pushes to punches.

"Stop it! You're making this worse!" But they couldn't hear. I picked up some heavy, cast iron skillets, holding him high over my head before letting them crash to the floor. The jumped apart at the loud noise, still glaring at each other, but at least they weren't fighting. Niall's eye was busted, as was Finn's nose. Add some bruises and busted cheeks and lips, they looked like they went through war. All because of some stupid illness that may or may not kill me. "I said stop it, and I meant it." There was no need to be loud. They were quiet. "Dizzy, go get the first aid kit. Mouse, why I don't I fix you something to eat."

There are a lot of lessons you learn in the first child you have. Of course no two kids are alike, but it's easier the second go around because you know from experience why they cry, what makes them happy, and what makes them quiet. Sure there were petty arguments between the two, I expected that. But this argument was different, they were actually very angry. And the sad part was, I had to refer back to days when they would argue aggressively to get them to quiet down. That was the thing that hurt worse. That all the lessons I thought I was teaching them throughout the years, they haven't really learned at all.

Dizzy came back and automatically started dripping alcohol on a cotton swab and went to Finn, dabbing his cheek. He hissed in pain, but held still. "I'm sorry." She muttered, not stopping. He didn't respond. She was gentle as a whisper with him, but when it came to Niall, she was a little rougher than she should have been. It wasn't like she was just sloshing alcohol on every available cut, but she wasn't as nice as she was with Finn. And I couldn't blame her. Add that to the list of the things that hurt. I couldn't defend my own son because on this matter….I was against him.

"This whole thing isn't something I'm afraid of. It's not something I'm angry about. I've lived through worse and if I so happen to die because of this, then maybe it's not for me to live as long as you would've like. I'm just as disappointed as you, but beating yourselves up is not the answer." I said, placing a sandwich on a plate and handing it to Mouse. He started at the grilled cheese and the glass of ice cold milk I had sat in front him for a while before digging in. That honestly was the most reliving sight I had all night.

Just as he was finishing, Dizzy came back from returning the first aid kit. She ruffled his hair before sinking down in a chair on the other side of Finn. I've always admired Dizzy. How she held strong even when she knew Storm had thrown Mouse on her and never mailed her letters in a sad attempt to keep her near. Despite what she's done, Storm did love Dizzy. Very much so. But she didn't know how to handle her love, so it came out destructive. I've worried relentlessly to no end about both Dizz and Mouse. But….they took care of themselves. Dizzy playing the role of a mother for Mouse. At first I hadn't wanted Finn to be around that. It was a natural reaction from living with a mother who hung out with druggies who were their own families. But, Dizzy and Mouse weren't like the people my mother had hung out with. They were simply two kids with splintered family bits still trying to make a picture, and Finn just happened to be the missing piece they were both looking for. When that family ultimately split, Finn became a little bit more distant, and then the sickness news came…and I lost him completely. So I did the only thing I felt I could do. I brought that family together again. I hadn't planned on Mouse being here, but now that he was, it made it that much more better.

"Dizz, I want you and Finn and Mouse to sleep in the tree house tonight." No one argued. Probably because the reason was so clear. I couldn't handle watching Finn walk in that room again, knowing he might never come back out.

"Mom are sure?" Finn asked, which gave me the second relief for the night. He hasn't spoken directly to me in a while.

"I'm going to be fine Finn. I'm right in the house." Mouse then got fed up.

"I've been quiet mostly because I don't know what's going on, but I can't take this anymore! What happened? What does everyone know that I don't?" Dizz and Finn shared a look, before glaring at the table.

"Mouse-" Dizz started.

"No just tell me. I'm not a little kid anymore." I pulled him up, grabbing his hands and looking him in the eyes. He was taller, and thicker, and healthier, that's for sure. But there was still a childish glint in his eyes. Very faint but it was there. Yet it was being overpowered by knowledge, and wisdom, and patience. Something he had to have to have to sit through all these arguments not knowing what was going in between them. No, Mouse was no longer a child.

"You're right. You're not a little kid anymore. And because of that, I feel like you can take what I'm about to tell you with the responsibility of an adult." I waited, making sure he was listening before saying it. Just as I was admitting it to him, I was admitting it to myself. "Mouse, I have cancer."

~Next Week's Chapter~ you know, maybe.

~Mouse~

I could've taken anything but that. Tell me my family was dying. Of course I cared for them too, but not like I cared for Tess. I looked to Dizzy, and her tears confirmed it to be true. Tess. The person who before Dizzy came around was the only person I felt cared for me, was dying. And if I hadn't ran away, I would've never known.

There were so many words I wished I could have said at moment, but just then, there was a knock on the door. Tess sighed, rubbing her head. She really didn't need to be stressed out like she was now. I just wish Finn and Niall would get over themselves and their stupid arguments because it was hurting Tess, and I didn't want that.

"Dizz would you get that for me love." Dizz nodded and answered the door. She gasped and I peeked around the corner.

"Who is it?" I asked. She turned around, her face hard with anger.

"My mom."

I made the sneak peek a little longer seeing as the chances of this being updated by next week is slim to none. I will try my hardest to get it done, I swear I will. But odds are it's not gonna happen. Just thought I'd tell you guys straight rather than get your hopes up.