Thanks for the reviews:) Here's the last part of the first 'episode' which was Jordi focused. The song they dance to in this chapter is 'I Wanna Get Better' by Bleachers if anyone is wondering(I might make 8tracks soundtracks for this if that interests anyone?) I'll clear this up before anyone asks it; if anyone is wondering why the character Claire at the end of the last episode isn't in this, it's because that character is actually a fictionalised version of a real life person(The Clairity Project on youtube) and I'm not one for writing fan-fiction about real people.

The next 'episode' will be focused on Leo as he begins his battle through chemotherapy, all whilst trying to contend with family drama, being treated like a saint just for his illness and realising that maybe-just maybe- he's not actually the leader of this group.

The World Is An Imperfect Place (Part 3)

"I think I'm going to head in," Jordi announces. "Big day tomorrow."

The silence vanishes in an instant. The others swarm around him in an attempt to get him to stay. 'Half an hour' he sighs, giving in to Dash's cheeky smile and Emma's wide eyes; even Leo's feigned sigh.

"I'm sorry okay?" Leo looks over. "I've been insensitive and self-centred and just...thanks for being honest."

"I'm sorry too," Jordi exhales.

They share smiles, words failing to say what actions do with ease. The gloom seems to drift away from above them, clearing the murky sky to make way for the quiet night. There's still a lingering fragment of tension but with every awkward laugh, the cracks between the pair begin to fill until they're all just happy. They're all just happy and in this moment, it doesn't matter about tomorrow or next week or next year. All that matters in this moment is this roof, these five friends, the words they share, the remnants of the beer that trickles down throats, this song.

Dash's phone pulsates with the jovial song and in seconds, every single one of them is dancing. Leo-who's favoured his wheelchair over crutches or his leg for days- rises from the chair, using Emma to balance him performs what can only be described as dad (with one leg) dancing. Jordi's dancing is just as awful, and they double over in laughter as they watch him act out a dramatic spin that they hope was just ironic. Dash can dance just fine, but he reduces his moves partly because he's self-conscious and partly because he's coughing. Emma's own dancing abilities are hindered by the boy hanging around her shoulders, but she shakes her hips and moves her feet side to side under the weight of him. Even Kara manages a move or two.

"I needed this," Leo's lips spread out into a smile. "You don't understand how much I've needed this. I didn't really care about a future but like... you've made me realise I do want to get better."

"We're not going to let you down, Leo," Jordi grins back. "And... I know none of this was for me-"

"Dude, it was," Dash shakes his head, laughing. "It was for all of us."

"I've been scared today. Really scared. I wanted the surgery over and done with; every second until when it happens makes me think... What if something goes wrong? What if it's the same as last time; what if it's worse than McAndrew thinks it is? What if it's all for nothing, you know?"

His voice begins to break and even though he tries to stop himself from crying, he feels tears fill his eyes that he cannot control.

"And like... I shouldn't think that way should I? But I can't help it. You think hospitals are about making people better your whole life; and they are. I mean... Charlie. They made Charlie better. But for every kid that gets better there's a kid not waking up. For every kid told they're cancer free, there'll be someone else being told that there are new tumours. I just... I don't even care which side I'm on. I'd just like to know. I'd just like to be prepared."

"It's random, Jordi," Leo tries to compose himself, holding his own tears behind the biting of his lip. "Nobody could predict that Hunter would die nor could we predict whether Kara survived or not. Nobody predicted my new tumours. The world doesn't work that way. You just have to go with it. Whatever happens, you've got us."

"We'll be waiting for you tomorrow," Emma doesn't even try to hide her crying.

"Let's go inside eh?" Leo grins finally, giving Jordi a pat on the back. "Big day tomorrow."

"You're looking chirpier this morning," Kenji appears by the door to 'The Swamp'. "Just in to do your bloods pre-next week."

Only Leo occupies the room; Jordi is being prepped for surgery. He isn't exactly in his normal spirits, but it's clear that he's edging towards being happy again. He sits up when he sees Kenji coming in, smiling at the friendly nurse who curls his gloved hands up in an evil manner in an attempt to get Leo to laugh. And he does. His laugh- that laugh which had been missing for far too long- radiates through the entire room, probably out into the corridor. Kenji hides his grin.

"So how are you feeling about next week?" Kenji asks as he's sticking the needle in Leo's arm.

"Terrified?" he laughs nervously. "It went awful last time."

"I didn't work here when you were going through chemo the first time, but I heard."

"They say the side effects are bad; but mine were off the scale. I threw up the anti-emetics half the time, had pneumonia during the second week... The chemo hated me. Or... liked me too much so it ate away at my cells?"

"You'll be okay. It's different chemo drugs."

"Still chemo though. Plus the trial drug-"

"Of which, side effects are rare."

"Rare but bad."

"I'll bring you a plentiful supply of ice cream and bad eighties movies."

"What? No good eighties movies?"

"I'll bring you them too."

"Today's about Jordi," Leo's smiles gently. "Next week, we'll worry about me. This week is Jordi's."

"It'll be a few hours before he's out."

"Thanks."

The minutes before surgery are a weird lull for Jordi, who squints around at the people around him; anaesthetists, nurses, surgeons. The blur of lights and blue outfits seems to merge into one indescribable mass but through the haze, he can just about make out Dr McAndrew's face.

"We'll get as much of the tumours out as we can, Jordi," he smiles. "It'll seem like no time."

"What if-"

"We don't get all of it out? We'll see, okay? You have options."

"How long-"

"We'll be putting you under in a moment. Few hours and then it'll be over."

"Okay..."

There's a moment of quiet.

"I want you to do something for me, Jordi-" Dr McAndrew begins.

"Happy memory?"

"Well... You probably won't remember this promise when you wake up but I'll hold you to it, okay? Charlie's going to be coming back in a few weeks for some physio and some tests and just to say hi, and I want you to do something for him. I want you to sing. Could you do that?"

"Yeah of course..."

And then he's under. The anaesthesia takes consciousness away from him in stages; for a vague second, he just feels drunk and his head is swirling and then he's hurtling into oblivion, into darkness, into nothingness.

And then the light, and the hospital and the bright corridors. Four faces look down at him from the staircase and it takes a moment for them to fully register themselves as people. Apart from Kara, they look younger here, probably because they are. Dash's face is less defined with the puffiness of youth and his breaths seem more ragged. Emma is thinner, frailer, more delicate.

And Leo has hair.

"This is kind of your first surgery," Leo is the first to speak. "Well, first surgery that's going to go to plan."

"Y-yeah," Jordi feels light-headed as he tilts his head to hear him.

"This is the in-between. The unconsciousness."

"This isn't real," Kara nudges the boy.

"This is the place your brain conjures up when you're unconscious," Leo begins walking down the stairs; he's limping and has both legs. "If you're wondering, this is my first surgery. They don't cut my leg off until later but this was where they were figuring out what kind of tumour it was."

"Not my first surgery," Dash shrugs. "First one at this hospital though. Collapsed lung."

"This is the time I fainted before I was brought here," Emma sighs.

"This is my heart transplant," Kara crosses her arms across her chest. "Although, that's why this isn't real. You really think I'd waste my unconscious time with you when I could spend it with Hunter?"

He stumbles away from the four who seem to dematerialise, sinking away into the light. It feels like mere minutes he's been unconscious but the heaviness of his limbs counts the hours.

He rises from the dream in an instant and for the few moments that he's unconscious, he's in darkness.

And then the light and a familiar face.

Leo.

"Jeez it takes you a lot of time to shake off the anaesthesia," Leo laughs whole-heartedly. "Lightweight."

"Just because you're so damn professional," Jordi winces, only now registering the pain in his leg.

"Yeah, it'll hurt," he watches as Jordi contorts his face with nausea. "And you'll probably feel like you're going to puke for the next few hours."

"I'm aware. H-how did it go?"

"Dunno. Think they got a lot of it out, mind you. McAndrew seemed really pleased. He'll speak to you."

The funny thing about this place is that no matter how bad things seem, there's always something going right. They can break a lot of bad news, sure, but for every bit of bad news there is an endless supply of good news. My news? Well. There's still remnants of malignancy; still pieces of me that don't quite fit which we'll have to find ways to tackle. More surgery or chemo or radiotherapy. I'm not quite sure.

But for every cancerous piece of me, there's healthy tissue. There's tissue that hasn't been harmed by this thing inside me and that tissue seems to be the parts that matter; my brain, my lungs, my heart. The equilibrium of the hospital is definitely working in my favour.