Chapter Eight

NaleyOTH23- Aw sorry to make you cry! I am glad that you are enjoying this story, if that's the right word to use. I am really pleased that you can feel the emotions that I am trying to convey! Thank you for your review, and please keep reading and reviewing.

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Chapter Eight

"Well Jamie, your blood work has come back and you match six out of the six antigens so you are the perfect candidate for a donor for Danny" the consultant told Jamie with a smile.

"That's fantastic" the young man replied with a smile, pleased that he was on track to help his brother get back to health- if only he could convince him to accept. "So what happens now?" he asked.

"Well I am seeing Danny in a couple of days, so I will get him started on the necessary medications to support the treatment and then as long as he responds well and stays as healthy as he can we can schedule the surgery for ten days' time" the consultant replied. He was always pleased when a viable donor was willing to help, it was easier than going to the database. Jamie got to his feet, shook hands with the consultant and went on his way. he was heading straight to the precinct to speak with his captain, he needed to make sure that he could have the leave to be Danny's donor. He knew that Renzulli had already paved the way for his request, but he was still nervous asking for the time, plus he knew that Danny would hate everyone knowing of his illness. With a sigh he walked through the doors and headed straight in to finalise it.

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Danny loved days like this, before he got sick he hadn't realised how much he had missed this. He was sat in his father's back yard just playing with boys. Just watching them laugh and run around like they didn't have a care in the world. He couldn't imagine life without his sons, they were his life. Days like this made him feel alive, they made him realise what he would miss out on if he gave up, they made him realise that he needed to accept help.

"Daddy?" Sean's voice drew him out of his reverie, and he told to his son- unable to prevent the smile that formed on his face just by being with him. "Daddy, are you okay?" he asked quietly. Danny smiled.

"Yeah Sean, I'm fine. Why do you ask?" he replied, ruffling his son's hair gently.

"Because you look really pale and your nose is bleeding" the young boy replied sadly. Danny raised his hand to his face and immediately saw that his son wasn't seeing things, his nose was bleeding. Danny blinked back tears of overwhelming sadness at his plight. He wasn't a man that believed in self-pity- but right at that moment he cursed every god he could think of for giving him this disease- for making him face his own mortality like never before and for having to think of his wife left as a widow and his children fatherless.

"Keep playing with your brother" Danny told his son softly trying to smile so as to not scare the boy. He got to his feet, taking a moment for his vision to settle before he headed into the house. As he stepped through the door he narrowly avoided walking straight into his Dad.

"Danny?" Frank called as his son kept going past him. Danny didn't reply, and Frank made to follow him only stopping when he noticed the small drops of blood on the kitchen floor. He paused, and closed his eyes against the negative thoughts that rushed through his mind. It seemed as though the treatment his son was undergoing was affecting him as much as the disease itself, he just hoped that Danny was strong enough to keep fighting. After a few moments he went to locate his son. "Danny?" he questioned quietly as his son walked back down the stairs. "Nose bleed?" he asked softly, and Danny nodded in reply.

"Sean spotted it" he told his Dad sadly. Frank sighed, knowing how that must have made his son feel, he had tried constantly to keep his sons ignorant to the battle he was undergoing and it would have broken his heart for his son to be scared by something.

"He'll be ok" Frank replied, and Danny nodded mutely, his mind whirling with a hundred and one thoughts and feelings. "Danny have you given the bone marrow transplant any more thought?" he asked softly, not wanting to push his son- but also desperately wanting him to get well. Danny sighed.

"I have thought of nothing else" Danny replied, his voice barely a whisper and then without a backward glance he left the room.

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Jamie walked through the door and found his father and grandfather in the midst of a heated discussion.

"Dad?" he questioned softly.

"Sorry Jamie- we were just discussing your brother" Frank replied tiredly. This situation was draining him, all he wanted was for Danny to be well and be happy again. He wasn't used to this tired, pale lifeless version of his son and he doubted if he ever would be. His eldest son had always been so full of life, so animated and passionate, now he was a shadow of the man that they loved. Frank just hoped that he would be able to battle his way back to them.

"I'm going to go and talk to him" Jamie stated quietly before heading into the yard to see his brother. As he stepped out he saw the older man just sat on the grass alone and staring into the distance. He walked up behind him quietly and sat down beside him, Danny turned to look at him and the rookie saw such desperation and pain in those brown eyes that he almost gasped.

"Are you going to let me help you?" he asked quietly, his voice cracking with emotion.

"I can't, if something happened to you how could I live with that" Danny replied, his voice barely audible.

"And if you don't and something happens to you, how can I live with that?" Jamie countered. Danny didn't answer immediately, having not expected his brother's words.

"I don't think I'm strong enough for this Jamie" Danny told him with such desperation in his voice. "Even with the transplant they don't guarantee anything after five years, what if it comes back?" Danny asked, his voice almost a sob. Jamie couldn't bear it any more, he put his arm around his brother's shoulders- an action that was rarely allowed.

"you could step into an investigation and get shot, but it wouldn't stop you from going to the scene would it?" he reasoned lightly, desperate to get through to his brother any way he could. "Danny you have two young boys and a wife that love you more than life itself, you can't just give in to it."

"I'm not giving in" Danny replied, his voice stronger. The thought of his family being without him broke his heart- he couldn't even think about it.

"Then let me be your donor" Jamie asked, his voice carrying his own desperation and fear. Danny paused, and Jamie took his hesitation as his brother thinking about it. Jamie pulled his brother in closer, hoping that the contact would bring at least some comfort to him. It was only after a few moments that he realised that his brother's head was nodding against his shoulder. "Is that a yes?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, I'll do it. If you are sure?" Danny replied, hating his weakness in front of his baby brother. Jamie smiled to himself, grateful that Danny had seen sense and was accepting his help. From the kitchen window Frank stood and watched his two children, and couldn't have been prouder.

End Chapter Eight

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