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I appreciate you all so much and I do apologize because updates will still probably be this scarce because I've strayed a lot from writing, and with me going to college it might be even fewer and farther in between (Though I hope this becomes a sort of outlet that I do in my free time). Anywho, here we are. The next chapter will be longer than this one, but no clue when I'll actually be done/satisfied with it.

Also, um, if someone wants to beta/proof-read for me so my chapters don't sound awful or I don't miss grammar and whatnot, hmu, eh? Cool.

*I do not own S.P.*

-Kenny-

Upon opening the hospital room door, I found Mom sitting up in her bed, looking over to us at the sound of the door opening with a smile on her face. As I stood in the doorway, all I could do was stare at her. Sitting against the headboard of her hospital bed, clad in the blue gown- the mark of a patient...a..patient...

Karen pushed her way passed me and ran to Mom, throwing her arms around her in a tight embrace as our mother laughed. "Sweetie, don't worry, I'm fine," she assured, brushing her youngest child's hair. Karen, though, refused to leave.

I could feel Craig's gaze on me as I continued to stand there, but not long after he placed a hand on my shoulder, breaking me outta thought to move further into the room with him and the siblings following in. With the extra people being placed in view, Mom looked up and smiled at them. "Oh, hello kids. How'd y'all get here?"

To this, I cleared my throat before responding, "Craig drove us."

Mom cocked her head. "How?" She then locked eyes with Craig. "Ain't you the same age as Kenny?"

Craig nodded, elaborating. "My parents let me drive- they don't like having to take me places. But I normally walk everywhere unless it's absolutely necessary."

She smiled kindly. "There was no need for you to drive here, hun, but I appreciate it."

"Mom-," I tried, but the doctor had other plans.

Looking around the room, the doctor looked to my mother, eyeing Karen in her embrace. "Which one is your child?"

"Kenny here, in orange. Kenny, be a dear and talk to the doctor."

"Why do I need to speak to her..?" I asked softly, though winced as I thought it'd sounded rude.

Mom didn't pay attention to that. "Because, they couldn't get a hold of your father. I need you to talk to her and sign the release papers so they have proof someone is here for me."

"Please, follow me Mr. McCormick," she requested, turning around promptly and walked out. Craig looked at me with uncertainty, as though asking if I'd wanted him to come with me. I shook my head, mumbling for him to stay put and that I'd be back soon before walking out to follow the doctor.

When I found her, she was standing just outside an office door which I assume was the place she wanted to talk to me in. She smiled kindly at me when I approached, presenting the room for me to walk into. I obliged, sitting on one of the chairs. The doctor sat across from me, observing me wearily. "...Tell me, how old are you Kenneth?" She inquired, glancing down at her paper- probably to get my name correct.

"Ah, fourteen, ma'am."

She pursed her lips as she wrote down the information on a piece of paper. "And where is your father right now?" She asked, looking at me quizzically to which I gave a shrug. More writing. She then sighed, dropping her pen and looking at me with mild apprehension. "Kenneth...You're mother is in a pretty serious condition." Pause. "...She has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Kenneth." My brows knit. "ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease- it's a deterioration in the muscles. There's...nothing we can do to cure it."

I stared at her for a few moments, unable to form words before my voice went on without me. "I don't...how wasn't it caught before..?"

"Well, Lou Gehrig's disease is very difficult to spot in its early stages as it could be something as minor as stumbling or slurring speech. We can give her therapy, but I'm afraid there isn't much we'll be able to do. When we've gathered all our options as to how she can be treated we'll contact both of you to discuss our course of action." She then handed me the papers in front of her. "I know it's a lot to take in, but if you could fill this out when you have the chance, she'll be released tomorrow morning. I'll...give you some time if you-."

"No." I started, pausing her attempts to leave. "No, I, uh, I understand. I'll just..." I took the pen on the sheets and quickly filled out my information before standing and heading back to Mom's room, the doctor giving no objections aside from staring at my back as I left.

Re-entering I found the group I'd left still talking, although quietly, about random topics. All eyes fell on me as I entered, forcing me to shoot a smile to show, hey! Everything's okay!

Mom, however, looked at me with a bit of worry causing her smile to sadden. At this she turned to my sister. "Why don't you all go and get something to eat. I for one am hungry." She glanced at me with the command stay.

"Well, we already ate, Ma...But, what do you want?"

"Just anything that looks good!" She claimed with her signature smile. Craig looked at me with mild worry, myself not looking him in the eye. He understood that he had to take the siblings himself so he quickly herded them out, closing the door behind them.

I slowly moved myself to the seat beside my mother, plopping down while thinking what the conversation would do for us. I thought I would be the first to speak, but I guess I was wrong. "Well, what'd she tell you Kenny..?"

I clasped my hands tight. "...That you have ALS, and that it's really late in the stages...Did you have any symptoms prior to this or..?"

She sighed, pursing her lips as she thought. "I guess so, but I didn't think it would be anything too serious." I nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry, Kenneth, that you have to be your father's stand-in. I didn't-."

A small chuckle bubbled up before I could stop it. "Mom, Ma, I'm not upset about it- there's no need to apologize for that," I assured her, my smile plastered on my face.

She continued to study me before she said anything else. This left me to sit in silence, in thought as I considered what this hospital visit and result would mean. I have to continue to take care of Karen as I had been- which I do not regret or dread at all. I'd do anything if it meant she'd be happy. On the other token, though, this will add to the bill we've already accumulated from the hospital, meaning we won't be able to afford this visit either- and if they plan to do treatment and Mom goes through with it, then we need more money for that too. And with Mom out of commission, and Dad not working (or at least squandering his money on worthless things) I'd need to find other means of support. We can't live off of Craig or Stan and them- they have their own things to worry about.

I felt a hand touch my cheek, cause me to jump out of my thoughts, my face portraying my shock and confusion before I could recompose myself. I found myself locking eyes with my mother as she looked at me with a sad proudness. "There's that look again," she stated quietly. I furrowed my brow in confusion. "You always get that far off look when you're deep in thought." Her thumb began running over my skin in attempt to soothe me. To this I leaned a bit more into the touch, bringing my own hand up to hers. "I've seen it far more often than I should, Kenny... I know this is a bad situation, and I'll be honest: I don't think it's going to get any better." I closed my eyes, bringing my head to look downward. I wanted to back out now, get out of this conversation, pull up my hood, sit in the corner with Karen talking to Mom late at night in the kitchen, myself just listening to the quiet laughter emanating from them before we had to head to bed.

"Kenny. Kenny, please. Look at me." I obliged, looking up to my mother. The one that sat in the hospital bed, wearing the gown of a patient. "I know that it's hard. It's going to be for a real long time, sweetie." Her hand moved away from my face and back to her lap. "But we all have our time and sometimes we just gotta make the most of it."

"Mom." My voice came out choked, constricted. "You're not gone."

"Kenneth-."

"You're not. Gone. You're here, you can't- you can't go yet."

"Kenny, stop it."

"No! Don't talk like you're already gone!" Desperate. That's the only way to describe how my voice sounded to my own ears. "Mom, we can't- we can't lose you- I can't, I-I know it's selfish, but-!"

"Kenneth," she spoke with authority, both her hands on my cheeks. I stopped my rambling in favor of biting the inside of my lip. Seeing this, my mother brought my forehead to hers, connecting them as she closed her eyes. Feeling a sting forming in my eyes, I mimicked her actions, bringing my hands to hers with a slightly tighter grip. You will not cry. Not in front of Mom- not in front of the one that actually has a right to cry. "I know it's hard, but I also know that you'll be just fine." She pulled back a bit, hands still holding me as I met her eyes with apprehension. "You know how I know?"

I forced out the choked words from my throat, causing them to sound soft and timid. Then again, that's nothing new, right? "H-How..?"

She gave a crooked smirk before replying with a spark in her eye. "Because you're my son. I got through it, and I know you can too. Same with Karen and your brother. Y'all are my children, it's in your blood." Her eyes darted to the door, her hands coming off my face as she leaned back in her bed. "I think they're back." With this, I sat straight in the chair, the door clicking open.

"We got you food Ma!" Karen said as she rushed in with a tray of food.

"Karen, please be careful!" I heard Craig call after her as she rushed, an exasperated breath escaping him as his hand found its way to the back of his neck. I chuckled at this. Karen gently placed the tray on Mom's side table with a huge grin, backing up to claim a seat on my lap. As she jumped on me, I gave a soft oof! then adjusted her.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not that heavy," she spoke defensively.

"No, no you're not," I agreed. In fact, you're still too light. "Ya know I just like ta give ya crap." I winked at her to get my point across, her emitting a giggle.

Mom continued to look at us fondly before she seemed to remember something. "Hey, Kenny."

"Hm?"

"I was wantin to ask ya- what happened to your face?" A chuckle was heard from behind me causing me to shoot a glare at the noirette behind me. He rose his hands in defense, smirk still present.

"Hey, I'm just surprised she didn't ask ya sooner. You look like shit, dude."

I pursed my lips muttering, "language," beneath my breath. A scoff met my ears. I sighed. "Nothin, Ma. Just someone at school."

Her eyes switched to those of worry. "Kenneth, is someone pickin' on you?"

"What?" I asked, alarmed. I held up a hand in a placating manner. "No! No, no one's-!"

"Some upperclassman just got his panties in a knot, decided to take it out on Ken," Craig informed, oh so helpfully. I shot him another glare to which he simply shrugged as if it couldn't be helped.

"It's nothing, I'm completely fine."

"That's not what your face says, McCormick."

"Shut it, Tucker," I snapped back, confused as to why he wasn't getting the hint to drop it.

"Kenny, that's not-," Mom tried to intervene, but my phone rang so instead of entertaining this conversation, I answered my cell.

"Hello?" I asked roughly.

"Don't take the tone with me, kid. Where the hell are you?" I had to stifle a groan before it made its way out when I registered whose voice it was. The next words that come out of my mouth were quiet and calculated.

"We're just, out, Dad. We'll...We're on our way home now."

"You better be- I have four missed calls from the hospital and I wanna know what the fuck you did." I clenched my teeth, trying not to bite back. Of course he'd blame me.

"Yeah, well, I'll talk to you when I get home."

"Damn right you will." And he hung up. Huffing quietly I slid my phone back in my pocket, looking up to find all eyes on me. I felt my fingers twitch at the thought of everyone looking at me expectantly. So, I clenched my fists quickly and forced a small smile, looking to Karen and placing my hands on her shoulders.

"We gotta go Kare."

"What'd he want?" Craig asked from behind me, voice tight.

"He just wants us home. He's worried because of the hospital calls," I half lied. Mom gave me that look that said she knew I wasn't telling the whole truth, but I just got up, placed Karen on the ground and stretched. Sis hugged Mom goodbye, myself following suit.

"Please be careful, baby," she whispered in my ear. I just nodded, pulling back and smiling at her the best I could.

Once in the car, the siblings commenced talking about anything and nothing while I stared out the window, feeling Craig occasionally look at me.

When we pulled up to our house, Karen carefully climbed out, sending farewells to her buddies. I collected my belongings and opened the truck when I heard a quiet, "Ken." I looked over to Craig, his piercing gaze locking on me, me refusing to look away. "If anything happens, you know where to find me." I smiled tightly at him, leaving him with a curt nod before I walked out, looked to Karen and led us inside. The truck didn't leave until the door shut.

"Karen, go to your room and do your homework- or my room, which ever one." She looked to me concerned, but once taking a glance at me she conceded and left me in the living room. I heard a door shut accompanied by some shuffling from the kitchen. He'd opened a beer, no doubt.

"Kenny, come in here," Dad commanded loudly, leaving no room for argument- not that I would. I obliged. Once entering the room, he looked me up and down, eyes settling on my face. "What the hell happened to you."

"I got in a fight at school."

"That's what this is over?"

"No..."

"Then what happened?"

I chewed my bottom lip, thinking of the best way to deliver it when I came to a conclusion: there's no good way to deliver it.

"Mom's in the hospital, Dad." No response. I looked up to meet him, but he just looked at me bewildered. I cleared my throat, continuing in as confident of a voice as I could muster. "Mom had an accident at work so they sent her to the hospital. They couldn't reach you, so they called me-."

"What's wrong with her." I jumped at the emotion in his voice, my brain yelling at me that of course he's showing emotion! It's his wife for fucks sake! But that didn't stop my shock from staying. "Kenny, tell me right now." He demanded, but this time with a small tremor in his voice.

"She has ALS. It's- it's a disease that causes problems with-."

"I know what it is, Kenny!" He yelled, turning away from me. "I know what it is, it's what your grandmother had." Came a quieter mumble from him, trying to keep it unheard, but not doing its job. So I just didn't respond. "Damn it- now we're gonna have more bills, less income, less-...I have to get a job..." He suddenly spun to me. "You need a job." He declared.

I furrowed my brows. "Dad, I already-!"

"No, I mean a second job," he clarified, going back to his quiet mumblings about how we needed jobs to get the bills paid. "Kenny...Did they tell you treatment options?"

I tried to recall the brief conversation with the lady. "I, uh, they said they'd contact us when they have a full list of the available procedures, but they also said...said that there wasn't much they could do, considering how much it's already affecting her." He went on to his mumblings, ignoring me entirely. So, with that fact on hand, I left the room to go to my bed room, finding it empty. So Karen went to her room.

With a deep sigh, I flopped onto my futon- it wasn't a traditional bed, after all- and thought. I already had my job, working after school. I get home around nine because they only give me six hours considering I'm a fifteen year old high schooler.

If I could find a job that starts around eleven then I can have enough time to make sure Karen's okay. Then that leaves me with about six or seven hours until I get ready for school, so I'd get home around six in the morning, get ready, take Karen to her school then go to my own. Continue cycle. It wasn't the best idea, but it was the only way to get another job as of right now. Though, I'll need a place that's pretty close- otherwise there'll be no point in going home with Karen... And I can't tell Craig. He already wants me to quit the job I have because of lack of time.

I'll need to find a way to make sure he doesn't catch on...

That can wait, I should just start searching for jobs. With that, I pulled out my phone, sitting up on the futon and punching up some job openings, sifting through my options.

For fun, this was the original plan for their mother. It's under developed and I haven't sifted through it for errors or things that don't add up, so it's a mess. If you're curious, read it. Meh. I try to research things in depth and I just really didn't wanna research cancer. so...Yeah!

"Mom, why...Why didn't you tell us you had cancer..?" The words came out forced, harsh in my suddenly dry throat.

She looked at me with her ever-kind eyes, looking at a loss for words. A sigh escaped her lips before she responded softly, "I didn't want y'all dwelling on it, Kenny. You know as well as I do that we don't have money for treatment or-."

"But-But I could've helped." Why wouldn't she let us help? "Kevin could have, I could have- you didn't even give us a chance to! We could've come up with the money, we-we-!"

"Kenneth, I didn't want you boys throwing away your money, throwing away your childhood because of fear. No mother wants that."

"Mom, we could have done something! Then we wouldn't be here! Damn it, we could have done something!"

"There's no point, Kenny. I was diagnosed too late as it is, we would just be delaying the inevitable."

"Delaying the inevitable?! Mom, what the-?!"

"We're all terminal, Kenneth, you know that. It just would have put me through more pain- is that what you would want?"

"Wha-? No! No, I wouldn't.. but Mom, what are we supposed to do without you? Dad's a deadbeat- Karen and I can't live with him-!"

"Kenny, stop."

"We can't lose you! Mom, how are we supposed to go on without you, huh?!"

Her eyes softened considerably, sadness laced heavily on her face. "Ken.." She reached for my hand, gently tugging on it to make me sit next to her. "I know." My face met the fabric of the gown, a slightly boney shoulder under it. I gripped tightly to her, refusing to break down on her shoulder. I shouldn't be breaking right now- not in front of the one that should be. That's just selfish. How could I ask her to be so strong in the face of-? "I know it's gonna be tough, Kenny... It's gonna be hard for a while, but.." She pulled me away from her shoulder, holding me at arm's length to smile at me. "You're Kenneth. I know you can do it- you're my boy after all." A soft chuckle pushed past my lips, my eyes gazing down, unable to meet hers. "...I need you to promise me something, Kenneth."

Sucking in a deep breath, my eyes slid up. "Of course."

"Take care of Karen. And take care of yourself."