I got good news and bad news. First, the good news - I've resigned from my job, and my summer class has ended, which means loads of writing time before I start school at a different college in the fall. The bad news is in this story.

Chapter 34- Test Results

Paige sat in her hospital room that night reading a magazine when Rhonda walked in.

"Hey," said Paige.

"Hey," said Rhonda. "I wish I could've come sooner but I lost track of time putting the finishing touches on that film I'm working on."

"You're forgiven, I know you get that way when you're making those shorts," said Paige. "Gonna submit any of them to the judges for the TriBeca Film Festival?"

"And Cannes too," said Rhonda.

"Cannes too… cripes Rhonda, you're gonna be very busy until April and May roll around," said Paige. "Why didn't you submit anything last year?"

"I didn't like any of my work," said Rhonda. "I'm doing better now. I'm thinking of doing some documentary work as well."

"What kind of documentary work?" said Paige.

"Five-year anniversary of 9/11, maybe another project as well," said Rhonda.

"Why do that? People are still miserable," said Paige.

"I know, but… whenever those stupid documentaries on the history channel are on, there's never a human aspect to them, said Rhonda. "All I can think about right now is how all the survivors must be feeling. It's not easy for them. They won't ever fully heal from this."

"You're talking about Mac, aren't you?" said Paige. "Did you tell him you were planning to do this?"

"Yes and yes," said Rhonda. "He thinks I'll do a good job, but I don't plan on asking him to be in it, he doesn't even like me bringing my video camera to the lab."

The friends laughed, trying to forget about the dark cloud hanging over their heads.

CSINY

Paige lay in her hospital bed that night, writing in one of her journals. She either wrote her thoughts in them, or story ideas, which was how she'd wound up writing full-length stories in the first place, and now she was at it again.

She sighed. She wished she had school to keep her busy, but she didn't start for another week and now here she was, flat on her back with no one to talk to.

It was enough to make anyone go stir-crazy.

She decided to go to sleep.

As she did, she dreamed about Don and the places she wanted to go with him – Cape Cod, a cruise, Napa Valley… the last one would have to wait until February but she could always dream until then.

CSINY

Danny was eating pizza in the crime lab the next morning when Don came by.

"Hey crime stopper, when does desk duty end?" said Danny.

"Few weeks," said Don.

"How's Paige doin'?" said Danny.

"Pizza for breakfast Danno?" said Don.

"Yeah, so?" said Danny.

"So, I don't see Lindsay approving of this behavior," said Don. "I thought you liked her, what's the deal with you two?"

"Real sneaky evading my question, Don," said Danny.

"Sorry," said Don. "Just don' like thinkin' about it since she's getting a biopsy this morning."

Danny's jaw dropped so low that bits of pizza fell out.

"Did I just hear you right? A biopsy? Of what?" said Danny.

"Lymph nodes," said Don. "Soon as I pick up my paperwork at the precinct I'm goin' over to the hospital to be with her. I'm gonna be there for her as much as I possibly can. She was there for me when I was injured in the bombing, I'm gonna do the same for her."

"Hard to believe you're the one makin' these declarations," said Danny. "A year ago you wouldn't 'ave ever allowed yourself to get attached this way."

"Paige is different," said Don. "She's always been there when it counts and never had a problem with my job. She never once asked me to get off the streets because she knows being off them just makes me stir-crazy."

Danny laughed.

"Who knew of all the women in this city, she'd be a winner?" said Danny.

"I think your winner just arrived for work," said Don. "Don't knock what I'm sayin', even Paige thinks you and Lindsay need to go on a date."

"Maybe, crime stopper," said Danny. "Maybe. Want me to head to Trinity with you?"

"Nah, I'll be alright," said Don.

"I'm coming by with lunch!" said Danny.

Lindsay came into the room and heard the tail end of the conversation.

"Don't eat that, I don't know how old it is." said Lindsay.

Danny groaned in mock horror and put his hands over his chest.

"You break my heart, Montana!" said Danny. "You break my heart!"

Lindsay laughed, she couldn't help herself. Had she known what was going on with Paige, she would've just walked out of the room.

For now, she was unaware. Don and Danny planned to keep it that way unless the results of the biopsy were bad. Don had talked to Hawkes the night before, wanting to know what kind of diseases biopsies were tests for. Hawkes had told him to prepare for a possible cancer diagnosis.

Paige having cancer wasn't something Don wanted to think about. His aunt had died of breast cancer back when he was in the academy. It had been slow and painful for everyone involved and his aunt had wasted away to nothing. In the end she had passed away in a hospice and luckily she had had her loved ones around her, but all Don could remember was what the disease had done to her.

It had turned his Aunt Lucia, a free-spirited woman who had enjoyed cooking and inventing new recipes, often using a willing Don as a guinea pig, into a frail sickly woman who had thrown up from aggressive chemo, lost her hair, and at times had been so sick she had just cried.

To think of Paige going through something like that made Don sick to his stomach.

CSINY

Paige was lying in the pre-op area, drowsy from the drugs they'd given her soon after she'd woken up. She was vaguely aware of being wheeled into an operating room. An oxygen mask was placed over her nose and mouth.

"Count back from a hundred," said the anesthesiologist.

"100, 99… 98… 97… 96…" said Paige.

Her last thoughts were of Don before the anesthetic completely knocked her out.

CSINY

Don sat in the waiting room of Trinity General.

He knew that Paige was already in surgery and it would probably be less than an hour.

FLASHBACK

"It'll be fine, Donnie," said Paige. "They're just gonna take some tissue samples, possibly an entire node. I'll be fine. I love you."

END FLASHBACK

He knew she had acted like it was entirely routine to keep him from worrying. The truth was there was nothing routine about this. The chances of the surgery going smoothly were good, but the results of the biopsy? No one would know until the lab results came in.

Don took out his wallet and looked at a picture of Paige. She was smiling, her grin stretched ear to ear and those green eyes that had become such a familiar site still seemed to hold that sparkle even in a photograph.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when his phone rang. It was his mother.

"What the hell?" said Caroline. "Why didn't you tell me Paige was having tests done? I had to find out from her mother but not my own son?"

Don should've known that this would backfire on him. He and Paige had elected not to tell his family because they knew how badly his family fretted when things like this happened, however her family fretted worse when kept in the dark. Her parents were worried, but Paige had persuaded her family not to upend their lives just because she was having health problems.

He could still remember the entire phone call. He'd been in the hospital room with her after the call was finished.

FLASHBACK

"I don't know what I'm gonna do if it's bad," said Paige. "It'll break their hearts Don."

"How about we cross that bridge only if we have to, okay?" said Don.

"Okay," said Paige. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't be letting this get to me and I am."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," said Don. "You've been braver than I would've been."

END FLASHBACK

"We didn't want to worry you guys, it's just tests," said Don.

"Tests? Tests? It's always something when tests are being done!" said Caroline.

He heard the TV in the background and realized his father was watching something. The TV became louder, and Don realized his father had turned it up to drown out his mother's yelling.

Don found himself in a losing argument until he agreed to keep his mother in the loop. He had hoped she would've run out of steam before it got to that point, but he should've known that running out of steam was something that had never happened. If it ever did, it'd be something for the history books.

CSINY

Don watched as Paige's doctor, Dr. Sloane, came out. He still wasn't sure what to think of the guy and didn't know if that was because of his own career as a detective or because he was simply worried about Paige.

"How is she?" said Don.

"The surgery went well and she's in recovery," said Dr. Sloane.

Don was relieved that there had been no complications.

CSINY

Don went to visit Paige. Even though he knew it'd probably be a few hours before she woke up, he wasn't used to the quiet. Paige was a talker; something she'd once told him worried her because she didn't want to be annoying.

Don didn't find her chattiness annoying. If anything, he found it to be an adorable quirk because she had a great sense of humor and was very smart.

He hoped she'd wake up sooner rather than later, because Paige being quiet like this was unsettling.

CSINY

The first thing Paige was aware of was feeling groggy and that her neck and throat were sore. She moaned.

"Paige? Are you awake?"

Don, thought Paige.

She opened her eyes, fighting against the after effects of the anesthesia just so she didn't fall back asleep.

"Donnie," Paige croaked. "What are the results?"

"Dr. Sloane said he – and we – will know something by tomorrow," said Don.

"How long ya been here?" Paige whispered.

"I got the night shift," said Don. "Knew you'd have surgery done today so I switched with Angell."

Paige smiled, happy that Don was there. She tried to say more but her entire mouth felt like sand and her brain was in a fog so the two of them simply shared a hug instead knowing that whatever the results were, they'd be there for each other.

CSINY

The next day felt like hell for Don as he went to the precinct and tried engaging in the usual banter with Scagnetti. He couldn't.

"So today's the day you find out what's what?" said Scagnetti.

"Yeah," said Don.

"Good luck man," said Scagnetti. "I mean it. If anyone should be scared for their health it's the perps we see day in and day out, not people like Paige."

CSINY

When Don went to Trinity, Danny tagged along but waited in the waiting room so Don and Paige could be alone together.

CSINY

Don walked into Paige's room. It was quiet. Too quiet.

"Paige?" said Don.

"O – over here," said Paige.

He walked further inside to see her sitting in a chair and looking out the window at the city skyline. She was wearing a pair of pajama pants and an NYU t-shirt.

"Rhonda brought these by this morning, so I ditched the hospital gown," said Paige. "I'm just glad she didn't stick around because Dr. Sloane came by right after she left."

"He got the results already?" said Don.

"Yeah," said Paige.

She stood up and kissed him, the kiss becoming more passionate with each passing moment. This was a kiss she wanted, needed to savor because she knew once she told Don what the results were, everything would be different but right now… right now she needed to be held, and needed to feel like her world wasn't crashing around her.

"I'm sorry," said Paige. "I'm so selfish."

"No you aren't," said Don.

"I shouldn't have done that, it's not good news," said Paige. "I feel like I misled you and I'm so sorry."

"You got nothing to be sorry for, okay?" said Don.

Paige took a deep breath. Green eyes met blue, and Paige told Don the words she had been trying to rehearse to no avail since finding out the news.

"They double and triple-checked to make sure," said Paige. "Its non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I have cancer Don."

I told you it was bad news. Review por favor!