More Filler

I was standing with him, holding him to me. Our tears hadn't subsided yet, and we both still stood in front of the crypt, staring at the carving of Michael Jackson's name. Once in a while Butters would tighten his hold on me. As if I was the only one keeping him on this earth. We both finally got control of ourselves enough to stop crying. Or at least, sobbing violently.

"You okay?" I was the dumbest fuck in the world! What kind of idiot question was that? 'You okay?'

"I feel a little better." he sighed. "Kenny?" he asked.

"Leopold?"

"Let's go back home. I'm sure my aunt Nelly's almost back, and we have to get ready to leave tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah! Huh!" I gasped. "Can you believe it's already the thirtieth of October? Damn, just yesterday it was my birthday, and I was getting my appendix taken out."

"Just yesterday I was a pimp without really knowing it." Butters said laughing as I slapped his ass. "Kenny?" he asked.

"Leopold?"

"Let's go. We have to get back home. I'm really hungry."

"That's what I like to hear, Butter Cup!" I said as I picked him up in my arms. "I love Leopold Stotch!" I suddenly yelled, so loudly it echoed all around the cemetery. We both listened as the words bounced off rocks and crypts and came flying back to us until they faded.

"I love Kenneth McCormick!" Butters yelled just as loud. We both stared into each other's eyes as the words were bouncing around. When they faded, we both took one deep breath.

"I love you!" we both yelled at the top of our lungs.

"C'mon." Butters whispered when the voices faded. "Let's go. I need you!" he gasped. "To hold me as if you'll never have me again."

… … … … …

We returned to South Park the day after. Nelly was almost in tears, but promised she'd be by for Christmas. Butters said goodbye, and I did as well. I thanked her for having us, and she begged for me to come back as soon as possible. I told her I would.

The guys decided to throw Butters a late eighteenth birthday party on Halloween. It was the day we touched down in South Park. He seemed to have had a good time, and I liked his birthday party, as well.

Time seemed to be passing faster than before. Butters looked healthy enough, and was getting a complexion back. The guys had greeted Butters and I, and all their heads were covered in fuzz. Kyle's was covered in what looked like little red strands of almost curl. I laughed.

Christmas came and went, and Butter's parents returned from their cruise. Much to mine and Butter's disappointment.

"Hello, Kenny." Linda seemed a little nervous around me, and kind of bitter. "Where's Butters?" she asked.

"In the shower." I replied as the man walked in with bags.

"Hello, son. Where is Butters?" he asked looking around.

"Shower." Linda and I both said.

"Well, that's great. I'm glad the house is still in one piece. I'm really glad he didn't mess things up. He would've been grounded."

Just then, Butters came walking down the stairs. He was wearing a turquoise shirt, and a pair of tight blue jeans that hugged his body comfortably. I caught the implication at once. Linda and Chris took one look at him, and gasped.

"Have you lost weight?" she asked a little scared. "Chris, our son!"

"W-well, mom," Butters stammered. "I've had cancer. What do you expect?"

"How could you get cancer, young man?" Chris asked.

"This is out of his control, Chris." Linda defended. "Come on, you have to think about what you're getting angry at."

"Young man, if you get cancer again, you're going to be grounded." Chris glared. "If you die, you'll be grounded!" he yelled.

Un, fucking, believable! Butters had an expression on his face that said the same thing.

"What happened?" Linda asked looking over at me.

I filled them both in on Chemo, and the rest of the treatment he had to go through. Linda looked about ready to cry, but happy her son was okay.

"Well, we have to catch up with our Butters." Chris said looking daggers at me. "So, see you tomorrow, son."

"Whoa!" Butters gasped coming over to me. "Who said he was leaving?"

"Well, he's certainly not staying here." Chris said simply. "I'm assuming you have been taking care of yourself, and don't need to rely on anyone. Besides, mom and I will take care of you."

"But-!" Butters looked truly hurt. I felt strange, too.

So I moved back into my place, and left an almost heartbroken Butters to fend for himself. And that January we both went back to school. The whole crew had a little bit of hair now, and I could actually pull at some of the strands on Butters's head. It was amazing to see how quickly he was recovering.

Why? Why is it that the higher power out there decides it's time to feed you false hope, and make you believe that something is, when it's not? Butters's tests kept being fine all the way through April. But that didn't mean I didn't notice what was happening. That didn't stop me from noticing his fatigue, his weight loss. What the fuck is going on?

Now it was Linda and I who attended the hospital with Butters every time he needed to go in for testing. She was always more of a mess than even Butters. She almost went quietly hysterical.

"They'd notify us?" she asked one day as we sat waiting for Butters in the waiting room. "Right? They'd notify us if he got it again?"

"Yeah." I said yawning a little. "I try not to worry about every little pound he loses. His weight just fluctuates. Don't let every sniffle or lost pound hit you that hard."

"Yeah. I guess you're right, Kendrick." she sighed.

"It's Kenny." I said smiling at her.

"Sorry."