Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this story.
Elena's POV
I yawned as the 'The Lion King', the original, came to the ending credits. I shifted Aiden off my lap onto the couch. "Alright guys, we probably fit in one more movie, before we have to go to bed. How about Mulan?" I asked as I shuffled through the old time Disney movies. All the boys agreed, except for Aiden, because he was playing Fisher Price tablet.
Elizabeth came in from the kitchen to take a seat on the recliner, sighing with relief. "What are we watching now?" Elizabeth asked as she lifted Aiden onto her lap this time around.
"Mulan, which is one of my favorite movies in the whole wide world." I said as I searched for the movie.
"Hey mom, what is chemotherapy?" Jake asked, causing me to pause in my ministrations. I looked over at Elizabeth as she also paused from whatever activity that Aiden had her tangled in.
"Oh… why do you ask, Jake?" Elizabeth questioned, now focused on the second eldest. I saw Cameron and Spencer turn to pay attention to what had Jake's interest.
Jake's cheek reddened a little as his eyes skittered over to me. "I didn't mean to snoop, but I saw the papers on Ellie's night table." Jake answered.
I moved to the ottoman in the center of the living room to make sure I was facing my brothers. "You know what I think, it is a perfect time to discuss a very important topic about me. Elizabeth, are you okay with that?" I asked.
Elizabeth gave a look between the boys, before giving a little nod. "As Cameron might know, I have cancer that starts in the brain. Do you know what cancer is?" I asked, but met with silent 'no'. "Cancer is… when your body cells divide at a very fast rate and it can make you very sick." I explained.
Spencer fiddled with his glasses as he scooted closer. "Is it contagious?" He asked more out of curiosity than worry.
I shook my head. "No, it isn't something you catch, so you don't have to worry about it. Do you guys understand?" I asked. The boys nodded. "Okay, chemotherapy is a type of medicine that fights cancer." I said.
"So, after you take the chemotherapy tomorrow, will you be okay?" Jake asked, his youthful blue eyes taking me in.
"No, Jake. When someone has cancer, we have to take chemotherapy until the doctor says otherwise. It is a very long journey a person has to endure. I want you guys to understand, once I start chemotherapy, I won't be the same person." I said.
"What do you mean?" Cameron asked, leaning against the couch with a slight pout on his face.
"Chemotherapy is very hard on the body. I will be very tired and sick, not from the cancer, but from chemo. I will even lose my hair." I touched my hair with a sigh on my lips.
"Lose your hair? That's like one of your best features." Cam said, a little smirk on his lips.
I scoffed with amusement. "I'll still look better than you with your throwback Justin Beiber haircut." I snarked. I grabbed a nearby pillow and smacked him upside the head with a giggle. We settled down as the giggles died down.
"I won't be around the house much, but everyone can come visit me anytime." I thought I would explain the basics of what to expect. My biggest worry was memory being affected by the chemotherapy, but I didn't share those concerns with no one else, but Dr. Collins.
"Does anyone have any more questions?" Elizabeth spoke up for time during the conversation. The boys look among themselves before shaking their heads 'no'. "Lets watch mulan, then you boys go upstairs and get ready for bed." Elizabeth said, cradling the now sleep Aiden on her lap. I smiled, before settling in the middle of my brothers.
*Small time jump*
I looked over to the clock, seeing the blaring red numbers, reading 10:35 p.m.. I was just about to slump down in my bed, before I heard a small knock on the door. "Come in." I said, sitting up in my bed. Head full of blonde hair peeked through the crack of the door. "Jake, what are you doing up soo late?" I asked, patting the empty side of my bed.
Jake ran over to the bed and jumped on it. "I couldn't sleep." Jake mumbled, tucking himself against my body pillow.
I nodded my head as scooted to lay next to him, facing him. I rubbed at his shoulder, concerned that maybe our talk was weighing on him. "What's wrong? You can tell me." I asked, keeping calm.
"Are you going to die?" Jake asked, the tip of his nose tinged pink. He started to cry, before I could give an appropriate answer to that dreadful question. I pulled my brother into my body, holding him while he cried. "I don't want to go away." Jake mumbled through his cries.
"It's okay, Jake. I'm right here." I whispered, stroking his head to give a sense of comfort. "Hey, look at me." I said as I pulled back. I wiped at his tears, giving him a small smile. "I'm going to be honest, because I never want to lie to you. Okay?" I asked.
He nodded, sniffling. "I could die Jake and that will be no one's fault. Sometimes life works out that way, but that also makes life soo precious and worth living to the fullest. It is okay for you to cry for being sad. And no matter what happens to me, you boys were the best brothers I could ask for." I said.
"Do you hurt?" Jake asked, his head laid on my shoulder.
"No, I'm not in any pain." I said half heartedly. That is one thing I would spare him from knowing. "Hey Jake, can you do something really important for me?" I whispered conspiratorially.
He looked up. "Yeah, what is it?"
"I want to do a secret project that I want you to keep for me. Just a secret between you and I." I held my pinkie out as a promise.
Jake locked his pinkie around mine. "Cool. What is it?" Jake asked excitedly, sitting up.
"To start off, I want you to record something. Follow me." I jumped out of bed and went into my bathroom that connected with my room. I popped on my light, before leaning down to the bottom draw. I pulled out a pair of cheap hair clippers that I brought from Target.
"Is that a hair clipper?" Jake asked with wide eyes.
I smiled widely at him. "Well since I'm doing chemo, it is not like I'm going to need any of it. Go get my phone." I said to Jake, who excitedly dash out of the bathroom.
*Small time jump*
I sat on the patio, looking at the sun as it started to rise on the horizon as I sipped on my black tea. I tucked my knit hat lower onto my head as a slight breeze was making my bare head cold. I looked up as I heard the patio door slide over. "Morning." I said, turning my attention back to the sun. Elizabeth sat on a nearby chair.
"Morning. What are you doing up so early? You have your chemotherapy in a few hours." Elizabeth said, wrapping her sweater closer to her body.
"I've been tossing and turning all night. I gave up around two this morning. Did you have to work this morning?" I asked, turning a little in my chair to face Elizabeth.
"Yes, but I'll be able to make a round to the treatment center to visit you for a little bit. What time is your mom coming to pick you up?" Elizabeth asked.
"Around noon time. I'll probably sneak in a nap, before I head out." I said. I sipped tea again, before setting it down. "I hope you were okay with me talking to the boys last night. It is not an easy subject for anyone, let alone children." I said.
Elizabeth shook her head, pulling her sweater tighter against her body. "No, I didn't mind. It was important for them to understand, especially when they won't see you as much. I noticed Jake was sleeping in your room. Is everything okay?" Elizabeth asked.
"We were just talking last night. I do believe he will be fine, just a little sad about me." I said. I looked down to see that my phone alarm was going off. I turned it off, before leaning back against my chair.
Elizabeth leaned forward, touching my arm. "Are you okay? You can talk to me at any time you want." Elizabeth offered.
"I'm good, Elizabeth. No need to worry about me." I said in response.
Elizabeth looked me up and down, before getting up from her chair. "Okay. Let me head back inside to get ready for work. Try to get some rest in. Chemo can be very taxing on an individual." Elizabeth said, before going back into the house.
Jason's POV
After finally running around for the last couple of days to gather information, Sonny and I finally reconvene at a secure location within his house that we know for sure wasn't bugged. I walked into the room, seeing that Cody, Francis, and Sonny were already there.
"What did I miss?" I said, closing the door. I took a seat across from Sonny, who leaned slightly back into his chair.
"We waited for you to show up. No need to repeat ourselves. Okay, were we able to locate Damon?" Sonny asked, conveying our biggest concern.
"We lost him down in Philly. I tried to turn over any contacts that he had in the States, but they ain't budging." Francis recalled with frustration. "Next time I see him, I'm choking the life out of that smarmy little shit."
"I went ahead and called all the bosses that run the east coast to let them know that we got a rogue and that he was working on his own accord. Our people are being watched right now, so we can't afford to make any major moves." I said, looking over at Sonny.
"This is our only chance to get rid of Damon without getting our hands dirty." Francis said.
"Not with Silvio lurking around. If Damon dies, Silvio runs Stefan out of Italy. He might even try to have him killed." Sonny countered, choosing the lesser evil out of Silvio and Damon.
"We can handle Silvio, but I do have people watching Virginia, so hopefully we can snatch him up before he does any damage. Mikael should be taken care of quietly." I countered.
"And quiet is not exactly Damon's forte." Francis added, ignoring my irritated glance for stating the obvious.
"But if we play our cards right, we can probably get rid of Mikael and Damon in one sweep. Use Damon's ploy as a distraction." Cody said from his side of the room.
We all went silent as thought over the possibilities, Sonny's face turned grim. "Damon is an eye for an eye type of guy and we know Mikael has a family. Whether I like Mikael or not, I don't want Damon staining the family. Not worth the risk." Sonny shook his, before continuing. " Lets get eyes on Damon, then we go from there. Tell me about this informant PCPD has under their thumbs." Sonny asked.
Cody stepped up, putting a file on Sonny's desk. "I had Spinelli run the cameras and found the guy disposing of Mrs. Salvatore in the port. His name is Thomas Gaines and I'm guessing he's been watching our routine for awhile, because from his confession, he gave details that low runners would know, enough to be convincing." Cody explained.
"Any of our connections can get us an opening? It says he's supposed to testify in front of a special jury for his confession. If he makes it in front of court, we're fucked. " Sonny asked, flipping through the file.
"Nah, PCPD got him locked up tight, but I have a plan. They got him locked up in county, but if Spinelli can knock out the power grid, Mr. Gaines will no longer be a problem by tomorrow morning." Cody reassured.
Cody was a former special ops Marine officer, so when he says someone isn't going to be a problem, I believe it. Cody doesn't even exist in the system, so it makes him perfect for odd jobs like this.
"I suggest you guys make yourself visible, though it won't stop Taggert. Anyways, I have nothing else to report. The next time you see me, you'll have one less thing to worry about." Cody nodded his head, before making his way out.
Sonny turned his eyes to Francis. "Keep me updated about Damon. You can head out as well." Sonny dismissed Francis. Francis nodded, before leaving behind Cody.
Sonny sighed, leaning back against his chair, looking up at the ceiling. "I'm too old for this shit." He grumbled, causing me to snort at his miniscule crisis. "Anyway, you should head out. Elena's chemotherapy appointment is today." Sonny said, looking over at me.
I sighed, rubbing at my face. "I shouldn't go, because this day should be as least stressful as possible. Besides, I need to be helping Francis to find Damon." I countered, getting up from my chair.
Sonny rose from his chair to lean against his desk. "Listen Jason, if I make Carly, the most stubborn woman in the world, see reason to marry me again, there is no excuse for you to just go sit with Elena for thirty minutes." Sonny chuckled, before going serious again. " My mother had cancer as you know and it was a scary experience for her all the way to the end. That is one of my biggest regrets was not being with my mother at the end of her life." Sonny countered, giving me a knowing look.
Elena's POV
After enduring a long physical exam and blood work, I was wheeled down to the chemotherapy center. I insisted that I could walk, but Dr. Drake eventually won the argument. My mother followed behind, chatting happily with Dr. Drake as I saw my dad turn the corner to meet up with us.
My dad had started his position in the hospital, so he couldn't stay long. "Hi sweetheart." My dad said, leaning down to kiss my forehead.
"Hi dad. How does it feel to be back in a hospital?" I asked, tugging at his doctor coat.
He smiled widely at me, happy wrinkles outlined his eyes. "Not as fun as hanging out with you, but it will have to do." He greeted mom with a kiss, before turning his attention back to me. "I'm sorry I can't stay long, but I left you something with the nurses in the Cancer Center. How are you feeling?" He asked, kneeling down my level.
I gave him a reassuring smile that didn't match my racing thoughts. "I'm … not sure really. I just don't know what to expect, but don't worry about me all day, dad. I'm fine." I said as I rubbed at his shoulder, trying to reassure him.
"You're my little sweetpea, I will always worry about you." His hand patted at my head, but stopped briefly to look at me. Confusion crossed his face. "Ellie, did you cut your hair?" He asked.
My throat tightened with emotions as a shaky smile crossed my lips. "It's not like I'm going to need it anymore." I said. I reached up and pulled my beanie off my head, showing off my bald head. I heard the sharp gasp come from my mom behind me.
"When did you do this?" Mom asked, her fingertips brushing the side of my head.
"Last night. I cried, because I look like a lightbulb, but I felt soo empowered doing something of my own accord. Cancer wasn't going to take that away from me." I mumbled, feeling a tear escape.
My dad wiped at my tears as he held his own back. "Even without hair, you are still the most beautiful girl in the world." Dad said, causing a watery chuckle to escape me. Dad rolled up my beanie to place it back on my head, tucking the band behind my ear.
"Thanks, dad." I whispered, dabbing at my eyes with my sleeves.
"Okay, sweetpea. I've got to head off, but call me at any time. Okay?" He asked. I nodded my head in agreement. Dad and Mom shared a few words, before Dad left to go back to work.
A couple of minutes later, Dr. Drake pushed me into the Cancer Center, walking down a few halls, before settling in front of a big room. The warm colors gave the room warmth and a sense of calm washed over me. The room was empty surprisingly. Dr. Drake settled me in front of a plush recliner that looked over the waterfront.
"Here we go, . Let me help you into the recliner, then Nurse Patel will be in shortly to set you up with your regimen." Dr. Drake explained. He locked the chair, before helping me into the recliner. He popped open the leg rest, causing the back of the recliner to recline a little.
"Okay, Elena. Are there any questions you need to ask of me?" Dr. Drake asked.
I shook my head 'no'. "I'm good, Dr. Drake. Thank you." I said. Dr. Drake said some parting words, before leaving.
My phone dinged loudly, interrupting the silence. I pulled my phone from my pocket. I pressed my home button to see a text from Caroline.
Caroline: Hey, Ellie. I'm sorry to bother you, but have you heard from Klaus?
I replied: No, I'm sorry. Klaus and I never were close for him to tell me his whereabouts. Why?
Caroline: I figured. Anyways, he's been M.I.A. since two days ago and the Mikaelsons are worried.
I replied: Well Klaus does have an Iphone. Maybe you can login into his account to track him. But you did say he has been stressed lately with the whole Hayley situation. Maybe he needed some alone time. But keep me updated, okay.
Caroline: I will. I'll text you later, because I'm headed to my next class. XO
I replied: XO
I sat my phone down onto my lap, turning my attention to the outside view. "Ellie, I'm going to run to the bathroom, before the nurse comes in." Mom says. She put her bag down in the seat and left the room.
I looked over tumultuous waters, splashing against the rocks. It made me think of Maine, the one place I wanted to visit the most. I always had dreams to settle down there, live out my hobby to paint the quaint towns.
Then, my thoughts turned over to the kids I would never have. Hell, I never even had sex before. Everything I've never tried or experienced flashed in my thoughts, causing a tightness in my chest, making it hard to breathe.
God, was any of this worth it?! Would my body last a week, before they have to remove me from the regimen? I didn't realize I propelled myself out of the recliner and on my feet until a broad figure scared the shit out of me. A small yelped left my lips, tensing at the person's touch.
"Elena, it's me. You're okay." Jason's voice broked frantic fog in my brain as I looked up to find a familiar pair of blues looking back at me. "Elena, you're shaking." Jason said.
Without warning, I launched myself into Jason, who immediately wrapped his arms around me. He clutched me tight against, cradling my head against his shoulder. "I'm really glad you're here." I mumbled, not caring about the last week to give up the safety and comfort I got from this.