For a long time they sat there, in their intimate embrace. No one knew how or where to start. Maxwell was the first to regain his speech. "My God Fran, I finally found you." "Oh Max, what are you doing here? How did you know I was here?" "I just had to look for you. I couldn't accept that you just disappeared from our lives like that. Besides, I sensed that there was something wrong with you. I mean your whole behavior, wasn't you. I became more skeptical because you never contacted ja, Not even the children and no one knew your address or number. So I called in a detective, who then came across this clinic via Dr. Goldberg. I smuggled myself in as a patient and yesterday I saw you being taken out of a treatment room." Fran's amazement grew as he spoke. She couldn't believe the lengths he had gone to just to find her. She felt shabby for all her lies and his suffering. But Maxwell had forgiven her already .

He continued, "But that's not important now. What about you Fran? Why are you here?" She had to collect herself first, it was still hard for her to accept and speak out the bitter reality. "I have this stupid thing in my head, a tumor. It's pretty big and it's in a dangerous place." Maxwell was shocked. He had been prepared for the worst, but the diagnosis was a blow to him. "Oh my God! Please tell me everything Fran, from the beginning." "At first there were just these headaches, I didn't take them seriously at first. Then I started getting dizzy quite often and sometimes I could only see blurry or nothing at all. That's when I went to the doctor. At first he told me it was a migraine and gave me pills, but they didn't help at all. So I went to another doctor. He sent me to an ophthalmologist, but there was nothing. The ophthalmologist sent me to the neurologist, who ordered a CT scan and that's when they discovered this lump." "Woah, I didn't recognize anything. Why didn't you ever say anything?" "I didn't want to worry you, at first I thought it was not so bad and would go away. It wasn't until I saw this tumor that I panicked. During my weekend trip I was here in the clinic. They took a tissue and determined the tumor was malignant. They explained to me exactly what they were going to do to me, I didn't understand everything, just that much. It's going to take a long time, will be painful and there's only a small chance I'll survive itl."

Maxwell had to let this all sink in. He got up from the bed and went to the window. He needed a moment to collect himself and sort out his thoughts. Fran understood how he must feel and gave him his space. She meanwhile opened the box of godiva and devoured one. Since the treatment she suffered from loss of appetite but not with chocolate. Finally Maxwell came back to her and sat down next to her. "I can hardly imagine the shock you were in and even though I think I know the reason. Why did you just leave?" he asked. Without a single word? "Because it's the best for all of you. The doctors told me what ordeal the therapy will be. It's going to be hell. I don't want to put anybody else through that. Ma goes crazy when one of us has to go to the hospital for a routine, this thing here is out of her league. The kids have already lost their mother, I don't want them to experience seeing another caregiver die. Niles and Val might have handled it somehow, but I didn't want to burden them with this secret. And you..." She was silent for a moment. "You I love far too much to put you through that hell." A big smile spread across his face. Albeit under tragic circumstances, it felt good to hear from her, she loved him. "I love you too Fran and therefore I will stay by your side. I will walk every path with you and I will make sure you get the best treatment possible. I will do everything in my power to make sure that someday I can carry you out of this clinic as a healthy woman."

Fran was touched by his words, but it was far from that simple. "Maxwell, you don't know what you're talking about. This thing in my head is too big to be operated on. Right now I'm on strong medication to relieve the symptoms. Soon they want to start chemo and radiation therapy. This will take months, with a little luck the tumor will get smaller. But I will never be myself again. The list of side effects is a mile long. If I'm unlucky, I'll be blind or deaf or paralyzed. I'll lose my hair and look terrible." "I don't care Fran, I have to admit this all sounds pretty bad and to be honest I'm scared too. But I can't leave you here alone. I would never forgive myself" ''But you have to Max! For your sake and for the kids! Do you remember our conversation on the stairs after Paris? You said you couldn't take the pain of losing someone you love again and you couldn't put the kids through another loss. But that's exactly what might happen if you stay. You and the kids need to forget about me and get on with your life."

Maxwell took her hands in his, "Now you listen to me Francine Joy Fine! I know you are a strong person and a fighter. But part of being strong is also to admit when a situation is too difficult for one alone. It is not a sign of weakness if you ask for all the support and help you can get. Now is the time to allow us to take care of you. I promise we will all be there for you. You are right, it will certainly be difficult and not easy for us, but you would go this way for each of us without hesitation. Have faith in other people Fran. Besides, the kids and I could never forget you. You mean too much to all of us. If you knew how much the kids miss you. And I can hardly work or think of anything else but you! As hard as it would be for the kids to know the truth, I'm sure they would rather accept that than the thought of you abandoning them for some new love. And I could never go back to New York and go back to the daily grind knowing you're lying here all alone, suffering this agony. I can be at least as stubborn as you and I'm staying here!" Fran had more and more tears running down her face. He had broken her resistance with his words. She didn't want to be alone. She needed him. Crying and sobbing, she threw herself into his arms. For the first time since she was sick, she had a shoulder to lean on. He held her tightly. He was glad to have broken her shell.

A little later when Fran had regained her composure, they lay together in her hospital bed, snuggled close to each other. Fran asked him to stay with her for the night, he immediately agreed. They watched a comedy on TV and fed each other with chocolates. They both knew the road ahead was hard and arduous. But for a moment they simply enjoyed their togetherness.

Note: I want to emphasize, I am not a medical professional and have no special medical knowledge. I have done some general research for this story. If there are any medical inconsistencies, I apologize.