He's Dying
Disclaimer: I don't own Rent.
A/N: BAH! 11th grade is not a fun school year, anyway here is the newest chapter.
I AM SO SORRY FOR MY DELAY!!! And unfortunately, the updates will be one a couple of weeks, I have so much on my plate, and because this story means so much to me, I do not want it to suck. Please review, they help me through my stressful day. I have a German test tomorrow...bleh.
Collins and Aaron had not really talked since their discussion two days ago. Aaron could not really blame Collins for his distance, Aaron had done the same thing to him. Yet Aaron felt Collins was only disappointed in him, a feeling far worse than having someone actually angry at him. Aaron sat on an iron bench in a nearby park. Over the weeks he had been here, he had found the park to be his hideout. The bench was situated in front of the playground, and Aaron found comfort in watching the younger children play. It reminded him of the playground in his own hometown, oh how he missed it. Aaron would never be considered as a sentimentalist, but he always loved his home. His family was always supportive of him, his mother and father understood his sexuality, and the problems that came with being a gay man growing up in a smaller town. His older brother, Josh, was Aaron's best friend, well besides Fiona of course, and it amazed Aaron at how his younger brother, Kory, was still able to admire him as all younger brothers do at one point. He knew he was a coward running away from his problems, but he also believed it would have been easier on everyone if he just left home to die.
Aaron had only been to one funeral, and that funeral was for his sister Hailey. Hailey was the oldest of all of the Kaplan children by four years, making her six years older than Aaron. She died when Aaron was seventeen in a car accident. The worst part about the entire death was that Hailey was pregnant, her husband David and she were trying for nearly a year to have a child, that day Aaron lost not only a sister, but a nephew as well. David left town after that, and no one had heard from him since.
Aaron glanced down at the cigarette and sighed. His mother often cautioned him that cigarettes would kill him one day. He laughed darkly, he was already dying, cigarettes would not quicken or slow down that death. He remembered the doctor's appointment in which he was told the tumor had returned, and was continuing to grow. He went through the motions, radiation, chemo, everything. The last scan had informed him that the tumor had grown larger, Aaron gulped as he realized he was dying. Fi squeezed his hand, and that night they had made the decision to leave. Aaron was given his time limit, as all dying patients were given, six months, if he was lucky. Aaron sighed and rubbed his cheek, if that was right he had maybe a month left. Aaron looked back up at the kids. He wished for just one day he could have a day like that, when there were no worries. He pinched the bridge of his nose. The migraine was returning, over the past week they had grown increasingly worse. Not only did his head throb, but the vertigo and numbness were increasing. He sat still for a moment, until the dizziness had disappeared, then stood up and began to walk back to the loft, he needed to tell Fi, she would know what to do, she always had.
Aaron walked into the apartment only to find Gen sprawled out on the couch reading her worn copy of The Little Prince. He smiled fondly at her, for as long as he had known Gen and Fi, Gen had always loved the story and often read it when she had the time.
"The ending never changes, you know that right?" He asked Gen.
Gen replied without looking up, "I know, perhaps that's why I read it so much; it's the only constant in my life." Aaron nodded and stared at his best friend's little sister, whom he had considered a baby sister as well. She was dressed in men's pajama pants and a large grey Braves sweatshirt, her reading glasses low on her nose.
"Do you know where Fi is?" Gen shook her head, her attention still focused on the book. Aaron laughed silently and walked over to the couch. He reached over the side and grabbed the book out of her hands. Gen shouted in protest.
"Hey! Give it back!"
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"Don't want to."
"Good reason."
"I thought so."
Gen waited a moment, "Can I have it back now?"
"Nope." Gen grunted then stood up, Aaron backed up a little.
"Now?"
"Nope."
Gen walked toward him, and Aaron bolted. Gen ran after him, slower than she usually would and finally jumped on his back. Aaron dropped the book and grabbed Gen from behind. "Aren't you a little old to want piggy-back rides?"
Gen laughed, "Nah-uh," she said shaking her head and burying her head in his neck. Aaron began spinning around and Gen laughed even louder. Neither noticed that Roger, Mark, and Fi had entered the apartment. Fi finally spoke up.
"Children!" Aaron stopped immediately but the momentum left him faltering and both fell to the floor, Aaron on top. He then rolled onto his back and they both looked at each other before laughing. Fi smiled as Roger and Mark just rolled their eyes. "Done now?"
"Quite." Gen said through breaths. She sat up and rubbed her backside. "Thanks genius, next time we land on your ass, not mine."
"Wasn't my fault princess, but I'll remember that for future data." Aaron said, his back still on the ground but his face fully turned to Gen.
Mark walked over to Gen who held her arms out, silently asking for a help up. Mark pulled her up and Gen smiled. "Thanks Marky."
"No problem," he said, staring at her, a grin forming onto his lips.
"What's so funny?" Gen asked, her own smile overtaking her face. He only shook his head and continued to stare. "What?" She asked. He still gave her no reply. "What?" She nearly yelled in frustration. He bent down slightly and kissed her lips gently. Gen sighed and moved her arms to surround his neck. Mark moved his arms to her waist and pulled her closely. Roger cleared his throat, Mark pulled back from her lips slightly.
"What do you want Davis?" He asked, his breath still on Gen's lips.
"Just wondering when the PDA will cease."
"Oh please Roger, you and Fi are always attached to each other's lips." Gen stated. Fi blushed.
"Are not." Fi stated.
"Are so." Gen replied.
"Not."
"So."
"Not." Fi stated defiantly.
"So." Gen said, turning her attention fully to Fi.
"Are-"
"Ladies, as truly entertaining as this is, and it really isn't. Can I talk to Gen...alone?" Mark asked.
"I'm sure that's all you two will be doing."
"Oh shut it Davis." Mark stated. Gen reached for his hand.
"Come on let's leave the girly-man and his priss alone." Gen said, all in good fun. Fi rolled her eyes as Gen and Mark headed to Gen's room. Gen shut the door behind them as Mark sat down on the end of her bed.
"What's up?"
"Just wanted to see you."
"That's sweet, what's really up."
"What happened the night you ended up in the hospital?"
Gen cleared her throat and walked over to the window. "Lovely day isn't it."
"Gen..."
"What Mark?"
"I just want to know what happened."
"It isn't your business."
"Of course it is." Mark said, standing up and walking over to her.
"I don't remember," she stated.
"How can you not remember?"
"I just don't!"
"Gen..."
"Do you want me to make something up? I don't know what happened Mark, now drop it."
"Why are you being so defensive?"
"Because I don't know what happened! I don't know if the only thing he did was knock me out and clean out my wallet."
"Didn't the doctor's tell you anything?"
"Sure, they told me I was out for a while, and that I had been mugged."
"Don't you think if something else had happened, that the doctors would have told you."
"I guess."
"Why do you doubt that."
"Just brought back unwanted memories."
"Of..."
"Of something that happened a long time ago. This conversation is over now."
"Is it?"
"Yes Mark, stop baiting me, I will start an argument that will leave all of our others pale in comparison." Gen warned. Mark backed away, his hands raised.
"I just want to know what goes on in your mind Gen."
"When I want you to know Mark, I'll let you know."
"Right. Well I just wanted to know if you wanted to go out for a little while."
"Where?"
"Lunch." Gen shrugged.
"Alright. I'll meet you upstairs in twenty-minutes." Gen stated. Mark nodded and left the room. Fi looked up at him from the couch.
"Something wrong Mark?"
"I don't really know..."
"See...that's why I like men." Aaron stated. Mark looked at him incredulously, and then laughed as he left the apartment.
"What?" Aaron asked, thoroughly confused.
"Nothing."
Fi sat in her room a few hours later going through an old box of pictures. Roger knocked on the open door and walked in. He sat down on the floor behind Fi and rubbed her lower back. "What's up?"
Fi looked over at him. "Just looking through some old pictures."
"Can I see."
"Sure." Fi then brought out pictures from what seemed to be every part of her life. "This is my sister and I at our first dance recital together." Fi said, handing him a picture of two little girls, one dressed up as a smaller version of Snow White, the other, of an apple.
"Cute."
"I thought so." Fi said. "This is Gen at her last recital." Fi said, handing Roger a picture of a beautiful young lady dressed in a light blue servant gown.
"I take it she was good."
Fi nodded, "She doesn't really admit to it, but before she messed up her knee, she was amazing."
"What happened."
"Fell down the stairs."
"Ouch."
"Basically."
For an hour Fi and Roger sat in Fi's room as they went through the pictures, Fi describing every one of them. "You have a very colorful past."
"I'd like to think so." Fi stated. She turned around to face Roger fully and Roger and Fi sat knee to knee for quite some time. Fi played with Roger's palm, and the silence was comfortable. Roger then lent down and kissed Fi. "What was that for?" She asked after the kiss had ended.
"Did you not enjoy it?" He asked teasingly.
"No I enjoyed it, but why?"
"Don't know."
Fi sighed dramatically, "Whatever." Aaron walked in, or rather stumbled in a few seconds later.
"What's wrong Aaron?"
"I need to talk to you."
"About..."
Aaron just looked at her. "Of course. Roger do you mind...?"
"Not at all." He quickly stood up and left. He walked up to the apartment where Collins was.
"Something wrong?"
"I don't know..."
"What's going on Aaron."
"I..."
"Is it..." Aaron only nodded. "Jesus Aaron, how long has this been going on?"
"About a week."
"Have you gone to the doctor."
"No."
"Why not."
"I know what it means..."
"Aaron what are you talking about?" Fi asked, feigning confusion.
"I know you know what I mean."
"I'm trying not to know what you mean Aaron. Do you need to go to the hospital?"
"I think...so." Aaron asked, his speech continued to slow down.
"Shit. Let me go get Gen."
"No."
"Aaron...she's the one with the damn car. Do you want to walk the four blocks?"
"Go." Fi ran up the steps. She opened the door, she noticed Collins and tried to keep her voice calm.
"Do you know where Mark and Gen are?" Collins shook his head. "Roger!"
Roger walked out his room, "Yeah?"
"Do you know where Mark and Gen went off to?"
"No, why?"
"Shit. I got to go." She left the apartment quickly. She opened her door and walked into the apartment and back into her room. Aaron was holding his head. "Gen isn't here."
"I'll be fine"
"You're a shit liar."
"I'll live."
"Aaron..."
"Okay so I won't."
"I'm calling an ambulance." Aaron only nodded. Fi walked to the kitchen and quickly dialed "911". "They'll be here as soon as...Aaron...AARON!" Fi hurried over to where Aaron lay passed out. Fifteen minutes later, the ambulance showed up and Fi moved out of their way as they began working on him.
"Any known allergies?" One asked.
"No, none." Fi replied.
"Any diseases, infections?"
"He has cancer."
"Is he taking medication?"
"Yes."
"Fill this out." The first one stated, handing her a form, Fi sighed in frustration. After a few moments, the paramedics had Aaron strapped up onto the gurney and were rolling him out. Roger ran down the stairs.
"What's going on?" He demanded the paramedics. Both men ignored him and continued to move Aaron out of the building. Fi ran out of the apartment a moment later and locked the door. "What's going on Fi?"
"It's Aaron's tumor, Roger...he's dying."
A/N: End of the first update, I'm working on the second chapter which will be up, and hopefully I'll finish the third. Please review, I'm so stressed out, and I apologize for the suckiness of some of the chapters, I was going back and re-reading them and thinking what the hell?
Next Up: Aaron in the hospital in his last hours....what will Collins do?
Things heighten between Gen and mark...yes more controversy...its inevitable.
