- - - 1 year later - - -

Serenity sat in her chair, fidgeting nervously as she looked around the doctor's office. She caught sight of her mother, who cast her an anxious smile.

Serenity didn't smile back; she just stayed focused on the desk in front of her, and the doctor's empty chair.

When the doctor came back into the room, he would bring with him the results that Serenity and her mother had waited years for. Serenity had faced countless visits to the hospital, and many tests, and today was the day she found out if her eyesight was in jeopardy.

She jumped as the sound of the doctor's door opening brought her out of her thoughts.

She felt her heart beating wildly against her ribs as the doctor walked around the desk and sat down, examining his clipboard with great concentration.

"Serenity, we have the results of your tests." The doctor said, still looking at his clipboard. He didn't seem to want to look at her.

Serenity leaned forward slightly in her seat. "And?" she said quietly.

The doctor shook his head grimly. "I'm afraid you tested positive."

She heard her mother gasp, and the whole world seemed to freeze around her. She sat rigid in her chair, trying to think straight.

She had the defect...

As much as Serenity wanted to know what she actually had and what was going to happen to her next, she could not concentrate on what was being said between her mother and the doctor. Through her blurred vision she could see her mother's worried face and the doctor adjusting his spectacles, still glancing at his clipboard every now and again.

She felt sick and slowly stood up and took herself out of the room. Her mother didn't stop her; she knew that it was all too much for Serenity to take anyway.

Serenity shut the door gently behind her and she automatically began to walk to the toilets, her mind not even concentrating on where she was going.

She stood in front of the mirror on the wall and leaned on the sink in front of her. Her head was so full of thoughts, she didn't even realise that she was alone in there.

As she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she felt as if she couldn't even cry. She couldn't believe the time had actually come. It seemed like only yesterday that she was on the beach with Joey, seeing the sea for the first time.

Joey.

A tear ran down Serenity's cheek as she thought of her big brother. Where was he now? She hadn't seen or spoken to him in years, but he wished he were there with her, like she did everyday.

But...she was going to go blind...

Suddenly, all hopes of ever seeing her brother again ebbed away.

She stared into the mirror, having to try even harder to see, because her tears blurred her vision even more than usual.

Serenity didn't move as the door opened. Her mother came in and put her arm around Serenity's shoulder.

Serenity didn't react.

"Are you okay?"

Serenity saw her mother's face in the mirror and realised that she was crying too.

Serenity turned to her mother and threw her arms around her, crying into her shoulder.

Silent tears fell down her mother's face as she held Serenity tightly.

"What...did he say?" Serenity said as best she could, wanting to know what the doctor had said to her mother.

"There's nothing they can do..."

Serenity lifted her head. "Nothing...?"

"There are...specialists...but the operation would cost a fortune." Her mother said, choked by tears.

Serenity sobbed harder. "How long until it...happens?"

Her mother shook her head. "They're not sure."