Well, I'm back! It's been awhile, so please be kind and review :-D

This chapter uses lyrics from Duncan Sheik's "Home."

HOME

Her hand – so soft. Her eyes – so gentle. As she touched his face with her right hand, he felt healed – not just from the cancer, but from loneliness. Dark eyes . . . white smile . . . she was so lovely. "Don't leave me," she pleaded, "I'll do anything, just please don't leave me." A tear fell from her eye. He lifted his hand up to slide the tear away.

He tried to speak, but he couldn't.

"I have to tell you something," she said again, "I love you."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm feeling O.K.
But when I'm without you, it's just not the same
Don't misunderstand me, I'm feeling alright
But when I'm without you the day turns into night
...into night
You dream of a future ...a possible place
Where we lie together face to face
And I'm looking forward
I will not deny
I dream of a future made for you and I
You and I"

Tom's eyes shot open as he sat up quickly in bed. Noticing the tubes and cords attached to him, he closed his eyes again. His head dropped. Blinking slowly, the white walls and familiar smell made it severely easy to figure out where he was.

"The hospital," he whispered, noticing his voice was dry. He thought aloud, "Why the hell am I in the hospital?" Just then a nurse entered his room.

"Mr. Callahan, you should lie back down," she said gently.

"Why am I in the hospital? Where is my son?" he said harshly, as if he was holding back a world of tears. Just then, he saw the back of a woman's head through his room window. His lips turned upward. But as the nurse began speaking again, the frown returned.

"You had a bit of a spill," she started, "turns out it was just dehydration, but the cancer certainly isn't helping," she explained, "Your lady friend is out in the hallway. Would you like to see her?"

"Where is my son?" he repeated, nervously.

"Your son is apparently wherever he was before you were admitted to the hospital." She said cluelessly. He blinked, remembering Micah was at his mom's. "So, would you like to see the woman in the hall?"

"Yes," he said closing his eyes. A chair slid across the floor and then a figure appeared before the door. It was Kate. She smiled when she saw that he was awake. "Kate," he said.

"Hey you," she said, placing her hand on his face. Her touch was unfamiliar. The feelings he had for her were true, yet they'd never touched. Tom was a grown man now; it wasn't like he needed his mother's touch. He just wanted to feel safe. He'd though Kate would give him that – but no. "Feeling better?" she asked, moving to kiss his forehead. He moved away slightly, and she moved up quickly, confused.

"I want to see my son," he said. "Why didn't you contact my mother?"

"I didn't want to scare him," she said honestly. "I thought . . ."

"...and then I'm with you
No longer alone
When I'm with you
It feels like I'm home
And you are with me
No longer alone
How could it be?
It feels like I'm home
It feels like I'm home"

"Hand me the phone," he requested, his eyes welling up with tears. She did as he asked. "I'm not angry, Kate. I'm just . . .I just need to touch base with home." He dialed.

"Hello?" the voice said. The signal was poor; he figured it was raining. "Hello? Who is this?" it said.

"Hi," he said his voice cracking. His soul soared from the sound in her voice, "something's happened . . . and . . . I need you."

"Tom?" she strained to hear him over the rain pouring down on the tent. "It's 3 AM."she was confused.

"I'm in the hospital." He said, and he heard her swallow. "I'm okay . . . but I have a favor to ask of you. I'm afraid to call mom and scare her. Can you call her and go pick up Micah. I think it's time he knows what's wrong with his daddy." A tear fell from both of their eyes.

"I'm coming right now," she said. As she hung up, he felt whole again.

"I look through the darkness into the sky
The moon up above me brilliantly shines
I've never been happier watching it glow
I'm here by myself, but I know I'm not alone
...I'm not alone
I look through the brightness into the sky
The sun up above me, spitting out fire
Call me a child, call me naive
The world is much brighter
Than it ever used to be"

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Kate frowned. He wasn't sure that she understood. "Amy, huh?" she looked as if she had just been rejected. He blinked. "You need her," she reminded him.

"Please, Kate. This doesn't mean I don't need you," his words softened at the end.

"It just means you need her more. Tom, I know this isn't the time to start trouble, but she has Ephram. She has EPHRAM!" she said, her voice rising.

"Kate. I have cancer!" he shouted, then broke into tears. "This isn't just dehydration, okay? This is a sign that my life may end even sooner than the doctors anticipated. This is a sign that I may die soon."

She moved closer to him now, sitting on the bed next to him. "Tom . . ."

"I know, you don't know what to say . . . neither did I, that's why I didn't tell you. I didn't think you'd want to be with me if you knew I was on my way out."

"Well that wouldn't have been true."

"You wouldn't have been scared to get close to me?" he asked genuinely.

" . . . Maybe a little," she admitted, "but I still like you, Tommy . . ."

"Please understand, Kate. Tonight isn't about feelings. Tonight is about feeling calmed down, feeling comfortable. I know you, but I don't know you well enough to feel like that without my son. So yes, I called Amy . . . I just want to see her. I know it sounds hurtful to you, and I know she has Ephram . . . this isn't about that . . . I'm sure he'll come too. This is about telling my son that I have cancer . . ."

"...and then I'm with you
No longer alone
When I'm with you
It feels like I'm home
And you are with me
No longer alone
How could it be?
It feels like I'm home
It feels like I'm home"

A/N – I realize it's been a long time since I've last updated. Thing in my life have changed a lot. I'll be graduating from college a semester early now so I have tons of work and things to figure out. I still plan to update, so please don't give up on me. This chapter isn't the greatest I've ever written, but it's an intro to my comeback. Please leave feedback! I look forward to hearing from my old fans and from new ones who may be reading this for the first time.