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I hope that you like the latest chapter of An Occupational Hazard.

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Chapter Nine

After dinner, they had spent quite some time talking, before Jennifer headed to the guest room for the night and Katie left to go back to the hotel. By the time Stella and Kelly got into bed, they were both utterly exhausted.

It was all either of them could do to take off their shoes before collapsing into the bed.

The next morning, Stella awoke early as always. She had just started to brew the coffee, when Jennifer emerged from the guest room.

"Oh, good morning Stella. I didn't think you guys would be awake yet."

"Kelly's still sleeping. I'll take him a coffee in an hour or so. Did you get much sleep?" Stella asked, noticing the dark bags under Jennifer's red rimmed eyes.

"Not really. It's just a lot to take in... How have you been doing this every day?"

"It's hard. I have to make sure that Kelly takes his meds at the right times and gets to all his appointments, but then I think about the baby... I imagine Kelly meeting his son or daughter for the first time, and I don't know, I guess it just puts everything into perspective."

Jennifer smiled warmly, if still a little sadly, "I suppose it does."

By Monday morning Kelly's family had somewhat come to terms with the situation, Katie was still looking a little shaky as they said their goodbyes as she prepared to head home, and Jennifer was only fairing slightly better. Kelly's Mom had offered to stay longer to help, but Stella had convinced her that there would be a point where they would need her far more, and that she shouldn't waste her leave from work now.

And so, Kelly waved off his mother and little sister knowing that there was a very real possibility that he may not see them again.

As weeks gradually passed by, Kelly and Stella seemed to slip into a false lull of security in their dramatically changed lives.

Stella would always wake earlier than Kelly, take her prenatal vitamins, and set out his medications for the day on the bench as she made a light but nutritious breakfast for them to share. Stella would then pack her lunch as she made two mugs of steaming hot coffee, knowing that Kelly would be getting out of bed soon.

Kelly emerged as he smelled the coffee brewing, and as he was dressed only in his boxers, Stella couldn't help but notice how much muscle mass her partner had lost in the past few months. Still, Stella smiled as she handed Kelly his coffee, and then she sat down at the breakfast bench.

"I was thinking that we should take a trip out to the cabin, while we can," Kelly said out of the blue.

"It's freezing, Kelly. Shouldn't we wait until spring?"

"I might not be able to travel in a couple of months, Stel. Besides, it's great when we can get the fireplace going at the cabin. We can snuggle up on that rug right there, it'd be perfect."

"Okay," Stella conceded. She had always loved the cabin, and Kelly was right even if she didn't want to admit it. "I've got Friday off to go see the obstetrician in the morning. How about we leave after I'm done there? Then we can have a long weekend."

"Sounds good," Kelly replied smiling.

The cabin was everything that they remembered it to be. Cozy and secluded, it was the perfect break for the couple, or at it was.

On the last day as they were packing up to go back into the city, Stella was quietly mulling over things as she packed her suitcase, but then a horrible gut feeling arose within her.

On instinct, Stella rushed outside to check on Kelly.

Kelly was laying beside Stella's Jeep, his entire body convulsing as he bled from a gash on his head from falling over.

Stella ran over as quickly as her pregnant belly would allow her, reaching for her phone to call 911 as she moved.

From her medic training, Stella knew logically how to manage a seizure. She carefully put her jacket under Kelly's head, and checked that he was breathing, which thankfully he was.

Then, as Stella waited for her 911 call to be answered, the signal dropped out. She tried twice more, but nothing worked. As much as it broke her heart, Stella knew that she had to leave Kelly alone so that she could use the old landline phone inside the cabin.

Soon, Stella was speaking with the dispatcher, to whom she relayed as much information as she could, and as soon as she was assured that an ambulance crew from the nearest town were being dispatched, Stella ended the call, and returned to Kelly's side.

The seizure had ended, but even from a distance Stella could see that her white jacket was saturated with Kelly's blood. Once at his side, Stella check again that Kelly was breathing - he was - and then rolled him carefully into the recovery position.

By the time Stella finally heard the siren approaching, Kelly was beginning to stir slightly. Kelly tried to speak, but couldn't form anything coherent.

"Just breathe, Kelly," Stella said as calmly as she humanly could. "An ambulance is coming. I've got you."

Kelly looked at Stella in confusion, the last thing he could remember was walking outside with his overnight bag in hand. "Wha' 'ppened?" He slurred weakly.

"You had a seizure, and you've taken a knock to the head. But it's okay, the ambulance is just coming down the road now."

The hours that followed blurred together, as Kelly was transported to the nearest hospital to be assessed. It wasn't until he was settled on a ward that Stella was finally allowed to sit with him in relative peace and privacy.

"The scan they did apparently showed that the cancer has spread to my brain. That's why I had a seizure," Kelly began. "The doctor here is consulting with the doctors back in Chicago, and they're starting me on some new tablets to stop this from happening again. I don't know, Stella... It's all just starting to feel very real. This cancer, it's going to kill me."

Hearing as Kelly's voice faltered ever so slightly as he said the words, Stella moved to sit on the edge of the bed. "I know, Kelly, but whatever happens next, we will handle it. We just have to take it one step at a time."

"Until I can't," Kelly replied bleakly.

Stella leant over to wrap her arm around her partner. "Oh Kelly... Even if that happens, I'll always make sure that you're taken care of. You and our baby, that's all that matters to me. You're not in this alone."

To be continued...

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