Murr looked up from the video game he and Q were playing, causing his character to get shot.
Q smirked before also looking towards the bedroom there friend was in.
Sal also heard the small sound from his spot on the couch and was already walking towards the bedroom.
Murr had showed up a few hours after Sal and Brian had gotten Joe into the bed, blessfully asleep and resting.
Joey had been asleep for five hours straight, but his three friends now found him awake and alert.
"Hey bud! Feeling better?"
Q immediately put a hand to Joe's brow and was happy it was cool to the touch.
"Yes, I do"
Joe smiled. These smiles weren't coming very often at the moment, so everytime Joe smiled, his friends couldn't help but smile along with him.
Sal thought this seemed like a good time to bring up tomorrow. Joe was feeling better and was in a good mood.
While their friend was asleep, Q, Sal, and Murray discussed the show.
They were going to shoot tomorrow. They all felt it was important that they not forget about the show and keep it going. For Joe as much as themselves. This was something they all agreed on and they thought Joe would agree as well. What they were worried about was leaving him with a stranger while they were shooting.
While Sal was plotting in his mind how to broach this subject, Joe had set up in the bed, unaided and was bickering with Murr over some silly movie.
Sal put a hand to Joe's shoulder.
"Joey, we need to talk to you about something, pal."
"Yea, man?"
"We are scheduled to shoot tomorrow, we've been cancelling shootings but myself, Q, and Murr talked while you were resting and we think we need to do it. Fatone will take your place. Is that okay with you? Because if it isn't, we will do something else. We signed up for this together, and we're not going to leave you out of decisions. And we sure are not replacing you, this will be temporary but only if you agree with it."
"That is fine, guys. I'm good with it. It's for the best, we can't let the show stall for long."
Everyone nodded in agreement, before Q spoke up.
"Also Joey, we need someone to set with you while we are all gone. Shay knows a lady that set with her mom when she was sick. She trusts her completely and if Shay trusts her than we figure we can trust her. What do you say?"
Silence filled the room.
Finally.
"Can I go? I want to go. I won't be a problem. I'll just set and watch."
Blue eyes pleaded for acceptance, Joe's hopeful gaze went from one of his friends to the next.
"Joey"
Q looked into his friend's face.
"It's cold, man. You know we want you there, it would be amazing to have you there with us. Of course you wouldn't be a problem, you're not a problem, you are our brother. But, it's November. I don't know that you need to do this."
Sal was thinking as Q talked.
"You know, though, Q, it would do him good. He doesn't have to stay outside. I don't know what locations we have planned, but hell, we'll change them to inside shoots only. If someone doesn't like it, they can just shove it up their ass. That's the way I see it. "
Murr nodded.
"I'm with Sal. We can just make sure he's inside and warm, at least most of the time. He'll be okay."
Joe nodded and smiled, looking directly into Q's big brown, worried eyes.
"I'll be okay. And I start puking you can just throw me to the side somewhere"
chuckling, Q very lightly tapped his friend's ever thinning chest.
"I've cleaned up your puke more in the last three weeks or so more than I've ever had before. Jackass. You know I'm not worried about vomit. But okay, I know you want to do it and as I'm on board".
Everyone smiled, happy that they all four will be together at the first shoot back since Joe's diagnosis.
"I'm hungry"
Murr laughed.
"Now that we got that out of the way, we better feed this man."
Hearing Joe say he was hungry these days was a rare blessing and all three men knew not to let those words go by without getting something inside of their friend as soon as possible.