A/N: Well I'm back! If you couldn't tell after that last chapter post. Chapter 6 wasn't my favorite, but I felt as though I needed to progress the plot a little bit before jumping back into the parts of this plot that I actually like. So I hope you enjoyed it, but this chapter is much better in my opinion.

Please review and share, and let me know what you think!

-Song

"Okay," Penny said. "In Magic the Gathering you are a Planeswalker. You gotta beat my monsters with your own monsters, or sometimes magic spells or traps. Also—"

"Penny?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm lost."

Will and Penny were sitting across from each other at a small table in the Jump City Hospital cafeteria. Spread out before them were gaming mats with fantasy characters and backgrounds and covering those were what felt like a hundred cards.

"See?" Penny said. "I told you we needed all weekend for you to learn this. It's super complicated, and we only just started!"

Will ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Sorry, Penny girl. I got caught up this weekend."

She rolled her eyes at him and reshuffled the cards. "It's okay, we can try to get through a round but then I have DnD with some friends in an hour, okay?"

"Okay," Will smiled.

He watched her re-setup the game, smiling to himself as she scolded him for each question that he had. She was thirteen this year. Her chestnut-colored hair was cropped short, close to her head. She had a pair of silver studs in her earlobes. On her left wrist lay a friendship bracelet from a girl named Jenny down the hall who made it for her, next to the hospital wrist tag. She also wore the necklace their mom gave her before she died – a four-leaf clover made of gold that complimented her blue-green eyes.

It was for good luck.

"Okay, now you play a card," Penny commanded.

"Uh, what?"

"William!" She snapped. "You promised you'd pay attention!"

"I am!" He defended himself, but he knew it was useless. "I'm sorry it's just super complicated and I'm under a lot of pressure here."

"You are so easily distracted," she said, huffing from her side of the table. "Should I just clean the whole thing up?"

"No, don't!"

Will picked up his cards and rapidly read through the instructions. It was all gibberish.

"How did you even get into these games?"

"What? Like Magic and Dungeons and Dragons?"

"Well, yeah."

"All my friends around here play it. I'm a fifth level mage half-elf," she said. "You can't survive in the East Wing without knowing how to play Magic or Munchkin."

"Munchkin?"

"Ugh, Will we don't have the time."

Will smiled at her again. "I'm sorry your big brother is such a disappointment."

"It's okay," she smiled. "I love you anyway."

"You do?"

"Don't make me say it again, dummy."

Will laughed a little to himself and tried to learn Magic.

After their hour was almost up together, Penny looked up from the game and sighed.

"You're hopeless. Promise you'll do some research and we'll pick this back up tomorrow? I have to get to my DnD session."

"You're really boosting my confidence," said Will sarcastically. "Maybe my friends can help me. I'll ask if they know how to play it."

"What friends?"

She wasn't teasing him this time. Will remembered now that he hadn't mentioned Mike or Rose since he'd met them two weeks ago. In fact, the two of them were all that seemed to occupy his thoughts, other than Nate and his new job. Rose with her smile, her laugh and her constant presence in the bookstore. How kind she'd been about Penny, careful of his emotions. Then he thought about Mike, and how he wished he were more like him – ambitious, hard-working and focused on his goals.

Mike was attractive, and in love with Rose.

"I met a guy named Mike and a girl named Rose."

"The same day you broke your face?" Penny joked, gesturing to the scarring on Will's nose.

"Sort of. That's when I met Mike, at least." He neglected to tell her about meeting one of the Teen Titans, for fear of making her feel cooped up and left out.

"Ooo, Mike? Is he cute?"

Will laughed. "Yeah, he is."

"Ugh, I'm so jealous. You always make friends with hot guys."

"What can I say? Hot guys hang out with each other."

Penny gave him a look. "You do not qualify as 'hot' big brother, sorry."

"Ouch!" Will's eyes widened. "What did I do to you?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm just saying you could stand to update your fashion sense."

Will was affronted. "Well, I can see I'm only going to get bullied today."

He stood up from the table and pretended to leave.

"No, wait! I'm sorry, okay?"

Will turned around and crossed his arms, his back facing her. "No, you're not."

"No, come on, I am. I was just kidding."

Will smiled and turned back around. "Yeah?"

"Yes."

"Okay," he said and sat back down.

"What is with you today?"

Will hesitated and she saw it.

"Wait, what is it?" Penny asked more quietly.

Will bit his lip a little and then cleared his throat. "Doctor Bennett told me that… you're not leaving next week."

Penny paled. Will didn't think she could get paler than she already was, after all she'd been through.

"What do you mean?"

Will started to absently clean up the cards for her.

"Your bloodwork came back and… she said it didn't look as good as they'd hoped."

She looked at him for a long time. Then she calmly said, "You mean I'm dying?"

He looked up at her with shock.

"No! No, Penny girl, no…" He set the cards down and took her hands. "No, you are not dying. I swear that that is not happening."

He saw her eyes getting wet and he hurried on with his explanation.

"Your bloodwork showed that there might be… something in you that they want to keep an eye on. They want you close by."

"But I've been close by…" she said. "For a long time…"

"I know, Penny girl…"

"How much longer?"

"They aren't sure yet."

They sat there quietly, and he watched her fight the tears of disappointment and anger that were growing behind her long lashes. Will felt as though his heart was breaking. He remembered how angry he'd been at the doctor for giving Penny false hope. How he'd snarled and snapped while they tried to explain it to him. How he eventually collapsed into a chair in the hallway and sobbed, just hours ago, and Doctor Bennett held him even though she didn't have to.

Then Penny sniffed a little and let go of his hands.

"It's okay," she said finally. "I mean, I'll be able to play another week of DnD. And Jenny said that Robin from the Titans is visiting this part of the hospital next weekend and… well you know. It's fine."

Will swallowed thickly.

"I'm so, so proud of my strong little sister," he said. "God, you're so cool."

She cleared her throat and then smiled a little. "I know."

"I know you know."

The two of them sat there a little longer, carefully packing up their game and putting it away where it belonged.

"Want me to walk you to DnD?"

"No, I've got it. Besides, that'd be so embarrassing."

Will smiled. "You gonna be okay tonight?"

"I mean, it's pudding night on Thursdays," Penny said. "But… maybe can you sleep over?"

Will bent down to hug her.

"Yeah, of course."

"Okay… thanks."

"No need to thank me," Will said, running a hand over her shorn hair and then tapping her nose. He felt like crying again, but he said, "It's what I'm here for."

They said goodbye, and then Penny ordered him to leave before her friends saw him.

"I'll be back tonight," he said.

"I'll be here…" she said.

I know. He thought as she walked away from him, carrying her heavy collection of games as she went. I know you will…

Will had the day off from Ol' Corner Books today. One mention of going to see Penny and Nate had flatly refused to let Will work at all. He was going to talk the half-day but instead he found himself wandering around the hospital grounds, aimless.

It would be a few hours, Penny had said, before she'd be back in her room for the night. He marveled at how popular his little sister was, and all the social engagements she always seemed to have planned each day. Each week. Each month.

Each year.

How long had it been? Too long, Will thought to himself. He walked with his hands in his pockets and started down the street.

Almost three years now. One thing after another.

Sometimes he would pick books from the shelf in Nate's bookstore and see his life laid out before him as a YA tragedy. Missing dad, dead mom, sister with cancer. It was a fantasy to some people. They would buy the books and rave about how real it was, how the characters jumped off the page, and he would smile and say "I'm glad you liked it, please come again!". But the reality was that it was his reality, and he spent every day trying to remember that the pulse in his veins was the only thing keeping he and Penny alive right now.

That he would have to keep doing it, every day, until things turned around.

But he wasn't down on himself. Not really. He still felt the wind on his face, the sun on his skin. He still felt his heart flutter when Rose smiled at him, though he knew it was silly of him. He liked being silly though, he liked living his life one day at a time. Just like other people. He liked his cups of cheap coffee and the moments that slipped away when he read good books at the cashier's counter.

Will was still a happy guy.

He was just so tired sometimes.

Speaking of coffee, Will thought to himself as he approached Vinny's Diner and Deli for his first cup of coffee for the day. He walked through the glass door and the bell above it chimed, announcing his presence.

At first it bothered him that he'd worked here, and that he'd suddenly quit out of the blue, but would still order coffee at the counter and eat his eggs and read the news channel subtitles on the corner television on his off days. But Ronnie told him not to worry about it, and so he didn't.

As the bell chimed above him, he saw Ronnie's head turn toward the sound to greet the new customer. When she saw it was him she grinned.

"Willy!"

Will cringed. "Please, please stop calling me that."

"Never," she smiled. Ronnie was middle-aged and had been working at this location for nearly twenty years. First it had been a soda-pop shop, then a grill, and now a breakfast and lunch diner with cheap coffee and grouchy patrons. She tapped her long, red nails on the counter and always wore too much eyeliner, but he liked her all the same.

"C'mon, in. How you feeling? I see that nose has scarred up quite a bit."

Will scratched at the bridge of his nose absently. "Better, thanks. Got coffee?"

"Got Coffee!?" She bellowed. "Course we got coffee, silly Willy."

He cringed again. "I hate that so much."

"I know you do, sugar."

Ronnie cackled and disappeared behind the door that led to the kitchens in the back. He could see her brunette beehive hairdo flash by the window as she left to get him a fresh pot.

Then he sighed heavily.

Why did I come here? He thought. Making small talk with Ronnie all morning and afternoon while he waited to pack a bag and head back to the hospital wouldn't relax him. He doubted it would even distract him for long. He bounced his leg on the barstool rungs beneath him and felt as though his skin were crawling.

How much longer? She'd asked him. He wished he knew.

Then he felt a gentle tap on his right shoulder.

Will turned, surprised, expecting to see an old coworker. Then he saw the shining face of Rose, and she smiled at him.

"Wow, I can't seem to get away from you," she said.

"No kidding," he said. She was wearing a blue, cotton t-shirt with white shorts and a sweatshirt jacket. Her hair was up in a curly, messy bun and she looked…just… "Er-what are you doing here?"

"Looking for a late breakfast. You?"

"Late coffee."

"Perfect. Can I join?"

He gestured to the barstool next to him. "Please."

She hopped up on the faux red leather and spun the stool to face him. Her feet rested on the barstool rungs below her and she propped one arm on the counter.

"Not working today?"

"No," Will said. He knew what would come next would turn the conversation in an awkward direction, but she promised not to make it weird. "I went to see Penny today, so Nate gave me today off."

Without missing a beat, Rose simply said, "How is she?"

Will felt the lump in his throat but swallowed it down.

"She's really good. She's playing DnD."

"Oh, I love DnD. Does she play it often?"

"Every week."

"She must like it."

"Loves it," said Will.

Then Ronnie appeared again, hoisting a hot pot of coffee over her head and screaming, "Order up! One cup o' Joe for the man who left us all in the dust, Willy Wonka over here!"

And she poured him a cup with a bright, flashing smile and a wink.

"Ronnie," Will snapped. "I'll never, ever come back here now, you hear me?"

"Lies and slander," Ronnie said cackling again. "You come for the coffee, the cake and apparently the girls. What's your name, sugar?"

Rose blushed. "Rose, ma'am."

"Oh, you are a rose, aren't you? All pinks and reds, you are."

Will put his face in his hands and let the warm steam of the coffee wash over him.

"Er-I suppose?" Rose said.

"Suppose nothing, sugar. I bet all the boys wanna pluck you out of the garden—"

"Thank you, Ronnie." Will said, raising his head up. "For the love of God—"

"I'm just teasing," Ronnie laughed. "You're so sensitive, goodness gracious."

And with that, Ronnie and her beehive hairdo disappeared again to help other customers.

Just kill me, Will thought to himself as Rose attempted to pull herself together.

"She seems nice," Rose finally said.

"Yeah, a real gem."

Then they both looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry," Will smiled as Rose wiped her eyes, still giggling. "That was inappropriate."

"It's alright," Rose said. "It happens. It's certainly not the worst thing I've heard said about me since moving to the city."

"Oh," Will frowned a little. "That's terrible."

She rested her hands on the counter. "It happens, you know? Cat calls, slurs, people knocking you out of the way on the subway."

Will gave her a sympathetic look.

"Still, don't listen to people. People are crazy."

"Not all people, and not all crazy is a bad sort of crazy," Rose reminded him. "Nate's assuredly crazy."

Will laughed again.

"Oh, right! What an excellent point, I stand corrected."

"How is the bookstore?"

"Since yesterday? It's doing well," he smiled. Then he cleared his throat.

"You ran out of there yesterday..."

Rose was about to assure him that it wasn't meant to seem impolite, but Ronnie reappeared with coffee.

"Can't believe you'd think we didn't have coffee," Ronnie 'tsked' at Will who rolled his eyes.

"More properly this time," Will advised the woman, "Ronnie, this is Rose. She's a friend of mine."

"I should hope so," Ronnie said, sticking out her long-nailed hand for Rose to shake. "How are you, darlin?"

"I'm great, thank you," Rose smiled. It lit up the whole diner, Will thought.

"You sure are," Ronnie winked. "So, what're you doing hanging out with this guy?"

"We both work at the same place now," Will said quickly.

"Oh, coworkers. You the one who stole him away from us?"

Rose blushed. "No, not at all."

"I quit remember?"

"With nowhere to go," Ronnie smiled at Will. "Lucky boy, for that handsome old bookkeeper to land you that job right away."

Will's ears burned red.

"Very lucky..." he muttered and sipped his coffee.

"I read to the kids at Ol' Corner Books," Rose interjected, sensing Will's discomfort.

"Wow, you get paid for that?" Ronnie asked.

Rose cleared her throat, "No, I volunteer. It's for my master's program."

"That's nice of ya," Ronnie said, resting her elbows on the counter. "You must be new to the city. Not many folks around here volunteer for nothin'. They expect the Titans to do good for 'em. Shameful."

Once again, Rose felt the frustration of being 'new', but she ignored the comment.

"Do you volunteer?" Rose asked.

Ronnie winked. "When I've got the time."

"Ronnie!" a gruff male voice yelled from behind the kitchen service window. Ronnie grinned and turned around.

"Yeah, Hank?"

"Quit talking to the kids and get back to work!"

"I am workin', you old bastard!"

It went back and forth like that for a while, and Rose's eyes widened in surprise, but Will tried not to laugh again. No other regular patrons in the diner seemed perturbed, and after a while, Will said quietly under his breath, "They're married. They're not really mad at each other, they just like to cause a scene."

"Cause a scene?" Rose gasped. "More like start a war."

But the two diner employees, one a veteran waitress and the other a line cook with a beard-net, gave one another a small kiss through the order window.

"Now you get back to work, Hank." Ronnie flashed him a winning smile. He blushed and went back to the grill.

Ronnie left them finally to serve other customers, so Will turned to Rose.

"Well, now that that's over, are you hungry?"