Author's Note: Sorry, I haven't been able to update. My computer has been down. I just wanted to thank you all for the kind reviews! They mean a lot to me.

The Ties That Bind Ch. 7

"Dad?" Jenna asked uncertainly as she approached her father who was sitting in the waiting room of the hospital. His hands were holding his head with his elbows propped on his knees. He looked up when he heard her voice. His face was tear stained.

"Jenna, who brought you here?" Jay asked.
"Grandma and Grandpa. They're here too, they're just parking the car..."
"Where's your little sister?" he asked.
"Craig is watching her so that Manny could be here too. Where's mom? What happened?" Jenna asked looking around.
"The doctors are with her now... Jenna, we have to have a talk. You have to promise to not be upset with your mom," Jay started as he looked into his daughter's eyes. Eyes that were almost identical to Emma's.
"What? Just tell me... I won't be mad, I promise."
"Your mother... She has breast cancer, Jen..."
"But that's not that bad... I mean they have treatments for that kind of stuff," Jenna smiled with relief.
"It's pretty advanced. Your mom has known she's had it since Mel was born... She hasn't had the money for treatment."
"That's why she brought us here, isn't it. It wasn't so that we could meet you or see grandma and grandpa... It was because she needed someone to take care of when she died..." Jenna cried. Jay wrapped his arms around his daughter and cried with her. Snake, Spike, Manny, and Alex ran into the hospital.

"Jay, where's our daughter?" Snake asked.
"She's with the doctors... They haven't told me anything yet..." Jay responded not looking up from his daughter.
"What's going on? Why are you crying? What are you not telling us?" Spike demanded.

At that moment a doctor walked into the waiting room reading a chart.

"Mr. Hogart?" the doctor asked.
"Yes sir, that's me." Jay answered as he stood up.
"I need you to come into my office..." The dr. started.
"I'm her mother, I'm coming too..." Spike interrupted. The Doctor glanced at Jay and he nodded.
"Very well," The doctor replied. Alex sat down next to Jenna and put her arm around her. Jenna lay her head on her shoulder.

The doctor opened his office to Jay and Spike and after they were seated, he shut the door and sat behind the desk.

"Emma has breast cancer... It's very advanced and at this point I think that the only possible solution is for her to have a mastectomy..." The doctor started.
"What's a mastectomy?" Jay asked.
"It's where they remove her breasts..." Spike replied in shock.
"Does Emma know?" Jay asked.
"Yes, she came to when we were examining her. We told her what we thought and she's pretty upset. I just think that it's too late for radiation or any other kind of treatment. If we don't do the mastectomy, Emma's life expectancy is going to be cut very short..." the Doctor spoke.
"What exactly could we expect from this surgery?" Spike asked.
"Well, we would be removing her left breast. It's called a modified radical mastectomy. In the procedure we'd also be removing her lymph nodes from her under arm pit, but the chest wall muscle will remain in place so that if she chooses she can have breast reconstruction surgery..."
"And the tumors will be removed?" Jay asked.
"Yes. I think this is Emma's only shot."
"Then we'll do it," Jay replied. "Do what you have to and set up Emma's surgery."
"This procedure is very expensive Mr. Hogart, and Emma doesn't have health insurance." The Doctor stated.
"It's okay. I'll get the money. I'll sell my club. The only thing that matters is Emma." Jay nodded.
"We'll help too, as much as we can," Spike agreed.
"Okay then, I'll take these forms to the desk and they'll schedule everything for you," the Doctor stood and shook their hands, "and Jay... Emma would like to see you. She's in room 412."

Jay raced out of the office and down the hall to where Emma was laying in a bed with tubes hooked up to her. A tear fell down her face when she saw him.

"Jay, I'm so sorry I ruined our wedding." Emma cried as Jay took off his shoes and crawled into the bed with her. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her on top of the head.

"Shh, sweetie. It's okay. None of that stuff matters. All that matters is that we're together for the rest of our long lives... You understand? I'm not willing to let you go again. I need you too much. Jen and Mel need you too much. I'm not letting you go ever again."
"But, Jay... Didn't they tell you, they want to remove my breast. How awful. My body will be soooo deformed. How can you possibly love someone with one breast?" Emma cried.
"Em, I don't love you for your breasts... I love you for who you are inside. The rest doesn't matter without that."
"It's just not fair! Why does all this bad stuff keep happening to us? When will it be over?"
"I don't know sweetheart. Just promise me that no matter what you know I love you." Jay squeezed her shoulder.
"I promise." Emma sighed as she fell asleep in his arms.

To Be Continued. Sorry it was so short. More tomorrow, I promise. And it will be a lot longer too!