Internet at camp still sucks and I was sick this week, but I still managed to write another chapter and in three weeks I'll be home. Thanks for reading and commenting. Review if you want me to keep going.

Chapter 8: The Transplant

Rachel rolled over in bed, struggling to get some sleep. Bone marrow had been taken from the donor and tomorrow would be Jack's transplant. If the transplant failed, Jack was most likely not going to survive his cancer and would likely die within a few weeks. The transplant was a risky process, the doctors had told Finn and Rachel multiple times, and even it did not guarantee survival.
Lying awake in bed, Rachel thought about everything that had happened to Ryan and Emma over the last five years. They'd lost teeth, learned to ride bikes, performed in the district-wide musical production, learned to play instruments, started playing sports and gone to sleepaway camp. All since they'd been Jack's age. Jack may never get to do any of that.
For the past two months the Hudson family's lives had been defined by fear, uncertainty, sadness and need, but also by love, hope, family, friendship and support. Many sacrifices had been made. There had probably been a dozen sleepless nights. Finances were becoming more and more limited. Finn and Rachel were both exhausted emotionally and physically.
Rachel looked at Finn who was lying next to her in bed. "You awake, Finn?" Rachel whispered.
"Yeah," Finn said. He pulled Rachel in for one of those hugs that only he could give.
"Finn..." Rachel began.
"What is it, Rach?" Finn whispered.
"Remember at Sectionals our sophomore year when you said all we had was that we believed in ourselves and what we were doing?"
Finn smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I remember."
"Well... I think that's our situation now, too," Rachel said. "The odds are against him, but we believe that Jack can fight that cancer and that together, we'll get through this."
Finn gave Rachel a kiss. "I love you."
Rachel kissed Finn. "I love you, too."
"He'll be okay," Finn said.
Rachel nodded. "Definitely." But she wasn't so sure.
x
"We can not thank you enough for doing this," Finn said. It was the next day, and the waiting room was packed with Rachel, Finn, Ryan, Emma, Sarah, Burt, Carole, Ally, Hiram, Leroy, Shelby, Beth, Kurt, Blaine, Michael, Brendan, and the one whose bone marrow would be placed in Jack's body - Santana.
"I'm glad I was a match," Santana said.
"How've you been feeling?" Rachel asked, feeling guilty about her classmate donating bone marrow. They hadn't even been respectful to each other until senior year, hadn't really been friends until college. Now it may be her bone marrow that could save Jack's life.
"Recovering from having bone marrow removed isn't easy, but it's nothing compared to what Jack's going through," Santana said.
"Thank you," Rachel said, her eyes filling with tears. "Thank you."
Santana pulled Rachel in and hugged her tight.
"Mommy?" Rachel looked up to see Sarah standing there.
"What is it, honey?" Rachel asked.
"May I sit on your lap?" Sarah asked.
Rachel nodded and pulled her daughter on to her lap. "Of course you can." Poor Sarah. When Rachel was six, she didn't even know what cancer was. Now her six-year-old daughter was experiencing it first hand. Six-year-olds were supposed to worry about where their toys were, what would be in their lunch or who would be willing to be their partner. Sarah was forced to worry about whether not her brother would still be alive in another year.
"Will Jack be okay?" Sarah asked.
Rachel's policy her whole life had been to be honest with her kids, but this time she had to lie. "He'll be fine."
"Are you sure?" Sarah asked.
"I know," Rachel lied. "Don't you worry."
Rachel looked sadly at Finn. Finn looked back. They'd gotten so many people involved, so death would be more than a loss to the Hudson family. It would be as if they'd gotten all these people involved for nothing.
Rachel turned on her phone to find text messages from several of her friends.
From: Tina
Any word on the surgery? How's Jack? And how are you and Finn and the kids?
From: Quinn
Sending you lots of love and all the best today. I love you!
From: Mercedes
Let me know how it goes. thinking of you all today.
A doctor came into the room. "You're all here for Jack Hudson?"
"Yes doctor," Finn said. "I'm his father, this is his mother. These are family members and friends.
"How's Jack doing?" Rachel asked.
"Well the bone marrow was successfully accepted. He's pretty wiped out. It's too early to know how successful the transplant was successful. He's too vulnerable for many people to see him now. He was asking for his parents, so I'll let them go in, but everyone else needs to wait until tomorrow."
"I'll watch Ryan, Emma and Sarah," Santana said.
Rachel smiled. "Thanks." She took Finn's hand and followed the doctor into Jack's room. "Daddy?" Jack whispered.
Finn kneeled down next to to Jack's bed. "I'm here, honey," Finn whispered. "Mommy and I are both here with you."
Jack opened his eyes. "Daddy! Mommy!"
Finn and Rachel took their son into their arms. "I love you, Jack," Finn whispered.
"I love you too, Daddy," Jack said.
"I love you, Jack," Rachel whispered.
"I love you, Mommy," Jack said.
"How are you feeling?" Rachel asked.
"It hurts, Mommy," Jack said.
"If this did what it was supposed to, we won't have to do any more of this. Ever," Finn said.
"Ever?" Jack asked.
"Ever," Finn said.
"Then I hope it worked," Jack said.
"So do I," Rachel said. "You have no idea."
"Will I ever get to go back to kindergarten?" Jack asked.
"I hope so," Rachel said. "Maybe not until the next school year starts."
"I want to go back," Jack said. "It was fun."
"We'll let you go back as soon as the doctors say you can," Finn said.
"Will you guys sing to me?" Jack asked.
Rachel nodded. "Of course. We don't have music, but we can sing."
When they finished the song, Finn and Rachel noticed Jack had fallen asleep in their arms.
"Jack, everything will be fine," Finn said. He and Rachel cradled Jack in their arms. They stayed there until the doctors kicked them out.
x
The next morning, Finn and Rachel went back to the hospital with Santana, their children, their parents, their siblings and nephews. The next day, Santana would be going home to Las Vegas and her family, but wanted to see Jack to see if her bone marrow had worked. Rachel still felt in infinite debt to her former enemy.
Today Jack was out of intensive care, so everyone could see him together. Finn and Rachel led the group into the room. Jack smiled when he saw everyone.
"How's my marrow treating you, Jack?" Santana asked.
"I think I'm okay," Jack said. "Thank you, Aunt Santana."
"How are you feeling today, Jack?" Ryan asked, sitting on his brother's bed.
"I miss you, Ryan," Jack said. "How's soccer?"
"It's fun," Ryan said. "I wish you could come to one of my games. We've still won all of them."
"That's great," Jack said. "I want to come to a game."
"I miss you too," Sarah said, sitting down on Jack's bed.
"I miss you too, Sarah," Jack said.
"I can't wait until you get home," Sarah said.
"Neither can I," Jack said.
Emma joined her siblings on the bed. "I was so worried about you," she told her brother.
"I'm fine now," Jack said.
Rachel felt tears in her eyes as she looked at her four children sitting cuddled together on Jack's hospital bed.
"Are you okay, Aunt Rachel?" Brendan asked. "You look sad."
Rachel couldn't believe that a four-year-old could tell. "I'm fine, Brendan." She wiped her tears.
"Don't be sad, Mommy," Jack said, clearly having overheard what Brendan said. "I'm okay."
"Okay," Rachel said as she held Finn's hand tightly.
Kurt put his arm around Rachel. "It'll all be fine," he whispered.
Rachel gave Kurt a hug. "Thank you."
x
A few hours later, Rachel was driving Santana to the airport while Finn stayed at the hospital with Jack. Kurt and Blaine had taken the three oldest kids, as well as their sons, back to the Hudson house and were heading back to New York the next day. The grandparents, Beth and Ally were already headed back to Lima.
After a few moments of silence, Santana spoke. "Rachel, I'm so sorry about how I treated you in high school. I'm sorry I messed up you and Finn at one point. I'm sorry I told you we all pretended to like you. I'm sorry I called you all those names."
"We graduated twelve years ago and we've been friends since then. Why are you apologizing?" Rachel asked.
"I just feel so bad, seeing you and Finn go through this," Santana said. "If one of my daughters got sick, I don't think I could get through it. You and Finn are so strong."
Rachel felt tears coming to her eyes. "It's so hard... I don't know how I do it. I try so hard to be strong for the kids, but the truth is every day I'm dying on the inside."
Santana leaned over and gave Rachel a hug. "You ARE strong, Rachel. You've been such a great mom to Ryan and Emma and Sarah. It's clear how much you and Finn love your kids and each other."
Rachel let a few tears fall. "Finn and the kids are the best things in my life. I don't know - if Jack dies, our fragile surface will crack."
"I'm so sorry, Rachel," Santana said. "I just wish there was something I could do."
"You've done the best thing anyone can do for us," Rachel said. "It's possible you saved Jack's life. We're forever in debt to you."
Santana smiled at Rachel. "He'll be fine."
"I hope so," Rachel said as they pulled into the airport. "Have a good flight home."
"Are you sure you don't want me to pay you and Finn back for my airplane tickets?" Santana asked.
Rachel shook her head. "We're not taking money back from you. You're potentially saving our son's life."
"Okay," Santana said, getting out of the car and hugging Rachel. "Just keep me updated on Jack."
"Will do," Rachel said, hugging back. She watched Santana leave before checking her phone to see if there was any news from the hospital. Finn's text only said that Jack had fallen asleep. Rachel also had a missed call from Quinn. She immediately called Quinn back. As soon as she answered the phone, Quinn just asked, "How did the transplant go?"
"I think it went okay," Rachel said. "I'm still holding on to hope."
"We think about you guys every day," Quinn said. "Every night at dinner Maddie says 'God Bless Uncle Finn, Aunt Rachel, Jack, Sarah, Ryan and Emma.'"
Rachel felt tears coming to her eyes. "It's taken its toll on us all. I've gained weight and had morning sickness. Probably from all the stress."
"Everything will be fine," Quinn said.
"That's what I believe," Rachel said. After all, she thought if you say it enough you can believe it. Jack had to be okay. He had to.