Okay, I'm really, REALLY sorry about the lack of updates, reviews on your stories or posts on the forum. The internet at camp has been down and even now, I'm using someone's ipod to post this and the signal is weak, so all I have time to do is post this. I'll be back on August 14 and I'll be as active as before again. Once again, I'm really sorry and I look forward to my full-time return to the Glee fanbase.
So, here's Chapter 9. I hope you enjoy it. It ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger, but like I said, this story WILL have a happy ending, one I don't think lots of people will expect.
One last author note: For my birthday (July 28) I'd like 25000 reads and 500 reviews on all my stories. So, read and review!

Chapter 9: Defeat

Things looked promising during the week after Jack's bone marrow transplant. While it was too early to really tell if the cancer had been reduced, everyone was in higher spirits and was getting healthier amounts of food and sleep. Since Jack had such a rare bone marrow type, the mere fact that they'd found someone and her bone marrow had been accepted by his body was a good thing.
The positive impact didn't last. About two weeks after the transplant, Jack began feeling sick. Hoping it was just side effects from the transplant, Rachel took him to the doctor. While Rachel took Jack to the doctor, Finn was at school. His students were doing a worksheet when his classroom phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Rachel. Hoping it wasn't too bad, Finn picked up the phone and heard sobbing.
"What is it, Rach?" Finn asked, dreading Rachel's answer.
"Finn, you've got to get to the hospital immediately," Rachel sobbed. "Jack has a bad fungal infection."
Finn gasped in horror.
"It's pretty bad," Rachel continued. "Could you please just come to the hospital?"
"I'll be there as soon as I can," Finn panted, feeling himself losing consciousness. In a panic, he called the principal and asked him to send someone to manage his classroom, then got in the car and began driving to the hospital. How could this be happening so quickly? EVERYTHING had happened so quickly. Jack had been diagnosed a week after Labor Day. It was now the second week of December. The bone marrow transplant had made everyone so optimistic lately, but maybe there had been no hope to begin with.
Finn fought back tears as he went into Jack's hospital room. Rachel sat beside their youngest child's bed, her arms wrapped around him as she rocked him.
"Hey," Finn said quietly, giving Rachel and Jack each a quick kiss.
Rachel lay Jack on the bed, stood up and gave Finn a tight hug. "Finn..." She began crying. "I just wish there was something we could do."
"There has to be something," Finn sobbed.
"I'm sorry, Finn. Rachel." Finn and Rachel turned to see the oncologist standing there.
"Jack's infection is very bad. His immune system is very weak. Even after the bone marrow transplant, he definitely isn't back to normal. This may be too much for him. Most of the fungus is in his bone marrow."
"Isn't there something else we can try?" Rachel asked. "An experimental trial or something?"
"There's nothing," the doctor said. "You may want to bring Ryan, Emma and Sarah here so they can see Jack."
"What do you mean?" Finn asked.
"They should get to say goodbye to their brother."
"Do you think-" Rachel began.
The doctor took Finn and Rachel's hands. "I don't think it will be long. I'm sorry. I know this all happened so fast, but at least you didn't have to watch him suffer for a long, long time."
"I think the two of us would like some private time with Jack," Finn said tearfully. He looked at Rachel and could tell she felt the same way.
"Of course you can," the doctor said. "But remember,Ryan, Emma and Sarah deserve to see him."
"We'll get them," Rachel said. "I think the two of us need time with him first."
"Go ahead," the doctor said. As soon as she left the room, Jack woke up.
"Mommy, Daddy, what are they doing?" Jack asked.
"You're going to be better," Rachel whispered. "That's what we wanted to talk to you about, Jack. You'll get better. You won't feel pain anymore. You'll never have to have chemo or anything like that again. But there's something bad that comes with it. You're going to a wonderful place called Heaven, but we're all still going to be here. Eventually we'll come join you, but not for a while."
"Are you saying I'll be alone?" Jack asked.
Finn took Jack's hand. "You're going to get to meet my dad, and there will be lots of angels to help take care of you. It's a nice place and you'll be very happy." He was relieved Rachel had known what to say at first, because he didn't
"Then why do you look so sad?" Jack asked.
"Because we'll miss you so much," Rachel said. "We love you."
"When am I going?" Jack asked.
"Soon," Finn said. "Ryan, Emma and Sarah are going to come see you. When they come, could you tell them you're going?"
"Yeah," Jack said.
Finn heard a knock at the door. "That must be our parents," Rachel said. "I texted them after I called you at work."
Rachel went to the door. Finn's mom and stepdad and Rachel's mom and dads came in and talked briefly to Finn and Rachel before going to sit with Jack. When their parents were with Jack, Finn and Rachel stepped into the hall to talk.
"I just can't believe how fast this is happening," Rachel said tearfully. "A week ago things looked so good. Now I don't know if he'll be with us tomorrow."
Finn pulled Rachel close and kissed her forehead. "This shouldn't be happening, Rach."
"No, it really shouldn't," Rachel whispered.
Finn stroked Rachel's hair. "I'm going up to Cambridge to get Ryan, Emma and Sarah."
Rachel nodded. "We should get them sooner rather than later."
Finn gave Rachel a kiss before getting in the car to make a drive he'd dreaded, a drive to Cambridge to get Ryan, Emma and Sarah so they could say goodbye to the little brother they adored. The drive to Cambridge seemed longer than usual, partly because Finn's tears were fogging his eyesight. He forced himself to stop crying as he went into the school office, telling the secretary it was an emergency and his children needed to be picked up right away. The twins were at recess and Sarah was in art class, but they all came to the office and were taken to the car right away. They all seemed confused.
"Couldn't we wait until after school to go to the hospital?" Emma asked. Finn wanted them to get to see Jack, and the sooner they did, the better. After today's visit, they most likely would never see their brother again. Finn didn't know what was in store for his family or if he was making the right choice by bringing the kids to see Jack in such pain. He started to cry as he pulled into the hospital. "Jack's not doing well," Finn told the kids as they went inside. "I want him to see you guys. It might... be good for him."
Finn and Rachel didn't want to tell the kids that the end was near for their brother, but it was clear they knew things weren't good. Finn's heart broke seeing the looks on his three oldest children's faces as they sat in the waiting room. Ryan was pacing around aimlessly, while the girls sat side by side, Emma's arm around Sarah's shoulder.
Ryan finally spoke. "How long do you think it will be?"
Finn sighed. "Just spend some special time with Jack."
Rachel came into the waiting room. "Hi," she said quietly.
"Hi," Finn said.
Rachel turned to the kids. "How about you go in, one at a time? Daddy and I will be in the waiting room."
"Ryan, go in first, as his brother. Then Sarah as the closest in age, then Emma."
The kids nodded as Ryan went into the room. As Ryan left Finn leaned over to Rachel. "They can tell."
Rachel sighed. "We tried, but I guess it's not a surprise they know. How long should we give each kid in there?"
"Maybe fifteen, twenty minutes. I don't want to upset them too much," Finn said.
Rachel took Finn's hand. "I'm so sorry they've had to deal with this. I love you and the kids so much. More than anything."
Finn kissed Rachel. "You and the kids are the best things in my life."
Rachel put her arms around Finn. He could tell she was close to tears. He was too. But they couldn't cry in front of their daughters.
Finn lay his head on Rachel's lap. She leaned down and kissed his forehead, then began running her fingers through what had grown back of his hair. (He had enough for her to play with again, she said.) Rachel whispered in Finn's ear, "I love you, Finn Christopher Hudson."
Finn sat up and pulled Rachel in, kissing her forehead and massaging her shoulders. "I love you, Rachel Barbara Berry Hudson." He let a tear fall on Rachel's shoulder. It wasn't fair. He wasn't ready to say goodbye to his little boy. For the rest of his life he'd be scarred. As would his wife and their other children. Even after Jack died, the effects of the cancer would live on.
x
Ryan stood at the doorway of Jack's hospital room and went in. his parents were very worried. He knew they didn't want to upset him but he was worried. He thought his brother might die and he didn't want him to.
"Hey, Ryan," Jack said.
"Hey Jack," Ryan said, forcing a smile. "How are you?"
"I'm going to be all better, Ryan. Mommy and Daddy told me. They said soon I'm going to a place called Heaven. I'm never going to have to be in the hospital again and I'll never hurt again."
Ryan felt ready to cry. This was how his parents wanted him to find out.
"You're crying," Jack said. "Why are you crying? I'll be happy there. Mommy and Daddy said that I'll get to meet Grandpa Chris."
"I'm crying because I'll miss you," Ryan managed to sob.
"I'll miss you too but Mommy and Daddy said I'll still get to see you."
Ryan sat down on the bed and gave Jack a hug. "I love you. You were the best brother ever."
"I love you too."
Ryan and Jack spent the next twenty minutes talking and playing on Ryan's DS. Ryan wasn't ready to leave, but he knew it was important for his sisters to have time with Jack too.
x
Sarah stood by the entrance of Jack's hospital room and went inside. She still didn't fully understand everything. Cancer was a big deal and it was seriously impacting her family's life. Everyone was always worried. She and her older siblings didn't see their parents as much. They saw Jack even less.
"Hi Sarah," Jack said as Sarah went into the room.
Sarah smiled at her brother. "Hi Jack." She got worried when she saw him hooked up to another machine.
"I don't want you to cry too," Jack said.
"Why would I cry?" Sarah asked.
"Mommy and Daddy cried this morning. They told me I'm going somewhere called Heaven soon. Then Ryan cried when I told him."
Sarah started crying. "That means me and Mommy and Daddy and Emma and Ryan won't ever see you again! That means you're going to-" She didn't think kids died. Was her brother really going to die?
"You'll see me again and I'll see all of you from Heaven," Jack said. "That's what the priest told me."
Sarah just kept crying.
"Don't cry, Sarah. I love you," Jack said.
"I love you too, Jack," Sarah said. She played with Jack and his stuffed animals for a little before leaving.
x
After seeing how sad her brother and sister looked after leaving Jack's hospital room, Emma knew things weren't good. She sadly admitted to herself she'd known Jack would die from the beginning, she just liked to pretend it wouldn't happen.
Emma sighed as she went into the room. This would probably be the last time she saw her little brother.
"Hi Emma," Jack said as Emma came in.
"Hi Jack," Emma said, giving her brother a hug and joining him on the bed. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm good. Mommy and Daddy told me this morning that soon I won't be sick anymore."
"Really?" Emma asked. "Then why's everyone so sad?"
"Because I'm leaving, Emma. I'm going to live in Heaven with Daddy's dad and I'm never going back to our house."
Emma pulled Jack in for a tight hug, letting her tears fall on him. "I want you to get better, but I don't want you to leave."
"I love you, Emma," Jack said.
Emma wiped her tears. "I love you too, Jack."
"It makes me sad when you all cry. They think I won't come back after I go to Heaven, but I think I will."
Emma sighed. Rather than explaining the irreversability of death to Jack, they played together until she was called out.
x
"Just be sensitive to their needs," Rachel said to Shelby. "Thank you so much for coming in, Mom."
Shelby gave Rachel a hug. "You know I'll always help out, honey."
"Let them stay up as late as they want," Finn said. "I want Rachel and me to tell them in person."
"Don't worry, Finn."
"Thanks again, Shelby," Finn said. He turned to Ryan, Emma and Sarah. "Mommy and I will be back later tonight." With tears in his eyes, Finn gave Ryan, Emma and Sarah each a tight hug. He and Rachel watched sadly as Shelby led them away. More than likely, they'd seen their brother for the last time.
"Shit like this shouldn't happen, Finny," Rachel said, her lip trembling, as they walked into the room. The nurse who'd stood outside the door quickly whispered, "I'll give you guys some privacy" before leaving the doorway.
Finn and Rachel went into the room to see their son lying in bed. "Mommy, Daddy, when I go to Heaven, will you be okay?" Jack asked.
Finn and Rachel looked at each other sadly."We'll be fine," Rachel whispered. They knew they weren't fine, but they didn't want to upset their son.
"We'll always be with you, Jack," Finn said. "No matter where you go, me and Mommy and Ryan and Emma and Sarah will be with you." He began crying. "And you're in all of us."
"I love you, Jack," Rachel whispered.
"I love you, Mommy. I love you, Daddy," Jack said weakly.
"I love you, and I always will," Finn said. He put his arm around Rachel as she cried quietly against him. Finn took one of Jack's hands and Rachel took the other. With tears in their eyes, they watched as their youngest child began to fall asleep.
"I think... I think it's time," Rachel whispered in Finn's ear as a single tear rolled down her cheek. With her arm that wasn't holding Jack's hand, she tightened her grip around Finn.
Finn nodded as a tear of his own fell. "Take care of him, Dad," he whispered. "He's coming to you soon."
Jack's breathing slowed. Finn and Rachel held his hands tighter.