A/N: I'd like to thank everyone who commented and reviewed and messaged me. It meant a great deal to me. I'd also like to publicly thank Rescuemama for her help last chapter. She gave me the confidence to go on.

Sonny woke up in the hospital bed once again. He wasn't sure how he got back to there. The last thing he remembered was seeing Will writhing on the floor in uncontrolled convulsions. He remembered his mother looking at Will and saying "He's probably faking it…" She had such a look of loathing, as if Will deserved what was happening to him if indeed this was real. She didn't care what a great young person Will was; that someone who Sonny cared deeply for, was in trouble; in possible excruciating pain, and in neurological shock. Will had been in serious trouble and Sonny's mother didn't care. Sonny knew that all she cared about was if he was okay or not and anything that stood in the way of her being able to protect him would be ground to dust; but if she truly cared about him, about his feelings, then she would care about Will. Will was everything to him. Sonny loved his mother but right now he was angry as hell at her.

All of a sudden a rather buxom-looking middle-aged nurse strode into the room with a worried look on her face. Sonny then realized that quite a few machines were beeping like crazy. The nurse went to that main machine and pressed a button; the noises stopped. She then put all her attention on Sonny.

"I see that you are finally awake. You gave us a little scare there for a minute…"

Sonny was flabbergasted. And a million thoughts ran through his head, causing him to be even more agitated. He gave them a scare? What about Will? Where was he? Was he okay?

The machines started beeping again. The nurse looked at Sonny, and frowned then she focused on turning the sounds off again. "You blood pressure and heart rate are elevated, especially considering you should have low b/p because of your chemo treatment. You need to calm down young man…"

Sonny tried to sit up and found that he couldn't. This frustrated him even more but he managed to get out "What I need is to know how Will Horton is doing…" The nurse looked at Sonny questioningly. "I'm afraid I can't discuss another patient's condition without…"

Sonny was about to get even more frustrated and angry when Dr. Cameron walked into Sonny's room. Sonny knew that Dr. Cameron was both his and Will's doctor, one of a slew and was about to ask the doctor directly about Will; but, Dr. Cameron must have heard Sonny because he addressed the nurse directly. "It's okay Nurse Devon, Sonny is very well acquainted with Will. They are friends…" Sonny gave Dr. Cameron a look. "…of the intimate variety…In future, Sonny can know Will's progress."

Dr. Cameron then addressed Sonny directly and told him that Will was in the next room and that they had induced him into a coma to help him heal from his convulsions. And anticipating Sonny's next question he said. "Sonny, let's see how well you are doing before we decide whether you can go and see Will…shall we?"

The doctor proceeded to look at Sonny's chart and Sonny could see a slight smile run across the doctor's face. Sonny didn't even have to lift an eyebrow as a form of inquiry, if we had one. "Well Sonny, it looks like the anti-viral and anti-bacterial medications you are taking have done their job. You'll need to keep taking them for another week or so, but your condition has stabilized. I want to keep you here for observation for at least another twenty-four hours…but I encourage you to move around the ward as much as you can to bring your stamina and strength back up."

Sonny took that last comment as permission to be able to see Will. His eyes shone brightly and he started to smile. Dr. Cameron nodded and then proceeded to expound on Will's condition. Will did not have any trace of virus, but he was suffering from intestinal infections caused by the severe constipation that was a side effect of the chemo. Recent stress had been attributed as the ultimate factor that caused his seizures. The seizures had not dissipated and therefore it was deemed prudent to induce a coma-like state which they were trying to reverse but the reversal progress was slower than expected. Dr. Cameron expressed the thoughts of the whole medical team that Sonny's presence would be deemed a positive benefit in Will's recovery.

Sonny thanked Dr. Cameron and assured the doctor that he would visit Will as soon as he possibly could. Sonny then asked when all these wires to the machines would be lifted from his body. The doctor assured Sonny that he could arrange it so that Sonny could have more portable monitors. All Sonny could ask was "Now?"

Sonny managed to walk without much difficulty around the ward. Blood tests had come back confirming that he was no longer infectious. He was therefore allowed to enter Will's hospital room without a mask; something Sonny had wanted. He did not want to be restricted in any way from any physical contact.

As Sonny entered the room he paused when he saw Will with all the wires and monitors keeping track of his breathing, his pulse and any number of other factors. Will looked so peaceful. Too peaceful. Sonny had suspected than the main cause for Will's convulsions was the stress of the guilt that he had felt concerning Sonny's sudden drop in health. Sonny knew that this guilt was most likely the reason that Will was not coming out of his coma. He hoped that his presence would stir Will to open his eyes.

Sonny talked briefly to Sami who was and had been by Will's side ever since she had been notified of Will's condition. Her guilt was written all over her face. She expressed it to Sonny by saying that she shouldn`t have brought her two other children to visit Will; that it was the height of irresponsibility and selfishness. Sonny simply shook his head and said "Mrs. Brady…Will wanted to see his brother and sister…and you. He loves you all very much and he is glad to have you on his side again. And please know that I don`t blame you or Johnny for what happened to me. Things like that just happen."

Sami went to hug Sonny and then thought better of it. Sonny thought that this was very sweet. Sami was learning. You didn't just go up and hug a sick person, especially someone you know whose immune system may be compromised. Sonny decided that since he was on all these anti-viral and anti-bacterial drugs at the moment, he could take the chance and he stepped forward and hugged his boyfriend's mother. Sami then left the room with a smile saying "I'll let you two have some time alone. If Will will wake up for anyone, it will be for you."

Sonny took the chair on which Sami had been sitting, and pulled it closer to Will and the bed. He then took Will's hand in his. He really didn't know what to say. What do you say to a person that you have only known for a few months but who has already stolen your heart? What do you say to someone who is selfless, and forgiving, and kind? Who gives so much of himself even though he was going through hell? Sonny took a deep breath and simply said what was in his heart.

"Will, baby…I am going to be okay…please know that…I know that you think that my life would be better…safer…if you could stay away from me. I also know that you can't. Not anymore than I can stay away from you. I love you Will. And not just because of what we are both going through…but despite it. I'm actually glad that we both got cancer, because I'm not sure if we would ever have met if we hadn't. So…to me…this cancer...and all the aches and pains and nausea…and cramps…and weak spells…all the chemicals and all those damn pills…they are all worth it; but only if you are there with me."

Sonny looked at Will's now very pale face; the lack of eyebrows or any blemishes making him look even more angelic than ever. He couldn't contain his emotions any longer. With a half-sob he gently placed a hand on Will's farthest cheek, cupping his face.

"I need you in my life Will. And not just for now…but for ten years…twenty…fifty years from now…Your presence is my elixir...it replenishes me…makes me stronger. I'm not sure how long I could survive without you…"

Sonny then leaned over and kissed Will very gently on the lips. As he released Will's lips, he thought he felt a gentle counter-pressure. Was he just imagining it? He was about to test his theory once again when he felt a sudden pull at his shoulder, spinning him around, forcing him to face his mother who was yelling.

"Sonny! What are you doing?! Get away from him! God knows what this boy is carrying! He could kill you!"

Adrienne lunged forward, grabbed Sonny's arm by the elbow and started to pull him towards the door…to what she considered to be safety. Sonny abruptly yanked his arm away, stepped back towards Will and grabbed Will's hand with his own. He took a deep breath and stared at his mother for long seconds before speaking, in as calm a voice as he could. He did not want to cause Will any more harm than was already done.

"Mom…Will isn't infectious. If anything Will is in more danger from me…or from you…than I am from him…"

All Adrienne could do was scoff at this. "I'm no danger to Will."

Sonny's face blushed, as much as a chemo-laden face could blush. His voice strained in order not to sound to angry or loud…he wasn't very successful. "Mom? Are you kidding me? Of course you are…"

Just then Sonny felt an obvious stronger pressure gripping his hand. He spun towards Will and met Will's ocean-blue eyes staring up at him. "Will! You're back!"

Sonny bent down and kissed Will on the cheek. He then heard Will's voice to him, saying softly "Sonny…be nice…to your mother…"

Sonny smiled at Will. It was just like him to say that…and to mean it. He whispered back. "I will try Will…but my mom needs to hear this"

He turned towards his mother, still feeling Will's hand in his. Somehow just the feel of Will kept him calm.

"Mom…don't you think Will…and I…could feel the negative energy you had towards Will? It was grating. We both felt it...even by the fact that you would stay away whenever Will was at the mansion. Will never said a word to me about it…he just smiled and asked me how you were. And when he did meet you…and all you could do was sneer at him…Mom please…you did. Will just ignored it."

Sonny put a hand up, because he knew his mother was either going to scoff at him or try to defend herself.

"I know you were trying to protect me. I know you dislike Will's mother. But Mom…don't you get it? When your body is fighting a disease…when the very cure for that disease is also practically killing you…the last thing you need is having negative energy around you…especially when you know that all you need to do to stop it is to leave the one person you were growing to love. Mom…Will felt so guilty about this…He hardly said a word about it…but I knew. And that is why I had decided to spend more time at his place. For his sake. So think about this mom…it's your negative energy that drove me away…you are partly to blame for all this…but I know that Will would be very unhappy if I held it against you too much…for too long…and I don't want to make Will unhappy...not after everything that's happened lately...But Mom…don't tempt me."

Suddenly the room was crowded with doctors and nurses, who were busy checking Will's vital signs and fussing over him. Sonny stayed in a corner until they had finished. He saw his mother grimace when Sami walked in the room. The two women stared at each other. Sami turned towards Will and went to her son to fuss over him, just as a mother should. Sami then went to Sonny and indicated that he should sit by Will. When Sonny glanced at Adrienne, he saw his mother's features soften, just a little. He then saw his mother frown and silently leave the room. Sonny was sad that his mother just couldn't get it. But he knew that she would try. He then turned his attention towards Will and fussed over him, just as a boyfriend should.