Just as a side note, I mention tissue matching on here. Bone marrow that is donated need to match the recipient (a tissue match). There are thousands of combinations (with letters, numbers ect.), and I'm not going to bore you with details on how there are six points (we'd be here all day), but there are 'six points' and a 'six point match'. It is very hard to find a match like this, for there are many combinations. Hopefully this made some sense…can you tell I'm exited to join EMT next year? (Emergency Medical Technicians). We may not get to deal with this stuff for the most part, but you gotta admit it's cool…

It was the beginning of May when Mal left, but only Ken knew it at the time. He didn't question why, seemingly sensing Mal wouldn't tell him anyways. On the last day Mal was driving Natara home for the last time, rain pounding against the windshield. "See you tomorrow" she said, already opening her door as Mal pulled up.

For a wild second Mal almost told her "Nat?".

She looked back "What?".

After a second that felt like an eternity to Mal, he said "I-I won't be able to pick you up tomorrow. I'm coming in later because I-I have to help my sister fix a ceiling fan".
'Fix a ceiling fan?' he thought. He wanted to slap himself for coming up with something so stupid. Mal hoped she didn't see through this weak lie, and for a terrifying moment he thought she did.

Then she said "Oh, okay. I'll just take the bus then. See you tomorrow?".

Mal didn't lie again by saying that, all he mumbled was "Bye". Giving him a strange look, Natara got out of the car and ran through the rain.

The next morning Natara knew something was wrong as she left the crime lab. She knew Mal was coming late, but her shift was already almost over. As she walked upstairs to leave, she saw the door to Mal's recently-acquired office door wide open. Someone was moving inside. Natara walked over and peeked around the corner, seeing Ken putting some things away.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"What does it look like?".

"Where's Mal?" she asked, ignoring the previous answer.

"Gone" Ken said simply.

"Gone?" Natara said "What do you mean gone?".

I already miss you Nat, is that weird? I just left today, and I'm pretty sure you'll remember this day when you read this. It felt weird, not going to work. Knowing I wouldn't be going to work again. I know I'm really going to miss you, and I'm just apologizing in advance for any times you get frustrated if you try and find or contact me. Just know, even if at this point you hate me, this is for your own good. Because I care about you, and I don't want you to have to watch me die. I don't want it to haunt you. I'm at my sisters right now, and I know I'll have to leave again near the end. Because I would never forgive myself if I let my niece watch that either.
-Mal

"Mal?" Cynthia called from around the corner. Mal shoved the book underneath a pillow in the guest room, in which he was staying. Now wasn't the time to share what he was doing, there was only one person who really had a right to read it first.

"I just got off the phone with Raven" she said. She was still holding the phone in her hand as she stood in the doorway.

"And?" Mal said. He knew Raven, after hearing what was happening to Mal, insisted on checking to see if she was a tissue match to donate bone marrow. Cynthia was only a four point match, and was the closest of any relatives that were able to donate.

Cynthia shook her head "Only a two point match".
Mal wasn't let down by this. He knew there was very little chance for Raven to be a match, when even his sister was only a four point match. At this point the only hope was to find someone unrelated to him who matched, as Denni was to young to even try, and those chances were slim. Even if they could find someone unrelated to him, it could take months. And Mal would be long gone by then, and because of that he had long ago gave up on finding a random donor.

"She says she's sorry" Cynthia said.

Mal shrugged "It's not her fault".
Quickly squeezing her little brother lightly on the shoulder, Cynthia left to return the phone to it's cradle.

Hey, thanks so much for everyone who helped with details with Denni's family. I already looked it up on the website of infinite knowledge (aka, wikipedia), but was a little confused. I stopped playing around Christmas, and didn't recall anything about Denni's family an didn't want to go making something up. Thanks so much for anyone who helped!