Love Overcomes it All
Chapter: Four.
I'm with you.
Summary: Love: Strong affection, unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for others. An emotion so strong, that when put to the test can overcome anything.
AN: Sorry for the crappy ending, I had trouble finding a place to end this chapter. Originally this had another couple paragraphs, but they're going to be used as the opening for chapter five.
I'm standin' on the bridge.
I'm watin in the dark.
I thought that you'd be here by now.
There's nothing but the rain.
No footsteps on the ground,
I'm listening, but there's no sound.
…
"Hey, I come with food." Sharpay Evans said as she walked into Rachel's hospital room.
"Well I won't be able to eat anything." Rachel said gesturing to the bag of liquid chemicals attached to a wire leading to her arm. "I know hun." Sharpay replied. "But I did bring some chicken nuggets for later. You can try eating that when your done with this batch."
"Thanks." Rachel smiled at her aunt. Everyone had been so great, she knew it was just the beginning but she could feel a full recovery in her future. The staff at LAMH was amazing. The doctors and nurses looking after her were so nice. Rachel was already comfortable around them. The nurse in charge of her chemotherapy, Nurse Lisa she was called, was Rachel's favorite. She had a lot of young patients and even though Rachel was one of the older ones she still greeted her with the same cheeriness she used with the others. She was very understanding and tried her best to make sure all patients were comfortable especially with their method of treatment. Since the treatment and side effects could be extremely uncomfortable nurses went the extra length to help patients choose the method for them.
It was just the beginning of her treatment, and things were going good. She would have two treatments a day for a two weeks, then have a week off. Her mom had hired her a tutor, so she could keep up with the rest of her class. The doctors had previously advised her to keep up with her normal diet, maybe even add some extra calories. During chemo weight loss almost always occurred, and too much weight loss could be fatal, so she was doing her best to eat healthy. If she maintained lots of food, then maybe the weight loss would not hit her so hard, however she was still nervous about it. The chemo would cause nausea and she really hated vomiting. She was not looking forward to the days where she would not be able to keep food down, but pretty soon she would be done with chemo for the day, and have to eat.
"What's up Rach?"
Rachel loved that her mother always knew when something was wrong. It was like she had mother's intuition times ten. She was very gracious for their close relationship, but sometimes she just did not want to talk. Now was one of those times.
She tried to keep the annoyance out of her voice as she answered. "Nothing mom, just tired,"
Which was true, no one had gotten much rest since they arrived in L.A. They got there, dropped of their luggage, and Rachel was taken into the hospital the next day. She was prepped, and had surgery, and now was finishing off chemo for the day. So she was pretty irritable, and thinking about all the nasty side affects that came with chemo did not make her feel better.
"Okay, we're going to let you sleep. I'll stay here and Shar, Zeke, and Jas will go home."
"I feel like I'm kicking them out..."
Now she was worrying about that too. Her mother either knew that their were other things bothering her, and had decided to leave it alone. Or she was completely oblivious. She did not want to tell her family to go home, that wouldn't go well. Hey guys, Yeah I really appreciate you taking a vacation and flying down to California because I have cancer, but I want you to leave now.
"Rach, don't feel bad. They understand that you need to rest, and I'm sure they're tired too."
Rachel already felt her eyelids begin to droop. "Okay....."
From across room, Sharpay took notice to how tired Rachel looked. She began to throw away her trash from the food she just consumed, and made her way over to Gabriella who was watching over a barely conscious Rachel. Gabriella looked up from Rachel to give her attention to Sharpay who had taken a seat on the hospital bed beside her. Sharpay's eyes were cast downwards, looking at a now sleeping Rachel.
"She's looked exhausted all day, 'bout time she slept."
Gabriella nodded her head at her friends word. "Yeah, I was just wanting for her to crash."
"I think it's about time that we headed out."
"Alright, well, give me a call later on when your back home okay?"
Sharpay took a deep breath. She could not wait until later to say the rest, she had to do it now.
"Gabi, We can't stay here much longer."
"I know, and I don't expect you to. You have your lives back in Florida. You and Zeke can't stay away from your jobs, and Jasmine away from school for forever. I understand."
"I wish we could, but we will make the trip as much as possible. I mean if you think you're going to get rid of us for the holidays, your wrong, for once."
She succeed in lifting the mood as Gabriella giggled.
"I'm going to miss you, when do you have to go back?"
"Within the next few days. We haven't gotten the ticket or anything yet, I didn't want to throw them in your face one day and say 'we're leaving'!"
"Yeah, thanks for everything Shar. I'm sure it has made the beginning stages a lot less scary for Rachel knowing that you guys were here."
Sharpay felt her eyes tear. "Anything Gab, you know we'd do anything for you and Rach."
"You promise to call if anything happens right? No matter what time."
"Promise."
True to her word, Sharpay was now going back home with her family. It had been four days since Sharpay and Gabriella had that talk in Rachel's hospital room, and she was now hugging Gabriella goodbye. Zeke stood off to the side watching his wife and best friend interact, while Jasmine was saying her own goodbyes to Rachel.
"Promise you'll call or text everyday...."
Jasmine was drilling a laughing Rachel on the importance of communication.
"...and if you too tired, have your mom text, or hold the phone for you."
That really caused Rach to laugh, "Yeah, because I'm sure she wouldn't be shocked at the things you say over texting..."
"I'll just be extra careful is all..."
The girls burst into a new fit of laughter, hugging each other even tighter, not realizing they had an audience.
"Seriously Rach, I want you to kick some cancer ass!"
"Hey!" Zeke's playful voice called. "Curse when I'm not around."
"Or not at all!" Her mother's voice called out.
Jasmine mumbled a half-hearted apology, while still laughing. "Sorry,"
Bags were packed, tickets were bought, a cab was waiting, yet no one was ready to leave. It was bittersweet, the moments being shared between the friends in the room. They would see each other again, that much was definite. But what would change? How would Gabriella manage in a foreign city by herself? What kind of health would Rachel be in the next time she saw her friends? How would Sharpay, Zeke, and Jasmine cope with being away from the place they were needed most? The place where they longed to stay. Sharpay was feeling bad about leaving her friend, she hoped that Gabriella was okay with it, and not just lying for her benefit.
"Now you have to call as soon as you land. Okay?"
Gabriella could practically see the wheels turning inside Sharpay's head. Her brain was working to find something to distract the blonde.
"I'm sure you can't wait for your trip to New York next month. You'll get a lot of shopping time......"
Sharpay gave Gabriella a serious look. "I'm not going."
"What, why?"
"I'm going to use that time to visit you and Rachel." She said firmly. Getting the message to Gabriella, that their was no changing her mind. So Gabriella did not argue. She did not tell her friend that she shouldn't worry, she didn't tell her to enjoy her vacation. She just nodded and hugged the blonde tighter. Knowing she could not have asked for a better friend.
She was nervous, and her head was spinning, How would she do this, could she, even if she tried?
After her Sharpay had left, her mother had come. She took a few days off of work, and was able to stay with Gabriella during Rachel's last days of chemo. Gabriella knew that the safety net holding her up would break soon. The problem was, what, or who, would catch her.
It was early, way too early for her to be up, but she was. This was routine, she would wake up early, go back to the apartment to take a shower, then head back to the hospital before Rachel awoke.
She was fishing around her purse for her keys, when she heard the door open. Her head immediately shot up, and relief flooded through her when she saw her mother walk in.
Gabriella forgot about her keys and walked over to the older woman. "Mom! You scared me, what are you doing here?"
Maria was not stupid, she could see the fear in her daughter's eyes. "Gabi, talk to me."
A sigh escaped her lips when she realized her mother was not playing games. "I'm just stressed is all mom, and I know you are too."
"No, it is way more than that. Tell me."
Gabriella bit her lip to keep the tears at bay. "I'm just extremely overwhelmed. How am I going to do this mom? I don't have job, nothing. Rachel is my number one, that's why I jumped on that plane. I don't regret my decision, but how am I going to support her. I would feel so bad about having to leave her alone at that hospital. I mean she's there for two weeks, and then during her week off, I'd have to hire help. But I don't have the money now for any of that. I just...I...."
Maria walked over to her daughter and cupped her face. "Gabriella Anne, you are an amazingly strong woman, and a fantastic mother. I know things are hard, I know that no parent or child should have to deal with this, but you will. You'll figure this out. Rachel will understand, she knows that everything you're doing is for her. Honey I'm sure she's not going to hate you because you have to work. You will have help. I can help you money wise with hiring someone, and you have Sharpay and I, who will be visiting. Don't worry, it'll all work out, I promise."
Maria wrapped her arms around her daughter, and felt her nod her response. In that moment Gabriella felt like a little girl again, crying to her mom. It was nice to know that no matter what, she would always be there for her.
Maria pulled back a little, and studied her daughter's face. "Have you had anything to eat yet?"
Gabriella's tired eyes lifted to meet her mother's. "No...."
"Gabriella, when is the last time you've eaten?"
Maria's tone was strict and Gabriella knew she meant business.
"I honestly don't know,"
Maria immediately walked over to the door. "Well come on, we're going to figure this out over breakfast."
"Mom, I cant. What about-"
"Rachel is fine, she will not be up for at least another three hours. Now lets go."
Gabriella sighed and followed her mother. "Yes, ma'am." She said sarcastically.
Maria was just glad to have her daughter back.
They were sat in a small diner, enjoying breakfast. Maria had a small notebook in front of her, and a black pen in her hand. They were making a list of everything Gabriella had to do. Bringing order back into her hectic life.
Gabriella pushed the eggs around her plate. "What do we have so far?"
Maria momentarily glanced up at her daughter. "Job, at home help, You know when you think about there is not much that needs to be done. Its just that you need a job to get them done.
"Exactly, and a job is something I do not have at the moment."
"Well I'm going to talk to the hospital about that."
"No mom, it's okay, I can do it."
"If they refuse, I'll make them change their mind." Maria said, showing her stubborn side.
She looked down at her food with a disgusted look and shoved her plate away. "You know, I really wish I had someone to help raise her, and I know she wants a Father figure in her life. Maybe if I would have told him...."
"Hey, hey, you didn't even get the chance. Did he tell you he was going to leave you? No, you couldn't have known."
"I could have tried harder to find him."
"Gabriella, don't blame yourself. He. Left. You. You were both young, and so serious about each other, and that scared him."
"I know, We were young, and that year I was forced to grow up. To act twice my age, I was only nineteen. I was stupid and for months it was all about poor me. It's not about me, it's about Rachel. So when I'm saying I wish he was there, it's for her. Because I know my daughter and I know that she wants to meet her dad before she dies."
"And that is not going to happen for a very long time."
"I am trying so hard to believe that. I really want to, and most of me does. But there is this part of me that can't help but to wonder what if she doesn't make it...."
"That part of you is wrong. She will make it."
"Thanks, for everything."
Maria smiled at her daughter. "Lets go."
Gabriela was sat at a desk, a dark haired woman with glasses peering at her. She was being interviewed for a job at the hospital. She was previously a nurse at the local hospital in Landon, but she would settle for anything now. She was going for becoming a receptionist. A Job that would not take all of her time, and would allow her to be close to Rachel. She had felt that the interview had gone well, but by the monotone of the woman's voice, it was hard to tell.
"Can you start tomorrow?"
"What, you mean...?"
"Yes, you are our new receptionist. You're lucky, we've been looking for a new one. On of our other girls is moving. You'll be working at the main desk, okay?
She just stood their shocked, this had to be a higher power looking out for her, and she was grateful.
"Yes. Yes, that sounds fantastic."