Okay, people, I have to get better at this updating business... but enjoy this for now!

Disclaimer: I do not, and probably never will own Cause of Death.

As a side note, I'm sure we all know who passed on. I won't say who, because I don't want to spoil it. But because I wrote this story before that happened, we'll pretend it didn't happen, okay?

The moment Mal had been dreading came all too soon. Natara gave him a reassuring smile before sitting at her desk to wait for him. She wanted to be there for him, but she also respected his privacy.

Mal stepped into Maria Yeong's office, hoping that he was the only one able to hear how loud his heart pounded in his chest. He had never thought he would see this day. She looked up from her file in surprise.

"Mal. How are you feeling?"

Mal swallowed the lump in his throat and sat sown. "That's why I'm here, Captain."

Maria set her file aside. "Yes?"

Mal drew in a nervous breath and took a seat. "I guess you can tell I'm out of the hospital."

She nodded. Aside from Natara, she was the only one to know where he had been in the past week. She hadn't been told why, and she watched him expectantly.

After a brief hesitation, Mal continued. "The reason I've been in the sick bin is because they found a brain tumor. Natara's the only one who can pronounce it, but..." His voice faltered as he stared at the various squad photographs hanging from the walls. "It's cancer. Doc says I've got about a year."

An uncomfortable silence fell between them, deathly quiet. Finally Maria cleared her throat. "I assume you're taking sick leave?"

Mal nodded. "Yup... and if it's as bad as I've been told, I think it'll be permanent." The room fell deathly silent for what felt like an eternity.

Maria forced a sad smile. "Alright, Detective. I'm truly sorry. Losing you is going to be difficult for all of us."

When he finally emerged from the office, Natara had finished straightening the folders on her desk for the first time in a month. "How did it go?"

"Fine, I guess. I don't think sitting at home is gonna be much fun."

Natara nodded and stood up. There was a look in her partner's cobalt eyes that she had never seen before, and it worried her. Fear, concern, and something else. "It'll be alright."

"Maybe." He sounded doubtful. He knew that it was bitter reality, but it still felt impossible. There had to be a way around this. He had always known there would be a day when his job ended, but he had expected a bullet or a bomb. Cancer? He had never really given that idea any thought at all.

"Are you going to tell the others?" Natara knew that Mal could be a very private person, so she was surprised when he nodded.

"Might as well." They opened the door to the crime lab. Amy and Kai were wrapped in some argument, and Ken was standing by with a cross look on his face. When they glanced up to see Mal, they stared in awe.

"Hey, Agent Hottie Boom Bottie and Mal-ligator are back!" Kai exclaimed excitedly. Natara and Mal gave him sharp looks, and he quickly returned his attention to his work.

"Hey, man. Where the hell have you been?" Ken asked, casually leaning against one of the desks. Mal stole a glance at Natara, who gave him a slight nod.

"Well, uh... I guess you guys are wanting to know what's going on. I was in the hospital."

Amy looked up in concern. "Are you alright?"

Mal cleared his throat. "No. I'm not. I had to have a brain tumor removed. It has some crazy name, but apparently it was cancer. And I have about a year before I... you know..."

Several moments passed. Amy looked as if she would cry, Ken looked emotionless, and even Kai was silent for the first time that Mal could remember since meeting him.

Ken was the first to speak. "You sure about that?"

"Yup. It sucks, but it's the truth." Mal felt Natara slip her hand into his for support.

"That's awful," Amy whispered, standing up and giving Mal a tight hug. Ken patted him on the shoulder, and Kai hugged him. For once Mal didn't try to pry him off.

He and Natara left shortly, leaving the precinct quieter than it had been in years.

CoD-CoD-CoD

The next couple of days seemed to drag on for Mal. He did some paperwork, but after a particularly hard round of chemo, he felt too exhausted to even hold a pen.

"Mal, do you want dinner?" Natara asked as she walked into his living room. The mere thought of food gave Mal the urge to throw up.

He shook his head. "Not really. I don't know if that would go so well right now."

Loss of appetite, Natara thought. The oncologist had told them to expect it, but advised Mal to eat to keep his strength up. "Mal, you ought to eat something," she urged gently.

Mal groaned softly. "I really don't want to," he insisted stubbornly. Natara sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I'll eat when my stomach doesn't feel like I've been in a washing machine."

She smiled softly, relieved to see that he still had his sense of humor. "Just promise me you'll eat when you feel up to it, okay?"

Mal nodded. "Will do, Nurse Williams."

Natara stood back up. "Go on to bed. I'll be down the hall. Good night." She made her way into the kitchen and put the takeout box in the refridgerator before sitting on the couch and turning on the television, adjusting the volume so that it was nearly muted.

After watching one of the sappy Hallmark movies she secretly liked, she turned off the television and changed into her tank top and sweatpants, lying down on the couch. For a moment she was somehow reminded of the time she and Mal had gone undercover as Charles and Claudette Waldencrest.

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She had just broken up with Oscar, and Mal had told her the full story of his and Sandra's divorce. After their heart to heart, Natara had realized for the first time that she truly loved him.

And she was going to lose him. She closed her eyes, unable to let the daunting thought consume her. But the idea terrified her.

Sometime in the night, she was awakened by the sound of rushing footsteps. She opened her eyes groggily and dragged herself off of the couch, shuffling into the bathroom. "Mal?" she whispered. "You alright?"

"Peachy," Mal grunted as he retched into the toilet with a soft moan. His stomach churned, and he had a feeling that despite his exhaustion, he wouldn't be going back to sleep tonight.

Natara wet a washcloth and knelt by his side, gently pressing it against his forehead. Mal closed his eyes and sighed inwardly. "How's that?"

"Better," he mumbled, closing his eyes and leaning closer to the toilet. "Looks like I'll be up all night."

Natara filled a glass with water and handed it to him. He took a long sip, the water relieving the bitter taste in his mouth. His partner helped him up and led him back to his bedroom before fetching the small garbage can from the kitchen.

"Prepared, huh?" Mal yawned as he climbed into bed.

"Sure am." Natara sat down on the edge of the bed. "Try to get some rest. I'll be right here."

Mal turned to face her. "Nat, you don't need to stay up all night," he said guiltily. "You have to get some shut-eye, too."

"Shh." Natara gave him a pointed look. "You heard me, Mal. I'm staying."

And that was exactly what she did. Several times throughout the night, Mal would wake up sick. Natara was always right beside him, gently rubbing his back and holding the cool washcloth to his face.

He shivered, and Natara found an extra blanket in his closer. She placed a pillow against the headboard and laid down, putting her arm around his shoulders. Eventually they both slept soundly, her arms locked tightly around him.

Well, y'all! Time to put on your sad clothes and hop on the Melancholy Express so we can take a trip down Depression Drive! Okay, that was corny.

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I promise I'll shut up soon. But... my birthday is in two weeks on April 6th, and I would LOVE to reach fifty reviews with this chapter!