Chapter Twenty-Seven:

The children had been gone for a couple of hours but Spinelli could stop thinking about what Kristina had said. Michael must have felt the same connection that he always had. Maybe a part of him somehow knew. He had to know, Spinelli couldn't bare to think of Michael never knowing that he was his big brother. Then he was back to thinking of all the things he might have been able to prevent if he had just been able to be there for Michael all along. Why did this all have to be so complicated? Why couldn't he have just had a normal life? Why did Michael have to be gone when he was only twelve?

Maxie and Jason didn't say much, they didn't really know what to stay. Neither one could bare to leave though, the new chemotherapy was starting the next day and that meant no more spending the night. It also meant less time to be spent with him. Dr. Wilson had made it very clear that if anyone so much as thought of sniffling they couldn't go in the room. He had explained that they could kill Spinelli if they did.

Finally Maxie stood up "I have to go home Spinelli, it's just for a little while to shower and stuff. I'll be back to stay the night with you. I promise.". Spinelli seemed to come out of a dase. He looked up at his precious Maximista "Ok." he simply said. Maxie headed for the door and began walking a little faster the usual. She wanted to make it to her car before she started crying.

Jason decided that he needed to try to say something. He moved to Maxie's spot in the chair beside Spinelli "I miss him too." he told his young friend. Spinelli looked up, his eyes sparkling as a few tears began to form "The Jackel knows that Stone Cold deeply loved the little dude, it is simply that... the little dude never got to know The Jackel as his older brother." he said. Jason looked around the room trying to buy time to come up with a reply. Finally he turned back to Spinelli "You heard what Kristina said. He knew, Spinelli. Michael was a special kid. He knew." he said softly.

Spinelli sighed "The Jackal still wished he could have told him. I would have been able to teach him so much. We could have ... had fun." he replied. There was a long silence before Jason spoke again, changing the subject this time "Why did you never tell me, Spinelli? You know, about your past." he asked. Spinelli looked suprised "The Jackel knows how much his master has to deal with on his own. I did not want to burdon you with my own pain." he answered. Jason softly shook his head "A friendship goes both ways Spinelli, I wish you would have told me." he said. Spinelli looked down "The Jackel had never told anyone before." he whispered.

Maxie opened the door to her fathers house hoping to make it into her bedroom before anyone saw her. Her cousin Robin walked in the room before she could make it. Robin hurried over to her "What's wrong Maxie? I thought that Morgan was a match?" she said. Maxie hugged her cousin "He is, but I could still lose him Robin, I can't lose anyone else, I can't! Especially not him." she said between sobs.

Chapter Twenty-Eight:

Spinelli sat in his bed. Maxie had spent the night and was planing on staying as long as they would let her. He turned to his beautful Maximista who was in scrubs and a mask. "Chemotherapy sucks." he thought. As much as he loved her, part of him wished that Maxie would just let herself go home. He was sick and he truely didn't feel like being constantly watched while he was.

But he knew she wasn't going anywhere. So he put on a brave face and tried to push the way he was feeling out of his mind. His Maximista was there. She was there for him and she wasn't gonna leave until they dragged her out. She loved him. He kept repeating that in his head over and over again: "She loves me!". And maybe, just maybe they could be together. If he managed to survive this.

At least she wasn't trying to make him talk. She just sat with him, watching tv. And that was nice. He could be with her and still not have to talk, because that was pretty high up on the "things-I-don't-feel-like-doing" list. She seemed to know that, it was like they could read each others minds at this point. Spinelli had never had a friend as close as her. And now she wasn't just his friend ... he was pretty sure she was his girlfriend.

He knew Maxie couldn't be here all the time and as much as part wanted to be left alone he didn't want to really be alone. He knew Maxie probably wouldn't stand for that though. So he began to wonder who all would be on Spin duty. He could ask, but right then he felt like if he opened his mouth he might throw up. He had to keep his mind off that. Jason would be good, he knew Jason wouldn't try to make him talk. Mike might be nice, his grandfather. Wow, that was going to take some getting used too.

He kept listing people in his mind. Sam, he didn't get to see her much anymore. Milo, he could actually be kind off fun. Max, same as Milo. Lulu ... that might be kind of awkward if Maxie showed up while she was there. Speaking of awkward ... could Sonny show up? He wanted to get to know his father, but somehow getting to know him while stuck in a hospital bed sick as a dog didn't sound to appealing. A nurse poked her head in "Visiting hours are over." she said. Maxie rose to leave "Bye, Spinelli!" she said, blowing him a kiss. He dared to open his mouth "Bye, Maximista." he replied. And then he was alone.

Chapter Twenty-Nine:

Spinelli sighed. It was June eighth. How could it only be June eighth? At least the transplant was tomorrow - provided neither him or Morgan got sick - then he would only have to face around six more weeks int he hospital. But that was if it took, if he survived. He was alone. He hated being alone. The past several days he had been so sick he barely cared if he was alone or not, but the chemotherapy was over. Now he cared.

He already knew he was going to be living for visiting hours now. So many people had been to see him the last several days, but he'd been way to sick to visit. Sonny had even shown up for a few minutes - that had been awkward. Alexis and Jax had been by with messages from Kristina and Morgan, he laughed to himself thinking of how easily they had excepted him being their brother. Sam, Maxie, Jason, Mike all his friends had been by many times as well. He wished one of them was there.

Why couldn't there be something good on TV? He was bored out of his mind. Maxie wouldn't let him keep his laptop she kept telling him he "needed his rest". He couldn't seem to make her understand that he couldn't sleep the entire time nobody was with him. He began to get nervous. Why did the hospital room have to be so big? Why couldn't he have gotten a normal tiny one? He felt like it was swallowing him whole.

"One more thing to add to the list of why you're weird." he thought to himself. It was normal to be scared of small spaces, he just had to be different. Small meant safe, walls close around you means nobody can sneak up on you. He was pretty sure he knew why he felt that way. He also knew it wasn't the easiest thing to explain.

A small boy sat huddled in the corner of a tiny closet. He was curled up in a ball with his hands over his ears. It didn't work. He could still hear the yelling. And the hitting. He felt bad for not protecting her, but he was only seven, he was to small. The closet was safe, he could tuck his little body in the corner and feel the walls protecting him. Nobody could come at him from three different directions. He just had to watch the door.

If he wasn't very mad, he might not come looking for him. But if he did come for him, the boy could be ready. He could know where he was going to come from. He could see it coming.The worst thing was not seeing it coming. And so he sat, alone with his thoughts until his step-father openned the door. No, that wasn't something he could explain.

Authors Note: I'm so sorry, I forgot to upload the last two chapters! Well, at least now you get a big update! Thanks so much for the reviews!