Kyle PoV

I had found nothing what-so-ever to further support my studies. I pace around Stan's bedroom, desperate for something, anything. As much as it would kill me to see an empty condom packet or maybe a suitcase of Douglas', it would help my investigation greatly.

I am about to give up and head back out of the window. I had seen Stan leave a while ago with his little 'buddy'. They had returned from somewhere with an envelope, dumped it and gone back out again. My skin was sore from the cuts I had engraved into it just hours before now. Why had I done it?

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of Randy's voice, approaching the bedroom. Shit. Knowing I didn't have enough time to climb out if the window, I head for the closet, practically diving into it, my body retaining an awkward position as I slam the door shut."Anything you can tell me Mr Marsh." I hear Cartman whine. What the hell was he doing here? "Douglas is a very close friend of mine and I just need to know what's going on. I need to make sure he's alright." Bullshitter. At least do it subtly if you wanted to bring them down.

"All I know is probably the same as you know, you said you were close." I hear Randy, opening and closing the drawers and peer through the slats to see him loading a pile of Stan's ironing into it. "I'm assuming you know about... About the orphanage?"

"...Well yes of course." Cartman lies, clearly as surprised as me at what I had just heard. "But... Well... He's very quiet, he doesn't often open up about these things. I'm worried I might put my foot in it one of these days." "Oh don't worry I've been there." He sighs. "When Douglas first arrived here, I was talking to him about Blockbuster, unaware his mother owned it before me... Anyway, as you'll know his mom committed suicide... I sort of well... I didn't realise before I started slagging it off I suppose.""Yes... Yes it was an... An awful occurrence that, yes." Cartman babbles as I sit frozen in the wardrobe, the voices fading as they leave the room, obviously moving on to the next one.

Douglas was orphaned?

Stan POV

I sigh as I close the door behind me. I was exhausted and just wanted to crash right now. One of the doctors I had seen suggested I should try and get back into doing things I used to love, and seeing how Wendy wasn't an option, football was the only other one.

Clyde was over the moon mind you, I informed the coach I didn't feel up to being team captain anymore so he allowed me to step down and guess who got promoted?

On a positive note, which weren't frequent at the moment, if I'm a reserve at the next game at least I could keep Pete company.

I just hoped Douglas was in tonight, he didn't come home with me yesterday so I assumed he went to the orphanage or at least I hope so, as he didn't show up today at school.

"Stanley is that you?" I hear mom call out to me and before I can even answer she comes running out of the kitchen, looking worried.

"What's wrong?" I ask, confused as she hands me a piece of paper. I quickly glance over it and my mouth drops at what I read.

Kenny PoV

"Oh my God." Bebe murmurs from where she was sat on the sofa, a cup of orange juice balanced precariously on her bump.

"What?" I ask, taking a gulp from my can of beer.

"Stan and Douglas have been diagnosed with numerous STD's." She informs me, her eyes wide.

"Huh? How do you know that?" I ask, getting up off my stool.

"Eavesdropper." She points to the screen. "They were sighted in the doctors about a week ago, apparently going to get tests done."

"Well, you don't know that's true." I shrug. "Could be anything, I mean-"

"One of them is HIV." She cuts me off, not listening to my side of the argument.

"It'll just be rumours Bey..." I attempt to reason with her.

"Nah, it all makes sense." Her eyes widen. "They've been sleeping together and now they have STD's. I always knew that Douglas kid was dirty."

"Don't say that." I roll my eyes, draining my can and throwing it on the stained carpet that partially coated the floor.

"Tut tut..." She blanks me. "Should have used a condom."

"...Bit hypocritical..." I hesitate, glad she wasn't actually listening to me. She had moved onto one of the comments below the apparent 'article'.

"He's orphaned?" She breaks the silence and I frown.

"What?" I raise my voice slightly. "No!"

"A source reports that he has spoken to Randy Marsh; Stan's father, who has explained how the boy's mother committed suicide back when he was in elementary school." She reads. "Due to the stress of losing her husband, the business going down the drain and having a little shit for a son, the so far un-named mother shot herself to end her own life."

"That's a pile of crap Bebe and whoever made that up is sick." I tell her, horrified at what I had seen. Maybe I should have been nicer to that kid after all.

"No... No, it all makes sense." She shakes her head. "Why he's so secretive, why he's been staying at Stan's... Whoever provided this evidence is really out to get this kid."

Wendy PoV

"You haven't brought a parent with you?" The doctor consults me.

"Well... They don't know." I inform her. "Only a few of my friends do."

"And they didn't offer to come with you today?" She continues.

"They uh..." I mutter. "They have bigger priorities right now."

"Bigger priorities than... Their friends cancer treatment?" She raises her eyebrows and I manage a small shrug. "Anyway, you'll have four rounds of chemotherapy. I won't lie to you, it's not a pleasant experience... In fact it would be best for your parents to be informed of your illness, because you won't be able to attend school for a few days after each session. Sickness, fatigue and dizziness are all pretty much guaranteed, however the first session is often the worst."

"Will I lose my hair?" I blurt out, it was one of my main worries, as petty as it may sound.

"Often, hair loss will occur, yes." She says, steadily and I feel my heart sink. "Not always, and the extremity of it can vary, but I would say it's a likely outcome."

"Well then... What do I tell my parents?" I bite my lip, knowing deep down that they would have to know. "If I lose my hair they'll know something is up."

"Like I said, we can't force you to tell them..." She trails off. "But you could use the support Wendy, plus, you and I both know it's a virtually impossible thing to hide."

"...Alright." I whisper, nodding my head vaguely. "But get this round out the way tomorrow, then I'll tell them."

Stan PoV

'Thank you for being there Stan, you've been a true friend. But I can't carry on like this, not after what's been spread online. I've lived my life in secret, never wanting to be the centre of attention. This is better off for all of us; you can go back to your old life, the life you truly loved, where you were happy. I can be at peace at last. Take care of Emily for me, please. Douglas.'

I've read the note so many times that the words revolve around in my head. Every sentence, every word pierced me. I was praying to God it wasn't what it seemed, although I knew, deep down, that it was.

"Emily? Come here, quick." I practically yell down the phone, my voice shaking uncontrollably. "It's Douglas, I don't know... I don't know but..."

"Stan, calm down." I hear her say, mom's pacing not helping matters. "Douglas has what?"

"I've had a note, from him." I gulp, glancing at mom as she bites her nails, staring helplessly at the floor. "It doesn't look good."

"...I'm on my way." She promises, hanging up. I jump up from my seat, grabbing my phone from where I had just put it down and heading out of the door.

"Stan where are you going?" Mom calls to me.

"To look for Douglas, what do you think?" I shout, attempting to make my way to the door before dad steps into my path.

"What's going on?" He frowns, whilst scoffing a chicken wing.

"Someone has posted stuff about Douglas online and now he's left a suicide note." I explain, the word paining me to release.

"...What kind of stuff?" He glances down at the floor, hesitating before giving a response.

"Stuff about his mom, the orphanage..." I trail off, knowing the look he was giving me. "Why?"

"...Cartman... May have visited earlier..." He stammers. "Wanting to know about... What's going on..."

"WHY WOULD YOU TELL HIM ANYTHING?" I yell, slamming my fist down on the nearby kitchen table.

"Well he said they were close friends!" He demands.

"AND YOU BELIEVED HIM?" My eyes widen, shoving past him without another thought.

"Stan?" Emily sees me, half way up the garden path. "Stan... What's going on?"

"I just want to make sure he's safe." I tell her, as she spins on her heel, running after me. "He will be, won't he?"

"Yes." She nods, although I could hear the unsure tone to her voice. "Hopefully..."

"Is everything alright?" I'm almost halted by Wendy, who was heading towards us, a bunch of pamphlets in her hand. When my eyes fall upon them, she stuffs them in her pocket.

"Fine." I mutter, any other time I would jump at the chance to talk to Wendy. But now wasn't any other time.

"Emily?" Wendy persists as I barge past her.

"Have you seen Eavesdropper?" She asks her, to which Wendy shakes her head slowly. "Yeah well someone's posted shit about Douglas online."

"Cartman." I inform her, leaving a brief pause. "So now he's threatened to commit suicide."

"I'll help you find him." She offers, seeing the surprise in my face. "I'm not that much of a bitch Stan, believe it or not."

"Whatever, save the domestic for later on." Emily interrupts us, hurrying off in the direction of Stark's pond.

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