Okay, a small-ish word beforehand: I was originally going to post this fic arc in October in honor of the Awareness month, but something has happened to change that. This was originally going to be in honor of my mom and all other Pink Warriors out there who have waged this fight and it still is, but there's been an addition.

Now... I'M the Warrior donning the pink armor.

My test results came back earlier today, so this fic now has new meaning for me. I will be posting in a sense as I progress along my own journey, so the updates may be irregular. I apologize if that's bothersome for anyone.

May the cure be found, for us all.

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Typically around this time of the afternoon Blinky would be greeting his human friends, recently released from school, for training or lessons in history and lore. But this time only Claire and Toby entered the library, talking quietly between themselves.

"Good afternoon," Blinky greeted cheerfully nevertheless. "Where is Master Jim?"

"We're not sure," answered Claire. "He left school early."

"Oh? That's odd."

"Yeah," Toby agreed. "He seemed really distracted all day, and kept looking at the clock. And in last period he hurried there and when I finally caught up he was talking with the teacher. He wouldn't tell me why, just that he was going to be leaving early and wanted us to let you know he might not be at training today. And then about half an hour before school let out he was paged to the office, grabbed his bag, kinda gave me this weird smile-not-smile, and left. I tried texting him but he hasn't answered."

"He hasn't answered me either," Claire confirmed. Blinky frowned.

"Strange behavior, to be certain. Master Jim is typically one to confide in at least one of us when there is something amiss. Perhaps we should ask Draal. Living in the basement may have given him some insight we cannot access." The suggestion cheered the two and they all hurried to the Forge where Draal was, along with Aaarrrggghh, setting up for the day. But when the situation was explained he could provide no further help.

"I have noticed something off at the house," the warrior admitted. "It's...tense. But neither he nor Bar-burah have said anything to me directly, and have tried to behave normally otherwise."

"When did this tenseness start?" asked Blinky. "Perhaps if we know that one of us will remember some incident to explain things." Draal thought back, a hand rubbing his chin.

"Hmm... Two nights ago. The Trollhunter had been down on the basement with me, but when he heard his mother return home he headed up saying she'd texted him that she wished to speak with him. Some time later he briefly came back down to drop off some things she'd collected for me. That was when I first noticed, but he claimed to be fine."

"Barbara give bad news," surmised Aaarrrggghh.

"Quite likely," aged Blinky. "But if that was the case why would he not tell someone?"

"You don't think they're having to move or something, do you?" Toby's fear was understandable.

"Bushigal, if that's why -"

"Possible, but I would doubt it," assured Blinky. "Not only does Barbara fully understand how much we need Master Jim and supports him in his role as Trollhunter, but she knows his bond to the two of you to say nothing of his to us. She cares far too much about him to hurt him like that, in addition to her own career." Claire nodded in agreement.

"Blinky's right - just the other day my mom was talking about how there's a doctor shortage in the area. Unless something really bad happened the hospital wouldn't let her go."

"Maybe she's dating Strickler again?" Draal snorted at Toby's suggestion.

"I almost hope that is the case – I'd enjoy a chance to pound that Impure into a pile of mush. All it would take was just one word..."

"While I can sympathize with your annimosity," interrupted Blinky, "that is highly unlikely. I can think of few issues that Master Jim would find more pressing to seek counsel about than that." They all could agree to that. If that were the case Jim would be there venting quite loudly. Aaarrrggghh hummed to himself.

"Wait for Jim. Ask." Blinky sighed.

"Yes, Aaarrrggghh. I suppose that is all we can do. The next time we see Master Jim we shall see if he is willing to talk, but until then we should try to not dwell on things. Such will only drive all of us to distraction." The others gave a murmur of conscent, but the truth of their ability to do such was quite different. After a mere half an hour of attempting to train Blinky called a halt as their hearts weren't in it, and they retired to the library to sit, wait, and pretend to read while Draal polished his metal arm with an attention to detail that merely masked his worry.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

That night came and went, and the next day dawned without any word from Jim. Draal returned to the Lake Household when night fell but when he returned to Trollmarket the next morning he could reveal nothing further to Blinky. He had heard Jim and Barbara moving around upstairs, but neither had come down to the basement and when he gave their signal requesting to come up he'd heard Jim stamp four times, a clear request to not. Troubling, but little more could be done.

The school hours came and went, and Blinky could only pace as he waited for the three teens to arrive. If it would be three, that is. Aaarrrggghh and Draal arrived from Toby and Jim's homes respectively around midmorning, and the scholar could tell that they were worried. Aaarrrggghh also revealed that Toby had heard nothing from Jim since they'd last parted other than a quick text – a text, not something over their walkie-talkie – saying he'd be calling out from school that day. But the text did include a promise to be in Trollmarket in the afternoon. Blinky was hopeful that would be the case.

Once more Claire and Toby arrived alone, and they confirmed that Jim hadn't been in school. But even as they had set down their backpacks and Blinky was reaching for his phone to text Jim they heard his footsteps approaching, and the Trollhunter finally appeared in the doorway.

"Hi guys," he said, though there was a listlessness in his tone, and Blinky noted that his shoulders seemed weighed down as if by a terrible burden. "Sorry I wasn't here yesterday."

"It is quite alright, Master Jim," assured Blinky, gently guiding Jim over to the Troll's favorite cushy reading chair where the human sat; fell more like it, Blinky couldn't help but think, as if his legs lacked the strength to hold him up. "We all trust that you have your reasons, though I will admit we're worried. Would you be willing to confide in us, or even one of us?" Jim sighed, looking around at all of them, then suddenly leaned forward and buried his head in his hands.

"Y-yeah. Mom said I could if I wanted to. She said – if I was so determined to go with her all the time it might cause problems with my training and so you should know why." He took a shuddering breath.

"So, it's about Dr. L?" asked Toby.

"Yeah." Abruptly Jim's voice was tight. "She – she told me she went to the doctor last week and... they found something." That announcement went over the Troll's heads, but Toby and Claire tensed.

"Found something, Jim?" echoed Claire. He nodded.

"...a lump." Claire's hand went up to cover her mouth and Toby softly murmured 'oh no...' as Jim pressed on. "They found a lump, and did a bunch of tests on it, including a biopsy, and everything was confirmed. That's where I was yesterday; I wouldn't let her go hear that news alone." Jim's hands tightened in his hair and he clarified before any Troll could ask: "My mom has breast cancer!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Jim!"

"Oh man, not Dr. L!" Toby and Claire were quick to offer their sympathies. Jim took another deep breath, clearly trying to get control of his emotions, then looked up at his Troll friends probably to try and explain. Blinky smiled kindly, however, stopping him from speaking.

"Even were the inferences not so clear, for all that we cannot develop it the word 'cancer' is not unknown to us. The details may be a bit fuzzy, I admit, but we all understand how dire the situation is." Jim's eyes briefly shone with barely-controlled tears then he lowered his head again.

"Bad sick?" asked Aaarrrggghh. "Doctors make better, heal her, right?"

"There's a lot that goes into it," answered Claire; Jim's shoulders were slightly shaking so he clearly was in no condition to say it himself. "It depends how far along it is, what they plan to do."

"They don't know how far along; they can't tell yet," Jim put in through a choked throat.

"I have an aunt that went through it," spoke up Toby. "They did surgery, chemo, radiation, the whole bit. Man, cancer is nasty!"

"I admit I've only seen the word," Draal confessed. "I've seen posters taking about 'runs' and other events to benefit cancer foundations, and I know it's a sickness." Blinky cleared his throat.

"Cancer, by definition, is a disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body. It can be difficult to treat." For a long moment they all were quiet, Jim trying to get himself under control and the others not entirely knowing what to say. Then Jim took a shuddering breath and muttered something they couldn't quite hear.

"What was that, Master Jim?" Blinky asked gently.

"It's...It's not fair!" Like an opened floodgate once he started talking everything just poured out of Jim in a torrent. "It's just not fair! My mom's a doctor - she's made it her purpose to heal people! She's saved lives! She works so hard to help complete strangers on their worst days. She sometimes works for days without real sleep! She's been yelled at and threatened by people high on something, and had people hit her when they're out of their heads and fight back. She's given so much to everyone, including me...and then this happens! It's not fair, she doesn't deserve it, and I can't do a thing to help her!" Furious, Jim slammed his fist down on the adjacent stone table so hard they all cringed and he himself cried out in pain, clutching his hand to his chest. Both the gesture, so out of character for Jim, as well as his including a Trollish swear spoke volumes to Blinky. Quite likely, he thought, the boy had been holding it together for his mother and only now was letting it out.

"Master Jim," the scholar said, using his most calming, soothing voice and putting a hand on Jim's shoulder; the lad was shaking. "You are perfectly right in that it isn't fair. Your mother has sacrificed much for others, yourself included, and no, she most certainly does not deserve this sickness. But life rarely takes such things into account. However I also know your mother is strong. I dare say you get your fighting spirit from her. After all she finished her schooling, attained her medical licence, and holds onto a demanding career in a field mostly dominated by men while at the same time raising you into a young man of courage and integrity without a mate to help her. If this cancer believes it has found a victim who will simply give up, well, it will find it is very, very wrong." Jim sniffed, wiping at his eyes before raising his head to look at Blinky.

"I know. When her doctor told her the first thing she said was 'what's our plan?' But I just feel so...so helpless. I'd take this from her, if I could."

"Barbara say same," Aaarrrggghh pointed out. Blinky nodded.

"Quite likely, my friend, were the roles reversed."

"She's just going to have to go through so much, hurt so much, and all I can do is stand by and watch."

"Is this really the time for that?" Draal's voice caught their attention to where Toby had his phone out and was rapidly typing on it. Claire frowned at the seeming disrespectful act but Toby spoke up before she could scold him too.

"Ah hah!" Toby's face reflected triumph as he bounded to his friend and showed him his phone's screen. "There is something you can do, Jimbo! See?" As it was held a little close, Jim took the phone from him and moved it to a better angle.

"Recipes?" Toby rolled his eyes playfully.

"Scroll up to the top!" Jim flicked a finger over the screen, then slowly read aloud:

"Twenty-Five Dishes for Cancer Patients..."

"Bingo!" Toby gestured towards the phone. "You can cook, man! Better than anyone I know. And all of those are designed for those with cancer and going through chemo and all to help them keep their strength up and not make them as nauseous. So there is a way you can help Dr.L!" Claire's expression brightened.

"I'll arrange a bake sale at school to be a fund raiser! That way your mom won't have to worry about taking time off as much."

"I'll help with some things around the house," added Toby. "Like mowing and stuff, so you can concentrate on her." In addition to his human friends' back-and-forth even the Trolls were nodding to themselves.

"I have several books that I can translate that might help entertain her while she recovers. I'll ask Vendel if he had any ideas of his own too."

"Keep company while at home. Distract from pain."

"I won't let anything disturb her recovery, and perhaps some of my father's mental exercises might help with pain as well. We can take some of the more minor Trollhunter duties as well so you can stay with her." A bit blankly Jim looked from one to another, seeming stunned by their offers as they tossed further ideas around, then they were pleased to see him finally smile.

"Barbara might have to wage the fight," Blinky said, "but just as we train you, so too can we ensure she is equipped with the strongest weapons and armor we can provide, and be a reprieve where she can rest between battles. Neither of you is going into this alone."

"Th-Thanks." Jim's eyes reflected a faint bit of hope. "Seriously, thanks." He ran his uninjured hand through his hair. "Sorry I kinda lost it there."

"Nonsense! You and your mother both are under quite a deal of stress from this. It's understandable. And if you or she was in need of someone you vent to, well, we'd be more than happy to fulfill that role as well. Now!" Blinky clapped his upper hands. "We'll see to you hand, then do some light training to help your mental balance as well as work out your tension, then see what all we can do for Barbara."