When It's Time to Move On

Door 3 - Chapter 42 - All of Them

The emotion with which he spoke had the effect of stemming the anger among the group. Sylvia and Laarni walked over to him and pulled him into an embrace.

"That's something that would never happen," Sylvia spoke in his ear while Laarni ruffled his hair; meanwhile, Roslin still had not let go.

"You think I would ever dump the guy that's been my friend since college, brought me together with my fiancé, and gave me just about the best ever verbal beating of my life...because he was sick?" Auden asked.

"And just so you know, I love you, happy?" Hank told him. "Yes, I know, the macho man of the group confesses he loves someone. Is that enough to make you believe me?"

"Besides, you have a wedding to attend soon," said Laarni. "And we're not going to have a dying man as our guest of honor. You're going to be the one jumping for the bouquet."

Harris laughed. He still had his reservations, though, remembering the experience with his friends the previous time he had been ill.

"I hope you understand what they're all saying, Harris," Roslin spoke. Harris realized she hadn't been there the last time, not this close to him, with such warmth behind those eyes. "They're not going to let you go. Just like I won't."

"Am I worth it?"

"Every single part of you," she assured him, her grip on his shoulder tightening slightly. He looked at his friends.

"YES." They all shouted in unison.

"How come you're here, though? What about Harold?"

"He and I met after a long time, and I figured he can wait a bit more. I had a friend who needed me more."

"Oh, by the way, I got a call from that clinic confirming my appointment," Hank chimed in. "Funny, I don't recall placing that appointment, and the only person I told was you...have any thoughts on the matter?"

"I figured, if you weren't calling, someone else should." Harris shrugged mischievously.

"And that someone was right," said Sylvia with her arm around her husband who smiled.

"Yeah, I suppose, Sylvia and I had a nice long talk about it and I guess it wouldn't hurt to check if everything's all right." He conceded, nodding toward Harris.

"And I think another one of us has a story, too." Laarni looked over to Auden.

"I am the best at telling stories, and I'm going to admit my problem." He raised his arms accepting defeat. "So I'll be rejoining you, Roslin."

"That's great news, but I might be a little busy with a certain someone," she looked at Harris with a smile.

"Does that mean you're joining the hospital again?"

"How can I leave my best friend just when he needs me most? You might think you don't matter much but you mean the world to everyone here in this room. And we're not going to let our world die." Roslin summed it up. "Especially not me. So, what do you say? Ready to start fighting?"

He searched their faces for any sign of the helplessness that he'd once seen in them. But there was none. They meant it. All of them. One last look at Roslin confirmed it; she had still not let go of him, and he was sure now, she never would.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

That last push was all Harris needed. In the end, it was what they all needed. Hank and Sylvia got themselves tested. Auden finally began to seriously work on himself, and with ever-faithful Laarni with him, there was no chance of him falling off the wagon.