Remembering Grey

~ the news ~

I got a call early this morning from Mrs. Dodson, there was some kind of emergency and I wouldn't start work for another two weeks. She told me that she knew it was unexpected and it was an inconvenience so they'd still pay me for five hours' time each day. She wouldn't elaborate on the situation and I didn't push her to clearly it was none of my business. When I got home last night my mom was asleep on the couch, evidence that  she'd been waiting for me, so I hadn't gotten to tell her about the Dodsons' or David but now's my chance. I can smell her famous chocolate chip pancakes from down the hall so I know she's up and in the kitchen with Milo, this is sort of what we do every morning.

"Hey buddy." I poke my little brothers side and plop down in the seat next to him.

"Someone's extra cheery this morning." My mom, Trinity, throws me a look over her shoulder.

"I quit my job."

"What?" my mom gasps at the same time Milo holds his hand out for a fist bump.

"I got a new one."

"A new one?" she abandons her food quickly turning the stove off.

"A couple came into Captain's yesterday and offered me a job." I shrug being as vague as possible you know, element of surprise and all.

"A job doing what Cy, please don't tell me it's something outrageous."

"Define outrageous."

"I don't know, being their surrogate, their," she leans over and whispers, "sex slave."

"What, mom, no."

"Just making sure."

"I'm going to be babysitting for them."

"Oh thank god."

"Mom, I can't deal with you right now." I laugh playfully turning away from him.

"I wanna know all about it." She laughs turning me back toward her.

"Okay, I'll tell you, for a pancake."

"Deal." She laughs and I proceed to tell her everything. I start with tell her about the way Ernie treated me for all those years, needless to say she was extremely angry. She was angry because as she says no one disrespects her kids but she was angry with me too for never telling her. I told her how everything happened with the Dodson's and how the job came about, their kids and then I told her about the pay, as soon as I finished Milo chimed in.

"Basically, you're gonna be rich?" he has an excited smile decorating his face.

"Sure kid." He's ten years old of course he'd think that was a ton of money, who was I to crush his dreams.

"So, you're completely free for two weeks?" my mom inquires.

"It would appear so."

"Do you want to come to Milo's appointment with us?"

"Of course." She smiles and gives me a side hug before returning to the stove.

"When are we leaving?"

"In about two hours."

"I have to hurry." I start shoving pancakes into my mouth earning a disgusted look from Milo before he scoffs.

"Girls."

∞

This hospital isn't as plain as most hospitals there are murals and huge decals covering the walls. The whole team of Avengers are looking down at me as I wait for my mom and Milo in the lobby. The nurses told me I had to stay here until they told me different and that moment clearly hadn't come yet. I don't even understand why I couldn't go back there I had before. When Milo had first gotten sick I was always here visiting him whenever I was able to escape Ernie and his ridiculous hours but I was able to go back there with him, what was different? A single black feather comes fluttering in through the automatic glass doors and I watch as the wind swirls it around the lobby before it stops right in from of a pair of familiar brown ankle boots. I look up to see my mom crying in front of the Nemo themed double doors, I instantly jump up and run to her.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"Cy, it's back, the cancer is back." I jump as if she'd electrocuted me.

"What?"

"It's back, Cy."

"No, no, they said that the chances were slim to none. Mom, they told us he would be okay." The tears won't stop. My mom pulls me into a hug, crying and telling me that he will be okay.

"I want to go see him."

"Of course but Cy, he doesn't know yet, let me tell him." I nod and she leads me behind the bright door that now seems so minacious.

"He's right over here." I waste no time going into his room.

"Oh, hey Cy." I can tell that he knows something is up by the glistening in his eyes.

"Milo-"

"It's okay, mom doesn't even have to tell me, I know."

"How?" my mom asks.

"I felt it." His tough act crumbles as a tear escapes he quickly wipes it away smiling up at us. Completely ignoring his tough act I pull him into a bear hug.

"Mrs. Adner?" The doctor walks in just seconds later.

"May I speak with you in the hall please?" I kiss the top of Milo's head promising him that I'll be right back before following my mother and the doctor out of the room.

"Mrs. Adner, as you know Milo's cancer has returned as it does with a lot of cases, Now, leukemia-"

"Please, just tell me why you called us out here." My mom interjects.

"Very well, um, as you know the cancer wasn't there two weeks ago which means that it's moving rapidly so treatment must begin immediately but, um," he fidgets uncomfortably.

"But what?" I step closer to him.

"But the treatment may not work. The fact that it's moving so fast means that it's extremely aggressive, what I'm trying to say is Milo may never leave this hospital."

****

Song for this chapter is To Build A Home by The Cinematic Orchestra 

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