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**Chapter Fifteen**

Kevin took in a deep breath of fresh air as he stepped out in to the open outdoors. It was a beautiful, sunny day without a cloud in sight in the sky. The humidity was low, making the one-hundred degree temperature seem tolerable. He knew that he could only stay outside for a short, limited time period, but he cherished that time. He needed to feel the natural sunlight upon his skin, breath in the outdoors rather than stuffy hospital air filled with the scents of medications. It made all the difference in the world.

It had been shortly over a month and a half since he’d escaped isolation and he felt great. He’d continued on with his chemotherapy treatments right away, finding out that he’d not been set back by his stay away from all regimens. The cancer had not spread any more again and what had been improved during all of his months there hadn’t been reversed. The news had made him a very happy man, and by the day, he felt stronger and better. Kevin didn’t know if it was all in his mind and attitude, or if he was reading too much in to it, hoping for the absolute best. Either way, he was feeling more and more like his true self all of the time, his spirits rising.

He wondered how Anita was doing, knowing that she had experienced a rather difficult treatment session, the drugs taking more out of her than usual. She’d been asleep for most of the afternoon, and the nurses had told Kevin it would be best if he just let her be for a little while until she was feeling better. Kevin sighed, wishing he could be there with her. She was trying to hard to get through this, and things just seemed to be on a permanent hold for her. Kevin didn’t see this as fair, for she was so young. She had so much living to do yet, not even out of college. In fact, she’d barely just begun college, still having three years to go until graduation. No, Anita hadn’t even started her life yet, and he believed that she deserved it more than anybody. He prayed every night for her to start getting better. So far though, it wasn’t working.

His thoughts then went to the group as he walked slowly around the quarter mile walking trail. They’d been so supportive of him, and he missed them. They called regularly, but it wasn’t the same as them all being there. He knew that wish was near impossible though. He’d gotten so far without his illness leaking out to the press. It would be a nightmare if it got out now, and if all five were there, it would draw way too much attention. Them being there for as long as they had been in the first place had been nerve-wracking. Nothing bad had come of it though. They’d been very lucky. Now though, he wanted nothing more than for his friends to be there with him. He missed his old life so much.

Completing his lap around the pond, Kevin decided it was time for him to go back inside. He breathed in on last, large gulp of air before entering the building once more. Familiar scents of sickness immediately hit his nostrils. It didn’t phase him though, as he made his way back to his own room. Upon reaching his destination, Kevin was surprised to see his own doctor, Dr. Hixon, standing in his room.

“Ah, Kevin,” he greeted, “I’m glad to see you.”

Kevin eyed him suspiciously as he entered the room, pulling his IV card behind him. His gaze never once left the man as he settled himself back in to his bed. Not once had the doctor ever been waiting on him. Every time, Kevin had been ordered to stick around his room to wait for the doctor, sitting there for hours on end for him to finally show up. This was new, and definitely unusual.

“What’s going on?” Kevin finally asked, “Is everything alright?”

Dr. Hixon stood there for a minute. Kevin couldn’t even begin to read the blank expression on his face, for nothing in his expression told anything. His eyes however, were smiling, having a certain glow that Kevin hadn’t seen before.

Must’ve gotten laid right before his shift Kevin thought cruelly.

He wondered why this man was torturing him like this, just standing there, obviously holding some sort of crucial information about his status right there in his hands, dangling it over Kevin tauntingly until he started to beg for it. Kevin refused to cave in though like that, deciding that he could wait like a mature human being for what the doctor wanted, even though on the inside he was going absolutely insane.

“Yes, everything is fine,” Dr. Hixon told him, “In fact, everything is very good.”

His caused Kevin to arch one of his eyebrows, giving the doctor a confused, sideways glance. The man was seriously beginning to piss him off, but Kevin knew he couldn’t lose his temper. That would only land him in the psych ward or in the office of a councilor to talk about his anger and what was bothering him.

“Care to share?” Kevin asked in what he hoped to be a calm voice, even tempered tone of voice.

“Yes, I would actually,” the doctor answered right away, “After analyzing your most recent test results, I’ve been shown that your cancer is gone.” Kevin stared at him blankly for a long moment, wondering if he’d even heard the man correctly, “I’m very pleased to say that you’re in remission, Kevin.”

Kevin continued to just stare, wondering if he’d heard correctly. He honestly didn’t know, because for so long, he’d been facing nothing but problems. For as long as he could remember, he’d been sick and unhealthy. And now, out of nowhere...this was coming. Kevin couldn’t help but wonder if it was a sick joke.

“No shit?” he asked, giving the man a warning look that read for him to fess up now if he were lying.

“No lie,” Dr. Hixon laughed, the first time Kevin had seem him do anything like it since he’d even met the man, “We’re required to keep you here for a couple more days for paper work purposes, but in three days, you’ll be out of here.”

Kevin couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
He’d be free. Everything he’d ever thought about, dreamt about, was happening. Kevin never thought he’d live to see the day come. It looked like his wishes were finally coming true
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“This bites!” Anita scowled, sitting up in her bed. It had been thirty hours since she’d last seen Kevin, and she was bored beyond belief without her companion there with her. She was feeling much better, her weak, vulnerableness gone, “I am so fucking bored...” her voice trailed off as she sighed dramatically.

She was starting to wonder if Kevin was ever going to come and see her again. Sure, he’d been kept away for the past day and a half, however the doctors had to have told him by now that he could visit her, right? They knew that they were involved, and although they’d frowned upon it at first, Anita and Kevin were stubborn, and they hadn’t been given any trouble since. In fact, the nurses were constantly telling Anita how sweet they thought it was. But now, she wasn’t so convinced that they weren’t purposely keeping Kevin away still.

Anita considered ringing her buzzer to get somebody in to the room. If she did, she could always tell them to deliver a message to Kevin for her, or a note. But who was to say they wouldn’t be assholes and not even do that for her? If she wrote him a letter, Anita could almost see the hospital staff gathered around in a circle, reading it, laughing at her expense, before pitching it. Kevin would never know anything about it.

Her overactive imagination was halted as Kevin walked in to her room. Anita’s paranoia subsided when she saw him, smiling triumphantly, feeling as if she had won some sort of battle against the hospital staff.

“Hey!” she greeted in excitement, “They finally let you in?”

“They really had no choice,” Kevin laughed, walking up to her and giving her a kiss, “I had to see you...I missed you.”

Kevin smiled when he saw her blush, but was wondering if he should tell her about what he’d been told or not. As it was, he could have visited her the night before, right after he’d been told that he would be going home. He’d kept it from her for almost a day now...but Kevin didn’t know how he was going to tell her or how she would react to it.

“I was going crazy not seeing you,” Anita told him honestly, “Although I still say that you should have snuck in...” she grinned evilly, causing Kevin to chuckle good heartedly.

“That would not have been good, babe,” he told her, “They may have banned us from each other...” he was still smiling though. Nothing could bring his mood down. He felt as if he were floating on cloud nine.

“You’re in an awfully good mood,” Anita observed suddenly, then looked at him cautiously, “What’s going on? What happened?”

Kevin froze, but the smile still couldn’t be wiped off of his face. He knew though that since Anita had asked, picking up on something, he owed her the truth. He knew he’d have to tell her eventually anyways. Two days wasn’t much time to break to a girl you’d been seeing that you’d be leaving anyways, especially when she was going to be stuck in the same place, nobody knowing exactly how long.

“I...got a visit from my doctor yesterday,” he told her, “I um...I’m in remission. I get to leave...on Thursday.”

“Oh my god, that’s great!” she cried, wrapping her arms around him in a large hug, “Wow...I’m so happy...I....you’re better?!” she exclaimed, not really understanding how this was possible so soon after his nasty infection, but she trusted the doctors judgement, deciding not to second guess and ask questions.

Kevin drew back, a little bit shocked at how well she was taking this. Then again, why wouldn’t she be congratulatory towards him? She’d want the best for him, right? Anita, even though she was a little difficult sometimes, definitely wasn’t selfish. Or at least he didn’t think so. She should be happy.

“Thanks,” he hugged her back, “I honestly never thought that this day would come...I...it’s just like, a miracle of some sort.”

He could almost imagine being free. He couldn’t wait to call the other Boys and tell them to be expecting him...it would be one of the best phone conversations he’d ever have. He’d made it through his stay, press free. He could ease up. It was all behind him. Every last bit of it.

“You deserve this, Kev,” Anita told him, “You have no idea how much you deserve this...being well again.”

“You deserve the same, honey,” Kevin told her, kissing her again, “I’m going to go and call the others...let them know...” he paused, seeing disappointment cross her face, for he’d only just arrived, “I’ll be back in a little bit though, okay?” Anita nodded as she received one final kiss before Kevin left.

Once he was gone, Anita smiled, the news Kevin had delivered her being the best she’d heard in months. The grin slowly faded though once she the reality of it all hit. Thursday was only two days away. In not even half of a week, he’d be leaving her, having no choice but to do so. She would be left alone. Shaking her head, Anita cleared the thoughts away. She refused to believe that. Kevin wasn’t going to leave. He was going to stay right there. Anita knew she was setting herself up for an even bigger hurt, but for the time being, denial was her only way to deal with this and be happy around Kevin for his final days with her.