Life became a routine for the two of them, though a bit of an awkward one at times. They didn't actually know one another well and so there were moments when JR just felt like he had intruded in and made life hell for his cousin. Of course Aron denied it, but there was no denying the fact that he was more and more tired as time passed. The extra burden of helping to care for JR was taking a toll on the young man and it was obvious.

However, there were bright moments. Four days after coming to live with Aron, JR stood. Of course, it was after Aron had headed for work. JR had been determined to be the one to wheel himself around - if he failed trying, that was one thing, but if he didn't even try, he had lost already. And so he tried, even though most evenings he had to ask for Aron's help to get from the living room back to his bedroom. 

So that particular day, Aron had left for work far earlier than JR had even woken, leaving JR to get himself out of bed and into his chair by himself. He didn't mind, because it was what he had asked of his cousin, but that morning he felt better than he had since he could remember. He flicked the blanket back and swung his legs over, reaching for his chair with the intent to grab it and lever himself into it, but he paused. Then reached instead for the dresser, and, slowly but steadily, he stood. His legs shook a bit at first, but as they steadied out he let go of the dresser top, and to his immense pleasure, he didn't fall.

At least, not right away. He stood for a short moment, peering at the far too thin face in the mirror that hung over the piece of furniture, then he wobbled as his legs began to give away. He caught the edge of the dresser again and eased himself down into the wheelchair, b over with pride for having stood for even as long as he had. It should have been impossible and the fact that he managed it at all was practically a miracle. 

He kept trying since then, every moment he could get, standing for as long as he could until he tired. It seemed to him that his ability was growing rapidly. Several days after that was Halloween, and when Aron left to go to the work party he had been invited to, JR took the chance to test his limits.

His cousin left the apartment at almost eight in the evening, and JR waited about fifteen minutes before taking a deep breath and standing. He had been parked in front of the television, and so he climbed out of his chair and stood, wobbly for a moment before he steadied out, then took a hesitant step toward the kitchen.

He expected to waver, or fall, or some such thing that told him he wasn't quite ready for such tests yet, but to his utter shock he felt fine. Stronger, even, than he had when sitting in his chair! Hesitantly he took another step, making sure to bend the knee so as to make his leg work, and when he shifted his weight to that leg, it held. And so he continued forward, making it almost all the way to the counter before he got unsteady. He made it there, holding on to the cool marble and breathing hard from the exhertion.

But he did it!

Now... to make it back to his chair. He turned, still holding the countertop to support himself, and looked at his wheelchair. It was about fifteen feet away, and yet it felt like miles, and he suddenly wondered why he ha