**this fic own mine and my brother's. we worked this story together.

-Hospital; Day 20-

“Who is this guy, anyway?” Bella slides out of the back seat of her mother’s car and leans against the side, waiting for her mother and sister to get out.

“He’s an old friend of Sunny’s” Taeyeon tells her, “her best friend”

Bella’s nose wrinkles, “She has a boy best friend?”

Taeyeon laughs and shuts the door once Sophia is out, “Yes, darling, that is possible, you know”

Bella takes Taeyeon’s right hand as her sister takes the left, and they walk across the parking lot. “I know it’s possible, Mum” she rolls her eyes, “but why would she even want a boy for a friend? They’re so… bleh” she sticks her tongue out.

“You may feel differently in a few years, my darling” Taeyeon looks both ways before crossing through a small crosswalk.

“No” Bella says, sure of herself, “I think I’m going to like girls, like you do”

Taeyeon looks down at her daughter, surprised by the statement. She’s never discussed gay and straight with her daughters; never felt the need to. She thinks for a moment before responding.

“She thinks Amanda Jones, a girl at school, has a beautiful smile, Mum” Sophia reveals, interrupting Taeyeon’s thoughts.

“Sophia!” Bella reaches around her mother and pinches her younger sister.

“Oww! Mum…!”

Taeyeon pulls them aside once they’re inside the lobby and sits them down. “Alright, girls… apologize to each other…” Taeyeon waits with raised eyebrows.

“Sorry” it’s said with minimal feeling from the older twin.

“Me too” a sigh.

“Now, this is a conversation I’d like to continue… at home” Taeyeon tells them sternly “I want you on your best behavior while we’re visiting, alright?”

“Ok, Mum”

“Yeah, ok”

“Good girls” Taeyeon kisses them each on the cheek. “Let’s go…”

…

…

Taeyeon bites her lip as they approach Jamie’s room; worried Sunny’s mood yesterday may have been a temporary lapse, as she was wearing Sungmin-colored blinders. She sends her girls in ahead of her, waiting a bit to compose herself, and takes a few deep breaths.

When she walks in, the first thing she notices is that Jamie is sleeping with an oxygen mask on. Her head snaps to the adults in the room and they both frown. The next thing she notices is Sunny isn’t in the room.

“Girls, wait in the hall, please” Taeyeon opens the door and ushers them out. She turns back to Hyoyeon and Sungmin, “What’s going on?” she whispers.

“He had a rough night, poor kid” Sungmin starts, “bad reaction to that chemo. Had a seizure, and his blood pressure dropped. Doc said he’s too weak for any more treatments”

Hyoyeon looks up at her, “He needs a transplant or…”

Taeyeon’s eyes fill with tears, “Or what…?”

Hyoyeon just shakes her head.

Taeyeon looks over at Jamie. No.

“Where’s Sunny?”

“She’s out walkin” Sungmin tells her, “didn’t want the boy to see her cryin”

Taeyeon walks out. She grabs her girls’ hands and tugs them along behind her.

“What’s going on, Mum?” Sophia asks, as her small feet try to keep up with her mother’s long strides.

“We need to find Sunny”

“What’s wrong with Jamie?”

Taeyeon stops at the elevator and hastily pushes the down button. Hurry up! She looks into Sophia’s concerned eyes. She won’t lie to her children. “He’s getting worse, darling”

Bella squeezes her hand, “He’s not going to die, is he, Mum?”

“Not if I have anything to do with it”

…

…

After searching the entire garden, they finally find her sitting in the shade of a large tree. Taeyeon sits her girls down on a bench nearby, and gives them strict instructions not to move.

Sunny’s head is bowed; her shoulders slumped and shaking. Taeyeon walks across the trim grass and approaches her quietly. She squats down and whispers, “Sunny”

When Sunny looks up, Taeyeon can tell she’s been crying for some time. Her eyes are red and puffy, as is her nose. Taeyeon opens her purse and finds some tissue, then hesitantly reaches out to wipe Sunny’s cheeks gently.

Sunny’s eyes are screaming at Taeyeon, and she acts on instinct when she pulls Sunny off the ground and wraps her arms around her delicate body, holding her securely; telling her without words that she’s here, that she understands, and that she’s never going to let go.

It takes Sunny a minute to slide her hands around Taeyeon’s waist. But when she finally does, she begins to sob into Taeyeon’s chest. “I can’t… lose him” she says between short breaths.

Taeyeon kisses the top of her head, “You won’t” holds her tighter, “I promise”

…

…

…

…

Taeyeon shakes his hand. “I need to know what James’s options are, doctor”

“I wish I could help you, Ms. Taeyeon, but I’m only at liberty to discuss his case with his mother”

“Dr. Grant, Sunny is in no condition for any of this right now. All I’m asking for is a small bit of information so I know how I can best help James and his mother”

The doctor presses the top of his pen again and again; the clicking sound nearly drives Taeyeon insane. “What kind of information?”

“Mostly about the transplant. Have you found any matches? Near matches? Is he healthy enough to receive a transplant at all?”

“You know your stuff, Ms. Taeyeon”

Taeyeon nods, “Unfortunately I went through a similar experience with my wife” she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, “but she passed after her transplant; g-v-h-d” Taeyeon tells him.

“I”m sorry to hear that”

“Thank you. So you see why I’m concerned; I want to make sure James has the best chance if this is his only option”

Dr. Grant puts down his pen and folds his hands on his desk. “We haven’t found a match yet” he says regretfully, “we’ve been looking through the registries since he was admitted. Right now all we can offer him is a mismatched transplant”

Taeyeon shakes her head, “Not good enough”

“There are some exciting experimental therapies with mismatched transplants; you may want to read some literature on…”

“No” Taeyeon shoots him down, “no experiments, no mismatches. I was very naïve when my wife was ill, but I’m not anymore. He’s a small child, doctor; he doesn’t need to be put through any more pain if a good outcome isn’t a near guarantee”

“There are no guarantees, Ms. Taeyeon, even with a perfect match”

“I’m aware”

“We should really be discussing this with Sunny, Ms…”

“How long does he have, doctor” Taeyeon interrupts.

“Without treatment or transplant…?”

“Yes”

“Two… maybe three months”

Taeyeon’s stomach drops. She stands up and reaches across the desk to shake his hand, “I’ll be in touch” then quickly walks out.

She grabs the phone out of her purse and scrolls through the names, presses the green button twice and puts the phone to her ear. Bites her lip as she walks down the corridor toward the elevators. Inwardly sighs when she hears the voice on the other side of the line.

“Hi… yeah… I need to see you… yes… can you fly in tomorrow…?”

…

…

“Is Jamie in pain?” Sophia holds Sunny’s hand and looks up into her exhausted brown eyes.

“He was…” Sunny says honestly, “but he isn’t anymore; I think he’s comfortable now”

“Did he cry?” Bella asks.

“Yes, he did. He cried a lot”

“Because they were poking him with needles, right?” Bella nods at her own question.

“I think so” Sunny agrees.

Sophia lowers her eyes and leans her head on Sunny’s arm, “What can we do to make him feel better, Sunny?”

“You already do” Sunny manages a smile, “he loves it when you both come and see him”

“If he gets worse we won’t be able to visit him, will we” Bella crosses her arms, “they wouldn’t let us see Mummy when she got worse because of our germs. We had to look at her through the window and wave. And when she came home we head to wear masks and stuff”

“I hope that doesn’t happen” Sunny puts an arm around Bella’s shoulders, “but if it does, we’ll manage it, alright?”

Both girls look up at her and half-smile, nodding sadly. “We love you, Sunny” Sophia tells her, “all of us. Even Mum”

Sunny hugs both girls to her, kisses the tops of their heads, and quietly cries.

…

…

Taeyeon sees them sitting in the waiting room, solemnly. Bella and Sophia run to her and hug her when she walks in.

“Alright, girls…?” Taeyeon smiles down at them, willing them to be strong alongside her. They look up at their mother and nod, hearing her silent plea.

The three of them walk over to Sunny and sit down.

“Did you see the doctor?”

“I did”

“And…?”

“He told me what he told you”

Sunny looks down and nods, wringing her hands.

“Mum, can we go in the playroom to see if our friend is there?” Bella asks.

“I suppose” Taeyeon says, “be sure to listen to the nurses’ instructions if they give you any”

“We will” they walk off holding hands, and Taeyeon can’t help but feel proud of them.

Once the girls are gone, Sunny stands up and begins to pace. “What am I going to do, Taeyeon?”

Taeyeon thinks about telling Sunny the plan she’s come up with, but ultimately decides against it; not wanting to give her a false sense of hope, should it not be successful.

“First of all…” Taeyeon reaches out and clasps her hand around Sunny’s wrist, stopping her mid-pace “you’re not alone in this” she stands up and places her hands on Sunny’s shoulders, “you have your sister, and Sungmin, and… me” Taeyeon shrugs and slides her hands into her jeans’ pockets, “…if you want me”

Sunny looks away.

Judging by her reaction, Taeyeon assumes she’s said the wrong thing. . She tries to recover, “We can talk about that some other time” Taeyeon smiles tightly, “just know that I’m here for you. Whatever you need”

What Sunny does next surprises her. Doesn’t expect Sunny’s hands to slide around her neck and pull her into a snug hug. Doesn’t expect the whispered “thank you” into her ear, or the ghost of a kiss on her hair.

Taeyeon closes her eyes and gets lost in Sunny. Feels guilty for the sense of happiness that warms her body, when Jamie’s in a room across the hall fighting for his life. But she can’t help it, because Sunny is holding her. Sunny’s finally holding her. And she’s determined, now more than ever, to find a way to save her boy.

**this fic own mine and my brother's. we worked this story together.