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Every Mask has its Story PART FIVE
Elise
warning... the beginning of the angst.
Future fic of 100 ways Universe timeline
Steve stood in the shower, grimacing. He had a heavy pit in his stomach. His back and now hips were in a lot of pain. He wasn’t ready to keel over, but it still was a draining constant. He rested his head against the glass of the shower and thought about his situation. He had to see a trainer soon about the pain. He couldn’t play if it got much worse. He’d be alone in Ottawa, without a single familiar face. St. Catharines was, Bear had checked it on mapquest, 377 kilometers away. It was a long haul. He thought to Marie and their short time together. They hadn’t even reached the five year mark. Steve hadn’t realized it before, but he wanted a good family life more than he wanted a stanley cup. He wished he could play hockey and provide for his family. He was inadequate in both.
Steve shut his eyes and took a deep breath. He had noticed that his body was a bit more swollen lately. He blinked, thinking about aging. He was old, alone and childless. Steve left the shower and looked at himself in the mirror. He still was fit, he still was good looking. Perhaps Brian was right. He needed to look towards the future. Go to the doctor and prepare for a future with someone. Steve clenched his hand on his belly, thinking about how he wanted that future with Marie.
Another shooting pain ripped through Steve and he grimaced. He looked in the mirror, seeing his face contorted in pain, but also, lower, that he was swelling. Steve blinked in shock and brought his hands down, examining himself. His hands began to shake and he quickly grabbed his clothes, throwing on a shirt and pants. His body was still wet, the shower was still on. Racing down the stairs, Steve flew into Ryan and Brian’s family room. There was no one there. He ran to the kitchen, calling out to them. Hearing some giggling from outside, Steve went out onto the back patio. The Campbell-Miller family was outside, enjoying each other’s company. Steve paused. He couldn’t interrupt this. He couldn’t destroy this family. Steve turned to go in when Ryan called out, “Bear! Come on out here. We’ve got a seat with your name on it.”
Steve slowly turned around, willing himself to calm his features, to cover up his fear. Ryan’s face immediately fell and he jumped up, rushing to Steve’s side. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
Brian wrapped his arms around Lindy, waiting patiently and testing out the situation, seeing if he should send his daughter away. Steve blinked back tears and said shakily, “I’m so sorry...”
Ryan looked into Steve’s face and said, “Talk to me, Bear.”
“I need to see a doctor.” Steve said quietly, barely audible.
Ryan placed his hands on Steve’s shoulders and said, “Brian, we’re going to a doctor, could you-”
“Consider it done.” Brian said, picking up Lindy, “We’ll be here when you need us.”
Lindy squirmed a bit, “Daddy... is Steve sick? Papa?”
Ryan called over his shoulder, “He’s just going to a doctor, kiddo, just like you did last year. We’ll be back before you know it.”
Lindy looked over at Steve, who was shaking slightly. “It’s ok, Uncle Bear, the doctors office isn’t as scary as I thought it would be.”
Steve looked up and mustered all his strength to give her a supportive smile. “Cold tables.” He whispered, “I’m a bit scared.”
“Lollypops, though!” she said cheerfully.
Steve nodded and looked at Ryan, who began to lead him indoors to the car. Ryan looped his arm through Bear’s, which caused the younger man to break down. Ryan began to shake slightly, “Bear... bear, why are we going to the doctors? Help me out here.”
“I... I found out why I can’t have children.” Steve said, “I have a lump. A large lump.”
Ryan’s body froze like a board and it seemed the breath was knocked out of him. Steve madly wiped his tears away and said, “I’m sorry. I... Its probably nothing. I don’t feel sick, just in some pain, and I’m sure I’m fine. Testicular cancer is rare.”
Ryan blinked a few times and then seemed to shake himself from his daze. “Bear, we promised we’d take care of you, and I plan to keep that promise. It’ll be ok.”
Steve sank back into his seat and smiled sadly at Ryan, who focused on driving. The goalie was paler than usual, and his hands were shaking. Steve shut his eyes and covered his face. He hoped it was nothing.
Ryan wrapped his body with his arms, the cell phone attached to his ear. He paced the outside side walk, biting his lips. “Yeah! Hey, Bri... it’s Ryan.”
Brian’s voice came over the phone, “What’s up, Ryan? How is Bear? What’s going on.”
“Bad news. Really bad news. Could you get a sitter for Lindy and come to the hospital?” Ryan said, rubbing his face with his free hand, still shaky.
“Ok, ok, consider it done. Can you tell me?” Brian said, his voice shaking towards the end.
“It’s not conclusive, but Bear might have testicular cancer. We don’t know a thing about it. We don’t know anything. Bear’s upstairs getting some MRIs done, and he’s had a biopsy. Normally...” Ryan took a deep breath, “Normally they’d make an appointment, but they rushed him in. They think its spread, they aren’t sure. Dammit.”
“Ok, Ry, it’ll be ok. I’ll be there soon. Don’t worry. Bear can beat this.”
“But...”
“Ryan. He isn’t Matt. He isn’t going to die.” Brian said, his voice strict. “I’ll be there in no more than a half hour.”
“Hurry,” Ryan whispered, “I need you, we need you.”
Brian hung up the phone, eyes watering. This couldn’t be happening. He felt like he just lied to Ryan, because he didn’t know anything about cancer. He didn’t know if Bear would survive. He didn’t know if Bear was going to be ok. In fact, all he knew were the kids that Ryan helped through his organization - and a lot of them died. A lot of them didn’t make it, but Ryan made them happy in their short lives. Flipping the phone in his hand, He walked up the stairs and said, “Hey Lin! Grab a bag of clothes for the night sweetie! You’re staying at the neighbors tonight.”
Brian dialed the neighbors, the Robinsons, a nice elderly couple that were always helping them out. The Robinsons apparently lived too far away from their children and grand children, so they usually jumped at the chance to take care of Lindy, generally filling her with candy and cookies. Grace Robinson picked up, and cheerily said hello. “Hello, Mrs. Robinson, this is Brian from next door... yeah, a family emergency came up and we need someone to - yes, yes, i’m sure things’ll be fine.”
Brian shifted the phone to his other ear, listening. Lindy walked down the stairs, inquiring, rather than packing. Brian snapped his fingers and pointed upstairs, causing the eight year old to roll her eyes and stomp upstairs. “Mrs. Robinson, yes. Thank you. It’s just Lindy for the night. She’ll bring some movies over. I hope its no inconvenience.”
Brian smiled and said thank you into the phone, hanging up and putting it down. He cracked his neck and took a deep breath. Walking to the stairs, to hurry his daughter along, he saw Lindy sitting, with her back pack and Papa doll. Brian almost began to cry right there. He smiled and said, “Hey Lin, I’m sorry that we gotta do this.”
“What happened? Where’s Uncle Bear?” Lindy said, “Is he ok?”
“He’s fine, sweetie,” Brian said, hoping, “He’s just a bit sick, so Papa and I are going to stay at the doctors with him. He’s just in the hospital.”
Lindy’s eyes widened and she stood up abruptly, “The hospital!? That’s bad!”
“No, no, sweetie, that’s good.” Brian said, sitting on the stairs with her, “It means he’s got the best doctors, and he’ll get free food, and his own room.”
Lindy sat back down and placed her hand on her father’s knee. “Are you scared?”
“A little bit.” Brian said truthfully, “But it’ll be fine. I promise. You can see Uncle Bear tomorrow.”
“I want to go with you.” She said, bottom lip sticking out.
Usually, Brian would crumble immediately when facing the fabled Lindy pout, but today, it merely twisted his stomach, making the situation that much worse. “You’re staying with the Robinsons.”
“They smell.” She said.
“They’ve got cookies and candy.” Brian pointed out.
Lindy didn’t say anything to that but pouted. Brian ruffled her hair and said, “I need you to let me take care of Bear and Papa, ok? And then tomorrow, we’ll all go out together, and have fun, ok?”
Lindy picked up her backpack and Papa doll and nodded. “Ok, Daddy.”
“Thank you, Lindy, you’re a great girl.” Brian said, kissing the top of her head.
Elise
warning... the beginning of the angst.
Future fic of 100 ways Universe timeline
Steve stood in the shower, grimacing. He had a heavy pit in his stomach. His back and now hips were in a lot of pain. He wasn’t ready to keel over, but it still was a draining constant. He rested his head against the glass of the shower and thought about his situation. He had to see a trainer soon about the pain. He couldn’t play if it got much worse. He’d be alone in Ottawa, without a single familiar face. St. Catharines was, Bear had checked it on mapquest, 377 kilometers away. It was a long haul. He thought to Marie and their short time together. They hadn’t even reached the five year mark. Steve hadn’t realized it before, but he wanted a good family life more than he wanted a stanley cup. He wished he could play hockey and provide for his family. He was inadequate in both.
Steve shut his eyes and took a deep breath. He had noticed that his body was a bit more swollen lately. He blinked, thinking about aging. He was old, alone and childless. Steve left the shower and looked at himself in the mirror. He still was fit, he still was good looking. Perhaps Brian was right. He needed to look towards the future. Go to the doctor and prepare for a future with someone. Steve clenched his hand on his belly, thinking about how he wanted that future with Marie.
Another shooting pain ripped through Steve and he grimaced. He looked in the mirror, seeing his face contorted in pain, but also, lower, that he was swelling. Steve blinked in shock and brought his hands down, examining himself. His hands began to shake and he quickly grabbed his clothes, throwing on a shirt and pants. His body was still wet, the shower was still on. Racing down the stairs, Steve flew into Ryan and Brian’s family room. There was no one there. He ran to the kitchen, calling out to them. Hearing some giggling from outside, Steve went out onto the back patio. The Campbell-Miller family was outside, enjoying each other’s company. Steve paused. He couldn’t interrupt this. He couldn’t destroy this family. Steve turned to go in when Ryan called out, “Bear! Come on out here. We’ve got a seat with your name on it.”
Steve slowly turned around, willing himself to calm his features, to cover up his fear. Ryan’s face immediately fell and he jumped up, rushing to Steve’s side. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
Brian wrapped his arms around Lindy, waiting patiently and testing out the situation, seeing if he should send his daughter away. Steve blinked back tears and said shakily, “I’m so sorry...”
Ryan looked into Steve’s face and said, “Talk to me, Bear.”
“I need to see a doctor.” Steve said quietly, barely audible.
Ryan placed his hands on Steve’s shoulders and said, “Brian, we’re going to a doctor, could you-”
“Consider it done.” Brian said, picking up Lindy, “We’ll be here when you need us.”
Lindy squirmed a bit, “Daddy... is Steve sick? Papa?”
Ryan called over his shoulder, “He’s just going to a doctor, kiddo, just like you did last year. We’ll be back before you know it.”
Lindy looked over at Steve, who was shaking slightly. “It’s ok, Uncle Bear, the doctors office isn’t as scary as I thought it would be.”
Steve looked up and mustered all his strength to give her a supportive smile. “Cold tables.” He whispered, “I’m a bit scared.”
“Lollypops, though!” she said cheerfully.
Steve nodded and looked at Ryan, who began to lead him indoors to the car. Ryan looped his arm through Bear’s, which caused the younger man to break down. Ryan began to shake slightly, “Bear... bear, why are we going to the doctors? Help me out here.”
“I... I found out why I can’t have children.” Steve said, “I have a lump. A large lump.”
Ryan’s body froze like a board and it seemed the breath was knocked out of him. Steve madly wiped his tears away and said, “I’m sorry. I... Its probably nothing. I don’t feel sick, just in some pain, and I’m sure I’m fine. Testicular cancer is rare.”
Ryan blinked a few times and then seemed to shake himself from his daze. “Bear, we promised we’d take care of you, and I plan to keep that promise. It’ll be ok.”
Steve sank back into his seat and smiled sadly at Ryan, who focused on driving. The goalie was paler than usual, and his hands were shaking. Steve shut his eyes and covered his face. He hoped it was nothing.
Ryan wrapped his body with his arms, the cell phone attached to his ear. He paced the outside side walk, biting his lips. “Yeah! Hey, Bri... it’s Ryan.”
Brian’s voice came over the phone, “What’s up, Ryan? How is Bear? What’s going on.”
“Bad news. Really bad news. Could you get a sitter for Lindy and come to the hospital?” Ryan said, rubbing his face with his free hand, still shaky.
“Ok, ok, consider it done. Can you tell me?” Brian said, his voice shaking towards the end.
“It’s not conclusive, but Bear might have testicular cancer. We don’t know a thing about it. We don’t know anything. Bear’s upstairs getting some MRIs done, and he’s had a biopsy. Normally...” Ryan took a deep breath, “Normally they’d make an appointment, but they rushed him in. They think its spread, they aren’t sure. Dammit.”
“Ok, Ry, it’ll be ok. I’ll be there soon. Don’t worry. Bear can beat this.”
“But...”
“Ryan. He isn’t Matt. He isn’t going to die.” Brian said, his voice strict. “I’ll be there in no more than a half hour.”
“Hurry,” Ryan whispered, “I need you, we need you.”
Brian hung up the phone, eyes watering. This couldn’t be happening. He felt like he just lied to Ryan, because he didn’t know anything about cancer. He didn’t know if Bear would survive. He didn’t know if Bear was going to be ok. In fact, all he knew were the kids that Ryan helped through his organization - and a lot of them died. A lot of them didn’t make it, but Ryan made them happy in their short lives. Flipping the phone in his hand, He walked up the stairs and said, “Hey Lin! Grab a bag of clothes for the night sweetie! You’re staying at the neighbors tonight.”
Brian dialed the neighbors, the Robinsons, a nice elderly couple that were always helping them out. The Robinsons apparently lived too far away from their children and grand children, so they usually jumped at the chance to take care of Lindy, generally filling her with candy and cookies. Grace Robinson picked up, and cheerily said hello. “Hello, Mrs. Robinson, this is Brian from next door... yeah, a family emergency came up and we need someone to - yes, yes, i’m sure things’ll be fine.”
Brian shifted the phone to his other ear, listening. Lindy walked down the stairs, inquiring, rather than packing. Brian snapped his fingers and pointed upstairs, causing the eight year old to roll her eyes and stomp upstairs. “Mrs. Robinson, yes. Thank you. It’s just Lindy for the night. She’ll bring some movies over. I hope its no inconvenience.”
Brian smiled and said thank you into the phone, hanging up and putting it down. He cracked his neck and took a deep breath. Walking to the stairs, to hurry his daughter along, he saw Lindy sitting, with her back pack and Papa doll. Brian almost began to cry right there. He smiled and said, “Hey Lin, I’m sorry that we gotta do this.”
“What happened? Where’s Uncle Bear?” Lindy said, “Is he ok?”
“He’s fine, sweetie,” Brian said, hoping, “He’s just a bit sick, so Papa and I are going to stay at the doctors with him. He’s just in the hospital.”
Lindy’s eyes widened and she stood up abruptly, “The hospital!? That’s bad!”
“No, no, sweetie, that’s good.” Brian said, sitting on the stairs with her, “It means he’s got the best doctors, and he’ll get free food, and his own room.”
Lindy sat back down and placed her hand on her father’s knee. “Are you scared?”
“A little bit.” Brian said truthfully, “But it’ll be fine. I promise. You can see Uncle Bear tomorrow.”
“I want to go with you.” She said, bottom lip sticking out.
Usually, Brian would crumble immediately when facing the fabled Lindy pout, but today, it merely twisted his stomach, making the situation that much worse. “You’re staying with the Robinsons.”
“They smell.” She said.
“They’ve got cookies and candy.” Brian pointed out.
Lindy didn’t say anything to that but pouted. Brian ruffled her hair and said, “I need you to let me take care of Bear and Papa, ok? And then tomorrow, we’ll all go out together, and have fun, ok?”
Lindy picked up her backpack and Papa doll and nodded. “Ok, Daddy.”
“Thank you, Lindy, you’re a great girl.” Brian said, kissing the top of her head.