Home.

I haven't been home for three years now. Nothing has changed.

My mom unlocks the door of the house and pushes it, revealing the furniture covered in while cloths.

The smell of a vacant house kicks in and I just close my eyes and smile. "Welcome home Venus," mom says and I smile, looking back at my mommy who's with Aurora.

"Come on in sweetie," Dad says and smiles at me.

I take a step inside and breath in the scent. A video of my friends and I first came to my house plays in my head continuously, as if it's real. Another one about when mom and dad first took me in and Macy was so excited to see me.

Instead of seeing everyone else sitting on the sofa, waiting for me, I see hallucinations about my past. I smile knowing how long I have come.

"Venus," a soft voice mumbles and he pulls his hand out.

I look to the side a notice Ian standing next to me with his hand extended, waiting for me to sit on the couch with others.

I slowly take his hand and he walks me to my favorite place of the couch and sits down next to me.

"You shouldn't have done this," daddy, Richard, says and Dad nods.

"I'm still mad," dad, says and I flash a soft smile.

"Dad, you have to understand. If I stayed there, all they would do is more chemo and it already made me bald once. I'd like to die with at least some hair on my head," I mutter and their eyes pop out.

"Venus," everyone says in unison in a warning tone.

"Fine, I won't say anything about dying because then it would be ironic. Anyways, can we go to Paris already? You guys literally pulled us out of those camps," I whine.

"Those camps aren't a good environment for you to stay in right now. You could go after I get the lab results," Mommy, Olive, says.

I roll my eyes and stay there as they all talk about the treatment options. Suddenly a doctor comes in and claims that he has been summoned. Very well, of course mom and mommy would've called her.

I fake a smile and we leave for the hospital.

___

After doing millions of blood tests, we finally sit in the waiting room, for the results to show up.

"Isn't there any other way that this could be approached? Maybe surgery?" Mommy asks in a defeating tone.

I feel bad. All of this concern because I'm sick. My parents haven't been sleeping well ever since three years. They always came to check up on me— every hour, different person— to check on me and to see that I am still breathing.

Now that my friends know, they are all studying the books and web. They are studying! They don't even do that to pass a class yet they are doing it for me.

I have seriously got to stop dragging everyone into my mess. Only Cayson is left, he's still in the dark and I intend to keep it that way.

"Oh," Kate exclaims and they walk up to the doctor, all while pointing to the book. "A stem cell transplant."

The doctor nods in consideration and looks at me. "I have considered this too but she will receive intense treatments, such as high doses of chemo and radiation, for this to work," she answers.

"We should take our chances," mom says and I shake my head.

"I already told you guys, I'm not doing chemo nor radiation again. Guys, I just want to live the time I have left with you guys. Why do you want to take risks? It could kill me if it doesn't work," I answer back and they sigh.

"Venus, you should undergo this because it shows that it might be able to cure your cancer," Violet says.

"That's a big might," I reply back.

"Please Venus, do this for us," Chris literally begs me for this.

"Venus, if there is any chance that you could be saved, I want you to take it," Ian says and I see a light of hope flickering in their eyes.

"Please venus," Kate mumbles.

"Please," Tyler also mumbles.

They all are giving me puppy dog eyes which I hate because I can't say no to them. I groan in frustration and think about my options.

1. Do this and die.

2. Don't do this and die.

3. Do this and maybe you could live.

I groan and nod in return. "Fine, I will do this," I say and they all literally jump in joy.

"Then, let's get started now," the doctor recommends and I make a face but follow her to wherever she's taking me.

___

We sat down after I had my first round of chemo and radiation. Oh boy, this again.

"Okay, Venus I will be giving you 'Allogeneic stem cell transplant' so we need to find who's a match for you," she says and I nod in response. "It is my duty to tell you that you will need all the emotional support because this will weaken your immune system and give you thoughts which you might agree on at the time. This transplant will take approximately an hour to complete and then we will see your red blood counts. If it's low, you will be given another transplant."

This is too much, even for me. Yeah, I have went through a lot but this isn't just anything. This is about life and death. I feel like I'm in the middle of life and death and they are both pulling on me.

"Anything else?" I ask and she nods.

"I completed your HLA test and you have been matched. It's your mother and Violet," she answers and my eyes go wide.

"Can this- can this hurt them?" I ask her and she sighs.

"The donor may have soreness, bruising, and aching at the back of the hips and lower back for a few days but over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen could help," she answers and I think about it. "I have already talked to your donors about everything else and they are ready to donate their blood and cells."

"You already talked to them?" I ask and she nods.

"Your mother suggested this so when your test was done, they were also tested. Both of them are your donors," she answers. "You should discuss it more with them."

We walk out of the room and outside I see everyone sitting down, either reading or searching something up.

"Mommy! Violet!" I stomp out of the room and head towards them who are sitting next to each other, while hearing m voice they get up.

"What?" Mommy mumbles.

"You can't. How can you both give me the blood and cells?" I ask in disbelief.

"Because I'm your mother," she caresses my cheeks and I shake my head.

"No, that is not a reason," I mutter.

"But it is. I have been searching for you and when I finally find you, I find out that you have cancer. I know I couldn't do anything for the past 18 years or so but now if I can donate and you could be saved then I will do it," she explains, making a valid argument but I don't want her to donate.

I open my mouth to say something but her eyes widen and I sigh, looking at violet in defeat.

"I'm also giving. I was horrible to you about how you didn't give me blood but I didn't know the reason. Now, I finally know and I want to make up for lost times," she explains.

I still shake my head but they don't listen.

"When do we start?" Mommy asks the doctor and she smiles.

"Whenever you're ready," she answers. Mommy and violet nod as they walk inside another room with the doctor.

"Everything will be fine," Ian says, convincing me that nothing will go wrong in this surgery.

"Anyways, they are both strong," Kate says.

"Yeah, they can withheld anything," Tyler says.

"Yeah," Chris says. "Just relax."

All of us sit down in the waiting room and wait for them to come out safe and sound, without any infection or anything else.

___