"Mase? You coming?" Quinn looked at me while holding her arm in front of the elevator doors to keep them from closing. I nodded and stepped into the elevator. Luckily it was a new, modern looking elevator. Those old ones just reminded me of scenes from the movie Speed where the people get stuck in the elevator with Keanu Reeves. It creeped me the fuck out but I swallowed my pride and stepped inside.

Once the elevator doors opened Quinn led the way through the sterile corridors to a waiting area with a sign at the desk in front which said "Haematology".

"Hey Jan, how are you?" Quinn asked the elderly woman at the front desk.

"Quinn, sweetheart, I'm great. I ended up going to that massage place you told me about. Oh my god she has magic hands! You were right." She smiled, taking off her glasses and placing them on the desk in front of her.

"Is John in today?" Quinn asked leaning on the desk casually. She seemed so at ease here.

I don't think she needs comforting at all.

I just stood in awe, watching her and also checking her out discreetly of course. Her jeans hugged her ass perfectly which was impossible not to get turned on by.

God, what's wrong with me? In a hospital, really? Well, she is sexy. I can't help that I'm infatuated with her.

"Yes he is dear, you go on through, he'll be in soon." She pointed her pen towards the door beside the waiting room with the letter Consultation A written in bold black letters.

Quinn grabbed my hand, lacing her fingers in mine and led me through the chairs and towards the door.

We veered to our right to come face to face with a woman in her thirties holding a clipboard and wearing navy scrubs.

"Quinn? Who's your boyfriend?"

"He's my friend, Lilian." Quinn gave her an icy stare. Lilian raised her eyebrows and smirked.

"Well, I sure would like a 'friend' like that. You lucky girl." Lillian tapped Quinn lightly on the head with her pen. They definitely knew each other from what I could see.

"Oh, sorry. This is Mason. Mason, this is Lil. She's a radiographer." Quinn held her hands out introducing us to each other. I reached out my hands and shook Lil's as a polite greeting.

"You watch this one Mason, she's a little pocket rocket." Lil tilted her head towards Quinn. My brows furrowed wondering what she possibly could mean. Quinn was a goody two shoes from what I had seen, apart from her tattoos of course but that didn't change my opinion of her.

Lil crossed her arms and shook her head at Quinn.

"You haven't told him yet have you?" She tried to hide her smile while remaining serious.

"Well, I..." Quinn began, her cheeks beginning to look rosy which I always thought was so damn cute.

"Well let me enlighten you Mr Mason. Whenever Quinn is here in the hospital the staff always refer to her as the 'party girl' and whichever room she's placed in is dubbed 'the party room'. When she came in on her 18th birthday and stayed for 3 days there was constant music streaming out from her room whether it be her CD player or her playing guitar. And when she wasn't in her room she was making her rounds to the residents of the hospital playing them music. By golly, I swear some of them made miraculous recoveries when she was here." She grinned fondly at Quinn who now had her hands in her pockets and was smiling tightly like she was embarrassed.

Quinn was a patient? But that was back when she was 18. I wonder why she had to come to hospital. Has she been volunteering? Maybe that's what all those 'errands' were. She's too humble to tell anyone for sure. 

A weight lifts off my chest, finally realising why we're here.

"Well she's in very good hands, don't worry." I pulled Quinn's hand from her pocket and entwined my fingers with hers. The heat radiating off her was phenomenal, and her scent was deliriously delicious. I just wanted to find the nearest empty room so I could kiss the hell out of those enticingly beautiful lips of hers. Hearing about her past just made me love her even more.

"Thank you, Lil for the lecture." Quinn laughed.

"But we're gonna be late. I have to see John." Quinn waved to Lil while she walked towards the consultation room.

"Good luck." Lil called as Quins feet shuffled closer to the door. Once we were inside, she closed the door and leaned he back against it with her eyes closed. Her breathing was ragged, and her cheeks still flushed. No one else was in the room yet so at least I had some time to talk to her.

"So you were a patient when you were 18?" I asked, sitting on the side of an armchair that was directly opposite the desk. Her lips formed a hard line and she nodded slowly. Her sea blue eyes stared at me, almost as if she was waiting for me to bombard her with questions. I knew that would only make her feel overwhelmed, so I tried to use some self-control. It's not like she was going anywhere. We had the whole weekend to talk.

"Quinn, you don't have to tell me anything." I held my hands up to show her I surrender. I wanted her to know that she held all of the power.

"You can tell me in your own time. I'm just here to be supportive, okay?" I stood up and walked towards her still leaning against the door. I stroked the few strands of hair out of her dark eyelashes and pressed my forehead against hers.

"I'll be whatever you need me to be." I whispered, unable to slow my racing heart. The sheer closeness to her made me into a protective alpha male.

There was a sharp knock at the door which quickly jolted us apart and into the armchairs. Quinn stood and shook the man's hand. He was slender man with short white hair and genuine grey eyes. Quinn introduced us as we all took our seats.

I was so confused as to why we were in a consulting room. I tried to still my mind from running through various scenarios as I always did whenever in an unpredictable situation.

"So Quinn, how have you been feeling?" John looked down at his pad and started scribbling notes.

"Um... My stitches healed pretty well. I had them out last week and haven't had any problems." Her voice was strong and unwavering. I watched her as John's pen moved across his paper fluently. Quinn sat up straight, and turned to look at me. I flashed her a sideways smile and she returned it. 

How did I not know she had stitches? How did I not know why she needed them? Where was I? How could I have not noticed? 

I started to internally curse myself for being so selfish.

"Good. It's been 5 years since you finished chemotherapy so we'll send you for a CAT scan to keep tabs on your remission." Quinn sat silently and nodded, listening intently. My insides were twisting and knotting up thinking about Quinn having to go through chemotherapy at 17. She had cancer at 17?

"As for the biopsy results for the ovarian tissue..." John tapped away on his computer, his eyes squinting, searching the screen.

"I'm afraid the news isn't what we had hoped." The silence was deafening waiting for him to continue. I took her hand and kissed it gently. I didn't know what to do but I wanted to stay strong for her.

"The test results have come back conclusive. I'm sorry Quinn, but you have ovarian cancer. I'm afraid it's a secondary cancer to your initial lymphoma so we'll have to start treatment as early as the beginning of this coming week." John's eyes were down turned at the edges with sadness for Quinn. All I could think is what the hell I was going to do to help her through this. I was only 10 when my parents died and wasn't emotionally or mentally capable of caring for them, but now at 24 I had a chance to show what I was really made of.

A silent tear rolled down her cheek before she quickly wiped it away with her sleeve.

"That's okay John. I've beat cancer once before, I can do it again. Maybe we can set a new record for quickest remission." Quinn smiled with authenticity. She then turned to me and rubbed her thumb along the back of my hand soothingly. I was so in awe of this woman. Her strength reminded me so much of my mother's.