them down the stairs to get supplies. It felt like the calm before the storm, which is exactly what was coming.
* * * *
"Oh god, something's wrong." Ethan gasped a few hours later as he woke up. "Am I supposed to feel like my insides are dying?"
"Yes, but only because of how sick you were," Luc answered gently, sitting down next to him. "Your body is going to be expelling the cancer over the next few days, Ethan. It's not going to be fun, but I promise you that you'll make it through the process."
"I'm gonna be sick." Ethan moaned, moving to get off the bed. Luc had brought up a mop bucket as a precaution. He handed it to Ethan just in time. I felt my heart twist in my chest as I watched Ethan be violently ill. After a few minutes, Ethan flopped back on the pillows against the headboard. I leaned over and wiped his mouth with a wet washcloth then handed him an energy drink.
"You have to keep hydrated, sweetheart," I said gently, helping him drink it. "I'm sorry I didn't warn you beforehand that it was going to be bad."
"I would have done it either way, Spence," he replied, patting my hand. "I'm sorry you have to put up with this."
"You're worth it to us," Luc said, kissing Ethan's forehead. I smiled at them as I threw the dirty linen on the floor. Luc got off the bed with the bucket and walked into the bathroom.
"You guys can just leave me on the bathroom floor," Ethan whispered, his eyes darting around as if he was uncomfortable. "You don't have to wait on me hand and foot."
"We want to, Ethan," I said firmly. "You're part of our family now, and we take care of each other."
"Okay," he replied, smiling as he closed his eyes. Seconds later they popped back open, riddled with fear. "I need to use the bathroom right now."
In a flash I stood up and lifted him into my arms. We rushed past Luc into the bathroom and got Ethan to the toilet. Once seated, he waved me away as he moaned and held onto his stomach. I stepped back into the bedroom, giving him his privacy.
I knew food poisoning could affect both ends, but I hadn't been ready for this with Ethan. Part of me was scared to leave him alone in case he passed out from the pain. But I understood the need to not have people witness some of your low moments in life. Also, I know I was a pain in the ass when I'd ever been sick and always just wanted to be left the fuck alone.
Luc and I sat down on the bed after he left the cleaned bucket by the nightstand. I took his hand in mine as we waited. Several minutes later, Ethan opened the door with a towel wrapped around his waist.
"I feel a little better now," he said as he slowly made his way to the bed. I helped him move back into the middle, propped up by the pillows, before tucking the covers in around him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Ethan," Luc replied as we lay down on either side of Ethan. "You're also going to get the chills and have a fever, so just let us know when you're cold or hot. We'll do whatever we can to make this easier for you."
"I know you will," he said, his eyes drifting closed. "I'm okay; it's just like having really bad stomach flu."
"Which is why you need to stay hydrated," I replied, handing him the sports drink again. He rolled his eyes but took a few smaller sips before leaning back against the pillows. I glanced over at Luc who gave me a wink. It made me feel better to know I wasn't in this alone.
When Ryder had gone through his detox, most of the time I was worried I was doing more damage than good. Again with Ethan, I wasn't sure what I was doing, but now I had help. Also, Ethan wouldn't be craving drugs, simply expelling his life threatening disease. Keeping Ryder from what he wanted, even if it was meth, had been one of the hardest parts for me. It was just ingrained in me to try and give everything I could to someone I cared about.
"Deputy Wilcowski called, Spence," Ryder said as he and Dean walked into our bedroom. "He said part one is done. Do I want to know what that
* * * *
"Oh god, something's wrong." Ethan gasped a few hours later as he woke up. "Am I supposed to feel like my insides are dying?"
"Yes, but only because of how sick you were," Luc answered gently, sitting down next to him. "Your body is going to be expelling the cancer over the next few days, Ethan. It's not going to be fun, but I promise you that you'll make it through the process."
"I'm gonna be sick." Ethan moaned, moving to get off the bed. Luc had brought up a mop bucket as a precaution. He handed it to Ethan just in time. I felt my heart twist in my chest as I watched Ethan be violently ill. After a few minutes, Ethan flopped back on the pillows against the headboard. I leaned over and wiped his mouth with a wet washcloth then handed him an energy drink.
"You have to keep hydrated, sweetheart," I said gently, helping him drink it. "I'm sorry I didn't warn you beforehand that it was going to be bad."
"I would have done it either way, Spence," he replied, patting my hand. "I'm sorry you have to put up with this."
"You're worth it to us," Luc said, kissing Ethan's forehead. I smiled at them as I threw the dirty linen on the floor. Luc got off the bed with the bucket and walked into the bathroom.
"You guys can just leave me on the bathroom floor," Ethan whispered, his eyes darting around as if he was uncomfortable. "You don't have to wait on me hand and foot."
"We want to, Ethan," I said firmly. "You're part of our family now, and we take care of each other."
"Okay," he replied, smiling as he closed his eyes. Seconds later they popped back open, riddled with fear. "I need to use the bathroom right now."
In a flash I stood up and lifted him into my arms. We rushed past Luc into the bathroom and got Ethan to the toilet. Once seated, he waved me away as he moaned and held onto his stomach. I stepped back into the bedroom, giving him his privacy.
I knew food poisoning could affect both ends, but I hadn't been ready for this with Ethan. Part of me was scared to leave him alone in case he passed out from the pain. But I understood the need to not have people witness some of your low moments in life. Also, I know I was a pain in the ass when I'd ever been sick and always just wanted to be left the fuck alone.
Luc and I sat down on the bed after he left the cleaned bucket by the nightstand. I took his hand in mine as we waited. Several minutes later, Ethan opened the door with a towel wrapped around his waist.
"I feel a little better now," he said as he slowly made his way to the bed. I helped him move back into the middle, propped up by the pillows, before tucking the covers in around him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Ethan," Luc replied as we lay down on either side of Ethan. "You're also going to get the chills and have a fever, so just let us know when you're cold or hot. We'll do whatever we can to make this easier for you."
"I know you will," he said, his eyes drifting closed. "I'm okay; it's just like having really bad stomach flu."
"Which is why you need to stay hydrated," I replied, handing him the sports drink again. He rolled his eyes but took a few smaller sips before leaning back against the pillows. I glanced over at Luc who gave me a wink. It made me feel better to know I wasn't in this alone.
When Ryder had gone through his detox, most of the time I was worried I was doing more damage than good. Again with Ethan, I wasn't sure what I was doing, but now I had help. Also, Ethan wouldn't be craving drugs, simply expelling his life threatening disease. Keeping Ryder from what he wanted, even if it was meth, had been one of the hardest parts for me. It was just ingrained in me to try and give everything I could to someone I cared about.
"Deputy Wilcowski called, Spence," Ryder said as he and Dean walked into our bedroom. "He said part one is done. Do I want to know what that
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