Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Link was concerned when his knee started to swell but he brushed it off, after all he does spend all day on his feet. Even when he woke up to a strange kind of discoloration on his knee, he told himself it was a strange kind of bruise.

Then, one night he woke up so hot and nauseous that he felt overwhelmed in his own body. “Jo?” He asked the darkness, a tired Jo murmured a soft “yes?”
“I think I’m sick”
“can you sleep on the couch so another illness doesn't kill us all?” She joked.

Something in his gut was telling him something was wrong but, even so he slept on the couch, waking up to the usual morning chaos. He didn’t feel sick anymore, he knew his knee had swelled more over night, so he carefully limped over to the kitchen. “daddy!” Sure enough Luna and Scout were running towards him. “Hi guys!” Jo looked concerned, “What’s up with your knee?”
“It’s just sore, I don’t think I’m sick anymore though !”
“Ok good, can you drop them off. My shift doesn’t start till later and I couldn't get back to sleep last night”
Feeling guilty about Jo’s loss of sleep, he complied.

Later, in surgery with Nico, link shifted his weight and fell. When he tryed to get back up, he found his knee had been dislocated.

Now, in the emergency room, he was waiting to get his knee popped back in by a intern who seemed, a little to enthusiastic about getting to treat the head of ortho, his x ray came back. Her smile faltered , “what” link asked, he knew it was swollen but it wasn't that crazy. He gingerly took the scan from her, and he saw it. A mass.

He went to go see Nico after his knee had been popped back into place.
“I need a biopsy ASAP”
“No problem,” Nico replied “who’s the patient?”
Link avoided eye contact when responding. “me” he said simply , it came out smaller than he wanted it to.

He told Jo over the phone. He could not bare to see her big brown eyes looking back at him, and if she cried, that was it, he would have to let it all out.

Before the biopsy, she met him in pre op. They hugged and kissed. She asked, “what if it’s cancer again? What will we do? How do we tell the kids”
“The rest is still unwritten” he sang jokingly.

Chapter Text

Nico is inserting a large needle into his bosses swollen, discolored knee. This procedure is very easy and not typically very nerve racking, however he has began to see link as a close friend, someone he can count on.
“Nico?”
Levi is here, he was instructed to pick an intern to bring along by Dr Bailey (“I don’t care who it is, this is a teaching hospital Dr. Kim”). He knew Link would not want this to get around, and if he was being honest with himself he needed his boyfriend for moral support.
“Nico?, what’s wrong, why did you stop?”
“ lost in my head” he replies simply
“I get it, it’s link”
It can’t be cancer, it’s not cancer, what if it’s cancer?
Is running through Nico’s head, not until Levi says “then they’ll treat it, it’s all going to be ok”
Did he realize he said the last thought out loud

ALJW

Link wakes up in a haze of sterol smell and post anesthesia high. “Jo?” He manages to say “hi link” she says quietly. Link ignores his body’s ache and feels as if he had sobered up in seconds. She knows something, he thinks. He sits up, “what is it?” But he already knows the answer. A single tear rolls down her cheek, “ the osteosarcoma is back, I’m sorry” and her body heaves as she cries. Link feels numb, he knew what this would mean: Chemo, radiation and so on.
“Can I see the kids?”
“Yes, absolutely” she sniffled
“But” Jo looked a bit nervous for Links reaction
“They want us to meet with the oncologist first”
“How long?” Link sighed
“Hopefully just a few minutes to go over the treatment plan”
“Okay” Link said, simply
The oncologist walked in then, “ how are we feeling?”
Link wondered if he would respond to this honestly, but finally he just mumbled a “fine”
And then he she jumped right into it, staging with scans, surgery, possible amputation, chemo, all of it was a blur to Link. “Whatever you think” he found himself saying, not totally sure what he was agreeing to.

“I’ll get the kids” Jo said, knowing it would brighten links mood. She was definitely right, “Daddy!” His kids exclaimed , climbing onto the bed and then him. “What’s that?” Asked Scout, pointing to his father’s IV. “Nothing to worry about bud, it’ll be gone soon, it’s a way of giving medicine to me though my blood” he explained. “Why?” Asked Luna, looking worried.
“There’s actually something we need to talk to you guys about…” said Jo, ignoring her husband shaking head.

Chapter Text

“Daddy’s sick” said Jo, unshed tears in her eyes, “like a cold?” Asked scout, concerned. “Why are you crying mommy” asked Luna softly. Link finally chimed in; “remember when I said I was sick when I was a kid”. Scouts eyebrows furrowed with fear, “like that photo with granddad when you were bald?” Link took a pause; he remembered that photo like it was yesterday, his “make a wish” coming true, seeing his idols at the Mariners stadium in New York. He had posed with his dad and his favorite player. He doesn’t like most photos of him fighting the disease, because of the divorce it caused. However, he loved this photo, it represented a perfect day, when they were a real family. So when the time came to tell his kids about his childhood, he had explained it carefully, making sure not to scare them, he had shown them that picture. “Daddy?” Asked Scout, Link wanted to cry, the reality had sunk in. He hugged his kids tight in his strong arms, “I’m so sorry baby, yes, it is the same as in the photo with grandad”.

Before he started chemo, Link needed to get his cancer port installed. This required light anesthesia (meaning he was still awake while it happened). It was placed just below his left collarbone. The port upset link because, it embarrassed him. To him, the port meant that he couldn’t freely roam the hospital anymore, convincing his friends he was free from the bounds of illness.
Link wanted to spend as much time with his kids as possible. He wanted to see them right after his procedure, however his doctors advised against it, telling him he, ‘needed to rest’. Link countered by pulling up a study on the correlation between children and advanced healing time. The doctors gave in.
Links first chemo session started the next day.

Sitting in the communal room, filled with uncomfortable and ugly recliners, next to Jo sat link. He was tense, he did not want to be here, he felt like a child again. A nurse walked over and in a sympathetic tone, asked: “how are we doing over here, ready to get hooked up?” Link mumbled a: “yes” and, just like that, he was a prisoner of his body all over again.

Over the next few days the family dealt with the situation as best they could. When Link was a kid he had higher doses, but still seemed to bounce back fairly quickly. Now, he was exhausted and he needed a cannula because of the shortness of breath it caused, “but at least my hair hasn’t fallen out yet.” He thought. When he was a kid, that was always the most troubling part for him.
While scout had taken the situation stoically, Luna was having more trouble. She wanted to be next to Link all the time, without him around she would frantically ask her mom about him “is Daddy ok?” She was expected to ask, even when Jo had just told her that, yes daddy was okay.

The plan was to get chemo in order to prepare link for his surgery, which was undecided. Depending on how Links cancer reacts to to the chemo, it would either be a resection or an above knee amputation.

JISWTFTLHOSAKACATHTK

Jo was struggling in silence, helping Link through his severe side effects, taking care of the kids alone (she would ask Amelia to take them, but, other than Nico, Levi, Jo and the kids, no one knew). Jo was working, she would have felt guilty, however, not even 5 minutes after clocking in, the daycare would call with a very distraught Luna.
Jo was actually standing outside of the daycare, comforting a crying Luna, when she heard Amelia say: “Jo, whats up?” Concerned. The next event seemed to happen in slow motion for Jo. Luna cried into Jo’s shoulder (loudly) “I don’t want Daddy to die!”
Amelia made eye contact with Jo as she froze.
Taking a beat, Amelia slowly, but clearly said: “what?”. That was all it took to make Jo finally fall apart, Jo broke down right in front of her. “His cancers back” she cried “his left knee, osteosarcoma, he’s getting chemo right now”.
“Oh god, I’m so sorry Jo, is there anything I can do to help?”. The storm had past, Jo’s breathing slowed, and her tears ceased. Embarrassed, Jo awkwardly said “actually yes, can you take Scout for the weekend?”
“ yes absolutely, anything I can do to help.”
Though Jo had stopped crying Luna was still distraught: “Daddy” she blubbered.
“I take it Lunas not taking it well?” Amelia asked sadly, Jo sighed “yeah”.
“Also…” said Jo, timidly
Amelia finished her train of thought, “Link dosent want anyone to know.”
Jo looked at the woman, surprised,
“ I mean.. you’re not wrong” she laughed.

Chapter Text

Later, that night Jo was attempting to start a conversation with link about telling some people about his ‘situation’, “Link..?”
Jo felt bad for doing it, but she knew he would be easier to persuade after he had his pain mads, so she gave in.
“What” he said groggily
“I was thinking…” she took a breath and it all came out at once, “you should tell some friends about your situation” a beat went by, “ I just think it would be good for you to reach out, and who knows? Maybe it will help Luna.” Link took a second and with a pained look, as a silent tear ran down his face, he said: “can you just go…” Jo didn’t move, “please” said link. Jo knew normally he would have raised his voice, hidden his voulnrabnliy through raised voices and closed doors. But he was hurting nonetheless, so she gave in. But god, she can’t hold it in much longer.

…

Because of the high doses of chemo Link was receiving, Link had to get his treatments in the hospital. Link really disliked this arrangement because it meant, less time with his kids, a higher chance his colleagues would find out, and post traumatic stress from his childhood. And god it hurt, his whole body ached, as if his very bones were beaten and bruised. Link was losing himself, losing muscle, color, hair and confidence; he used to strut about the hospital as if he owned it, now he never even went to the cafeteria in fear he would be spotted. Link knew Jo was right; he should tell his friends, but he was scared. Link decided to do it. The next day he wrote up a text to Meredith: “hi, I know I haven’t seen you in a while, but can you meet me on the 10th floor, room 220?, thanks so much
-Link”

Chapter Text

Meredith had just gotten out of a Whipple procedure on her patient when she received a text from Link. She read it, confused. The 10th floor was the cancer ward, “maybe he wanted a consult?” She thought. Even so, it was awfully late. She was annoyed, she was busy; “if he needed a consult there were a million other general surgeons in this hospital” she huffed. Even so, she went.
When she walked in she was shocked by Link’s appearance. Link was thin, his hair thinning and Meredith noticed an I.V. that was clearly not hydration. She didn’t even have to know about his past to know what it was Cancer. “ it’s back” she asked bluntly “your cancer, I mean”. Link would have given anything in the world to say: “God no! Why would you even think that?” But alas, he sighed and let out an exasperated and exhausted “yeah.” He didn’t have the energy to hide anymore.
Even though Link was embarrassed and scared, he did have to give Meredith credit; she didn’t sugarcoat, it was one of Links favorite things about Meredith.

“When do you get out of the hospital?” Meredith asked “ I assume your doing inpatient chemo?”
“Yeah” said Link sheepishly
“Where’s Jo?”
“ Geez, sure got a lot of questions” joked Link, Meredith chuckled lightly. “But seriously” said Meredith “when do you get out?”
“Monday” sighed Link.

Meredith didn’t stay for that much longer, she needed to get home. When Jo visited Link a bit later she found him in a better mood. Lying next to him, she was surprised to hear that he had told Meredith; and even more so when she heard he was ready to tell people.
After vomiting up his dinner, he went to bed. Jo lightly stroked his head, sad when a large chunk of his hair came with her hand, but not surprised.

The next day was the last day of Links first round of chemo. He was not as sick as usual, so he told Jo some surprising news.
“ I want the kids to shave my head”
Jo shook with laughter “Excuse me” she managed to say, in all honesty she had no idea why she found this so funny l, but she was enjoying the now , very rare feeling. Now, link was laughing to “maybe Luna would feel better about the situation if she had some control” he said. This sobered up Jo immediately, Luna had not gotten better at all over the week, if anything she had gotten worse. Link continued, “and you know scout, he would love it” Jo laughed “We should make sure it’s an electric one, If not you might get cut and get an infection” Link knew that with his immune system he couldent risk an infection, even so he was a little embarrassed of the precautions he would have to take now.
“Love this idea!” Said Jo.
“ Kind of a Hail Mary, for Luna” he shrugged.

Chapter Text

Link arrived home the next day, and immediately fell asleep. He slept off the chemo for a full day, waking up briefly and enough to talk to Jo, attempt to eat, ecd.

Fortunately, Scout was at his Moms and Luna was at daycare most of the day. Jo wasn’t working, but she needed the time to make a game-plan. Jo needed to break it to link that she told Amelia about his illness, she needed to figure out when the kids should come home, and (most importantly) she needed to help her husband recover.

Jo walked into her husband’s room, she was honestly hoping that he was still asleep so that she had an excuse not to tell him. She knew he was struggling enough as it was. even so, it needed to be done.

“Babe?” Asked Link.
“I need to talk to you about something” she said guiltily.
“Yes?” Asked Link, questioning.
“ I told someone about your situation” she took a breather and ripped the bandage off; “before you told anyone”
Links drowsy eyes turned betrayed and then icy in a millisecond.
“Who?” He said icily, daring her to defy or detract from his question.
“Amelia.” Fear and guilt brimming in her face.
Then, something strange happened. Link sort of just crumbled. Jo wondered if he had fallen back asleep, however, he put his head in his hands and breathed. Link didn’t have the energy to be angry anymore, his fight had gone out. “I guess it was going to come out eventually” he shrugged, but his eyes still held traces of betrayal.

Later that day, Jo called Amelia.

“Hello?” Asked Amelia
“Hi!” Said Jo “just calling about Scout, how’s he doing?”
“He’s ok” said Amelia “he dosent seem to be worried about Link at all”
Jo needed to cut to the chase.
“When do you think I should take him back?”
“Whatever’s good for you, how’s Link doing?”
“Um..” said Jo, she half moaned, half sighed it, her exhaustion taking over.

Finally they decided to wait till link had recovered in a few days to decide anything officially. However, they planned to take Scout to visit Link in two days, they didn’t know if link would be up for longer.

Jo made the conversation short, she needed to get back to Link. She had fed him lunch in bed before her phone call. when she got off, she heard retching. She jogged to the bathroom to find Link; sick and shaking on the cold tile. She went to comfort him, but he edged away,
“I’m fine, Jo”.
“Okay, this is a lot.. I think we should call your-“
“No, Jo seriously” he said, an edge in his voice.
“Did this happen at the hospital” asked Jo.
Link sighed “yeah, but it was better because of the pre and post-meds”

Pre and post meds included steroids and anti-nausea meds flowing in through Link’s port. They were able to mask his nausea enough to manage it. Now that Link was at home, the after-effects of the chemo took full force.

Jo ran her hands through Link’s thinning hair, conspicuously checking his forehead for a fever. Jo helped Link limp back to bed. She brought him some ice for his knee and just before he dozed off, he said: “im sorry I’ve been such an ass, I love you, I love our family, I-“. Then Link fell asleep, Jo smiling to herself.

Chapter Text

AO3 “till death do us part”
A few days later, Scout came home. Link was feeling a lot better, so he asked: “hey! Do you guys want to shave my head?” in a sing-song tone of voice. “Yes please!” Said Scout. Link couldn’t have predicted how Luna would react; she was very emotional about Links ‘situation’, but things seemed to be on an upward trend since Link got out of the hospital.
“Will it grow back” asked Luna, worried.
“It did the first time, right?” Answered Link, rhetorically. He would gesture to his hair but, really, there was not much to see there.
Just then, Luna did something, not so much out of character, but nevertheless it still stunned her parents.
“I’ll shave mine too” she said, firmly.
“Oh honey, you don’t mean that” said Jo, stroking Luna’s long blonde hair.
“Let’s sleep on it” compromised Link, “but, baby if you’re doing this for me, I’m ok, I don’t want you to shave your head for me”
“Please?” Whined Luna. Jo laughed “seriously?” She asked her daughter “yes!” Luna stomped her foot. “Ok, if you’re still sure about it tomorrow, we’ll. let you, your body your choice.” Responded Jo.
“We will?” Joked Link

However, the next day, Luna was still just as adamant that she wanted to shave her head. Though Luna never payed much attention to her hair, her parents were still very impressed with her. Though they where proud of her, they where still very skeptical. “Luna, honey, are you sure?” Asked Link for the 3rd time that day. Jo came up with the idea to shave Links head first, to make sure the four year old could really take in how big of a change this would be. So link sat down at a bar stool and let his children cut his hair. The kids, (unsurprisingly) loved it. After Link’s hair was gone, Link and Jo asked Luna one final time, if she was sure.
“Yes!” Luna said, exasperated, as she stomped her little feet.
They decided to go as slow as possible. Practically inch by inch: first they cut her hair down to her collar bone, next to her shoulders, then a bob, and finally they where ready to shave.
“Mama, come on!” She dragged the last word out, almost whining.
“Okay, okay” laughed Jo.
“Let Daddy do it” Luna told her mom.
“I got to do his” she added
So Link stepped forward, “are you sure Luna-bear?” He asked again.
“Yes!” She said emphatically
And so her head was shaved, giggling so much, Link had a hard time even getting her still enough to cut her hair. Jo took a picture of them together, both smiling with their newly-shaven heads.

Chapter Text

It had already been a week since Links stay in the hospital. Luna had a lot of questions about it; she was a lot happier now that she could spend more time with her dad.
Meanwhile, Link was feeling marginally better. So much so that he volunteered to watch Luna while Scout and Jo went to the hospital (to avoid more daycare freak-out’s).
“She’s turning into a total daddy’s-girl” said Jo.
“and what’s wrong with that?” Asked Link jokingly.
“Yeah!” Said Luna, propped on links (good) hip.
Link kissed her head with soft blonde stubble, he put her down in order to kiss scout and Jo goodbye.

Later that day while Link was picking up Lunas sippy cup he realized he was losing feeling in his fingertips. He knew this was a symptom of chemotherapy, but he had never experienced it before. He dropped the sippy cup,
“ Dammit” he breathed.
“Daddy?” Luna was getting impatient. He picked up the cup again, and this time he managed to not drop it. He sat down next to Luna on the couch, carefully adjusting ice on his perpetually swollen knee. He sighed dramatically, “How you doin’ Luna-bear”. He mostly said it to detract from his pain, but it was obvious his strategy had failed him when Luna asked: “what’s wrong Daddy?”
“Nothing, I’m all good Luna” he looked right into her big blue eyes, to make sure she knew he was telling the truth.
“Okay….” She said.
“What do you want to do?” Asked Link, trying to cheer her up because he already knew her answer. “Princess tea party!” She said adamantly. “Okay princess” he laughed.

Later, while they were sitting at Lunas play table, drinking sweet tea and adorning tiara’s, Link took a sip and was surprised when it burned. He felt around his mouth with his tongue and felt a few painful sores. “When did that happen?” He thought, but still he carried on as if nothing had happened.

That night as he was getting dressed, he noticed he had significant bruising. “Shit” he said to himself. Before he had started treatment, he had thought that if he payed it no attention, it wouldn’t affect him, maybe it would just fade away. But obviously his theory was very inaccurate, and easily debunked as he was now seeing. He was too tired to be mad anymore, he would deal with this in the morning.

Chapter Text

The next morning when Link woke up he decided to stop feeling bad for himself. Though it’s a blur now, he remembers after the biopsy, his oncologist told him he could continue work during hiatus from treatment . He decides that now is a better time than ever to go back: he’s (mostly) recovered from his last session, Luna is doing way better and if he’s being honest with himself, he needs a distraction. As he prepares to go talk to Bailey he makes thoughtful decisions on his appearance. He wears a Mariners baseball cap to cover his bald head and scrubs to send the message that he is still a doctor ,(a little baggier to make him look less skinny). He doubts anything could help his pale skin or his limp, he just thanks god that his arms or hands aren’t affected.

When he passes Jo in the kitchen, she is surprised to find that he’s heading out, and even more so when she finds out what he’s going to do.
“Are you sure your rea-“
“Yes Jo” he says, meeting her concerned eyes, then rolling his own.
“I promise”
“I trust you” she says
Link smiles and kisses her, “Thank you”

When Link pulls into the parking lot, remembering the last time he came: a seemingly normal work day and a swollen knee turned into a cancer diagnosis and a week long stay. He sighed and put the car in park.

Bailey looks concerned when he walks in “Link?”. She of course knew, he had to tell her why he had all but disappeared, however she had not seen the man yet. In truth, Link hadn’t even wrote the email telling her about his illness, that had been Jo.
“If this is about more time off it’s done, I put Nico on your service”
Link blushed “actually it’s about the opposite, I want to come back” a beat passed as Bailey looked at him with disbelief
“so..?” Asked Link.
“Oh hell no.” She said with a look of concern on her face.
“Listen. Dr. Brooks cleared me-“
“ I’ll need to hear that from her first”
Link had wanted to avoid this, generally, he didn’t like his oncologist. He found her condescending, and found it annoying how she insisted on going through all the side effects even though she knew (and he had reminded her on multiple occasions) that he did have cancer before. But he wanted to go to work more than he disliked Dr. Brooks. So, he paged her to Baileys office. Meanwhile he tried to convince Bailey,
“I don’t understand why your so opposed”
“Look at yourself.” She said simply.
That humbled him up very quickly, finally Dr. Brooks arrived.
“Yes, I did clear Atticus to go back to work” she said in her squawking voice.
“Dr” said Link, rubbing his temple.
“Oh yes, Dr Lincoln”
Link rolled his eyes.
Once she left, Link looked at Bailey,
“Yes, fine, ok if your that set on it”
But before he left Bailey added: “Oh and, just consults for now”
Link pivoted on his heel, “say what now?” He asked incredulously. “If I see that your adjusting well I will clear you for surgery, I don’t trust that Brooks character” Link smirked, “that I agree with”

The next day, Link started work.
“Luna, daddy’s going back to work. This is a good thing” explained Jo.
Luna sniffled and looked at Link for conformation, he nodded and she wiggled out of his arms. Upon arrival Luna seemed just fine, the doctors dropped her and Scout off at daycare, and went to work. Link could tell Jo was worried about him, but he was glad she didn’t press.
Link went down to the pit, putting on a mask as he went, grudgingly. He was required to wear one because of his weakened immune system. He started searching for a case. There he found Nico, who he was glad to see. Nico wouldn’t be awkward towards Link. The young surgeon was consulting on a man with severe knee pain,
“I’ll take it from here” said Link.
The patient gawked at him. Link wanted him being Bald to be the surprising part, however he was 44 , young to go bald but not unheard of. Anyway, he was wearing a hat so it wasn’t very noticeable. He knew what it was: he was too skinny, and eerily pale.
“What’s wrong with you?” Asked the man, rudely. Nico’s hands tightened into fists, but Link looked unfazed, butt-hurt at most.
“Nothing to your concern” said Link nonchalantly.
Nico walked away.
Suddenly, the patiently started flailing dramatically.
“He’s having a seizure” called out Link.
The man’s heart stopped.
“Starting compressions “ he added. But when he started, something wasn’t right. He couldn’t get his hands pressed deep enough into the patients chest, yet he was sweating. Nico noticed, and took over. Link sat down, and panted for several minutes, before walking away, frustrated at his weakness.

Amelia found Link in the doctors lounge with a half-melted ice pack on his knee, looking frustrated.
“Hey” she said
“Hey” replied Link, dejectedly.
Amelia sat down next to him on the small blue couch.
“Can I get you some ice?” she asked
“It’s fine” he answered gruffly.
He attempted to get up, however upon putting weight on his leg he audibly yelped and sat pack down. He put his head in his hands. Amelia silently and slowly got him some ice and passed it to him.
“This sucks!” Link said angrily
“What sucks?” Amelia said calmly
“What do you think?” He growled
And then he let it all out.
“I’m at the top of my game, I’m chief of ortho at one of the best hospitals in the country, I’ve worked for the Mariners for god sakes , I’m married, I have two kids, my parents are back together, I’m happy” he took a breath.
“This thing comes along and just- just messes everything up! I basically had to beg to come back to work, I’m not even cleared for surgery yet, and I don’t think that’s going to happen any time soon, because I couldn’t even handle CPR Amelia, you know how degrading that is? To go to medical school, save people’s lives, perform medical miracles, and to do that ‘CPR’” he put up air quotes as he said it.
“In front of the whole pit?! I thought I was OK with everyone knowing, but if this is what they know me as? I don’t know if I’m even qualified to be here at this point”
Amelia knew the best think she could do was listen for as long as he needed. By the end, Link was crying, hunched over. Amelia rubbed his back, whispering “I know, I know”.
When they came out half an hour later, he said: “thank you” firmly, meeting her warm eyes.

Chapter Text

At the end of the week, when Link was popping a shoulder back into place in the pit, Dr Bailey approached him.

Link had been working non-stop since his first day back. He needed to prove himself worthy to preform surgery , and strengthen himself enough to do so.

Dr. Bailey waited patiently for Link to be done. When he finished, Bailey asked him to step outside with her.
“You win” she said informally.
“Huh?” Asked Link.
“You win” she repeated “I’m approving you for surgery”
“Seriously?”
“Don’t ask me again” she warned.
“Advice taken” he agreed.
And with that, he walked away, off to find a case.

Over the next week, things started going up for Link. Until Jo mentioned it on that Sunday, Link completely forgot about his next cycle of chemotherapy.
“What time do you need to be at the hospital tomorrow?” Asked Jo.
“For work? Same time as always” he answered, confused.
“What” he asked, at the expression on Jo’s face.
“You have chemo tomorrow” she finally said.
“Oh.” He said simply, disappointed.
“I guess I’ll just go with you to work” he said, monotone, before walking to their bedroom to pack.

The next morning was very hectic: Luna was crying, Scout was attempting to comfort her (“It’s ok Luna, Daddy’s not going to die”) this just made Luna cry harder, Link was packing, Jo was mediating the children, and everybody was running late.

When they pulled into the parking lot, Link and Jo sat in silence for a little.
“Well…” said Jo awkwardly “we should go in”
Link dropped his head and exited the car to get the kids.
He knew it would make it late to his stay, however Link wanted to make sure to give a proper goodbye.
“ We’re still gonna visit you?”
“Yes Ladybug, I promise” he reassured his daughter.
“I love you guys” he said, pulling them into a hug.
“I know!” Said Scout, before running into daycare. Luna hugged him tight, and said “I love you daddy” in a small voice, walking into daycare timidly after her brother. Link let his smile drop and sighed and began the walk to the oncology ward.

When he arrived to get his room, he was greeted by a kind nurse. He was confused, normally it was a longer wait, even when he arrived late.
“Right this way”
“Thank you” he mumbled.
Upon arriving at the room, he found a surprise inside.
“Took you long enough” said Jo
“Jo?! What are you doing here?!”
“You seemed a little down last night, I thought we could spend the day together”
“What about wor-?”
“Marcus is covering for me” she said, interrupting him.
Link got in bed the bed next to her and kissed her on the forehead. Jo wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the favor to his lips. He snuck his hands under her shirt and wrapped his hand around her waist. He parted lips with her, “the nurse will come back soon”
“Well you’ll need too pull your shirt off anyway for her to get to your port”
He smirked, “Ok then”
He pulled off his shirt. Jo inwardly grimaced at his chest, how much muscle he had lost; no longer the muscular surfer she had fallen in love with, but still perfect to her. Just then the nurse came in, Jo’s face went pink. However, the nurse silently twisted the chemo tube to his port and walked out of the room; closing the door behind her. Jo and Link couldent stop laughing. Link had until the late afternoon before the chemo took effect, and it was clear to him that they were going to use them to their full advantage.

A few hours later, when Jo was laying in Link’s arms she asked: “have they talked to you about the surgery yet”
Link let out a sigh that blew hair across Jo’s face, “not since they told me about the two options, I haven’t even seen my scans yet”
Jo looked into his eyes, she had to tell him what had been weighing on her this whole time, “I brought an iPad” she told him nervously.
Link smirked “don’t think I’m supposed to do that” a beat went by “But I’m a rebel” he joked. Jo smiled and hit him playfully, “ok lets do this” she was trying to sound upbeat but she could barely breath. That was, until they saw the scans.
The tumor had shrunk. Jo threw her arms around Link, and sobbed uncontrollably.
“Jeese, you do know this is a good thing right?”
She hit him again, unluckily for link, she had worse aim this time and her hand hit him on his port. He took in a sharp breath, his eyes watering.
“Oops..” said Jo, guilty
“ it’s all good” he laughed, “just don’t do it again”

Link was napping when Dr. brooks came in, head on Jo’s shoulder, hers over his. Jo’s snapped up when the doctor walked in and Link looked for a second, as if he would wake up.
“Hello Dr Wilson”
“Hi..” said Jo awkwardly.
“Would you mind waking Atticus up, there’s something we need to discuss”
Jo was annoyed, she knew Link had corrected her countless times, but all she could see him as was a patient. Anyways they already know the news.
“Its Dr. and anything you need to him can go through me”
“Well if you must know, Dr. Lincoln’s scans came back and the tumor has shrunk a considerable amount”
“Does that mean that you can do a resection” Jo asked, nervously.
“Yes, I’m officially recommending resection over amputation, it will give him better quality of life, and with physical therapy I’m confident he’ll regain function”
“I want a second opinion” said Jo, a little too fast.
“I see” said Dr. Brooks, rudely. And with that, she left the room.
A beat went by.
“Crap” said Jo softly into the silence. Sure Dr Brooks was annoying, and struck Jo as untrustworthy, however she did work at one of the top hospitals in the country.
“Crap” Jo repeated.

Jo decided to page Meredith to the room, she’d worked here forever. She’d know the right thing to do.

“Brooks is the best, I’m sorry to say because I know she’s a pain in the ass”
Jo groaned, Meredith laughed.
“Can you page her, my pager’s over there”
“I already did, and I think it’s best if I stay, If it’s ok with you”
Jo felt relieved.
“Of course it’s ok, I honestly don’t know how I would do this without you”

A few moments later, an annoyed Dr. Brooks walked in,
“Yes?” She said sharply.
“Um, I shouldn’t have asked for a second opinion, I understand you’re the best, I just want the best for my husband and I got too carried away” said Jo, embarrassed.
“Well, I hope you understand now that I am the best, and I want what’s best for Atticus too” she snapped
“I accept your apology, I understand you’ll pass on his options to him?”
Jo didn’t know how to respond
“Yes, thank you” answered Meredith
Dr. Brooks walked out, cocky as ever.
“Ugh, she really is the worst” said Jo
“I know right?” Laughed Meredith

A few hours later when Link awoke Jo couldn’t stop laughing.
“What?” Asked Link groggily
“You just missed the weirdest hour of my life”
Jo relayed the story and Link couldn’t stop himself from crying from laughing so hard, but just then he ran to the bathroom.
Jo sighed, she could hear the sound of retching.

Chapter Text

Link woke up early the next day. He probably would have slept later, however his extreme nausea prohibited that. Upon waking up he immediately ran to the toilet, throwing up poorly made hospital food, stomach bile, and then nothing, leaving him dry heaving on the floor. He exhaustedly dragged his body back to bed. He needed to be okay, Scout and Luna were visiting today.

At home, Scout came bounding into Jo and Link’s room.
“It’s time to see Daddy!”
He climbed on top of Jo
“Mommy Jo wake up!”
Jo had been awake, however she had been hoping Scout would think she was asleep (not her best parenting move). Scout sniffled, “we should give daddy time to rest”
“Okay baby, I’ll call him and see what time he wants us to come” she said drowsily.
“Okay!”
Scout ran off to Luna’s room to tell her the good news. Jo really hoped Link was ready for them, Scout hardly ever cried, and his sniffle almost made her reduce to tears, as well.
“Good morning!” Said Jo
“Hi” said Link, trying to sound drowsy.
“Listen, Scout wants us to come now, but if you need more sleep-“
Link dropped the act, he wanted to see the kids more than he wanted her to think he had gotten sleep. Little did he know, they both wanted the same thing.
“How soon can you bring them?”
Jo laughed, “let me get them, and me for that matter dressed and ready” she said as she looked down at her pajama bottoms.

On the car ride to the hospital, Scout kept sniffling, “It’s okay sweetie, we’re going to see daddy right now”
Scout sniffled again.

At the hospital, the kids ran in and jumped up on the bed. Link kissed each child on the forehead, as they laid against his chest.

“We brought a book!” Exclaimed Luna
Link looked at Jo and smiled
“I wonder which one it is” he said sarcastically, light hearted.
“Where’s my belly button!” Said Luna excitedly.
Link started reading as the kids held him tighter. Link flinched when Scout started fiddling with his port, he gently redirected his hand.

The kids stayed a few more hours, when they left it was only because Link had fallen asleep.

The next day, when Bailey goes to check on Link, she’s ready to cheer him up. She has a surgery she knows only he can handle. She’s not ready to come in and see him having a seizure. She rushes in, his eyes are rolling back in his head and he’s choking on his saliva. Oh my god he’s choking! She thinks, and sprints over to turn him on his side. His body slowly stops convulsing, but even then he’s shivering violently despite being incredibly hot to the touch.
“So… cold..” he pants, before his eyes close. He’s wheezing, Bailey presses a stethoscope onto his chest, “his lung’s collapsing, get me a chest tube!”. “scalpel” she says steadily as she rubs antiseptic on his protruding ribs. “I’m sorry” she whispers before cutting into his lung, a primal scream escapes his lips, the pain waking him. Bailey plunges the tube into his side. He breathes an involuntary deep breath before coughing violently. Pain makes his eyes water, and tears are streaming down his face. Just then his heart stops.“I need a crash cart!” Bailey hollers as a nurse yells: “code blue in room 220!”.
Bailey starts compressions but quickly realizes it’s no use, “charge to 200!” Nothing. “Charge to 300!” A rhythm starts up again. She releases a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. “Get me an xray!” Said Bailey as she changed into an apron, she was pretty sure he had phenomena. Sure enough his lungs were whited out on the scans. “We need to intubate” she sighed. she really didn’t want to though, it was not ideal while he had a chest tube in. Even so, she still had to stick the tube down his throat. As she left the room she asked a nurse for blood cultures, to see exactly what infection he was fighting, for he definitely was fighting one. what else could have caused the seizure? “Start his on antibiotics” she added on her way out. She couldn’t stay there watching her friend and colleague being attached to tubes and wires, looking smaller than he already was in that bed. Whatever infection he had, she just hoped it wasn’t sepsis. She would probably have to put him in a medically induced coma in order for him to heal, and she didn’t want to do that to his family.

Half an hour later, when he was transferred to the ICU it was indicative that she had no other option. His white count was way to high, and his lungs where far to fragile anyway. As the nurse injected the medicine she felt guilty. “I’m sorry” she whispered to him.

Then came the worst part, she had to tell Jo.

Jo was confused when she received a call from the chief. “Did I miss a shift or something” she said as she answered the phone. “No” said Bailey, her voice breaking.
“What’s wrong?” Asked Jo, Concerned
“Is something wrong with the kids?”
“It’s Link” said Bailey “I’m so sorry Jo, when I came in he was having a seizure, then his lung collapsed. His heart stopped, it was all such a mess. He has phenomena and sepsis, I’m so sorry. He’s in a medically induced coma right now” Bailey was going so fast, Jo could barely keep up. She started to cry “um. Okay, I need to- I should- um” she took a shaky breath and tried again “I need to call Amelia and- oh my god,”
“What?, Jo are you ok?!”
“Yeah I’m okay, it’s just- it’s just that“ Bailey heard another shaky breath before Jo continued. “I know why this happened, It’s scout- he was sniffing the day that we visited, I thought he was crying, but now-.” A beat went by “Bailey I think he has a cold.”

Chapter Text

Jo looks at Link through the sliding glass doors, though she’s not really seeing him. She’s watching a feeding tube get inserted up his nose and down to his stomach. She walked into the room, “I can handle it from here” she told the nurse matter-of-factly.
“You’re not allowed to work on family” sneered the nurse.
“And normally I would comply to that rule, however I don’t think that putting liquid nutrition into a feeding tube really qualifies as medicine” she countered the nurse.
The nurse walked out of the room, shouldering Jo on the way. Jo sighed through her mask. She attached the nutrition to the tube and gently tucked it behind his ear.
“So I just yelled at a nurse for doing her job”
A long pause.
“I’m so sorry Link, you would hate this.”
“Also I looked it up, people in coma’s can hear what’s going on around them sometimes”
A beat passed
“I don’t really know if that’s actually true”
“Listen, if this was me I’d want to know what was going on so here it goes” however before she could even start she started crying. She tried again,
“Ok so basically-sorry this is so weird, god I don’t even know where to start” she took a deep breath “ basically, you got phenomena, then you got sepsis from that, you had a seizure” Jo blinked away her tears. “God, I’m so sorry babe-you have a chest tube in and you’ve got a breathing tube” she took a breath, Link’s heart rate continued to climb, “your heart stopped and-well they got you back obviously” she let out a forced and hallow chuckle “yeah, I know it just keeps coming. You also have a catheter and a feeding tube, but that’s just because you’re in a coma- medically induced obviously.” She took another breath,
“Listen, Link I know you would hate this, and part of me is glad that you aren’t awake for this.”
After that she went silent, she just looked at him and silently cried. Then she got into the bed with him and kissed his forehead.
“I love you”

A few days later, Bailey and Dr. Brooks were talking with Jo about the Link situation.
“So the unfortunate part is that while Link has Pneumonia, he can’t receive chemo”
Jo broke a little more with each word, she tearfully sniffled. “So what does that mean for his cancer?” She asked Dr. Brooks.
The oncologist went silent and avoided her gaze.
“Answer me!” Jo demanded, tears in her eyes.
“Unfortunately-“ she sighed. “Unfortunately, we don’t know. The chemotherapy will remain in his system for a few days, however it largely depends on how long the phenomena lasts and how aggressive his cancer becomes when untreated”
Bailey reached out her hand to Jo, “we can take Luna for a few days” she said under her breath to Jo, a fat tear rolling slowly down Jo’s cheek.
Dr Brooks continued: “we can lift him out of the coma when his lungs can support breathing independently of the ventilator. The good news is that he is no longer septic”
“-I can’t- I can’t-“ Jo took a shaky breath and Wheezed the last work “I can’t breath”
Dr Brooks quickly exited the room, obviously avoiding Jo. Meanwhile Bailey was taking Jo’s hands, “yes you can, breath with me Jo. In and out”
And slowly, Jo’s breathing returned to a regular pace. She collapsed into baileys shoulder, crying with her whole body.
“what if-“ she swallowed hard.
“What if it metastasizes? What if they have to take his leg?” She heaved a heavy sob, “what if they can’t save him?”
“ We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it”
“Okay” said Jo quietly into Bailey’s shoulder, her fight had gone out.

About a month, after endless one-sided conversation and hopeless talks with doctors, the phenomena had passed. Link was ready to be pulled out of the coma and have the tube pulled.

Jo was sleeping in a recliner next to his bed when Bailey woke her up to tell her: “it’s time”

When Link came to, he was immediately aware of the tube in his throat. He jogged his memory to try and remember but he ended up drawing a blank.
“He’s hyperventilating! Get me a sedative!”
And suddenly Link felt a wave of tired creep up on him, he was still panicking. He kept attempting to pull at the tube however his depth perception was so bad he kept missing it.
Finally the tube was pulled, and Link was left panting, panicked and weak in the bed. He opened his mouth to speak when Jo shushed him, “shh, don’t try to talk. You’ve been intubated for a month. You’ll need speech therapy”
“Speech therapy?” He thought, what the hell had happened to him. He looked around the room panicked, searching Jo’s eyes for an explanation. Just then a group of interns walked in with Levi Schmitt, the chief resident, leading them for rounds. Levi mouthed a hello to Link obviously trying to save face around his interns. Jo audibly giggled.
“ Yasuda, please present”
Mika avoided eye contact with Link as she presented, “Atticus Lincoln age: 38 brought in originally for a week long inpatient cycle of chemo”
This much he knew, however he was holding his breath for the rest of the story, his story.
“Two days following, the patient contracted phenomena and then sepsis, ultimately resulting in a seizure.” She paused for a second, as if taking it all in, meanwhile, the patient in questions heart was racing a little bit faster each second, “uh where was I- oh! Yes, after the phenomena and sepsis where discovered he was intubated, and it was decided he would be sedated until his lungs had cleared and obviously chemo would be discontinued until future notice”
“Very good Yasuda!” Levi praised, and the class left the room, Bailey trailing behind them.
“What the actual hell?” Thought Link, stunned.