<div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-c41ccfda-7fff-2703-00cd-6c5315a088a2"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">NRPG: Trigger warning. This deals with a potentially sensitive and upsetting issue, so if sick children is a sensitive subject, please don’t read any further. This is another important growth point for Ailynn. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">RPG: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Mission: Lights, Camera….Action?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Day: 1</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Stardate: 2446.01.01/2025.06.30</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.656;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Toronto – Sickkids Childrens Hospital, paediatric oncology - FO Ailynn Bracken/Gabrielle Knight - 1120)</span></p><br><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ailynn stepped out of the car, and walked alongside Casey, chatting gently as they walked down the hall, drawing gasps and squeals of amazement.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“That’s that..”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“She’s from that”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“She’s tall…”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“I hate that show”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">"Merek is prettier"</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Casey blushed… “Sorry…” </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ailynn giggled. “It’s okay.” she waved gently at the children’s faces that they passed, trading greetings with children, and staff alike as they made their way to their destination. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Once more Casey spoke to her. “We have a bag of a few things that you asked the studio to give Jenna, she’s a massive fan of yours and the show. I’ll pass it to you at the right time.” </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“That’s good of you thank you Casey”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">At the door to oncology, they were met by a young looking doctor, obviously exhausted, and shoulders slumped with the weight that she carried. “Miss Knight…” She began, a tired smile came to her face. “You have no idea how much this will mean to Jenna. I’m Doctor Hall.”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Gabbie please, and it’s no problem.” Ailynn was aware that Casey had gently taken her bag and put it over her own shoulder. “I don’t have words.” </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“In a moment we’re going to go into the family room, Jenna’s mother and father are in there, we’ll have a chat with them and then we’ll go through. Is that okay?”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ailynn nodded an agreement and noticing that Casey had taken a step back, followed the Doctor through the double doors and into the ward. She was instantly reminded of parts of the Hospital on the Mars base, large corridors, and smaller wards that split off the main corridor. Doctor Hall led them into a private room just off a small, side corridor. Ailynn noticed assorted leaflets, of all types on a holder on the wall. As she read the titles of the pamphlets, her heart sank, as her brain supplied what she could remember of the treatment for cancer in the early 21st century, there had been still so little known, despite the great advances that had been made.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This was going to be a rough visit.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Doctor Hall opened the door, and immediately saw a room that was more familiar than she was comfortable with. Reasonably well decorated, but perhaps tired in places, various cheery looking, well painted cartoon characters were utterly at odds with the news that Ailynn knew had been given to parents in here over the years. The atmosphere was oppressive.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">A dark haired woman, who was probably only in her mid-late thirties, but her face had been aged maybe ten years by worry, a line of grey hair at her parting. Her eyes had been made up, but she could see the pain underneath the eyeshadow. A man sat off to her right, though not closely. He was the epitome of stoicism, outwardly calm, anyone would look at him and see a man who seemingly didn’t care. Ailynn however looked deeper, there was a look, deep in the eyes that was screaming out, it wasn’t that he didn’t care, it was that he had no idea how to. Ailynn watched as Doctor Hall, and one of the nurses went straight up to the mother, but no-one spoke to the father. He had so many feelings that were barely being recognised, and he’d shut the world out.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The mother, tired as she was almost jumped up out of her seat. “I can’t believe you said that you’d do this. You must be so busy...you have no idea how much this means to her...and me.” Ailynn found herself pulled into a tight hug. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Gently removing herself from the fierce embrace, Ailynn smiled and looked toward the father, who was obviously unsure whether it was appropriate to shake a hand or hug. Answering the dilemma for him Ailynn stood by his side with a gentle arm about his shoulders, she could feel the tension in his muscles soften almost immediately as if the simple touch had said to him that it was allowed for him to be outwardly scared and worried too.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Are those Jenna’s notes? Her mum said to Doctor Hall”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Nodding, she passed the tablet over to Jenna’s mum, who passed it to Ailynn. Wanting desperately to resist, she took it and tried to make it look like she was interested, but didn’t understand the notes.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Sadly she did.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Her highly trained eyes ran over the page, and Ailynn’s mind devoured the knowledge that it contained, drug plan, treatment, obs records the works. “Are these the scans of the tumours?” She asked innocently. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Doctor Hall nodded reluctantly. “Best MRI scans we have.”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ailynn nodded, and looked closely, finding accidentally the zoom function. She was horrified to see the detail that she could see. “Thank you for including me.” She said as she passed it back.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“You have to understand Miss Knight, this won’t be able to be a long visit, Jenna is extremely weak, her body is going through so much and she only has so much strength. Shall we go through?” </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ailynn nodded and steeled herself against what she knew was going to be a difficult moment. Casey tipped her the wink, and handed her a large gift bag as Ailynn left the room.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">She followed Jenna’s parent’s through the door once more, and through to Jenna’s room.</span></p><br><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Her parent’s were desperately trying to sound excited, and they were, but the sight that beheld them rended their hearts asunder, even as it did Ailynn’s when she walked into the room. She’d seen pictures before of course, but all that medical knowledge could never have prepared her for what she saw before her, ~don’t cry Ailynn, prophets sake be strong.~</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The young girl, bedridden, pale and obviously horribly weak from the cancer, and numerous treatments, opened her beautifully expressive pale green eyes at the sight of her hero entering the room. Ailynn could see the shock, and happiness that ran through the bedridden girl, a flush of happiness that brought some colour to her cheeks albeit temporarily. “It’s Ailynn….Oh my…” Tears ran down Jenna’s plaid, drawn cheeks.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Her mum nodded and made a space, which Ailynn stepped into and sat bay the bed.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Hey sweetie, I hear that you put an application in to go to the Academy?” It was a complete goofball line, but it made Jenna smile.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“You’re mum and dad asked make-a-wish who asked me to come in and see you.”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Did you beam in?” Jenna joked, a teasing look in her eyes that showed a strength of character and sense of humour under the fear, and pain.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“No…” Ailynn shook her head. “I bullied Trip into landing the Exeter in the Staff car park.” Ailynn joked. “No one can come in or out of the whole hospital.” She winked. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">They chatted as Ailynn handed over the gifts that had been arranged. Amongst them a model of the Exeter, a replica Command uniform, and other collectibles that had been donated. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ailynn saw a picture on Jenna’s bedside, “That was me mum and dad, before the treatment, back when I had hair.” Jenna said, obviously emotionally and beginning to grow tired. “I miss that.” </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Hair like Trinity’s” Ailynn found herself saying. “I adore that colour.”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Ail...Gabrielle?” Jenna said gently. “You’re my hero, Ailynn is always so strong, so ready to be there to kick ass.”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ailynn tilted her head, and shrugged, she wasn’t able to hold on to her tears any more, and one escaped down her cheek. “You know who my hero is?” she said in reply. Ailynn leant forward and kissed Jenna gently on the hand. “...it’s you.”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Jenna smiled and whispered to her mum, and getting the jist, Ailynn stood up, and kissed Jenna on the forehead, “Keep strong...Commander.”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Doctor Hall led her gently out of the room, and into her office, where she shut the door. Ailynn sat on a chair in a hidden corner, and bringing her feet and knees up, the dam of her sorrow broke, and the tears openly running down her face as she hugged her knees.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Reply none)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Posted by Mark)</span></p></span><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"></div>