Dusk's P.O.V

"What do you mean I have Lupus? What is that?" I asked, confused. "It's an autoimmune disease that can destroy your body, Dusk. Your Grandma Snicket had it too, same with your Grandma Denouement," Mother explained. So that's why my joints have been aching for the past few months. "Not only that, but if it gets worse, your kidneys could fail," Father added.

"So, you're saying that I could-" "Please don't say that word," Mother said as she buried her face in her hands and sobbed harder. I don't know what I did to deserve this, but I hoped that there would be some miracle way that I could get better and things would go back to the way it was, but that's not how the real world worked. "What can we do?" I asked. Father walked towards me, handing me a pamphlet that contained information about Lupus, and I carefully flipped through it.

"Chemotherapy? Isn't that for cancer?" I asked, looking up at him. "Yes, but they said it could slow the progression of the Lupus," Father explained. The doctors must've told them a lot about this. They continued talking about the different treatment plans that doctors could put me on. And how they prescribed me different medications to help with the joint pain and other symptoms.

I started to zone out, and I could hear my parent's voices become farther and farther away from me until it sounded like they were coming from a distance. It hit me like a wave of sadness, and I let out a sob and clutched my hands to my chest. "Can you please go?" I asked. Mother and father looked stunned and tried to tell me that they were trying to help, but I told them once again to leave.

Reluctantly, they nodded and walked out, and I was left alone in the white room, crying into my pillow. The door opened again, and I sat up slightly. "Mom, Dad, I don't want you in here!" I said, looking behind me to see that it wasn't my parents, but instead, it was Winston. "Winston, what are you doing in here?" I asked, wiping the tears off of my face. "I came in to check on you. Your parents said that you wanted them out of the room. Did something happen?" he answered, walking towards the hospital bed.

I sat up completely, and my gaze met Winston's. At first, I didn't want to tell him what was wrong with me. Because I felt like he wouldn't understand with him being an intern, but he was the only person besides my parents who I could talk to at the moment. "My parents came in, and they told me that I have L-lupus," I explained, trying my hardest not to get choked up in front of him. Winston looked at me with wide eyes, and I could feel him gently rub my back, helping me get the tears out.

"I'm so sorry, Dusk," He said. "And the worst part is, is they said that if it gets worse, my kidneys could fail. I might die, and I don't want to die!" I sobbed harder. Winston pulled me into his embrace, and I felt him run a hand through my hair while the other one continued to rub my back. "There there, it's okay. Just let all those emotions out," he sighed. I wanted it to be Quigley. I wanted him there with me.

But, I was grateful that Winston cared about me and other patients that went through the struggle I was going through. "Look at me, Dusk," Winston said after a few long minutes of my continued sobbing. I complied and met his green eyes. "Your parents are going to get the best treatment for you. And I'll be here to help you with it as well," Winston said with a small smile on his face. "But, you're an intern. What can you do?" I asked. "Well, I can check in on you whenever I can when we're at school, and maybe we can hang out sometime?" he asked.

I knew that Winston meant well, but at the same time, I had a feeling that it would feel like I was cheating on Quigley. I was planning on telling him eventually about the diagnosis, but I needed some time to think and come to terms. "Sure, we can hang out. But Winston, there's something I need to tell you-" The door opened again, and I saw a doctor wearing a white coat standing in the doorframe. "Winston, I need you to check in on the patient in Room 325," he said. "Okay, father. I'll be right there," He said, looking over at him.

"Tell me later, okay?" He said as he got up and walked out of the room, leaving me alone in the hospital room once more.