You're My Way Home, You're My Backbone.

Two hours later Spencer finally started stirring on the couch, mumbling sleepily to himself. Looking up from the magazine Brendon was reading, he slid off the stool at the bench grabbing his crutches and hobbled over towards the couch, quick and quiet as he could. He sat down on the arm of the couch above Spencer’s head and leant over Spencer’s face waiting for his eyes to flicker open.
Ryan snorted from across the room already knowing what was going to happen. Jon watched on amused.

Spencer rolls over onto his back, almost falling off. It took a couple of minutes before he eyes started to flutter open and snapped open in total shock when he caught sight of a pair of eyes right above his. Spencer let out a loud yelp, almost jumping off the couch. Brendon fell back onto the chair laughing.

“Fuck, Brendon!” Spencer exclaimed taking a deep breath. “What the fuck?”

Brendon laughed louder marking Spencer glare. Sighing in annoyance he pushed himself up and blinked across at his giggling friend. It was too early for this.

“How did you get here? Thought I was picking you up?” Spencer asked confused, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

“Jon.” Brendon answered breathless. “Sorry, but I just had to do that.”

“Sure you did.” Spencer deadpanned before yawning.

Smiling widely Brendon sat up making his eyes wide and innocent looking. It didn’t fool Spencer for a second; it made his lips twitch up for a sleepy smile though.

“Sorry I couldn’t pick you up like I said I would.”

“It’s fine.” Brendon shrugged it off. “I’m out and got here alright.”

“How are you?” Spencer asked with a sudden underlying worried tone. “How’s your leg?”

“Doing better.”

Brendon wiggled his toes like if that was going to make a point. His leg did feel better, more flexible than before the op. He’s been doing everything Rose told him to the day before and whet for an extra hobble around the ward last night, where ending talking to an old sweet guy about music for two hours.

As he lifted his foot up to rest on the coffee table he almost knocked over an empty coffee mug. He made a mental note to buy Ryan footrests for his birthday and pick out the most horrible colour he could find while he was at it.

“I get the stitches out next week. I can’t wait because they starting to itch, it’s driving me crazy.” He whined.

“I thought you already were crazy.” Jon teased.

“Weird is totally different from crazy.” Brendon huffed.

“Yeah, right.” Ryan mumbled but Brendon ignored him.

Jon coughed out a laugh and Brendon lazily showed them the finger and poked his tongue out. Turning back to Spencer, he sighed at the question he knows would come out of Spencer’s mouth next.

He thought back on what the doctor had explained to him this morning as Spencer asked.

“So, um, what is happening with the chemo? Do you know yet or?” Spencer trailed off unsure.

Both Ryan and Jon turned their full attention towards toward the couch, completely on Brendon. Eyes wide and ears open. Brendon looked at them for a moment before turning his head to Spencer who was focused on him just as much as his other two friends.

Their stares made him a bit uncomfortable but if it was someone else in his position he guess he would be doing the same. He moved his gaze down to his lap and took a deep breath. Spencer shuffled closer to him on the couch not really sure if he should do something. Brendon spoke before he decided.

“Well the reason why I have to have chemo is because traces of cancer cells were found in my blood and to prevent the tumour from coming back or reappearing somewhere else.” Brendon said softly spoken. “Dr Carol said she’ll start me on ten doses, one every two weeks and at the end of that they’ll access to see if I need more. I’ll be tested after every treatment to make sure they don’t need to up the doses. Everything desponds on how it affects me and how sick it makes me.”

It was quiet in the room as everyone let the new information soak in. Only breathing could be heard and the ticking of the large clock on the wall. That clock always reminded Brendon of the ‘Nine in the Afternoon’ video for whatever reason, though it had nothing to do with it.

“Will you lose your hair or anything like that? I, ah, heard you can lose your finger and toe nails too.” Jon asked.

Ryan snapped his head around looking at Jon shocked, face going pale.

“She said I may lose a little hair, like, it might get thinner but I shouldn’t lose it completely. All my nails will stay in tacked.”

“What about getting sick?” Jon asked quietly.

Brendon shook his head and shrugged.

“Everyone is different. I could be extremely sick or not affected at all. I won’t know until I start the treatment.” He sighed bitting down on his lip.

It was scary not knowing how he would react to the treatment. One of the many pamphlets he was given had a long list of symptoms, enough to make his head spin while reading it.

“When do you start the chemo?” Ryan spoke when no one else did.

“Two days.” Brendon whispered.

Three pairs of shocked eyes started at him. It made sense to have it so soon but it was still a shock to the system. Jon had to go home in four days; he felt his stomach knot up realising that, knowing for a couple of weeks he wouldn’t be around to help before he could come back.

Brendon closed his eyes stopping the welding up of tears. It scared him; it honestly frightened him to the core. Even going on stage in front of hundreds of fans almost every night and knowing he could mess up wasn’t anywhere as scary as what he was going through now. What if it spread? What if it the chemo didn’t work? What if he came back later in life? He knew from a lot of information that has been shoved down his throat that secondary cancer was the last straw for most people.

It was too overwhelming.

The room was silent again from no one knowing what to say or do. Ryan and Jon looked at each other before looking over at Spencer. All three of them had gone slightly pale at the news and with that one look, all three of them made a silent promise, just like they did in the beginning to be there for Brendon as much as possible.

After being in a band together and best friends for years, they weren’t about to walk away now. They were family and that was that.

It was Spencer that broke the link realising that Brendon was shaking. Cursing under his breath surprised he shot forward to the arm chair bringing Brendon to his chest. That was the final crack that had tears flowing down Brendon’s face.

“I-I’m so s-scared.” Brendon sobbed bring his hand up to cover his face. “I’m so f-fucking scared...”

Jon sprung up from his chair and moved across the living room quickly ignoring the loud cracks his knees made. Ryan followed just as quickly making it that all four of them squished onto the one little area around the chair. It was a tight fit but on one cared.

“It’s alright to be afraid.” Jon whispered trying to remove one of Brendon’s hands away from his tear stained face.

“We’re all scared Bren. Maybe not as much as you, but we are. We just have to keep thing positive.” Ryan encouraged.

“You’ve got this far,” Jon added.

“And you’re going to get through the rest of this too.” Spencer stated in a way that left no room for argument. “You’re one of the bravest people I know. You got knocked out by a bottle on stage and kept going!”

He smiled as Brendon gave a breathy laugh; Spencer knew the bottle comment would get a reaction. He tightened his arms around Brendon holding him in something close to a bear hug. Jon finally tugged one of his hands away.

“It’ll be alright. You’ll see.” Ryan spoke over Jon’s shoulder with a reassuring smile.

Brendon sniffed using his other hand to wipe his face a little, not that it helped much.

He was still terrified. Maybe the guys were right though. Maybe he could get through this – maybe he couldn’t. Brendon was going to try though, if not for himself, then his friends and family. He felt like he at least owed them that for supporting him and not leaving his side.

He was going to try no matter how scared he was.

*

Brendon’s house was just as quiet as normal when he stepped in through the front door. It was times like these when he wished he still had a dog to come running up to him, barking, running all over his feet and licked any part of his body it could reach in greeting. As it was, all he got was a faint smell of cleaning products.

He forgot that the guys were apparently going to clean his house when it was in hospital. Brendon was somewhat a tidy person but he was nervous to see what they had done, if they did end up having time to do anything. Someone poked him in the back and Brendon turned to frown at Ryan, letting go of one of the crutches momentarily to poke him back in the stomach.

Brendon got the message anyway and made room in the hallway for him to pass. Ryan walked towards the kitchen happily. Brendon shut the door with his new arm extensions and as he reached the doorway of the lounge room, he looked around the doorframe slowly and gasped in shock.
Well the room was defiantly clean.

“Like it?” Ryan asked appearing by his side. “We knew you wouldn’t be moving around all that well for a couple of weeks, so we moved some things around to make it easier for you. Plus your lounge room was a danger hazard for everyone’s shins as it was, I would know.”

Brendon blinked hard a couple of time to make sure he wasn’t imaging things and hopped forward a few steps into the room. All the furniture had been rearranged around to fit the long shape of the room better. The TV had been moved so the sunlight wouldn’t reflect on the screen anymore, the bookshelf was in the far corner all tidied up and photo albums all together, the couch and chairs were spread around the coffee table with a good sized walkway between them.

He almost laughed when he realised the couch cushions had new covers on them. The room had all but been painted; even the carpet had been washed.

“So...” Ryan poked for a response.

“I, uh...really did not expect this. I completely forgot you guys said you were going to clean up...”
“We were just going to tidy up but then Spencer said something about how you always wanted to rearrange the furniture, so we all just decided to do it for you.”

Brendon moved his surprised gaze from around the room to Ryan who was standing behind him in the hallway looking shy and small, like if he wasn’t sure it was such a good idea after all. Ryan quickly changed his mind of that when Brendon beamed at him.

“Thank you,” Brendon let out a startled laugh. “I seriously did not expect this! If we every stop playing music you three should totally start a house design team.”

Ryan smiled amused and shook his head. He took a few steps into the room and started to explain what they did, painting out all the little details and how he almost choked on the dust from the curtain rail.

“This is great, seriously.” Brendon said still in awe when Ryan finished. “It means a lot. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Ryan grinned. “Oh, and we cleaned up the rest of your house too.” He shrugged like it was a normal thing that he did.

Turning in his heels, Ryan walked into the kitchen. The sounds of the fridge opening and glasses clinking followed as Brendon took another look at his lounge room taking everything in with wide eyes. Not a second later he hobbled over to the house phone in the hallway, smacking the doorframe with one of the crutches in his haste, and dialled one of the numbers he knew off by heart for years.

“Hello?”

“Have I told you that I love you lately?”

Jon laughed down the line making Brendon smile. He could hear Jon called out ‘he saw the lounge room!” away from the receiver to Spencer most likely, who were both still at Ryan’s house. There was some rustling then a door closing.

“So I guess that means you like it?” Jon asked cheerfully.

“Yes! Thank you so much!”

“You are very welcomed my friend.” Jon chuckled, then added in a whisper: “Spencer hasn’t noticed what we did you his car yet. I think he’s about to find out though.”

“At least I’m safe here for the time being.” Brendon laughed. “I would hide if I was you.”

Brendon leaned back against the wall just as Ryan appeared in the doorway holding two glasses of juice. He nodded towards the lounge room, and was about to walked away when he stopped and gestured to the phone mouthing ‘Jon?’ Brendon nodded.

“I have no idea where to hide though – Oh shit, he just picked up the car keys.” Jon said with his voice full of excitement rather than fear. “I’m going to start walking to your place.”

“Don’t bring him here!” Brendon exclaimed as he heard a door closing in the background on Jon’s end of the line again.

Ryan raised an eyebrow sipping on his drink. He didn’t interrupt to ask. There was more background noise followed by Jon’s breathing.

“He’s going to turn up at your house eventually.” Jon point out.

“I know that, but now I won’t have time to booby trap my front door.”

It was quiet for a couple of second before Jon started laughing, but that was quickly cut off with a loud “Oh, shit!”

“What happened? Jon?”

“Spencer notice all right and he saw me!” Jon said huffing a laugh and also sounding like he was running. “I’ll see you at your place!”

The line went dead and Brendon looked up at Ryan trying to keep his eyes wide and innocent looking. Ryan rolled his eyes fondly taking the cup away from his lips and silently wondered into the lounge room to sit on the couch. He knew what was going to happen and got ready to watch the free show. Brendon poked his tongue at him as he put the phone back, it was obvious that Ryan wasn’t going to help.

Brendon walked into the kitchen trying to figure out a decent hiding spot that had enough room for his crutches. None came to mind and Brendon seriously didn’t have time to bard the front and back doors while hoping on one leg and Spencer was known to jump through one of the windows once to catch him after the flour bomb incident.

Thinking about that Brendon realised Ryan never got shit for that stunt and it had been his idea. Brendon wanted to use mud.

Before he knew it there was knocking, rather pounding, on the front door.

“Ryan don’t you dare open that door! And I’m not here!” Brendon yelled only getting laughing in response. “Asshat.”

Brendon headed for his bedroom as fast as he possible could. As long as he could keep away from Spencer’s freakish tickling fingers he was reasonably safe. As he ended the room he realised that no, he couldn’t climb onto his dressing table, over the bookshelf and into the high storage cupboards above his built-in wardrobe to his top secret hiding place.

“Fuck.” Brendon hissed.

“Bren, Jon’s here!” Ryan yelled smugly.

Brendon gave up on his bedroom and quickly escaped to his laundry room. He slid out the backdoor quietly and pressed himself flat against the brick wall so no one could see him through any of the windows that viewed the back yard.

For a second he felt like Lara Croft from Tomb Raider, and chuckled at the idea.

“Brendon! Bren you need to hide me, Spence will be here any minute!” Jon called sounding like he was trying not to laugh.

Jon was never able to be serious about these sorts of situations. They were fun and funny as anything, but this was Spencer. Number one rule of being friends with Spencer is: don’t piss him off and the second was: don’t mess with his stuff.

Spencer was known for his smartass awesome comeback attack. The guy could come up with some pretty fucking cool ideas when he had to, like the time he got Ryan with a pair of dirty socks, two balls of wool and a container of honey, but that was another story entirely.

Brendon considered staying quiet and let Jon find his own place to hide and almost made a decision when Jon called out again.

“I’m here!” He said loud enough for anyone to hear him if they were in the back end of the house.
Two minutes of silence later as Brendon tried to think of a place to sneak off to next, Jon emerged out the backdoor. He almost jumped a foot in the air when he saw Brendon. Brendon snickered with a hand over his mouth to keep quiet as Jon leaned over holding a hand over his chest.

Jon took a couple of deep breaths before standing up right, face red with embarrassment.

“Fuck, Bren. Warning next time?” Jon wheezed.

“Sorry.” Said between sobs of laughter.

“Actually I should be sorry.” Jon shrugged. “Spencer made he let him in, he caught me down the stree-“

“You weren’t meant to say anything!” Spencer’s voice rang out of the laundry.

Brendon’s eyes widened in shock and Jon wasted no time in wrapped his arm around Brendon’s waist to help him half run across the grass. Spencer jumped out from wherever he was hiding in the laundry room and reached out for a handful of the back of Jon’s shirt. He missed.

Something caught the corner of Spencer’s eye making him look over across the other side of the yard from where Brendon and Jon were going to. He could run after them and get them in less than a minute, but where was the fun in that if there was a water hose right there ready for him to use?
Spencer heard footsteps behind him so he turned to see Ryan looking over his shoulder excited and very amused. Ryan glanced at Spencer who smirked. Ryan grinned pulling out his phone setting it on video camera. Spencer dashed toward the water tap.

“Did you guys really think you could escape me?” Spencer smirked coolly.

“No, but it was worth a try.” Jon replied looking over his shoulder.

Spencer picked up the hose slowly with intent, then with lightening quiet reflex turned the tap on full, letting it spray on the ground off to the side causing mud to flick onto the fence and his jeans. Brendon gasped dramatically.

“Fuck.” Jon muttered.

“It was all Jon’s fault, it was his idea!” Brendon yelled pulling away from Jon using a crutch to point at him.

“It was your idea to mess with the CDs.” Jon pointed out with a shrug unbothered Brendon was trying to frame him.

“You messed with my CDs as well?” Spencer glared.

Brendon spluttered, tripping over his words and making no sense.

“He probably messed with the stereo bass too.” Ryan smirked completely enjoying the scene.

Spencer glared more deadly tho all he wanted to do was laugh at the look on the faces of his targets. He never cared if people messed up his car anymore, it was a mess ninety percent of the time anyway, but the fun in payback was always too good to pass up.

“Any last words?” He hissed flicking the hose almost all the way up towards them then back down to where it was hitting the ground before.

“Have I told you lately that I love you?” Brendon squeaked. “And that you’re the best most awesome friend in the world. Isn’t that right Jon?”

“Of course. And you’re the smartest at...um, stuff.” Jon flashed his famous smile.

Spencer smiled sweetly and reached his free hand out towards the tap. Just before his fingers touched the metal, Spencer flicked the hose up, the blast of water followed not a second later hitting Jon square in the chest. Loud shrieks echoed off the brick walls with bubbles of laughter. Ryan burst out laughing thumbling with his phone almost dropping it.

When the water was finally turned off Jon was sitting on the ground surrounded by a muddy puddle with dead bits of grass floating around. Brendon was splashed down his left side, mostly wet on his hoodie and face than anywhere else.

Spencer dropped the hose with a flop to the ground and beamed triumphant towards Ryan.

“Please tell me you got that all on tape.”

“Every second of it.” Ryan smirked.

Jon groaned letting himself fall backwards into the puddle. Brendon started laughing whipping water away from his eye.

He laughed louder when Jon spat out a mouthful of water.