Nathan's POV

Waking up on my parents' couch, I felt a little sore—it had definitely seen better years—but it still worked, and that was all we needed right now. Glancing at my watch, it looked like I'd managed a solid eight hours of sleep, which hadn't happened in a while. My body appreciated the rest; some of the deep-seated fatigue had lifted, and I felt just a little bit lighter.

Hearing my parents beginning to stir as well, I got up and went to the bathroom to freshen up before we made our way over to the hospital to see Melly. After grabbing a quick shower, I got dressed and, feeling more awake, headed out to find Dad making breakfast—eggs and toast. I went over to help him.

Once we'd eaten, I quickly tidied the kitchen while my parents took their turns showering and getting ready. I caught Mum's appreciative smile as she saw me putting things away. Soon after, we left the flat together and began the walk to the hospital.

Upon arriving, I asked one of the nurses if Dr Leichh was in today, but she informed me he wasn't working and would be back tomorrow. I offered her a small smile in thanks. With sad eyes, she gently squeezed my hand in comfort. She'd been one of the main nurses caring for Melly and had known her for years. Smiling back, a lump rising in my throat, I whispered a heartfelt, "Thank you."

Heading in with my parents to see Melly, I took a deep breath and tried to keep a cheerful smile on my face. I didn't want her to worry.

When we entered the room, my heart gave a painful lurch. There were even more tubes attached to her than yesterday, and she looked more drained. Was her condition accelerating again?

But then she saw us—and her whole face lit up with a smile that didn't match her tired appearance. It was full of life and excitement.

"It's been so long since you were all here!" she laughed brightly. "It's so nice having everyone together again!"

Walking up to her, I patted her head and kissed her forehead."It is nice, isn't it? You know what would make it even better? A proper breakfast! I'm going to try and smuggle in some food for you. What would you like?"

She beamed up at me."Waffles, please! I'll let you have a bite too, I promise! Just don't let Nurse Loredge know—she's a bit strict, but really nice. Always helps me at night when I'm not feeling well."

A pang of guilt struck me at the thought of her suffering alone in the middle of the night, but I kept the smile on."Secret mission accepted! Want some chocolate with them too?"

She nodded eagerly and gave a thumbs up."With strawberries, please!"

With a playful salute, I replied,"I graciously accept this mission from the one undeniable ruler!"

Ruffling her hair gently, I gave Mum and Dad a squeeze on the arms as I stepped out of the room. I could hear them inside, giving her hugs and checking that she had everything she needed.

As I walked towards the nurses' station, I spotted the infamous Nurse Loredge. I waved as I approached, leaning over the counter to greet her.

She looked up and gave me a warm, tired smile. She was about Mum's age and treated every patient in her unit like family. She'd been incredible throughout Melly's treatment, even giving us regular updates when work kept us from visiting. She understood our situation, and her patience had been a lifeline.

A bit nervously, I asked,"I spoke with Dr Leichh yesterday. He let us know Melly's results had dropped again... that she's Type 2 now. Did anything happen last night to make it worse?"

She sighed, dark circles under her eyes. Her shift was probably ending in a couple of hours."I know. I couldn't believe her luck had gotten worse. The results didn't drop any further, thankfully, but the side effects from the Type 2 progression are making things harder. The meds are causing pain and aches, especially at night. She barely slept. But it should ease a little as her body adjusts."

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the despair crawling up my throat."Would she be alright with some waffles? I want to bring her a little treat—but only if it won't make things worse."

She smiled kindly."You're such a good brother. Waffles should be fine if she feels up to eating them. Honestly, she hasn't had much of an appetite lately, so getting some solid food into her would only help. If it's waffles you want, go to the diner a street over—here's the name."

She scribbled it down on a scrap of paper and passed it to me.

"They make lovely waffles. If you say you're from the hospital, they'll give you a discount. Grab yourself a cookie too—you need feeding up. I don't want to see you admitted because you're not eating properly."

Grinning, I waved goodbye and headed out to the diner. With the mission completed and waffles in hand, I returned to the hospital, stopping by the nurses with a bag of ten cookies. They all protested in unison that I "shouldn't have," but I waved them off, insisting they deserved it. They really were the best.

Back at Melly's room, I heard her laughing softly as she chatted with our parents. The sound lifted something inside me. I couldn't imagine life without her. We had to get the money—she needed that treatment.

Trying to make her smile, I snuck in like a secret agent, complete with humming a spy theme tune. I hid the waffle container behind my back, then dramatically whipped the hospital trolley around and presented it with a flourish."Tada!"

Melly giggled, eyes lighting up."Don't quit your day job—I don't think you'd make it as a spy!"

Smiling, I watched her dig into the waffles. I had a small bite too, just to make her feel better. She managed to eat about eighty percent of it before tapping out. Seeing her eat with that much enthusiasm eased the ache in my chest.

I wished I could visit her every day. But chances were, I wouldn't be able to come back for a while.

Over the next few hours, we chatted, watched TV, and acted like a normal family—except we were in a hospital. There were two more "missions" to collect noodles and lollies, which did a number on my bank account. But seeing her eat them with such delight made every penny worth it.

By the time I had to leave, my resolve was iron-clad. We would get her into that clinical trial.

We had to.

As I made my way to the shopping centre and boarded the bus back to the Association, that was the mantra I kept repeating in my head. Even when I started to shiver as the gates came into view—like my body knew it wasn't a safe place—I pushed forward.

This is for Melly. You can do it.