The Biggest Fight of Our Lives {Our Battle Series- Book 1}

1 year later

Colette's POV:

"Come on Avia wake up. I have to take you to the doctors today for your 1 year scans." I said lightly shaking her awake. Life was finally back to normal, Avia had finished up maintenance chemo at the beginning of this school year. Walking was still a challenge for her but it was getting better, she was also able to be enrolled as a full time student again. Which she was thrilled about. Although recently she hasn't been feeling well and she was starting to exhibit symptoms from when she was first diagnosed.

"Are you sure I have to go. I mean it is my birthday." She said groaning and rubbing her eyes.

I felt awful that I had made her scans appointment for her 11th birthday but with her symptoms acting up I didn't want to wait till June. I was hoping that this was really all in my head and Avia would be fine, but with her being diagnosed once there is always a possibility of relapse and it's weighed heavily on my mind since the day we were told she was cancer free. We had found out on my 33rd birthday, I remember seeing her face light up when the scans came back clean. I remember my own as well thinking that this was the greatest birthday present ever. 

"Yes sweetie you have to go. But I promise I'll take you out when it's done and we can try to salvage what's left of the day. But you and I both know that you have to go to these scans cause god forbid you miss one and it comes back and it's too widespread for them to save you. And I'm not losing you." I said hugging her and getting up. I knew today was one of the many days where as a mother I'd have to put on a brave face, even though deep down I was absolutely petrified.

I went upstairs and began getting some things ready to take with me to the hospital, Shay and Gavin had stopped coming to these appointments because they often turned out to be nothing, plus Avia had their full attention for a full year both of them were trying to lead normal lives. Although they both knew scan days were big and always felt conflicted and didn't know if they should go or not. Both had concluded late last night that they weren't coming, Gavin had a travel soccer game that he couldn't miss and Shay wanted to work on some stuff for Trixin. I respected their decisions as well believing that this appointment would be like every other.

We left for the hospital at 11, Shay, Avia, Daxton and I were the only ones home because it was a school day and all the other kids were at school. Avia's teachers had all agreed that if Avia was missing school due to something cancer related then they wouldn't have her make up the work, probably because they felt bad for her. We said goodbye to both of them and loaded up into the car, we stopped at Sonic on the way there to get milkshakes. Our prehospital tradition that eased tensions because both of us always feared the worst.

We arrived at Salt Lake City Children's Hospital at noon sharp and were brought to in outpatient room because we were not staying overnight. Within five minutes nurses came in and were checking her vitals and talking to me about what was going to happen, even though I'd heard it about a thousand times. About a quarter to 1 a nurse came in to give an IV that would knock her out during the scans, they rarely, if never, used a mask to knock children out when they were having scans done. We sat until around 1:30 when some doctors came to bring her back, I gave her a hug and a kiss on the forehead before allowing them to take my eldest daughter.

I sat down in the uncomfortable hospital room chair and waited for them to bring her back, scans recently have only been taking an half hour or so knowing what to expect I immersed myself in my phone, texting Shay and letting him know that the doctors had taken her back. I also checked and saw the people were keeping Avia in their prayers and wished us lots of luck. I smiled, the viewers had been so supportive of us during this crazy battle.

It was now approaching three and I was getting worried because they still hadn't brought Avia back. I told myself to stay calm and maybe there were some mechanical problems that delayed them which is why it's taking so long. Finally at a little after three they brought Avia back in, she was asleep and was hooked up to a variety of monitors and machines. Seeing after all this never gets easier. I got up and pulled my chair next to her bed, I grabbed her hand and held it mine. Gently rubbing circles in it with my thumb, Shay had always done it to her during treatments because it made him feel at ease. Now when ever I was stressed out at the hospital with her I did the same thing. Soon her sedation began to wear off and she woke up.

"Mommy?" she said groggily, her eyes fluttering open

"I'm right here baby, everything is going to be okay." I told her getting up and kissing her forehead lightly

"Mommy I'm scared." She said

"Why sweetie?" I asked overly concerned

"Because they did a lot more tests this time, they even did bloodwork! What if it's back!" she said tears beginning to flow from her large brown eyes that were just starting to get their sparkle back.

"Ohh sweetie I'm sure everything will be fine. We just have to stay positive." I told her stroking the lose strands of hair on her forehead.

Once Avia calmed down she fell back asleep and soon after a nurse called me into the hall saying a doctor needed to talk to me about something in a consultation room down the hall. I walked down the hall very slowly, I felt my palms begin to sweat and my heartbeat accelerate.

"Ahh, Mrs.Butler please take a seat." John said gesturing to a rolling chair next to him/

"John I've known you for two years you can call me Colette." I told him. John had overseen all of Avia's scans and had been her primary oncologist. He always called me in here to talk about them. So I remained optimistic and believed everything would be okay.

He put up the scan on a board and turned the light on. Immediately I knew what the next words out of John's mouth would be.

"I'm so sorry to tell you this Colette but, Avia has relapsed."   

AN: And that is the end of the story. Nice ending ain't it. Don't worry if you looked at my feed then you know that there is going to be a sequel. Also if you guys don't know what relapsed means it means that the cancer has come back. I can't believe I finished my first book! If you guys have been with me since I first started writing this book when it was about broadway then you know how bad it originally was. But now look at it. Over 7000 people have read my story, which amazes me everyday. Thank you guys so much for all your support. I hope you enjoy the next one as much as you enjoyed this one.