Blackbirds

Chapter 17

A/N: THE FANART IS NOT MINE!! No! I don't own it I just think it's really fitting for this. So don't kill me if it's yours! :)

Chapter 17

It was two weeks later when he'd finally been able to call Chester again. His schedule had been pretty tight and almost impossible to get in any free time. He sighed as he leaned against the table and called his boyfriend. They had improved their record more and Mike had gotten two RBI's and that made him extremely happy. He was already fitting in with the team and he felt great. He couldn't wait to talk to Chester and tell him everything. But when the phone was picked up, it wasn't Chester.

"Chester Bennington's room," a voice said quietly.

"Uh...is Chester there?" Mike asked in confusion.

"Who is it?"

"Mike Shinoda. I'm a friend," Mike said.

"Chester says that he'd like to talk to you," the voice said, "I'll hand it over then."

It was quiet for a few minutes. Mike finally decided that it had most likely been Isaiah answering the phone. And what he heard next almost made him break into tears.

"H-Hey," Chester's voice was quiet and rough.

"Hey Ches, how you feeling?" he asked softly.

"Isaiah's holding the phone," Chester rasped, "I c-can't do it m-myself."

Mike rested his head on his hand and felt tears run down his eyes, "Oh god Ches."

"They s-said the chemo w-wasn't w-working how it's supposed t-to," Chester managed, "They s-said they're g-gonna t-try again t-today and if it doesn't w-work, they will h-have to t-try something else."

Chester was dying. The chemotherapy was making him weak and the cancer was killing him. He sniffled quietly.

"It'll be fine Ches, you're going to be just fine ok?" Mike whispered.

"M-Mike...d-don't start," Chester said softly. It was quiet for a few minutes before Mike sighed quietly.

"I'm sorry Chester."

"It's ok. H-How h-have you b-been?"

"Good. I got two RBI's in the last four games," Mike smiled slightly as Chester laughed on the other end. But even that sounded strained.

"Of c-course. You know h-how t-to stand."

Mike laughed quietly, "And I'm here because of you baby."

"N-Nah. You're there b-because y-you're supposed to b-be," Chester said, "Just l-like I'm h-here b-because I f-fucked up."

"Ches, please don't say that. How about I come out and visit you tomorrow huh? Would you like that?"

"You gotta p-play...."

Mike could tell that Chester desperately wanted to see him even if he pretended that he didn't.

"There's no games for a few days. I'll come down and see you ok baby?" Mike said quietly. Chester sighed.

"O-Ok. M-Mike....I d-don't want y-you to see m-me like this."

"But I want to. Ches, I feel so bad I can't be there every day. Let me come out there tomorrow."

"O-Ok."

The next day, Mike was flying out once again to California. He hoped that Chester was ok to see him. He knew the other man was getting chemotherapy every other day or so. He sat on the plane staring out the window as states passed by him.

"Hey I know you," a guy said from next to him. Mike frowned and turned to look at him.

"What?"

"Yea you play for the Yankees in New York right? You're their new rookie from Cali."

"Oh yea," Mike said with a small smile.

"But that's not why I know you. You're world wide famous you know that right?"

"What?"

"Yep. Everyone around the U.S is aware of your campaign thing. That 'Swing For Chester' fundraiser for your friend with cancer? Cities all over the states are doing the same thing to raise money for you."

Mike stared at him, "Seriously?"

"Yea. Actually, they've probably raised over thirty-thousand dollars for your friend."

Mike felt tears in his eyes, "That's amazing."

"Yea. I think someone will be meeting you at the hospital since I assume that's where you'll be going, to give you the money."

Mike smiled slightly, "That means so much that it's been taken on a national scale."

"Well...it's not every day that a recently drafted baseball player is given permission to use Yankee Stadium for a fundraiser. Plus, your speech was broadcasted on television. You're pretty popular."

Mike nodded his thanks as they got off the plane, "Thank you. I wasn't aware of this until today. I'll make sure to tell Chester."

"Good luck."

Mike got in the taxi to drive him to the car rental place so he could pick up his car and then he headed to the hospital. He walked inside and headed towards Chester's room. He saw Chester was rolled onto his side facing away from him.

"He just went through chemotherapy," a voice said from behind him. Mike turned to see Isaiah. "They said that it started working the right way this time. He reacted ok with it."

Mike nodded, "When will he be up?"

"About an hour. That's what the doctor said. I've been here the past two weeks. I'm honestly exhausted. You mind if I step out for today?"

"Nah go ahead. I'll stay with him for today and tonight."

"Thank you. It means a lot to him that you came. He was happy when you said you'd be visiting."

Mike smiled slightly as Isaiah left the room and then looked back at Chester. He was sleeping peacefully and covered by the sheets of the hospital bed. Mike sighed as he looked at Chester's face. It was so different than before. He was paler and his face looked shallower. The thick brown locks of hair he'd had were gone, erased. He sighed softly and put his hand on the side of Chester's face.

"I wish this had never happened to you," he whispered.

"You're going to destroy yourself with those."

"Why do you care?"

"You're my best friend Chester. I care about you."

"You don't give two shits. I could die and you wouldn't care."

"You know that's not true."

"Oh yea? Is that what I know?" Chester snarled at him before snuffing the cigarette out on the metal bar of the playground.

"It is. Chester, I know you know that I care."

"I don't Mike."

"Mike."

Mike raised his head and saw Chester looking at him with half-lidded eyes. He smiled slightly and kissed the other man lightly. Chester looked up at him and sighed softly.

"I wish you didn't h-have to s-see m-me like this," Chester said softly. Mike smiled down at him and sat next to him.

"What's wrong with this huh? I think you look beautiful."

Chester's face turned pink and he looked down at the ground. Mike smiled at him again.

"They said the chemo was working," he said softly. Chester looked up at him in surprise.

"Is it really?"

"Yes," Mike said, "That's why you were sleeping just a little while ago."

Chester sighed softly, "Mike....I f-feel s-sick. W-Will I ever g-get better?"

"You will. I promise. They'll be able to stop it. You'll live again," Mike said quietly as he leaned over and kissed Chester again. He felt Chester's hand raise gently to the side of his face and their kiss deepened. Mike pushed his tongue into Chester's mouth, savoring the taste of him. They slowly pulled away and Chester rested his head against Mike's shoulder.

"I love you Mikey."

Mike kissed his hair softly and closed his eyes. He felt Chester sigh in his arms.

"You know that it's going to be alright. It will all get better from now on."

"Are you going back to New York?" Chester whispered. Mike nodded slightly.

"Yea. Just for baseball season. I promise, as soon as it's over. I'll be back here by your side."

"I d-don't want y-you to g-go," Chester said as he wrapped his arms around Mike's waist and buried his head into his chest. Mike felt tears in his eyes as he hugged Chester tightly to him. He wanted to hold Chester and tell him that he'd never leave him but he couldn't quit this team. Chester pointed at the television hanging in front of him.

"I-I n-never missed a g-game," he stuttered. Mike closed his eyes as a smile formed on his face.

"There's so many things I love about you baby. So many things."

Chester sighed and nuzzled against him again, "Don't go. P-Please don't go."

"Chester.......," Mike looked down at the man in his arms, "we've raised over thirty-six thousand dollars for your therapy and treatment."

"Thirty-six thousand?" Chester said as he looked up at him with big eyes. Mike nodded.

"That much. You'll get help. I promise. It'll all get better."

"Ok," Chester said, "That's a lot of m-money."

Mike nodded, "It's been happening all around the states. All for you."

Chester sighed softly and Mike felt tears drip onto his shoulder. He stroked Chester's back and comforted him to the best of his ability. He couldn't believe what he was going through. He knew it was hard for Chester to go through this but it was almost harder for him. He had to watch his boyfriend suffer while he stood by and couldn't do a thing. It was cruel.