The Tree in the Forest

Chapter Twenty-Two

                                      ~~~

  It's been a little over a year since you and Karkat started dating. Your life has been so much happier since then. You two have only fought twice, and it was over little things. It was never over trust, how much you loved each other, or anything like that.

  Bro finally stopped with the prostitute thing. He's been eyeing a guy, and you know it. He doesn't like to admit it, though. He just tells you that you're 'fuckin' insane' and brushes it off.

  Rose got with Kanaya. They're really happy together and you're happy for them.

  Basically, Roxy is the only one that hasn't been confirmed as gay or something similar. Poor Strider family line. At least Leanne and Sean, another cousin of yours, have the Strider last name, despite how much of an insufferable bitch Leanne is and how little you know about Sean.

Karkat had gone into the hospital a few times. That was expected, but he really scared you once. You thought he was going to die. Obviously, he didn't, but it was one of the most terrifying experiences you've ever had. He wouldn't eat or get up. All he did was lay in a hospital bed and sleep or occasionally stare out of the window.

He's out now, though, and he's seemed a lot healthier. They gave him some sort of medicine that's supposed to help fight the infected cells, and that's actually been working. When he went back for a CAT scan a month after being released, the amount of cancerous cells had gone down significantly. Things were starting to look up for him.

You remember how excited he was about it. Karkat said that if the amount of bad cells went down low enough, he wouldn't have to take chemo anymore. His hair would grow back and he wouldn't have to go to a hospital for an entire day to deal with radiation. He kept going on and on, and you just listened.

  You also both saved up and bought phones. It took you two long enough, but now you have them. You both got simple used iPhone 4's. Those were enough. It's nice being able to text Karkat and call him without letting the whole family know that you did. You liked these new freedoms.

  You ever so happened to be sitting with John, talking to him. You two kind of grew apart since you and Karkat started dating. It's not that Karkat was getting in between you two, but it was more that he had also gotten Vriska to go out with him. You were both focused on your own partners. Especially since Vriska, along with Terezi, was caught in a house fire.

  During said house fire, Vriska lost her left eye and arm. Terezi lost both of her eyes, but had all of her limbs still intact. They were currently undergoing different types of reconstructive surgery that you knew must cost thousands of dollars. Good thing their families were pretty well off and could pay for it.

  "So, yeah, I'm pretty concerned about Vriska. You have no clue how worried I was when I heard that she got in that fire! I thought she died." John said. You did have the faintest idea, but you're glad that John is treating Karkat as an equal and not some guy with a sickness that needed special attention from anyone besides you or his family.

  "How's it going with her? Like, is she getting any better?" You ask.

  "Yeah, she started talking again. I think the shock is wearing off. She still won't let anyone touch her, though," He replied. "How's Karkat?"

  "He's actually doing really good. He's on a new drug that helps with getting rid of infected cells. There's a possibility that he might be able to get out of chemo soon if he keeps taking it," You said.

  "That's good. Karkat's a cool guy, even if he acts like a douche most of the time. I hope he gets better," John smiled. You just quietly agreed.

  "How's Jade been? We haven't talked for a while. She just kind of jumped off the face of the Earth and into a wide, spacey void," You ask. Seriously though, where had Jade gone?

  "Oh, she's been hanging out with her brother, Jake. He's my stepbrother, obviously, but he always stayed at his dad's house in Melbourne instead of coming to the States with them. Since he's a real adult now with a job and a college degree, he decided to come over." John explained.

  "Wait, Jade's from Australia?" You asked. She sure didn't sound like it.

  "Yeah, but her accent shook off. She moved here when she was a little girl. Like, barely older than a toddler." He said.

  It was weird to think about how little you knew about your friends. You didn't know Karkat's mom or really anything about her, you had no clue that Jade was Australian, you don't know what happened to half of your friends in the time that you were focused on Karkat's health.

  The things you miss are always a bit of a shock when you finally hear them said. At first you'd always think they were rumors but then they aren't. You heard a vibrating noise.

  "Oh shit, Dave, I gotta go. Vriska wants me to come over to see her. I'll talk to you later," He said, stepping down from his chair and leaving. You waved goodbye to him before turning back around and staring at the table.

  It was weird to think that some crazy stuff had happened to your other friends as well. To what do you owe this bad luck? You don't know.

  You just stared until Bro texted you, telling you to get your ass home before he comes and gets you. He had ordered food and didn't want to wait for you because he was hungry. Classic Bro.

  When you got home, there was take-out, just as promised. You greedily took your plate of food and ate it. You don't know why you decided not to eat while you were out, but it was too late now. You were already stuffing food in your face.

"So, how was the talk with John? I heard about Vriska and Terezi," Rose asked over dinner bro and Roxy were already having their own conversation, so they most likely weren't listening to yours.

"It was good. He said that Vriska's shock is starting to wear off, so she should be good soon. Also, Jade's from Australia apparently," You said.

"She's from Australia?"

"I know, that's what I said. Anyways, her brother came here from Melbourne, so that's where she's been recently," You continued.

"Melbourne?" Bro heard your conversation. "I know a pretty cool guy from Melbourne,"

"Ooh, is it that guy you keep staring at? Don't lie, we all see you sneak looks at his ass," Roxy teased. Bro was somehow able to keep his face placid when he told Roxy to shut her mouth and that he wasn't looking at anyone's ass.

  You laughed at him, teasing him a bit more. Soon, everyone was either laughing or smiling.

  Yes, you are where you currently want to be.

                                       ~~~
Hi.

This was partially for neglected Vriska and Terezi info and lack of interaction with John.

Anywho, yes, Vriska and Terezi were caught in a house fire, but not in their own home. It was at an unnamed (and unimportant) character's house while they were there.

Jade is from Melbourne, she just lost her accent after living in the States for so long. Jake, however, has not. And Bro is eyeing that fine English ass. It was bound to happen.

Okay, I'll stop talking. See ya!

~Ghostie