Fundamentally Fiore

Sick

Fiore had been living with her cousins and aunt and uncle for about a year now when something changed.  Ian and Christine would go off to play, but Fiore was tired so she'd take a nap instead.  When she did play, she'd bruise more easily and didn't heal quickly.  Cassie took notice.

Fiore had been constantly tired in the past few months and always seemed to be in pain. That was why Cassie had insisted on getting her checked out. It wasn't like Fiore to complain. When they'd gotten the diagnosis, it had been a shock to everyone, Roderick most of all.

He'd only just started coming around again.  Fiore was a constant reminder of his lost love, and as soon as she was diagnosed, Roderick was convinced there was no hope.  He'd lost his wife only a few short years ago, and now his daughter was going to be taken from him too? He did the only thing he knew to do, he distanced himself.

The responsibility had fallen once again on Cassandra and Henry to care for Fiore, and as far as they were concerned, Fiore may as well have been their daughter.

Cassie arranged everything. She found the best doctors, the best medicine, the best treatment that was available. They managed to keep the media out of it too, which was a feat in and of itself.

Fiore was a trooper, in spite of how many needles, or surgeries, or how much pain, or how the other symptoms wreaked havoc on her body, she was determined to fight. Cassie never wanted that spark in Fiore's eyes to fade.

It took nearly eight months of aggressive treatment for Fiore to be in remission. Fiore knew that meant she could come home. During those eight months, her father had seen her three times in person. He was convinced she would die. When Cassie caught him promising she would be going where her mother was soon she'd had him thrown out. She didn't want him putting doubt in Fiore's head. Fiore had blind faith that she was going to be okay, she needed that to win.

Once she was all cleared, Fiore threw her arms around Ian and Cassie as they came to take her home.  She told Cassie about how she couldn't wait for her hair to be long again so she and Christine could play princess again.  Fiore had smacked Ian when he suggested she keep it short like a boy so they could pretend to be brothers.  Ian really wanted a brother more than just about anything.

It didn't take long for life to resume as normal.  Fiore was home with her cousins, her father didn't come to see her until nearly six months after she was in remission.  Fiore returned to her  normal, bossy, mischievous self and in time she was the jubilant little sprite wreaking havoc and causing trouble in the palace again. Finally, laughter filled the palace halls once more and they were a family again.