Gen put her hand first on Paris' shoulder, but it soon moved to the nape of his neck to pull him close enough to kiss his forehead. Her lips lingered there, eyes squeezed shut. This was killing her. It was making her feel like she couldn't breathe because he was her baby brother and she was powerless against this awful thing. She couldn't take away the pain she now knew he was experiencing. She couldn't take away the tumor or the sickness. She couldn't do anything to stop it or slow it down, and now Paris had a difficult decision upon his shoulders and she couldn't even help with that. "Think like Mom, sweetie. Just think like Mom and I know you'll find the answer. Because you're so much like her. You're strong like her, way more strong than I ever could be. Tough as fucking balls and more badass than most people in this world. I know she's watching over you. Because if she wasn't, you wouldn't still be with us. Justin wouldn't still be with us. I know she's watching over us. Some days, I feel her there, like she's trying to steer me right. She's not going to let you leave here too soon, I know it."

"He was terrified, but trying so hard to cope. Not because he's deluding himself, but because he wants to care for Justin. He's a nurturer and a caregiver. But no one knows the fucking answers to any of this. We all want to take the pain away but we can't, and that's the hardest fucking thing of all. Not just Justin, but you. If I could swap places with you, baby bro, I would. I deserve all this way more than you do. I need you to keep fighting, because I want you to see my son grow up and get married. I can't do this life shit without you," she told him, clinging to him. Fuck, as hard as this was, she still needed her baby brother. They had always been a team. She wasn't going to screw that up ever again.