Nick tapped the end of his bat on the concrete floor, not really paying attention to Brian hitting in the batting cage in front of him. So this was the life of a baseball player outside of New York. Even on off days - they ended up at the batting cages. Maybe there were players in New York that did the same thing, Nick had just never hung out with them. Now, instead of going out on the town like Howie, he was sitting in a warehouse full of batting cages with Brian and Kevin. It was strange to think how much his life had changed in the last eight months.

Kevin was standing to the side of the cage, critically eyeing Brian's swing. If Nick had been hitting like Kevin was, he wouldn't have been critiquing anyone else, but Kevin was strange that way. The weird thing was, Nick didn't mind Kevin's constant criticism anymore.

"Kevin, don't you have to get Becky today?" Brian asked absently, concentrating on his hitting.

"S---!" Kevin yelped, staring at his watch. "Since when are you on top of things, Bri?" He added.

"This is my new MVP leaf." Brian grinned, stepping out of the cage. "I'll see you Friday, 'kay?"

"What? We're just taking tomorrow off?" Kevin neatly packed his bats away into their bag, his green eyes raising to Brian's.

"Nah..." Brian wrinkled his nose. "I've got doctor appointments tomorrow. They have to hook me up to all those stupid machines again."

Nick frowned. Everything would be going along smoothly, and then Brian would say something like that. He was sure Brian didn't do it on purpose, but it always put a damper on Nick's day. Nick could pretend everything was fine, until Brian made a little offhand comment, either about doctor's appointments, or painkiller or something similar, and Nick would be hit with the now all too familiar sickening feeling that his best friend was dying.

"Don't look at me like that." Brian glared at his cousin. "Mental note to self: Don't tell Kevin anything..."

"It's not that." Kevin protested. "It's just weird when you say something like that, because half the time I keep forgetting something's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong." Brian corrected. "It's just a routine checkup, Kevin. Don't go and flip out on me here, okay?"

Kevin still looked skeptical, which was exactly how Nick felt. "Okay..." Kevin said finally, hoisting his equipment bag. "I'm gonna be late, and then Becky'll be mad."

"Tell me about it." Brian laughed.

Kevin flashed a peace sign at Brian and Nick in parting, and strode off towards the parking lot.

Brian smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Holy crap. I've gotta watch what I say around him. He worries too much."

"Can't you say s--- like a normal person?" Nick wondered idly.

Brian giggled, then sat down on the bench next to Nick, sitting cross-legged with his elbows propped on his knees. He was quiet for a moment, but not very long. Brian couldn't just sit in silence. "Nick?"

"What?" There was a serious conversation in the wings. Nick could feel it.

"You know, sometimes I wonder what the point is."

"To what?"

"Everything." Brian shook his head. "What's the point of me going through all of this?" He was silent for a moment. "Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you believe God has a plan for everything?"

Nick shook his head slowly. "If he does, he's out to screw me, that's for sure."

"Oh, aren't we cynical this afternoon!" Brian teased.

"So you think your tumor is some kind of plan?" Yes, Nick was feeling cynical. So sue him. He had a right to.

"Well..." Brian said slowly, thinking out loud. "I always did, but now... I don't know." He sounded as if he was begging Nick for some kind of reassurance, and Nick had no idea what to say to him. Nick wasn't the one that dished out advice - that was Brian's department. Things were changing, and Nick didn't like it one bit.