A day in the life...

Cody didn't stir when the alarm clock went off, he'd actually been lying awake for almost an hour, counting the minutes until his 'day' would begin again. This had been his routine for the last two months since starting chemotherapy. While the treatments were helping, they had made his body so incredibly weak that he could no longer move at all by himself....hearing his fiancee stir, Cody sighed and waited for the covers to be gently pulled away, it was time to go through the motions of living once again...

When Ted awoke that morning he knew it wasn't going to be an easy day. Ever since Cody's diagnosis it hadn't been easy, but Ted didn't care how hard it got; he loved Cody and he would stand by him no matter what. Rolling over onto his side to face Cody, he smiled. He was still just as amazing as ever in Ted's eyes.

"Moring baby-boy," Ted whispered.

"Morning..." Cody whispered, slowly opening his eyes "Time for a shower?"

"Whenever you're ready," Ted whispered.

"Mmmm, now's as good a time as any" Cody weakly held his arms up so Ted could fit them around his neck "I'm ready."

"Alright," Ted said, slowly and gently easing Cody into his arms.

Cody continued to doze en route to the bathroom, snugly wrapped in Ted's muscular arms. The chemotherapy exhausted him so much it would take most of the day for him to wake up properly.

After removing the clothes the smaller man had slept in and easing him down into the bathtub Ted removed his own clothes and turned on the water before entereing the tub himself.

Resting in Ted's lap, Cody moaned as he felt the hot water wash over him, he could still remember the days when they'd showered in each other's arms, back when he could still move around, before he'd been reduced to this...

"Don't you ever get tired of this?" Cody whispered, opening his eyes to look up at his lover "Bathing me, dressing me, carrying me..." Cody weakly lifted one hand and let it flop back into the water "Look at me Teddy...I'm a freaking invalid, a baby in a man's skin!"

"Cody," Ted said softly. "I love you, and I would do absolutley anything for you, you know that. "Don't you remember what I told you the day you were diagnosed?"

"I remember" Cody murmured, watching as Ted continued to bathe him "I'm sorry Teddy..."

"Cody, it's alright, you're gonna have these why me days every now and again, but that's why I'm here," Ted said.

"My Teddy..." Cody sighed as the water was drained away "Do I have to go to treatment today?"

"Yeah baby-boy, but not for a few more hours," Ted said.

While Ted toweled him dry, Cody looked up towards the window and noticed that the sun was out. It was springtime now, and the trees were starting to leaf out.

"Teddy, can you take me outside for a while?" Cody pleaded softly while Ted was dressing him "It's so nice outside, and I've been cooped up in the house for months, please Teddy, just for a little while?"

"Just for a little while," Ted said. "I've got a surprise for you outside anyway."

"Really?" Cody's face lit up like the sun "What is it?"

"Now, if I told you it wouldn't be a surprise silly boy," Ted chuckled.

"Oh Teddy..." Cody managed to pout as he was carried towards the front door "At least tell me, will I like the surprise?"

Ted smiled and he headed for the door. "I hope you will," Ted said. He turned to the lefft as he walked out the door to reveal a perfect white porch swing, Angel sitting there swinging on it. "Now you can sit out here as long as you like anytime you want without me having to be here." Ted said.

"Angel! Oh Teddy...." Cody smiled and kissed the blonde as he was laid in the swing next to his friend "Thank you so much, it's perfect!"

"But there's more to it Cody," Ted said. "or should I stop here?"

"NO!" Cody's eyes got as round as saucers "If there's more don't you dare hide it from me!"

"Alright, alright," Ted chuckled. Ted walked down to where Angel's car was parked and opened the back passenger door. Climbing out of the car Vanessa smiled as her daughter Tessa rushed up to Cody as quickly as she could.

"Uncle Cody!" Tessa cheered.

"Tessa!" Cody laughed when the little girl launched herself into his lap and he held her as tightly as he could "Nessie!" Oh it's so good to see you!"