A "TheFault in Our Stars" fanfiction! Takes place a few months after Augustus dies. Just to mess with your feels. I am also posting this on Wattpad, so you should all go follow me! My username there is "HunterOfArtemis13". The story will probably be uploaded there first. =)

Hazel

I had not planned to go back to the support group so soon. I didn't want to go ever again, to be honest. It wouldn't be the same. But Isaac's parents wanted him to go, and so he basically begged me to go with him. And so now I sit in those little folding chairs again, in a circle in the Literal Heart of Jesus. Issac was next to me. We were early, early enough that not even Patrick was here yet. Well, he was here, but not here. We saw him -I saw him- in the parkling lot talking to some woman by a car, and by his hand gestures, I assumed he was trying to win an agruement. I had wondered for a minute if maybe that woman was his mother, but I'm pretty sure his mother would look older.

A few other kids sat there, some talking quietly to whoever was next to them, others staring quietly at the floor. I saw some new faces and some old ones. There was a little girl in here now, who still had her hair, which was blonde with the kind of curls you would see on a princess in a disney film. Then Patrick came in with a boy probably around my age behind him. The boy looked a lot like Issac almost. Dark sunglasses, though no seeing stick. He had the same build as Isaac, if not scrawnier looking. And his hair was a sandy blonde, the little amount he had. It was short, not exactly like a buzz cut, but more like a buzz cut that was growing back quickly. He wore black sweat pants and a loose, plain navy blue sweat shirt that made his hair look blonder. He sat down on the edge, away from everyone else, not ever looking up.

As we had always done, we introduced ourselves. Name, age, diagnosis, and how we were doing.

"My name is Hazel, I'm seventeen, and my lungs suck at being lungs. I'm alright." I said.

"My name is Isaac, I'm seventeen, and I have no eyes left, and I'm as fine as a blind guy can be." Isaac said. We both had lied. Neither of us were alright. We can't be alright without Augustus Waters.

I didn't listen to most of the others. Just heard bits and pieces. The little girl was named Marissa. She was seven, and had cancer in her toes. She said they were going to do a surgery and remove the toes, and then she would be better but would still visit because her mother said that it was little girls' jobs to help bigger kids when they were sad. I thought she was adorable. She looked over at the boy with the glasses, indicting that he was to go next.

"My name is Joseph Wulf, I'm almost seventeen, and I have tumors in my head. As long as I'm alive, I assume I can be considered okay." His voice was quiet, and we had to almost strain to hear him. Just before Patrick spoke again, Marissa interupted him.

"Joseph is my mommy's best friend's son. He's the best, like a big brother. But he doesn't like it when I jump on him to wake him up in the morning. This morning I accidently missed and landing between his legs, but he acted like it hurt still even though I didn't land his tummy." She said matter-of-factly. "Mommy says it hurt because he's a boy-"

"Marissa!" Joseph squeaked, putting a hand over her mouth. His face was bright red in what I could only guess was embaressment and not anger. "I'm sure they don't want to hear the story. Let Patrick speak." His voice was quiet again, and he took his hand off her mouth.

"Why are you wearing your sunglasses on inside? I thought you take them off when you're inside." She tilted her head. I almost smiled. She was adorable in her innocence.

"Because it's brighter in here than at home." He simply said. "Now sit quietly for a while. I bet I can beat you in the quiet game."

She got all excited and made a dramatic gesture with her hand as she moved to put a finger on her lips as if she was telling everyone to be quiet.

"Would you like us to lower the lights?" Patrick asked. Joseph shook his head slowly, looking as if it pained him. I could only guess how long it would be before he was taking the elevator.

I found myself unable to pay attention during the meeting. I looked over to Isaac and sighed, and he sighed back, and I bet that if he had his eyes, he would've rolled them. These meetings had gotten no better than they had been. I glanced back over to Marissa and Joseph. She seemed to be trying not to laugh, her face bright red like a cherry, while Joseph still wore his sun glasses, sitting quietly with his hands in his lap and head down.

When it was time to go, I helped Isaac up the stairs and out the door. My mom wasn't here yet, and she was our ride. So we walked around the building to the bench, and found Joseph sitting in the shade of the building, knees drawn up, arms crossed over his knees, and his forehead resting on his arms. Marissa sat next to him, humming to a song and watching some ants.

"Joseph?" She asked as me and Isaac sat down on the bench a few feet away.

"Yes?" His reply was muffled.

"Can we go sit with them?"

"You can. I want to stay in the shade."

"But there's shade over there."

"I'm fine here."

"Okay."

I heard her get up and skip over to us.

"Hi! I'm Marissa, and I know you're Hazel and you're Isaac, and that's my not-really-related brother Joseph, and I think he's lonely and you guys shoud come sit with us so he isn't lonely anymore." She babbled, then lowered her voice. "His mommy says he should make more friends his age, because he only plays with me and I'm a lot younger than he is. I want to help him make friends!"

How could someone say no? I glanced as Isaac, who must've sensed my glancing, because he shrugged.

"Sure, why not." He said. "It's better than just sitting here getting splinters in my butt."

So we got up and followed Marissa, who didn't even glance at my air tank or Isaac's glasses.

"Guess what!" She exclaimed as she bounced up to Joseph. He lifted his head slowly and sniffed.

"What?" He asked.

"I brought them over here! They seem friendly. They're seventeen too!"

"I'm not seventeen yet."

"But you will be. In three days. Remember?" She moved like she was going to knock his head, but seemed to stop and change her mind.

"Happy early birthday." Isaac said, lowering himself slowly to the ground. I sat beside him, and remembered sitting on the ground with Augustus so many times. He would sit on the ground, even though he had trouble getting up with his fake leg. It made me ache for him again.

"Thanks." Joseph didn't sound very happy about his birthday coming up.

"So...do you go by anything else? Or just Joseph?" Isaac asked. I could tell he was just trying to keep it from getting awkwardly quiet.

"Just Joseph. Only Marissa calls me Joey sometimes." He said, stretching his legs out in front of him.

"What do you prefer?"

"Joseph."

Isaac nodded, and we sat quietly for a while.

"So..." I said, finally breaking under the heavy silence. "Was this your first meeting?"

"Yeah."

"What'd you think of it?"

"I dunno. I was sleeping most of the time." His face was red again. Isaac laughed.

"I gotta give you credit! I've never met anyone who can fall asleep in a meeting without Patrick freaking out thinking they need a hospital. Bravo!" Isaac felt around for Joseph's shoulder before patting him.

Joseph tried to hide an embaressed smile. "I've had practice. Sleeping while sitting and not being caught is a talent of mine."

I couldn't help but smile as I watched Marissa run up to the car that pulled up, a woman who looked just like her driving it. Then she ran back toward us.

"My mommy is here, so we'll see you guys later! Joseph's phone numer is 476-8923. You should call him and come play with us sometime!" She smiled, and grabbed Joseph's hand, trying to pull him up. "Come on! Mommy said we can get ice cream! She got a tip today, and has enough for us to a get three scoops, and she doesn't want any, so we can share it!"

"Ok, ok. Just let me get up on my own." He smiled at her as he carefully pulled his hand away and pushed himself slowly to his feet. He swayed a little, and I thought for a second that he was going to fall over, but he steadied himself after a few minutes and followed Marissa to the car. He stopped and turned back to us.

"It would mean a lot to her if you called. It's more of her phone than mine." He said, before waving and getting into the passenger seat after opening and closing Marissa's door for her. I watched them drive away, and again thought of Augustus. If he were here, he would probably love Marissa. And he would probably befriend Joseph somehow, and he would make they're days worth living. I feel like while Marissa is accepting and happy no matter what, that Joseph isn't.

"You know, I bet Augustus would make us call them. And then make us hang out with them, just so that little girl would be happy. What about you?" Isaac said, basically voiceing my thoughts.

"I think he would."

"Should we do it for him?"

"Yeah. I think we should."