Take A Walk (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 5 of The Hardships Saga)

Chapter Three

"I love you more," she breathed. "You're too good to me."

He chuckled softly, kissing her nose, then going back to her lips, revelling in the taste of pumpkin spice that resided there. "No way," he said quietly. "I'd do anything for you."

She smiled, but Drew could tell something was off. "What's wrong?"

"Stupid period," she said quietly, lying back down. "It's worse with leukemia."

"Damn," he said. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she said softly. "Just in a little pain."

He kissed her again, lying down beside her. "We're gonna have a really beautiful house," said Drew quietly. "It'll be small- just for you, me, and our kids."

"So, are we deciding how many we'll have?"

"Oh, we'll see. Right now, I'm thinking just one. I like the idea of just us, living together. Just our little family."

"Right." She smiled. "Maybe two, though."

"Yeah. A good middle ground between one and three, I like that." He put a hand over her stomach, like she were already pregnant, and sighed. "You'll be a gorgeous mother. I can't wait 'til we have our own little place and everything goes right for once."

She closed her eyes. "Yeah," she said softly. "Perfect."

<><><><><><><><>

Hunter woke up to quiet mumbling, rubbing his eyes blearily and looking over at Ryan, whose eyes were closed and face was disturbed. "No..." she breathed. "N-No..."

"Honey," breathed Hunter, trying to wake her gently. She cried out, her eyes opening, and he immediately pulled her closer, hugging her. "Are you okay?"

Her breathing was shaky, and she detached herself from his grip, still trembling. "I'm fine," she whispered, not letting herself get sucked in by his stupid charm. She hated him. She had to hate him, because the opposite was unthinkable.

Hunter looked concerned. "What was it about? Markus? Peter?"

"Dahlia," she muttered, looking at him, and suddenly, again, she was overcome by memories.

The trickle of blood down the right side of his face that night at Dahlia's house, the bruises on his face after the car accident. The pain and fear in his eyes when he had come to the hospital after the shooting, the horrible way he had stiffened up when she had told him that Markus had raped her. His lips when he was trying to calm her after a bad dream... like tonight.

He had been staring at her, too, like he was thinking the same thing, then closed his eyes, turning away. "Are you okay?" he asked tightly. Her heart sunk. It was too much like those final few weeks. Those last few weeks before he had cut off everything with her.

"I'm fine," she breathed again, tears filling her eyes. "Let's rest."

He turned back to face her. "Don't lie to me," he breathed, and she shook her head, turning away.

"I'm not-"

"I said don't lie to me," he repeated quietly, wrapping an arm around her. "Are you okay?"

She sighed. "I don't know."

Hunter pursed his lips, then said, "I have an idea. But I need you to cooperate fully and completely."

"Okay," she said cautiously.

"I think you'll agree with me when I say this whole 'let's stop being together' thing was a bit of a mess."