DWTS 100 Prompt Challenge!

A New York Minute

New York Minute, Noun (Informal): A very short period of time.

*Also can be called "A New York Second", but for this oneshot purpose, we're keeping it "A New York Minute".

~~~~~

Hayley was a pro now, and so was Derek.

During the season they shared, he noticed the pressure getting to her, very badly.

They were laying in the shared bed of their's one night, Derek very closely holding Hayley as always.

"Hay, are you alright? I can feel you shivering." Derek whispered, almost half asleep.

"Yeah, I'm--fine." Her sentence was punctuated with small fits of coughing.

This brought Derek completely awake. He leaned up on his forearm and turned on the bedside lamp.

"Hayley, Love, are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, D--I'm--perfectly--fine!"

"That isn't fine, My Love." He kissed her forehead.

She didn't feel hot, so no fever, that's good.

"Yes it is!" Hayley played it off. "I'm just great!"

She stood up for a moment to go get a glass of water for her cough.

Her legs weren't even completely straight when she fell back onto the bed.

"Babe, you're obviously dizzy and out of it, please tell me the truth here."

"I'M FEELING JUST GREAT, ALRIGHT!" She exclaimed, very loudly, as she laid back down under the covers.

Even after her little panic, she still settled into Derek's hold on her waist.

~~~~~

The next morning, she woke up with no appetite.

Derek pleaded and pleaded for her to eat at least a little something, but she wouldn't.

"Hayley, Love, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, Derek, I'm sure." She stated after another fit of coughing. "I just have a cold, I'll be alright."

He knew she was lying, but also knew she wouldn't give in.

~~~~~

Later at rehearsals, they couldn't find Hayley.

“Hey, Derek, do you know where Hayley went?”

“She came in with me, but I don't know where she went.”

“We better start rehearsing.” Mandy said. "I'll give her three minutes."

The truth is: She was at the studio with a headache so bad she couldn't stand up, let alone sustain enough energy for a seven hour rehearsal day.

“Derek! Where is she?” Mandy asked, almost in a shouting tone.

“Hi, I'm, I’m here.” Hayley walked carefully into the studio, periodically using walls for support.

“Hay, you look really sick.” Val pointed out.

“Valentin, I'm fine, I promise.”

“No, Hayley, sit down right now.” Mandy instructed once she got a good look at the brunette.

“Mandy, I'm perfectly fine to be dancing.”

“No, Hayley, you're sick.” An argument was fast approaching.

“I'm not sick! I'm telling you!”

“Look at yourself!” She turned her body to the mirror. Hayley saw how pale she was, and how weak her arms were, and for once, she noticed how heavy her eyelids were from lack of sleep. “I'm not letting you dance! Go home!”

"Mandy," Hayley began.

"Go home and get some rest. Derek can be excused as well." 

“Okay...I apologise.” Hayley nodded and went out the door, using Derek's arm as a human crutch, seeing as her legs were so weak.

“Get well, Dear.” Mandy said as they left.

~~~~~

“I told you to eat!” Derek exclaimed when they got home. 

“Derek! I'm not sick!”

“Then why didn't Mandy let you rehearse?!”

“I don't know!”

“Hayley! Stop! You're sick! Okay, just accept it! Your body needs rest! Why are you pushing yourself this hard?”

He pulled her closer to him, and he took her in for a hug.

Derek rubbed his hand over her back.

“Darling, why? Why are you working yourself to sickness?” He whispered in Hayley's ear.

“Because!” Tears slid down her cheeks.

“Why? Why do you insist on pushing yourself this hard and this long without rest?” He pulled his girl tighter into the hug.

Mascara ran down her cheeks, and the black streaks were leaving behind gray ghosts of where they once were on the girl's pale face. 

He continued to rub her back.

“Because, I feel like I have to.” She finally confessed.

“Hayley, Babe, you should never feel that you have to work yourself until you're sick. You know your limits.”

Tears and makeup slid off her face and into the folds of his shirt.

I wiped my eyes and stood back, trying to look as put together as I could.

"Why did you do that?" He asked her calmly, wiping away at the makeup under her eyes.

"Because I'm a pro now, I don't want to loose that."

"Baby, you don't have to run yourself to the ground to keep your position. As dancers, we know our limits, and this was really dangerous to do, do you understand that?"

"I mean, I do, but--" She began coughing again.

"Hayley, let's go upstairs and rest, you need it."

"Fine--," Coughing halted her once more. "But only for a New York minute."

"Oh no, My Love, for a lot longer than a New York minute."