Still Falling (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 3 in the HunTia Trilogy)

Chapter Sixty-Seven

HUNTER'S POV:

"You have a gig today, right?" asks Tia, waking me up. I open my eyes blearily to see the beautiful violet eyes I fell in love with staring right at me.
"Yeah," I say croakily. I realise how huge my headache feels and groan to myself internally. She looks concerned.
"Are you okay?"
"Headache," I mutter.
She sits on the end of the bed. "You want some ibuprofen or something?"
"Yes, please," I say. I sit up as she disappears from the room and comes back holding two pills and a glass of water.
"What happened?" she asks.
"It's been there for a while now," I say, telling her the truth. "It wasn't bad yesterday, but it still hurt like crazy."
She purses her lips. "Maybe we should get you checked out," she says, and I shake my head.
"Nah, I'm sure it's nothing. What's the time?"
"Eleven. I felt bad since we stayed up for a while last night."
I give her a smile. "I can almost hear your thoughts right now. So tell me, can I go to the kitchen to eat my waffles now?"
She rolls her eyes, but looks amused. "Oh, alright."
"Perfect," I say, quickly leaning up and kissing her. "Let me get changed, and I'll come down."
"You should shave," she says, rubbing the back of her hand against my cheek. "Unless you want to look ruggedly handsome."
"Oh, Tee," I say, grinning, "I'm ruggedly handsome with or without stubble."
"Very funny," she says, leaving the room, although I can hear her laughing. I put my feet on the floor, gasping slightly as they touch the cold wood, before standing and walking into the bathroom.
I study myself in the bathroom mirror- my head hurts so badly that I need to sit down and take a few deep breaths because of the brightness. My head pounds horribly, and I groan.
"Hunt?"
"Yeah?" I call, trying to sound normal.
"Is everything okay? Do you need me to come in there?"
Get yourself together, Hunter! "I'm okay, Tee. Don't worry," I say.
"Worry is in my nature. Are you sure?"
"I'm fine, Tiana." I sound harsher than I realise, and I stand up to open the door. "Tee, I'm sor-" I try to say, but she's already gone into the kitchen. Sighing, I quickly shave, put on a t-shirt and jeans, before walking into the kitchen and grabbing myself a plate of steaming hot waffles. Chase hasn't made an appearance, and Addy is reading a textbook off her tablet as she eats her waffles.
"Hey, Laidey-Bug," I say.
"Mornin', Dad," she says. I can't help but be astonished at how much she looks like Tia, apart from the blonde hair. She notices my silence and looks up. "Uh, this is the part when you say 'How are you?', and I say 'Good,' and then we both get out of this awkward conversation."
"Right, right," I say sarcastically, ignoring another throbbing pain in my head. "How are you on this fine morning, m'lady?"
"Quite marvellous, father dear," she says in a British accent. She's good at that one, since she hangs out with Dallas so much.
"Quit it, you two," says Tia, sounding amused. "Alright Hunt, you need to be at soundcheck by one, and Addy, you're okay with staying home alone?"
"Where will you be?"
"Recording. I haven't been for a while, I think Mandy's starting to get frustrated."
I'm barely concentrating on the conversation as I start taking deeper breaths, trying to not let myself show how much pain I'm actually in. But twenty years, whether you like it or not, will help you get to know someone, and Tia can see that I'm in serious pain.
"Hunt, maybe you shouldn't go to that gig," she says worriedly.
"I'm okay, Tee, don't worry. It's just a headache," I say, kissing her on the forehead.
"Promise?" she asks me, gripping my hands and interlocking my fingers with hers. She stares right into my eyes, and I notice for the first time the silvery white stress hairs streaked through her hair. There's not many, but they're definitely there.
"I-I promise," I lie through my teeth. Tia looks doubtful, but nods.
"Look, if it's too hard, don't go onstage today, alright?"
"Alright," I say. "I'm gonna go."
Tia gives me a small kiss on my lips. "I love you. Be careful, okay?"
"I will," I say, wrapping my arms around her waist and resting my forehead against hers. When Addy starts making gagging noises, I roll my eyes and pull away.
"Bye, love," says Tia, kissing me again. "I'll see you tonight."
"We'll go out to a restaurant for dinner, okay?"
"Chase and I can't come," says Addy loudly.
"You weren't invited."
She scoffs. "Fine. Well, I'll be in my room if anyone needs me."
"Alright, Addy," says Tia, with a smile in her voice. I hold my hand up to my head in pain, and Tia kisses my head. "Are you sure?"
I nod. "Yeah. I'll see you soon." I grab my guitar and head out the door, shaking my head to try and distract myself from the pain.
What's going on?
<><><><><><><><>
"Are you alright, Hunter?"
"I'm fine, Sam. Thanks, though. For asking, I mean."
He frowns, but nods. "No problem, man."
"Stage time in thirty seconds!" yells someone from backstage, and someone else preps me with my guitar. I straighten my back, before running out onstage and beginning to jump up and down to 'Tattoo'.
After the first three songs on the setlist, I decide to take a break. My head is pounding, and the lights and smoke aren't helping, nor is the sound of screaming fans. I hold the mike up to my mouth while yelling, "How's everyone doing today?!" with a massive amount of screams back. "Wow, guys, you're all amazing, you hear? A-ma-zing!"
More screams of, "I love you, Hunter!" and, "You're amazing!" meet my ears, and for the audience's sake, I try to stay normal. I can't give up on this gig. I have to do this gig. "Now, I was thinking the other day, and I was thinking about you guys. My very first fans, all of you listened to my music from the start, from the day I released 'Somebody's Heartbreak'. Then there are the ones who weren't even alive back then." They all laugh, and I try and laugh along with them. "Point is, I thought that maybe we should revisit my beginning. So, everyone, this is a little something called 'Somebody's Heartbreak'!"
There are screams, and I start singing and playing. But I hit wrong notes, miss lines, all because I can't concentrate on anything but the pain in my head.
I look out at the audience as everything begins to blur out in front of me. I'm surrounded by flashing white lights, and I try and keep going. "If you're gonna be somebody's first... first..."
And before I know it, I'm lying on the floor, and there's someone yelling, "Drop the curtains!" as I black out.

CHASE'S POV:

"Okay... one... two... three... up!" I command myself, and I get out of my chair, standing for two wobbly seconds before faceplanting onto my rug. "Dadgom!"
"Chase, shut up!" yells Addy from upstairs. "Some of us are trying to study!"
"And the rest of us are trying to walk," I mutter.
Since Mom helped me last night and I managed to do a couple of steps with her help, my hope is renewed. I have to do this. But I have to do this alone.
"One foot in front of the other," I tell myself. "Left, right. Left, then right."
I manage to stand up, and I think about how hard this must have been as a baby. I mean, I have to relearn it again, but I had way less knowledge back then. Somehow, it was easier back then...
Was it that maybe I didn't have as much to think about? Or was it that back then I wasn't over thinking it?
Just as I realise this, I get a text from Mom. 
Mom: Chase, get Addy and get to the hospital. Now.
Chase: Why?
Mom: No time, will explain when you're here.
"Addy?" I call, crawling up onto my bed. Man, am I glad I worked out and got better upper body strength. "Mom needs us to come to the hospital."
"Why?"
"She says she has no time to explain," I say. "Just come downstairs and grab your car keys, would you?"
"Alright, coming," she says, making her way down with her keys in hand. "Come on."
<><><><><><><><>
Mom greets us with a giant hug. "Oh, you two, I'm so glad you're here," she says.
"Mom, what happened?" asks Addy. I look up as well, waiting for her response.
"Dad, he collapsed while onstage. The doctor said it might have to do with his kidney."
"You mean..."
"It could be fatal, I'm not sure, they aren't telling me anything."
I look at Mom. "You're pale. You should sit down."
"Me?" asks Mom, wringing her hands desperately. "I'm not pale, why would I be pale? I'm absolutely fine, I mean, he's not gonna just die like that, he'll be fine, I mean he, he promised he'd be okay, I mean, why would he lie to me-"
"Mom, come on," Addy tries to say, but Mom starts yelling at her.
"No, Adelaide! I'm not leaving Hunter! No, don't you dare force me-"
"Come on," repeats Addy gently, pulling Mom away despite her shouts. A lot of people stare at me, and I stare back.
"What, never seen a woman in love before?" I ask sarcastically, and they all avert their eyes.
I try and wheel myself into the room, but a nurse blocks my way. She's extraordinarily tall compared to me, and pencil thin, but not the way Addy is. She's so thin that you can hardly tell that she has skin at all, and she looks down her nose at me, her stringy brown hair in her eyes, which are light green and cold. "Sorry, honey," she says with a sappy voice that makes me throw up a little in my mouth, "but you can't go in and see him."
"Too bad, 'cause I'm going in there whether you like it or not," I say, sounding determined, but she puts her hands on my shoulders, and I cringe from her touch.
"You'd better not have another reason to be in that wheelchair, honey," she snarls.
"Are you threatening me?" I ask. "Because I'll have you know that I am Chase Hayes." I've never used myself like that before, using my name as an excuse. I hate doing it, but honestly, if my dad really is about to die, I don't care. But I have to be strong for Mom and for Addy.
The stupid nurse laughs. "Oh yes, of course. And I'm the Wicked Witch of the West."
"I wouldn't put it past you. In fact, has anyone got some water?" I ask everyone, and a couple of the adults snicker. The nurse though, looks outraged.
"Alright, you're out. Go find your mommy, honey," she grits through her teeth.
I wheel away, feeling outraged, hurt, and scared.
What's wrong with Dad?

*A/N: And of course, Chase asks the question we all want to know- what's wrong with Hunter? It may or may not be fatal, but eh, I'll decide ;)
I'm super excited guys! Recently, I entered a public speaking competition held by the UN Youth, and I got through the Regional rounds. So then I was one of the top twelve in the state, right? And I was versing them. Then, somehow, SOMEHOW, I managed to get into the top four out of those twelve, and now, in April next year, I'll be representing Victoria, along with three other kids my age, and going to Sydney (New South Wales) for the NATIONALS!!! How sweet is that?? I was super stoked, and I'm so glad that I'm through. If I get through the National rounds, I'll be going to the Internationals, and you know where they're held? NEW YORK!!!
I doubt I'll get that far, but it's amazing to think about :D
And yeah, that's all :)
VOTE, COMMENT AND FOLLOW!!!
Nethii <3*