Saving Us || l.h

T H I R T E E N

Ashton's POV

"Anna, wake up." I shake my daughter awake, her arm warm to my touch. She rolled over, facing the back of the bunk. "Anna." I urge again, shaking her again. "No, daddy." She mumbles, but faces me. "Are you feeling okay?" She shakes her head. "What's wrong?" I ask, resting my chin on the edge of the bunk, facing her. "Tummy hurts." "Maybe you're hungry?" She shook her head, closing her eyes again. "Hey, I still need you to get up, you can sleep at the arena but first I want to see what's up, alright?" I ask her. She nods sleepily, climbing out of the bunk.

She puts her arms up to be carried and I pick her up, carrying her to the door. "Cal, can you carry her? I still need to get my things and make a call." He nods, taking her from my hold. "Uh, Ash?" I turn back around in the doorway of the bus. "I think she might be sick." He says. "Yeah, I'm calling Alyssa to see if she knows what I should do." I mutter, throwing my hand through my hair.

"Mate..." "Not the best idea with the way I ended things but she lives here in Orlando, she's studying med and I don't know what else to do." I sigh, heading in. I grab my bag, taking a seat on the couch and calling Alyssa. "Alyssa James." She answers professionally. "Hey Alyssa." I suddenly heard three beeps, meaning she disconnected the call. I huff, calling again. This time it went straight to voicemail. "This is Alyssa James and I cannot come to the phone right now, if this is an emergency please call my work number at (328)-395-3977 or if it's a medical emergency come to my office on 87 and Harris or leave me a message here if it is none of the above." I smiled, heading out of the bus.

I text Calum that I was going to get something, getting an Über to come get me. I tell her the address, sitting in the back quietly. When she gets there I get out, telling her to wait while I head inside.

"Welcome to Dr. James office." The receptionist says. "I need to speak with Alyssa." I tell her, tapping my foot impatiently. "Just a minute." She grabs the phone, probably calling back to her. "Name?" "Andrew." "Last?" "Bradley." I smile sheepishly. "Alright, go ahead on back, her office is at the end of the last hall. She has a patient in fifteen minutes though, so be fast." I nod, rushing back.

I knock on the closed door, hearing her call for me to enter. "Mr. Brad- really Ashton?" I gave her a sheepish smile, scratching the back of my neck. "You have three seconds to get out of here." She says, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's about my daughter, I wouldn't come if I didn't need help and you're the closest thing that's a doctor to me." "What's wrong?" She asks monotonously. "She's sick and I don't know why." I mumble.

"Doctor James, your 10:30 is here." Her phone beeps. "Let me check this little guy up then I'll come check on your daughter." She sighs. I nod, taking a seat in one of the chairs while she heads out. I wait there for fifteen minutes, playing Mr. Jump on my phone and getting frustrated. I couldn't pass the second level! How sad was that?

"I don't normally make house calls but we are both busy and I don't have time to wait for you to come back here with her." She says, grabbing some things. "Ready?" She asks. I nod, leading the way out. We get in the Über, sitting here in silence. "How was med school?" I ask, trying to get a conversation started. "Fine." She replies, staring forward. "And Florida?" "Fine as well." "Well fine isn't good so why are you here?" "Florida is great! It's away from you! Is that what you wanted to hear?" I went silent again, looking down at my hands.

"I get that you were going off to live your dream and I was going off for med school but the way you ended things, through a text saying we were done after two years, tell me you wouldn't act the same way I am. I loved you to death Ashton, I was beyond willing to do long distance with you and visit you if you ever came to Florida and cheer you on at every single one of your concerts. When you came with One Direction and Dylan Ryan I was hoping to see you before or after, I even got backstage passes but when I heard that you were with your girlfriend, maybe fiancé by now, who was pregnant I gave my pass to some girls and left after the concert." She says.