Pitch Perfect Harmony

Alone After The Nightmare

After the Rio De Janeiro concert in the incredible heat, Taylor was now alone in her hotel room. Her body was tired. Everything hurt but she didn't really feel it. She didn't feel anything. Her mind was running. Question after question flashed up. She couldn't believe what had happened today. It felt like this was all a nightmare but it wasn't. The scenes of fainting fans and people desperately needing water were real and they wouldn't leave her alone. So much so that she stared at the ceiling reliving this day. She didn't notice her phone vibrating almost constantly from Travis' helpless tries to contact her. He had never been so worried about anyone before. Of course, he had seen clips and pictures of the show. His eyes had been glued to his phone every time he was able to look at it. He had seen fans faint too. He had seen the headlines about the organization not giving out water. He had seen Taylor gasp for air on stage. It was a miracle to him that she even got through the whole show. But now she didn't answer his texts and calls.

Travis decided to call Tree. He needed to know if Taylor was okay. "Travis?", she answered his call almost instantly. "Is she okay?", he just asked. "Taylor is in her room. She's probably already asleep if she doesn't answer you", she explained. "Okay, but she had a medic check on her?", he wanted to be sure. "Yes. They gave her oxygen after the show. In the last few transitions actually. It's been hard", Tree told him. "Oh my god, I can't believe they wouldn't let you postpone! This is insane!", he said. "Yes... It was a nightmare, honestly. I just got some updates again", Tree said. She sounded tired as well. There weren't any emotions in her voice but this just showed him how bad all this was. "Are you okay?", he decided to ask. Three smiled a little about his genuine concern. "I will be. I just have to tell Taylor something really bad tomorrow. Not sure how yet", she explained. "What happened?", he instantly asked.

"A fan had a cardiac arrest before the show. She... she died at the hospital", Tree told him. Travis didn't know what to say. "Oh my... This is just insane", he mumbled after a short silence. "It is and I really hope they learned from that. We are not playing tomorrow. I don't care what we have to pay if we break the contract. We won't play", she said. "Of course... I... I can't believe this is happening. I hope Taylor is okay", he said. "Should I go and check on her again?", Tree asked. "It's fine, she's probably just asleep", Travis forced himself to say. He didn't want to make Tree get up again after everything that happened. "I'll go and look and text you soon, okay?", she just said. "Okay", Travis sighed. "Thank you! A lot!", he added. Tree just said goodbye and ended the call before standing up again to go over to Taylor's room.

Tree got in with her key card and found Taylor lying there staring at the ceiling with empty eyes. "Taylor?", she carefully asked. "Are you okay?", she added walking up to her. Taylor didn't react. Tree had seen her like that before but it was a while ago. She slowly took her hand to check on her pulse just in case, but Taylor's body seemed okay. She was breathing at a normal pace. "Do you need anything?", Tree asked not expecting an answer. Taylor still didn't move. Her mind was trying to work through the events of today. So Tree left her alone again. There was nothing she could do, she had learned that in the past. "She's in some kind of mental shutdown but I think she'll be okay tomorrow morning. Don't worry too much. I'll take care", Tree texted Travis. She didn't want to scare him but she also didn't want to lie. He sighed reading the message. Taylor had told him about these mental shutdowns or breakdowns as she had called it. He was still worried of course and he would give everything to be able to be with her at that moment.

Taylor fell asleep eventually but her mind didn't stop replaying today's events. This time, in the form of a nightmare. She was standing on stage and had to watch every single person faint one by one. First the fans, then the backstage crew, then the dancers and band. Noone did anything. Everyone just fell as if they were dead. Then her own view got all foggy and she felt numb. When her body hit the ground in her dream, she woke up. Her whole body hurt. If she would just move a toe, something hurt. She couldn't do this again. There was no way she could get on stage tomorrow and just replay it all again. What if it would get worse? What if more people would faint? What if her crew would? The scenarios in her head just got worse and worse until a full-on panic attack hit her. Her breath tried to catch up with her racing heart once more that night and even breathing hurt. It was all too much. She was crying and gasping for air until the attack was over just as suddenly as it had started.

Exhausted, she turned around. Taylor spotted her phone on the nightstand. Travis. She had totally forgotten him. Quickly grabbing the phone, she saw numerous unread messages and missed calls. Not only from Travis but also from her family and friends. She wanted to be in his arms. She wanted to go home and feel safe. Her fingers just hit the call button themselves. "Taylor?!", Travis instantly picked up. He was in bed but he couldn't sleep anyway and his phone had been right next to him. She had started a video call and seeing her face, the red eyes and cheeks, hurt him so much. "I want to go home", she mumbled. "Oh, Tay. I'm so sorry I can't be there!", he said. "I can't do it again. I don't want to. I... please tell me this is just a nightmare", she asked him starting to cry again. Travis' heart broke. He wanted to hug her and tell her she would be okay. But he was stuck in Kansas and they wouldn't meet until she would be back by the end of the month.

"Tree said, you won't play tomorrow. It's gonna be okay", he tried to make her feel better helplessly. "Did you call her?", Taylor asked confused. "I was worried about you. You didn't answer my calls. So, yes, I called her. She went over to look after you again and told me how you were doing", he explained as calmly as possible. His soothing voice helped Taylor to calm down a bit. "She... yes, she was here, I think", she now remembered a blurry vision of Tree. "She told me you had some kind of mental shutdown and that you would probably be better the next morning", Travis said. "Yeah... I guess that happened", she mumbled.

"Are you a little better now?", he wanted to know. "I don't know... I woke up from a nightmare and had a panic attack. So... depends on how you define better", she honestly told him. "Oh, Tay, I'm so sorry", he sighed. "You couldn't have done anything", she whispered. "I... Yes. And I hate that. I want to hug you and hold you", he answered. "And I want to be home and in your arms and forget that this ever happened", she admitted still whispering. "You'll make it till we meet, okay? I know you will", he said. Taylor just looked at him with an empty look he had never seen before. "I love you, Taylor. Call me anytime, okay? And if you really need me to, I will get on the next plane and come down", he said not even thinking about it. "You know you can't do that", she said. "I don't care. If you need me, I'll be there", he assured her and he meant it. He was so close to just canceling everything and getting to her. "Thank you", she mumbled. They stayed on the phone until the next morning both of them drifting in and out of sleep.

Okay, so I wanted to post one chapter per era over the course of tonight's concert but I missed my own call😂
I'll start now! If we get a RepTV announcement, I'll post one chapter more😅
We just pretend this would have been posted when the Lover era started and I post a little quicker! 🦋