(this is probably the hardest chapter i'll ever write. brain related injuries/trauma mentioned just to let you know)
TAYLOR'S POV
It was a week eight game against the Broncos.
Everything was going perfect.
Until, I watched in horror as Travis got a dirty tackle. Usually, I wouldn't be *this* fazed, but I instantly knew something was wrong.
It was really terrible. I stood up, looking at the TV in the corner to catch the replay. His head went back and forwards so quickly. Definitely a concussion, but it definitely wasn't a good one. His head slammed onto the turf.
I look back at the field. He's still not up, and he's being loaded onto a stretcher.
Tears well in my eyes, and Brittany pats my shoulder.
"Hey, he'll be okay. He's a trooper." She says.
"Okay... okay." I shakily say.
~
When I'm visiting the hospital, he's so not fucking okay. He's still asleep. The room has the lights off, in case he wakes up.
It was a severe concussion, they told me. He doesn't have a bad past of former concussions, only two, and they weren't bad.
But what really scared me is that they said it was severe enough to cause memory loss. It's more likely to be temporary, but thinking of seeing my true love wake up and not recognise me is terrifying.
It takes a few weeks for him to get off concussion protocol.
Everything goes fine for a few months, but then I notice something. He's more skittish than usual, and sometimes he loses balance. I'm confused, so I ask him.
"Travis, are you feeling okay?" I say.
"Yeah, Kay. Something wrong?" He says. Kay? Did he just call me Kay or did I hear that wrong?
"What'd you just call me?"
"Kay."
"Travis," I breathe. "My name is Taylor. You always call me Tay." My throat tightens. This cannot be happening.
He looks shocked, confused, and scared.
"Taylor... I... why is this happening?" He says, confused.
"I don't know. But I'm gonna schedule a visit to the doctor, okay?" I tell him, and he nods.
~
Eventually, the time for that appointment came. Now we're waiting for results. I'm scared to death. Could I secretly be losing him?
The answer is,
Yes. I am secretly and slowly losing him.
He got diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. He had concussions early on in high school. The more recent one, the severe one, set him more ahead into that state.
My love. My one and only true love is fucking slowly leaving because of Alzheimer's.
~
A few years pass. I've been taking the best care of him, but he's slowly starting to withdraw from me.
"I don't know you, why are you in my house?" He says as I pull a cover over him. I try not to cry, even though I've heard this before.
"You love me, that's why I'm in your house." I mumble. Tears trickle down my cheeks.
"Why are you crying?" He asks me, pulling me close.
"I just want you to remember me. I wish you could. I wish this never fucking happened." I sob viciously into his chest. He softly rubs my back. I'm so glad he still manages to stay calm with me.
"I'm sorry. I love you." He whispers. I know he means it. The only thing he really remembers all the time is his love for me.
~
I swore to never leave him. I never will. I'm always by his side, I gave up on the industry just to be with him, be his caretaker.
I couldn't bring myself to ever mention it, but I let Jason announce why me and Travis had suddenly disappeared. Everyone luckily understood. I usually never care about comments but they sometimes bring me peace.
~
As the years pass, it gets worse. I know his time is slowly coming to an end. It's been over ten years since the diagnosis. He could die any day now.
So, I take the best care of him. I never leave his side.
Even if he doesn't remember me, or... anything, I never give up.
~
We would've been timeless.
-
(I know this isn't long but I did that on purpose. This idea has been on my mind for a few weeks and I just wanted to get it out. Not trying to bawl my eyes out lmao, the next chapter will be FLUFF. Also, note, I didn't research much about Alzheimer's so bear with me
I remember reading a comment on Reddit saying they'll never want to hear songs about Travis if he got demented due to football and that just stuck with me)
