Taylor x Travis: In Every Life

so long london, hello kansas city

London, the day of night one
Travis' POV

Taylor waved cutely at me where I stood off to the side, watching them rehearse for the show tonight. I smiled and waved back, laughing when her choreographer told her off for getting distracted. She immediately snapped back into character with a little giggle, paying attention as they went through the little part again that they'd been working on for the last half an hour, getting it perfect after a few shows of slipping a count behind.

"Getting feisty with the moves huh?" I murmured when Taylor skipped off stage into my arms, smiling from ear to ear.

"It's fun." She told me, planting a light kiss on my lips. I laughed, securing my hands in her hair to prolong the kiss. "Mhm." Taylor sighed as she slipped her hands around my neck. "You know what you do to me Kelce, stop kissing me like this in public." She mumbled when I pulled back. 

"Sorry baby." I winked at her and she giggled. "More rehearsals?"

"Yeah." Taylor nodded. "I'm sorry, you must be bored..." I placed a finger against her lips and she smiled, getting the point. "Okay." She whispered.

"I'm going to get some coffee, you want some?" I offered, and Taylor nodded a second time. "Okay, have fun and I'll be back soon."

"Thank you honey." Taylor whispered, and I kissed her once more before moving off. I loved coming to rehearsals, watching Taylor in her element with her backup dancers, and I always went out to get her food or coffee or anything she needed as well during the hours they spent on stage. I loved taking care of her, and she knew that.

Going out of the stadium to where I'd parked my car, I drove a few minutes away to a coffee shop I had frequented these last few days. The staff were super nice and immediately knew the drinks I had come to order, just checking I was getting what I usually got before starting to make them. 

When I got back to the stadium, the stage was empty and everyone was milling around like they were taking a break. I skimmed the place for Taylor and came up empty, looking around for her. Then I noticed the quiet atmosphere of everyone and realized something had happened. A few people were looking uneasy.

"Where's Taylor?" I asked Kam, who was closest.

"Uhh..." He paused. "She's...in her dressing room I think."

"O-kay." I murmured, so confused as to what the hell was going on. Had Taylor gotten hurt while I'd been gone? Was she sick?

My heart speeding up a little in fear that there was something wrong with Taylor, I walked down the familiar path towards her dressing room. Before I even got close I could hear the voices, raised almost to a yell. More than one. A male alongside with Taylor. 

I pushed the door open and then stilled in the doorway. Taylor was standing in the middle of the room, her shoulders tense and her cheeks flushed, staring adamantly at a man that immediately made me want to pull Taylor behind me. Joe. I'd never met him in person but I knew who he was. Taylor had told me enough about him that I knew he shouldn't ever be allowed near her again. He was an abuser, manipulative, and I hated the sight of him in the same room as the woman who had clawed her way back to life because of what he'd done to her.

The two fell silent at my entrance, the room going deathly quiet for a few beats. Taylor let out a breath, taking a fraction of a step backwards, away from Joe and towards me. She didn't speak, neither did he, neither did I.

What was he doing here? I knew the things he'd done to Taylor, how he'd made her believe so much shit that had ruined her life.

As I looked at the sight spread before me, I felt a nudge of unease. Worry that Taylor was suddenly out of my grasp, I slowly placed the cardboard tray of coffee down on the nearby table. I knew Joe once had her totally wrapped around his finger, that she'd do whatever he wanted, trying to be loved. I knew she'd healed, but seeing him here fighting with her made me think she was slipping away from me.