Unanswered - Ashton Irwin Fanfiction

Prologue

"It won't be that bad," Calum assured Ashton, patting his shoulder uncomfortably. "Maybe it'll help," he added, hopefully.

"I don't need help," Ashton replied gruffly, " It's normal to be upset. That doesn't mean I need help." He shrugged Calum's hand away, turning away from his three friends toward the window, staring out at the dark building in front of him, reminding him of a prison.

"It's been months," Michael reminded him, "It's time to move on." Ashton blinked back tears and focused on the cloudy sky, not wanting to face the concerned faces watching him. "You can't wait in the bus forever," Michael pointed out.

"I can do what I want," Ashton muttered, although he had learned over the past weeks that arguing would do him no good. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before facing his friends. "See you later, then," he said stiffly, pushing past them through the doorway and out into the near empty parking lot. He heard footsteps following him, but didn't turn around until his name was called.

"You know this wasn't my idea," Luke sighed. Ashton nodded, not trusting himself to speak. "We just want you to be okay," Luke explained, "And if it's horrible you don't have to come back. You really don't have to come back anyway, since we'll be leaving for Florida in a few days." Again Ashton only nodded. "Just - just keep an open mind," Luke pleaded, desperate eyes meeting Ashton's.

"I'll try," Ashton said quietly. He opened his mouth to say more, but could find no words to express how he felt.

Betrayed. Alone. Hopeless.

- - -

Ashton sat on the edge of the chair, looking around the room at anything but the woman across from him. "You're Ashton Irwin?" She prompted. He made no sign of hearing her, but she went on. "My name is Doctor Walters, but if you want you can call me Anne." Anne paused, no doubt hoping Ashton would speak, but he did not. "Your friends made you come here?" Anne asked, although by now she did not expect an answer. "Why? Do they think you've gone off the deep end? Perhaps you have gone off the deep end," she mused. Taking up a pad of paper, she spoke aloud as she wrote, "Has lost the ability to speak."

"I can speak," Ashton corrected her. He glared at her and she raised her eyebrows, as if challenging him to continue. "They're worried about me," he informed her, "But I'm fine."

"You are?" Anne asked skeptically, "Then why are they worried?" Ashton shrugged, not wanting to go into the story, although his mind was already back there. "You've lost someone," Anne answered for him. "A girl?" She asked quietly. He nodded curtly, eyes trained firmly on the carpet beneath him. "Where did she go?" Anne questioned. Ashton shrugged, this time because he truly did not know. "I see," Anne said, observing him thoughtfully. A heavy silence filled the room, challenging either of them to speak. "Ashton," Anne started gently, "I need you to look at me." Ashton hesitated, but looked up, holding Anne's gaze. "I need you to answer my question," she told him seriously. He nodded, waiting for her to continue. "Do you want to get better?"

Ashton was startled by the question. After all of this time maintaining the argument that he was fine, the thought that maybe there was something wrong, that he did need to get better, came as a shock. "I - yeah," he said quietly, "I think I do."

"Will you let me help you?" Anne asked seriously.

Ashton thought for a second before replying with his own question, "What do I do?"

[A/N] Tell me what you think !