Out in the Woods [5SOS AU]

Chapter 15

It had been a long four days and there was no sign of recovery. Then again, there also wasn't a sign that Michael had been doing worse. And really, the only thing that could be worse was that he stopped breathing. But he hadn't. He was still breathing and everyone was very thankful for that.

Especially Calum, who was, just like in the cellar, slowly losing hope. He had just, after almost a year of annoying the boy endlessly, found his comfort in him and he hated the though of having to give up on the boy. He didn't want to lose him. Not now he had just found him.

The rest of the pack was mainly just sad. Michael had been progressing, finally, and albeit slowly. And to have this throwback, it was horrible.

And lastly Valeria. Well, she couldn't take it. Sitting next to Calum while basically waiting for the pale boy to take his last breath. She, next to Ashton, was the only one that knew what had happened when Ashton used the silver-tracker. And keeping the results from Calum, who still had more hope than any of them, was breaking her.

So finally, she decided to take a break and retreat to the guest room, which was basically her room. She was still allowed to stay, as Ashton hadn't sent her away or said anything about it. So in all quietness, she let herself fall on the bed and sat up against the headboard, sighing deeply.

Life wasn't fair.

"Val?" She looked up to the door, seeing Luke. She gave him a small smile, indicating that he could come in. He stepped in, closing the door behind him before facing her again with a worried face. "You okay?"

The girl nodded slowly, not able to lie with words. The blonde approached her, sitting down on the bed, right beside her. He didn't seem convinced, proving it with his next words. "You sure?"

The girl, once again, nodded slowly, now looking down at her hands, which were resting in her lap. She knew for sure that if she were to look at him in the eye, she would break. Whether breaking meant crying or spilling the truth, or perhaps even both, she didn't know for sure.

"What did... What did the device do? The one that Ashton had?" He asked, his voice soft and careful, as if he already knew what had happened. As if he already knew it had been a silver-tracker, to track where the silver was in the boy's body. And lastly, as if he already knew whatever the thing had done, that the outcome wasn't positive.

"It eh," she cleared her throat, hoping to keep her voice steady and not give away anything. "It can detect silver."

"Oh, so like... Okay. And- And what did it say?" Luke moved a little, as if to get more comfortable, making Valeria look up at him. And she realised it was a mistake, as his sad and sympathetic face made a lump appear in her throat. She knew she was close to breaking now, closer than before. One wrong word and who knew what she was doing. "Eh, it's- the silver hasn't- it's not-" she cut herself off, rubbing her forehead and forcing out the biggest lie: "He'll be fine."

It was silent for a moment, as Luke took her in, before he looked right at her. "You're a bad liar, you know."

And that was the last thing she needed to break. Reality came crashing down, that Michael was not fine at all and that the chance of him surviving was basically non-existent. And Calum didn't know. He didn't know what they had found out and that his hope was useless.

With that, tears started to form and soon escape, a sob rippling through the girl's body as she covered her face with her hands. She wanted to shut everyone out in that moment. She didn't want anyone to see her weak. To see her like this. To see her cry. And sure as hell not him.

"Hey, hey," Luke mumbled, his arms moving around the girl and pulling her close, his hand moving up to run soothingly over her head. She didn't dare move, letting herself cling to the blonde that was whispering comforting words. She felt weak, which Luke comforting her only worsened, but she felt safe. Comforted. Loved, dare she say it.

And she knew, she wasn't the only one who felt like this.

Just as much as her and Luke were sitting, were the two Alpha's. Ashton had broken the news to Bryana, them trying to talk it out, but Bryana couldn't help it. She felt bad and she let it out, Ashton having her in a tight and comforting embrace, as he stared ahead sadly.

And all the while, Calum was staring at Michael. The pale boy, who didn't look any better than before. As if he wouldn't get better at all. But Calum wasn't about to give up. Michael couldn't have given up, so he shouldn't either. He knew Michael was fighting, because why else was he still alive? Surely not because he gave up.

"I know you might not hear me, Mikey. But I need someone to talk to." Calum whispered, moving his chair a little closer as he took the boy in once more, moving his free hand through the black hair. He completely missed that the boy's roots were a soft white, but he wouldn't have cared anyway. "Valeria ran out earlier, so I guess it's becoming too much for her. I know I should take care of myself better, that you would want that. But I can't help it. I'm just so afraid to miss something, even if I would only be away for a small moment. Because even if I hope you won't any time soon, I want to be there when you take your last breath. When you decide life has been enough and leave us.

"But like I said, that shouldn't be anytime soon. You're stronger than you look. Ashton was right. Maybe you haven't always been, but you will always be from now on. Which you only proved when you finally bit back. I remember calling it hot," Calum chuckled lightly, shaking his head, "and it was, sure. But I was also proud. I had finally pulled you out of your comfort zone and let you discover that stronger part of yourself. I don't know what made you bite back, but I'm surely glad it did."

Calum took a deep breath, moving his free hand to his eyes for a moment, rubbing at them. He was fighting sleep and he knew it, but he didn't want to give in. He didn't want to leave Michael. "And just like I promised soon after, I might not have been there before, but I will be now. Which is why I'm here, waiting for your beautiful green eyes to be revealed again, looking at me with all those emotions swirling inside them. And I know not all those emotions are good ones, but don't we need the bad ones once in a while? They're the ones that make us stronger, right?

"Just- just like now. I feel sad. Immensely sad, because I know you might be hurting and fighting for your life. But then I think that it will end eventually. You will fight and win and come back to me. And then that sadness I felt will be gone. Replaced with happiness and mostly pride. Because I didn't give up and you fought. And together we fill each other out and- and-" Calum choked on his words, tears burning at his eyes. His lower lip and hands were trembling, eyes closing as he tried not to let the tears leave. His words were soft and broken, sadness lacing them. "I can't do this without you, Mikey."

A tear rolled down Calum's cheek, slowly and precisely. For a moment, the Beta opened his eyes, this stupid hope appearing that maybe Disney movies weren't all made up and that his tear would heal Michael. That when the teardrop would fall from his face and hit the boy's hand, it would disappear into the boy's body, spreading love throughout it and forcing him to wake up.

But no, Michael didn't move an inch and Calum's tear didn't disappear. It simply dripped from the boy's hand, leaving to be replaced by more. And Calum really couldn't help it, leaving himself to cry as he sat beside the bed, holding the black haired boy's hand tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Mikey." The Beta whispered, shaking his head as he hiccuped, before just giving up on stopping his crying and getting up. He carefully crawled into the bed, moving Michael a little and cuddling into his side, clinging onto him. His tears kept falling, but they slowed down, while his eyelids became heavier and his mind was fogging up from the fatigue.

And before he knew it, he had fallen asleep with his lover in his arms, just missing the way eyes fluttered open and took in his tear-stained face.