"It's Not Love If It Hurts" //5sos

/56/

Johanna was driving Annie to her and Calum's house, her and Calum's home, when she heard the news.

Johanna had made the executive decision that Annie might be staying with her for a while, so they were driving to retrieve some of Annie's things. Enough clothes and toiletries to last a week, then they'd make more permanent arrangements.

So picture this; Johanna is driving, while Annie looks out the window, staring so intensely it was almost as if she expected to see Calum just sitting on the side of the road. Johanna didn't try to make small talk. Annie wasn't in the mood, and Johanna was never in the mood for small talk, so they road in silence. They road in silence that is, until Johanna's phone rang.

Annie bolted up, staring at the phone with confused amazement and fear, as if it were her last hope. It might have been her last hope. Or it may have been a solicitor. Regardless, Johanna pulled to the side of the road to answer the call.

"Johanna Mason, professional handler at Hi or Hey and Capital Records speaking, what can I do for you?" She asked, the response very natural and without effort. It occurred later to Annie that Johanna must have had to memorize that, but at that moment she was too focused on the content of the call. Johanna listened intently, and Annie tried to listen in, but her volume was turned too low. "All right. One moment." Johanna turned to Annie. "Text the boys to meet us in the hospital, ASAP." Johanna turned back to her call, not bothering to tell Annie which hospital, but the boys probably could assume the one closest to their house. Johanna nodded along with the call. "I see. Thank you officer, you've been a big help. I agree. 12:30 tomorrow? Perfect, it's set then." She hung up, and tossed her phone to Annie. "On the calendar app, I need you to add two things for me."

Annie scrambled with the phone, opening said app. She was grasping for any straws- the hospital? The boys? 12:30 tomorrow? What did it all mean?

Johanna instructed her to put in the 12:30 first, apparently Johanna had just made an appointment at the police station. Next, she had Annie put down not a reminder, but a note. "CH found, 3:17pm, today."

Annie wanted to cry, but she put the info in, shaking hands. "What does it all mean?"

Johanna hesitated. "I have an appointment to talk to the head detective St. the police station about all of this tomorrow. And... They found Calum."

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Luke was sitting in the toilet when he got the text. He never went anywhere, did anything without his phone, not when there could be news at anytime.

From Annie: Meet us at the hospital ASAP

He didn't know stat it meant, what any of it meant, but Luke rushed to finish what he was going and run out of the bathroom.

He ran straight into Ashton. "The text!" They yelled at each other at the same time. Luke ran and put his shoes on, and Ashton grabbed keys.

Mikey woke up from his nap on the couch. "What the hell..."

"Annie! She says to meet us at the hospital!" Luke panted, his legs moving fast but his mind moving faster.

"What?" Michael exclaimed, jumping up and sprinting to the door. Luke and Ashton followed fight behind him, jumping into Ashton's car and hitting the accelerator.

*********************************

Ashton ignored the speed limits as he drove, but he still got there after Johanna and Annie. Johanna stood perfectly still, typing things in rapidly on her phone, while Annie paced, looking more disturbed than Luke bad ever seen her. As soon as she saw them, she ran up to Luke and threw her fans around him, hugging him tightly and crying into his shoulder.

"What's wrong? What happened?" The boys demanded, and Annie tried to retain her sobs, hiccuping. "I- I- I- he's in here. They found him a few days ago, but- but- but-"

Johanna pulled her away from Luke, giving a disapproving glance. "Calum's here. He's alive. That's what's important."

Luke felt an overwhelming sense of relief, as if he gad been carrying around a weight on his back ever since they found out he was missing. Calum was okay. Calum was alive.

Actually, Johanna didn't say he was okay. Just that he was alive. 'That's what's important'.

What does that mean? Luke asked himself as he sprinted up the hospital steps, right behind Johanna.

Either way, Calum Hood was alive.