Haunted

Coming Home - UNEDITED

Disclaimer: This chapter has not been edited from the original as posted on JBFF. There will be mistakes, typos, continuity problems and other issues.

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"Maddox!" Eli's face was white. "Dax, we need you."

"What?" Maddox pulled his headphones off. "What's wrong?"

"Cole just collapsed on stage," Eli said. "We need to start your part of the show."

"Wait, is he okay?" Maddox asked.

"We don't know, he just passed out," Eli said. "They're taking him to the hospital now."

"Dax," Justin burst through the door. "Oh, good, Eli's here. Are you ready?"

"I can't just go on stage like nothing's wrong," Maddox said.

"Yeah, you can and you will," Justin said. "Go out there and tell everyone that Cole's in good hands and we're taking care of him. We need everyone to know they shouldn't worry."

"Dad," Maddox protested.

"Do it, Maddox," Justin said. "Don't think. Just do. It's important."

"Can we at least wait until we know he's okay?" Maddox asked.

"He's not okay, Maddox," Justin said. "He's never going to be okay. But he doesn't want the world to know so it's up to us to tell everyone that things are fine. He'll be back on stage in two days."

"I want to see him," Maddox pushed past Justin and almost ran right into the stretcher as he left his room.

Cole was pale and had an oxygen mask on. His eyes were barely open but he reached for Maddox's hand.

"He wants you to go on," Adam said. "It's okay, Dax, this isn't a big deal."

"Alright," Maddox felt like his insides were deflating. "Take care of him," he said. Adam gave him a sad smile and the paramedics wheeled Cole away. "Where's Clay?"

"Jordan has him," Eli said. "Come on, Dax, we have to keep moving."

"Alright, just let me breathe," Maddox closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew he could push down everything he was feeling and put on his usual Maddox Bieber smile for his fans. It wouldn't be that hard to go out on stage and pretend nothing was wrong but deep down he knew he couldn't do that even if it was what everyone wanted him to do.

Maddox went on stage that night like he always did and told the crowd that Cole was in good hands. He promised they'd have a great show and left it there - no lies about how Cole was fine, no half-truths insisting he was just dehydrated and there was no reason to worry. And when he started to sing the song he'd written for Cole he let himself cry.

"Hang on," Justin was waiting offstage when Maddox left for a costume change right after that song. He held Maddox for a minute and Maddox cried some more. When he let go of Justin he could see Justin crying too and Eli was wiping his own tears away. "This right here is why we do this. Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Maddox shook his head.

"You don't know how much it takes to be strong like that," Justin said. "Not everyone can be as vulnerable as you, Dax, it's a gift."

"Feels a lot like a burden," Maddox went to change before his next set.

They left the venue that night and went right to Cole's hospital room. Adam got up when Maddox came in and left him and Cole alone. Cole was hooked up to an IV but he was sitting up and looked better than he had when he left.