Love Makes Me (A HunTia novella, A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction)

Chapter Twenty-Five-Point-Five (FTFBO)

*CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE*

HUNTER'S POV:

I find my family in the cafeteria. The band are with them.

Dad straightens. "Is Tia..."

I shake my head. "We need to turn her off life support."

Ma's eyes fill with tears. She isn't the only one; a few of the band start as well. I'm too numb to be doing anything.

We go to Tia's room for what's probably the last time.

I hold her hand while the doctor gives me the machine switch. Tia's chest goes up and down.

"You know, Tee, I loved you from the moment I met you at Starbucks. I knew, from that moment on, that I could never leave you. But here I am now, having to leave you. You're in God's hands now, and I trust Him completely. But I just want you to know that, no matter what happens, I want you to know that I love you. And maybe I'll never see your eyes again." I start choking up. "Maybe I'll never hear your beautiful laugh. Maybe I'll never be able to hold you while you sleep. But I believe that, one day, we'll be together again. One day, whether it be in another lifetime, or another world, we will sit on our front porch with our grandchildren around us."

Her steady breathing continues, though I think her heart starts beating faster, just slightly. But no, it's just me and my false hope that she'd be able to get through this.

"I'm sorry, Tee," I whisper, and I squeeze her hand, my other hand shaking as I reach for the life support switch. Everyone is crying, including me

Please, I think, let her go easy.

Then the unthinkable happens.

I feel a faint squeeze back.

It's too much to hope, but I say "Tia?"

"Hunter..." she says, her voice weak.

"Tia?! Oh my gosh!"

Her eyes open, and the beautiful shade of purple, the particular shade I never thought I'd never see again, are sparkling with tears. She squeezes my hand again, and I bring myself down to her and kiss her again. Chocolate and winter fill my senses again for the first time in three months.

She brings her hand up and puts it on the back of my neck. After my family's intial shock, they start cheering. I pull away, and they all hug her.

She's back.

*TWO DAYS LATER*

TIA'S POV:

"Hunter?" I croak, feeling sick and frail. "Hunter, can you help me?"

"Mmm...?" he mumbles, stirring in his sleep on the hard plastic chair.

"Hunt, please," I whisper shakily.

He opens his eyes groggily. "What's wrong?" he asks, his voice slurred with sleep.

"I... think... I just... got my period," I whimper, feeling tears spring to my eyes.

That wakes him up, and he straightens in the chair. "Oh crap. Um, what- what do you need?"

"I can't d-do it myself," I say, crying. "P-Please call a n-nurse, Hunt."

He presses the nurse's button within milliseconds of hearing me say this, and comes closer to me, stroking my cheek gently. "Baby, no, don't cry."