To say stuff happens in a major understatement when talking about the sisters. Things happen that should never happen. Crystal wasn't a new visitor to bad times. Neither was Amber. But as time went on, it seemed Crystal received the visits from bad times. At least, that was how Amber felt.
----
"Hey, guys!" Amber said, smiling as everyone began popping up on the video chat.
"Hey!" Ashton greeted with a goofy grin as usual.
"We have news for you all."
"Well don't keep us on the edge of our seats! Talk!" Crystal demanded with a smile.
"Well, thing is," she started, trailing off for a moment. "I'm pregnant."
"Seriously?!" Crys asked while Michael smiled.
Amber nodded as Luke's hand found hers.
"If you guys weren't in San Francisco, we'd all be over there in a heartbeat." Bryana smiled.
"We'll be heading back tomorrow, so you don't have to worry." Luke stated.
"Good. I can't believe it. First Karsyn and now there's a baby Hemmings coming!" Calum said with a grin while Crystal chuckled.
"Ashton. Michael. You guys really need to catch up." Crystal joked, laughing as Bryana shook her head and Crys followed suit.
"Not ready for that just yet." both chimed in.
"We have to go. We told Thomas we'd visit him before heading back. We'll see you guys later." Amber said, waving bye as everyone soon did the same.
----
Seven months. That was when it happened. She hated it. Luke hated it. She had stayed in their room, crying. Premature birth. Her baby girl would never truly see the joys life could hold. Luke honestly couldn't believe it himself. They had been so close. So close to having an addition to their family.
Upon hearing the news, everyone grew solemn. Crystal and the girls had cried a bit. The boys felt bad for the two. This wasn't how she expected life to end up. This wasn't even close. She was supposed to enjoy her life with Luke. They were supposed to be welcoming a baby, not grieving over the loss of it.
"The sharp blade of reality as life so cowardly stabs you and your joy in the back." she mumbled to herself as Luke slept.
To her, that's all it was anymore.
----
He didn't remember what exactly woke him up. The fact he didn't feel her beside him or the fact when he reached for her, she wasn't there. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes a little before looking on her side of the bed. She wasn't there clearly, but he had no clue where she was. Looking over at his phone, he sighed when he saw the time. Midnight.
He threw the sheets off, standing up to go look for her. She had to still be in the house. He wandered down stairs, looking for her in the living room and kitchen. When she wasn't there he huffed and stepped out back, finding no trace of her there either. Worrying for a moment, he locked the back door on his way in and hurried through the house to the front door. Unlocking it, he poked his head out to find her car was still in the drive. With a small exhale, he stepped back inside and locked the front door again.
"Where are you?" he mumbled, starting back up the stairs.
As he reached the top, he stopped and looked at the room down the hall. The nursery. He scolded himself for not thinking of it before. He moved swiftly down the hall, quietly opening the white door so he could enter. And sure enough, she was there. She was asleep in the chair next to the crib, a thin blanket from the hall closet draped over her. She should have looked peaceful, but she didn't.
"Oh, princess."
Luke stepped towards her, gently lifting her from the chair. She stirred slightly as he made his way back to their bedroom, careful not to hit her foot against the doorframes. Once he had laid her down on their bed and crawled in beside her, she woke up with a mild look of confusion.
"What's going on?" she asked, her voice a little hoarse from sleep.
"I woke up. You weren't beside me so I went looking for you. You were sleeping in the chair in the nursery." he explained, his heart breaking as realization and sorrow crossed her face.
He pulled her to him, holding her tightly as she cried against him.
"Why us? Why did it have to be our little girl?" she wailed.
"I don't know, baby. I wish I did, but I don't. But it's going to be okay. That much I do know." he assured her, kissing the top of her head as his own tears silently fell.
She wanted to believe him. Oh, how she wanted too. But the pain and anger still dwelling in her refused to let her. Life had done this on purpose. Her baby girl was gone before she even had a chance, and Amber hated it with all her being. She was supposed to have her own little family. If her sister could, why couldn't she? It was as these thoughts occurred that her own cries began to stop, slowly but surely, as she wore herself out, soon giving into the sleep that demanded her presence.
----
A/N: yeah yeah... you hate me... i know... i hate myself for this too... i'm gonna go cry now
