Fixing Us || l.h

Chapter Twenty-Six*

I stared at my mom, no one daring to move. My heart was pounding and I was positive people on Mars would be able to hear it. "Can I talk to Dylan?" She asks, and Luke moves so I can go out in the hall. I didn't move though. "Go on Dylan." He urges. I slowly leave the room.

"How are you?" She asks as we stand in the quiet, empty hall. I shrug. "Are you seriously still not talking to me?" "Two things: one; I have laryngitis so I'm not supposed to talk, two; I have nothing to say to you." "Well I have some things to say to you." "Are you here to say sorry? Because it won't mean a thing. No matter what you say. I'll always hate you." "What do I have to apologize for? You're the one acting like a stuck up brat." "I'm the one acting like a brat? I'm 18! You don't rule over me anymore! So you have no say over me!"

"I'm you're mother, I will always have a say over you." "You will always have a say over me? You will have a say over me... Excuse me... You lost any say over me when I turned 18! You haven't seen me for a damn year and you think you can waltz back into my life and act like nothing happened 6 months ago? I almost killed myself because you took me away from something I loved! I mean, who does that?"

"I was doing it to protect you!" "Protect me from what! Luke's way more of a family than you have ever and will ever be!" "You do not speak to your mother that way young lady!" She spat at me and I gaped up at her. "You are not my mother." I deadpan before walking back to my room.

I walk in and Luke looks up from the TV at me. He opened his arms, inviting me over and I took it, rushing over, letting him entangle himself with me. "She acts like nothing h-happened and claims she d-did everything t-to p-protect m-me." I say, beginning to cry. "Shh, Dylan, it's going to be okay. Shh." He comforts, slowly rocking us back and forth.

I cry into his shoulder, and I feel his hands playing with my hair, rocking me back and forth, kissing the side of my head. "It's okay." He whispers, pulling me closer. The door opens and I feel his head turn. I look up to see Kiera. "Is this a bad time? I can come back later, I just want to talk to Dylan." She says quietly. "No, I can talk. Er- listen." My voice was a lot more scratchy after my chat with my mom.

I stand up, following Kiera to her room. Ashton was asleep in a chair, so we go into the bedroom. "So, you know how we told our parents we were pregnant?" I nod, refraining from speaking. "Ashton's parents were upset that we were that careless, but got over it, happy that they were getting a grandkid, well, his stepdad getting a step grandkid but it's all the same at this point." I pull out my phone and open notes.

'And your parents?' I type. She takes a shaky breath. "Not so well. They yelled at us, threw things, I've never seen them this angry, then they told us to leave and never come-" she was crying so hard by now. 'Never come back?' I type and she nods. "I'm sorry." I whisper, giving her a hug. The door opens and Ashton comes in.

"Did she tell you?" He asks, hugging her. I nod. "It's going to be okay Kiera." He mumbles, kissing the side of her head. "Are you okay?" I shrug. I point to the door and he nods. I go back to Luke, laying half on top of him, half next to him on the couch. "I love you Dylan." He says. I nod.

I burrow my face into his neck, closing my eyes to keep from crying. I squeeze my eyes shut but I feel a tear slip out. "It's going to be okay." I hear Luke tell me. I sniff, kissing his neck lightly. He squeezes me in a hug and I take a shaky breath. The door opens but I don't look up. "We have rehearsal Luke." It sounded like Calum. "Can we skip today? Dylan really needs me right now..." Comes Luke's response. "I'll see if the guys are okay with that, but tonight might be a bit shaky then." "We've been performing for weeks, I think we'll be fine." Luke says. I don't hear anything else and then hear a door close.

5 minutes later, someone, I'm guessing Calum, comes back in. "No practice. Feel better Dyl." Calum says. I give him a thumbs up, still refusing to look up. "Dylan, can you look at me?" I shake my head. "Please?" Luke says quietly. I slowly look up at him, and he gives me a small smile. I begin blinking back tears and his smile disappears. "Why can't I have a normal life? Why did my brother have to die and why did Blake have to get famous? It ruined everything! I don't have parents anymore! No one to walk me down the isle when I get married, nothing! No one to help me when I have my first kid! I'm completely alone!" I cry.

He holds me close. "You're not alone. You have me, the guys, your brothers, all your fans, your band, you're not alone Dylan. And whether it's me you marry or some other guy, he will always help you. Okay?" He looks at me in the eyes and wipes away my tears. "I love you, but seriously, I don't want you to lose your voice permanently, so stop talking." That got me to laugh a little and I relaxed into his arms.