If Walls Could Talk

Eleven

Calum tries to slip quietly into the hotel room, assuming Skye is already asleep. It's sort of late, and they have an early call for the music video shoot in the morning.

"I think you lost something." He noticeably jumps at her voice, slightly loud and heavy sounding.

"Nika fell asleep at my mums, and since we are going to be back out there really early mum said she could stay so we didn't have to wake her." He chuckles, looking up for the first time.

The sight that greets him makes him frown. Skye is curled in a blanket on the couch with a slice of cake and a bottle of wine that looks mostly gone, her eyes looking bothered and maybe bloodshot. Something seems wrong.

"Are you okay? Did something happen today?" He asks hesitantly.

"I'll be fine. Just some family shit." She shrugs.

"Are you wine drunk?"

"Maybe... it was my day off and I needed to take the edge off." She almost sounds defensive.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He isn't sure if it's the best idea to get extra close with her right now, but he can't not help either. She looks distraught.

"Actually ya... it might help. Usually I'd call Derek but it's the middle of the night in LA."

"Let me change into something more comfortable, and then you can tell me what's going on."

Quickly changing into sweats, Calum hurries back into the small sitting space and falls beside Skye.

"So what's going on with your family?" he asks, his eyes studying her face.

"Nothing yet." She sighs, pulling the ends of her sleeves over her hands to create sweater paws.

"It doesn't seem like nothing, Skye. I know I'm technically like your boss, but I want to be your friend too. You can trust me."

"You've heard about all this Corona Virus stuff in China right?" she sighs.

"Ya, it's crazy."

"It's spreading, and they are talking about how it could shut down tourism world wide this year. My family lives off of tourism revenue. My mom called this morning and was talking about it with me. If no one is traveling or visiting she's worried she won't be able to make ends meet. She never really talks straight forward to me about it, the finances and such. I mean, she knows I know how little we had growing up and how little she and my brothers still have. But the fact that she was being so blatant about it, that she wanted me to know how completely terrified she is that she will lose the house or something... It made me panic." She sighs, catching the tear against the corner of her eye.

"You aren't losing your job though, so you can help them right?"

"Ya, but it's kind of expensive to live in the town, so hopefully it can be enough. I've already gone through my account and budget and everything to cut what I can to make sure they get every last dollar I can offer."

"Skye, it's going to be okay. Maybe the virus won't hit as bad as they are predicting. I mean, we do have a heads up on it in the States. They can get ahead of it, and maybe things won't be so bad."

"Maybe. I just hate seeing my mom so scared, so upset. She doesn't deserve that, she doesn't deserve any of the shit she has been put through in life, and she definitely doesn't deserve to lose everything over something like this."

"Hey, I bet it will be okay, Skye, we can figure it out if you need more money."

"I'm not asking for a raise, Calum. Fuck, this is where the friend and boss thing gets weird isn't it?" She half chuckles, "I just worry about my family. I want my brothers to have better than I did as teenagers, and I want my mom to be able to have to life she deserves. And instead, things look like they might be getting harder and worse instead of easier and better."

"I worry about my family all the time too, Skye. I didn't grow up with a lot of money, maybe a little more than it seems you did, but we were middle class. And now my parents are separated, and my sister lives in London, and I'm in LA. I worry about something going wrong for any of them and being too far away to get to them, or to help them. I understand wanting to take care of your family. My family and my band are the most important parts of my life. You don't have to apologizes to me for worrying about your family."

"I just feel really overwhelmed by everything. Like maybe I should be doing even more for them, but I also know I'm already doing everything I can. And I haven't even been able to go home and visit them in almost a year, and it just.... It all came to a head today I guess."

"Almost a year?" Calum frowns, even living across the globe from his family he manages to make the time to see them at least every few months where possible.

"Last May was the last time I was home. I had a week off while the family I was tending was away for something, so I flew to Salt Lake and shuttled down to Moab for a few days." She nods.

"Hey. We'll figure something out, Skye. Family is important to me, and I can see it's important to you too. You and your mom will figure it out. You'll be able to help her cover everything needed, and I hope to help you be able to see them soon, because that is important too."

"You don't have to do me any favors,  Calum. You're my boss not my bank."

"I'm also your friend, or at least I hope I am. And I can see how hurt you are right now."

"Ya..." She sighs, her shoulders deflating.

"Is there anything I can do to help you, Skye? To make you feel better tonight?"

"I got wine, and chocolate, and Friends." She shrugs.

"Nothing else you need?"

"Maybe just some company for a while." She finally sighs.

"I love Friends." He nods, shifting to sit beside her, tossing his arm across the back of the couch.

"Thank you, Calum, it felt nice to just air it all out a little bit." She mumbles after a minute.

"Of course. I know how hard things can get when we have to keep them bottled up. And that was a lot to take on."

"I really appreciate it."

"Hey, boss when it comes to work stuff for Nika. Friend otherwise, okay?" He smiles, lowering his arm to pull her into a side hug.

"I like that." She nods, her head falling against his shoulder as they turn their attention back to the TV, laughing at the sitcom almost immediately as they do.

Calum glances down at Skye cautiously, trying to get any read on what she might be thinking or feeling as she rests against him, but sees her face is blank of emotion. It can't be bad right? At least she looks calm now, and she's not moving away. Carefully he reaches across her to grab the blanket, pulling it over both of their laps, shifting ever so slightly to hold her a little closer as he does. Letting his cheek fall to rest against the top of her head. Why deny it anymore, he's falling for her, and he might have to risk it all before he'll be satisfied.

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~M =)