Fixing Us || l.h

Chapter Thirty-Five*

Brad finally was able to play correctly for a good 2 weeks, until today. Halfway through our first song, Brad messed up. Really badly too. I glanced back at him as we all tried to play it off but he all together stopped playing. I slowly stopped singing, and everyone in the arena stared at him. He chucked his drum sticks then kicked the drums, causing me to flinch. He left the stage, and I caught Ashton's eye. He nods, grabbing his drum sticks.

I give him a grateful smile as he sits behind the drums. He begins the song over and I sing. We went through without a hitch, and after I left the stage I went to find Brad. I ran through the halls backstage, getting frustrated. I groan, running a hand through my hair. I run outside, looking around.

"BRAD!" I shout. I hear a crash, and I follow it. "Brad." I stand in the middle of the alley, Brad kicking a trash can. "Fucking cancer!" He shouts, kicking it again. "I don't-" "I have fucking cancer Dylan." I rush forward, wrapping my arms around him. His head drops to my shoulder, and he cries for a while. "What stage are you at?" I ask him quietly once he calms down. We were both sitting against the wall. "Just stage one." "What kind of cancer?" "Lung." "Do they have like treatment or something?" "I can start chemo, but that means being gone a lot more, or I can wait till after the tour, but then I have a bigger chance of dying."

"When did you find out?" "When you were with your brother, I went in for a cat scan since something didn't seem right and they confirmed everything last night." "I'm sorry." I say quietly. "I really think you should do the chemo, you have a long life ahead of you, I really want you to experience it." "But what about you guys?" "When you can't perform we can use Ashton, or find a back up or something." "But this is my dream." "It's not going to be a long dream if you don't do chemo. Brad, chemo will most likely get rid of the cancer so you can follow this dream."

He puts his chin on the tops of his knees. "Chemo will help." "I'm scared." He finally whispers. "I would be too, I don't blame you. But the cancer won't spread if you do chemo." He nods, almost mechanically. "Will you please do chemo?" He nods, giving me a small smile. "We should probably go back inside." I stand up, offering my hand to his.

We head to the door, but it's locked tight. "Or we can stay out here." I frown. To make matters worse, it begins to rain. "Shit, I can't be out in the rain, I need to get in." "I'll get you in, even if it means going to the front." I try calling everyone, but no one picks up. "We gotta go in through the front." I frown. He nods, and we make our way around the building.

We finally reach the main entrance, making our way inside the door, I squeeze out my hair. A security officer notices us and comes over. "Why were you outside? I was told you were backstage." "Long story." I tell him. "I'll get you escorts." "We'll be fine. C'mon Brad." We make our way backstage, only getting stopped by 3 fans. When everyone sees us, they rush over. I let Brad explain everything, and I go find Luke.

I see that One Direction is performing, so I go look for Luke in his dressing room. I walk in, and everyone looks up. "Thanks for stepping in Ashton." I give him a smile. "Not a problem." "Why are you wet?" Luke asks, coming over. "It's raining, hard." "When and why were you outside?" He frowns, handing me a towel. I dry my hair the best I can and then wrap it around me.

"Just now and Brad had ended up running out there when he left." "Right, why did he run off?" "I have lung cancer." He answers as he steps in. "Are you serious?" He nods. "I leave in the morning for my first round of chemo." "I take it you're going to need a step in drummer?" Ashton asks. We all nod. "I better get sturdier drums." He laughs. "I'm heading to the hotel to pack, I'll see you when I get back." "Good luck Brad." I give him a smile. "Thanks Dylan." He returns the smile before leaving.

"No more rain for you." Luke frowns, hugging me tight. "Sounds good." I mumble, tugging the towel around me tighter. Ashton hands me a blanket which I take gratefully, wrapping it around myself. "I just gonna take you back to the hotel." Luke finally says after a while of me shivering.

Back at the hotel, after I've taken a long, very hot shower, Luke cuddles with me in my bed. "Michael snores so loud, I'm never making you mad again." He mumbles into my hair. I grin, kissing his collar bone. "It couldn't have been that bad." "He was sick for a week and he sounds like a bulldozer on a normal day." I giggled, and he tightened his grip around me.

"If you hadn't been so stubborn, you would have been back in here a week ago." "I know." "Then stop complaining." I laugh. Ashton comes running in. "It's time." He pants before running back out. "Time? For oh my god." I sprung out of the bed, grabbing my phone before Luke and I raced to the lobby.

"Can you call us a taxi?" Luke asks as I glance outside. Paps were in the doorway and I pointed them out to Luke. "They'll have a field day with you, go put sweats on." I look down and realize I'm in pajama shorts. I run upstairs, quickly changing before running back down.

Fans started coming in, the concert probably ending. When they see us, they begin to freak out. I'm already pacing, nervous for Kiera, and the fans weren't helping. "Your taxi is here." The receptionist tells us. "We gotta go guys!" Luke calls as we run out to the waiting taxi. "Hospital." Luke tells the man. "And go as fast as you can." I add.

We get there in 5 minutes. Calum and Michael are already waiting in the waiting room, my band arriving shortly after us, One Direction shortly after them.