[a/n: I really hope you guys enjoy! For the sake of being able to write freely, this story is set in 2020 but there is no covid. I originally wrote Step Brother over 2013/14]
Huge huge shoutout to kevinlovesavacados for helping me with the cover of this story and for being such a loyal reader! Check out her profile :)
MADISON'S POV
2020. If you had asked me back in 2014 where I thought I would be today, I never would have guessed I'd be spending most of my time in the hospital.
I stopped by most mornings on my way to work.. Luckily I didn't have too much trouble finding a job after graduating from NYU last year in 2019.
Dad and Anne loved visiting me at school so much they decided to make the move to Manhattan themselves. At first I was a little annoyed they followed me, but now I'm glad they're close by. Jackson likes living here too, hard to believe he's a senior in high school.
I stepped out of the room and into the hallway taking a deep breath. I needed to head downtown to get to my job. Of course, like clockwork, I bumped into Anne on my way out.
"Hi honey," she said giving me a soft smile, "how's he doing today?"
"He's still asleep, I just wanted to drop by and leave him the paper before I left. Hopefully today will be okay for him." I sighed. The chemo has been hard on him, hard on all of us.
Anne nodded. "Well, have a good day. Will we see you for dinner later?"
"Of course!" And with that I headed out.
I took the subway all the way downtown. I was working for a fashion company, just trying to figure out where I wanted to go from there. It was a lot of running errands for my boss and attending meetings for and with her. I was enjoying myself though.
I come out of the subway and turn right, noticing a new poster on the advertisement space by the bus. CALM. After they had gone on tour with the other boys they had grown a larger following. And they kept going — I knew they were all talented after having seen them perform, but it's crazy how far they've come. I knew I'd never escape One Direction, but 5sos too? Yikes.
***
Work was fine, business as usual. The problem with fashion you see, is there's a certain green eyed boy who's really making a statement these days. Don't get me wrong, he looks good doing it.. but sometimes it's hard. It seems as though Harry has been more busy these days than he was even as part of One Direction.
A few years ago, following Zayn's decision to leave, the other four all set off on their own paths. I listened to their music sometimes, mostly Niall and Louis.
Of course Anne would play Harry's music sometimes. I think my dad was secretly (or not so secretly) a big fan of Niall's. But don't tell Harry that.
I began my walk back home, choosing to get on the subway at a later stop. There's no way I could walk all the way back to the apartment in this cold.
I put my headphones in, and put my music on shuffle.
The ride was short enough and eventually I was walking up the stairs at my station. I had just turned around the corner to our building when I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.
Anne calling.
"Hello?" I said trying to keep my voice level, she didn't usually call me and I could only pray they had run out of milk or something at home.
"Madison, where are you? Are you close by?"
"Um yeah I'm just down the street from home, is everything okay?" I asked.
"Well....." she said, "If you can, I think it would be best if you came to the hospital now. Things are.... well they seem to be taking a turn."
I felt my heart drop through the floor. "Okay, I'll be right there."
And with that I started running.
