RACHEL'S POV

Stepping on to the bus, I said hello to everyone before retreating to my bunk. Feeling my phone buzz, I pulled it out expecting a message from Tony.

From: Aunt Maggie
Hello dear, bad news. You're Dad is really not well. They've diagnosed him - it's terminal cancer. They say he's got a month at most. I am so sorry. I hope you are okay. He is in the hospital and will remain there until... Call if you need anything, if you want to come home you can stay with us.

My heart sank; air became absent from my lungs; my eyes went blurry. My hands began to shake and I tossed my phone at the wall of my bunk, scurrying up against the wall behind me. Hearing the bang, Oli came through.

'Hey Rachel, what a- what's wrong?' he asked worriedly as he climbed into my head. 'Rachel?' he said, pulling me closer to him. He wrapped his arms around me and I cried uncontrollably into my palms. 'Shh,' he cooed, 'you're okay.'

'I might be, but my Dad fucking isn't!' I screamed, throwing myself forward and burying my face in the sheets. Oli leaned forward and began to rub my back gently. 'H-He has cancer, Oli,' I chocked out. 'Fucking cancer of all things.'

'C'mere,' he said, lifting me up and propping me against the wall. 'Loads of people survive it.'

'Not if its terminal,' I added, and then watched as the colour drained from his face. 'I-I'm so sorry...'

'It's okay,' I swallowed, biting my lip to the point that I could taste blood. 'He's not got long though. That kinda sucks.'

'You need to go home,' he sighed, pushing my hair aside. 'Be with him.'

'I've got so much here, y'know? Things were looking up, they really were. Life's a bitch sometimes.'

'I know,' he said quietly, tracing his old scars with one finger.

'Hey,' I said, wiping my tears and lifting his chin. 'You are strong. If I ever see a fresh cut I will, I don't know what I will do, but it'll suck. Never do it again, okay? You are worth more than that. You deserve all the love in the world, Oli. Never deny yourself anything less.'

He nodded. 'Thanks Rachel,' he said softly. 'Now, want me to get you a ticket back to San Diego from the next airport we pass?'

'Please.' I looked around my little bunk, the tiny space that I'd grown accustom to. I was going to miss it.

'I'll leave you to get some sleep. I'll try and get a ticket for tomorrow night, okay? You just rest.'

Smiling weakly at him, he did the same before pulling my bunk curtain over and leaving me alone. I exhaled deeply as I sat forward and began to put all my things back in my suitcase. Once I'd packed everything (including my dream catcher and cameras) I changed clothes and went to sleep.

---

Laughing, I stole a Cheerio out of Lee's bowl when he wasn't looking. 'Oi!' he shouted, tugging at my arm as I threw the piece of cereal in. 'You're evil,' he smiled, shaking his head as he put his spoon in.

'That's me,' I said, still smiling as I sat on the space adjacent to him. 'I'm leaving today,' I said with a serious tone.

'What? Why? Don't go! It was just starting to get fun.'

'Family stuff, my Dad's not well. Maybe I'll be with you guys on another tour,' I said with optimism.

'Yeah, maybe,' he said. 'Shame though, I'll miss you.'

'Even though I eat your cereal?' I asked, taking another bit from his bowl.

'For some reason, yeah,' he laughed.

TONY'S POV

Stepping off the stage, I smiled as I noticed Rachel's back. She was standing talking to Sam from Twin Atlantic as well as a couple of others. I handed my guitar to the technician before jogging down the steps. How are you going to play this, Perry? Shall I walk by and see if she notices, lightly brush her shoulder or run up and hug her from behind? The latter sounds better. Yeah, let's do that.

Approaching her from behind, I couldn't help but take in her flawless figure as I did so. I wrapped my arms around her waist and lifted her high off the ground, chuckling as I did so.

'Tony!' She laughed. I put her back down and she spun around, attaching our lips as her hand pulled my head down. 'Hi,' she said, suddenly a sound of great sadness in her voice.

'What's wrong, beautiful?'

'I got a text from my Aunt last night,' she began. 'My Dad's ill, and he's not going to get better. They think he's got a month at most.'

'Rae,' I sighed, pulling me in close. 'You don't deserve this,' I murmured against my forehead.

'I'm flying back to San Diego tomorrow,' she admitted, eyes falling to the floor as I pulled away. I took hold of her hands as she sniffed back the tears. 'I don't know what I'm going to do.'

'You're going to be strong,' I said, squeezing her hands. I took a step closer to her and her lips brushed mine. 'You'll be okay. Your Dad will just be happy to see you. I don't think anyone would want anything more than to have you in their last moments, you are so caring and make things seem so easy.'

'What happens to us though?'

'Well, if it's okay with you, I'd like to remain taken.'

'Seriously? You know all the girls that you're going to meet on this tour, Tony? There are a lot of opportunities for a good time.'

'No, I want you. Can you do one thing for me though?'

'What?'

'Call me? Like, a lot?'

'Of course,' she said, kissing me quickly. I smiled at her and glanced down at our linked hands. I'm going to miss her so much. I'm not going to able to hold hands with her; to hug her; to kiss her; to feel her warm skin against mine. Goodness, I love her.

'Hey,' I said, wiping away a tear that was rolling down her cheek. She buried her face in my chest and cried softly.

'I'm going to miss you,' she mumbled.

'You don't even understand,' I said under my breathe, drawing small circles on her back. 'I love you,' I whispered. She didn't hear me, but I was being honest. I was in love with her - the way her freckles came out during summer, the way her eyes looked like they were sculpted from stars, the way she held on to my hand like I was her world.

'I need to go,' she said, stepping back. 'My flight's in less than an hour and it's like a 30 minute drive.'

'Okay,' I said disappointed. 'Call me though, okay? Promise?'

'I promise.'

RACHEL'S POV

'Thanks for the ride,' I said to one of Oli's friends who'd offered to drive me, his name was Josh.

'No bother, hope everything's alright,' he smiled politely.

'Yeah, me too. Bye!'

I pulled my suitcase behind me as I entered the airport.

This is it. This is where I watch the one parent I have left being torn from me. Why is everything pulled away from me?

Notes

Thanks for reading! Thoughts? <3