Tony’s POV

The ambulance had already left and I was running around frantically trying to collect anything I would need with me. After picking up the bag I had for Noortje, and finding my car keys in a drawer in the kitchen, I ran outside. But somebody was walking up the driveway. What were they doing here? Didn’t they have to be someone else?

“Austin, what are you doing here?” I asked while catching my breath. Everything happened so fast and I was holding my breath for most of it.

“We were passing by to go back home, the guys went to come club, I didn’t feel like coming. I decided it wouldn’t hurt to come see Noortje, I presumed she would be pretty bored with nobody around” he explained as he studied my face, “What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be on tour?”

“Yes,” I unlocked the car, “but Noortje is more important and I need to go to the hospital right now.”

“What! What’s wrong? Is she having the baby already?”

“No. I don’t know what’s wrong, though,” I got into the car before leaning out of the window, “are you coming or not?”

“Umm, yes,” he rushed and hopped into the passenger seat.

The entire drive I was freaking out and speeding. I just hoped I wasn’t going to get pulled over. There was no time for all of that. I needed to get to the hospital as soon as I could; I wasn’t going to let Noortje be on her own, not when she needed me the most. Nothing else mattered.

I parked in the first empty parking spot I found and ran out of the car, Austin following closely behind me. We rushed to the reception and I did my best to stay calm and not get mad while trying to explain who we were here for. The lady typed on her computer before looking up at me and telling us to take a seat, that we’ll be called as soon as they know anything.

Austin carefully placed his hand on my shoulder in a sympathetic manner, “she’s probably going to be fine.”

I shook my head and breathed in shakily, “there was blood, a lot of blood.”

“Oh, shit. I’m sorry man,” he sounded so shocked as he watched people, “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” I rub my face in my rough hands, “I just hope they’re both ok. I don’t know what I would do if I lost either of them.”

“She a strong person, she will make it through this, if not for herself, but for you. You are the reason she’s alive. She told us her whole life story, trust me, she won’t leave you now.”

“Sometimes she’s too strong,” I laughed through my tears that I hadn’t realised had fallen, “and stubborn. She would still be at home if I hadn’t ran out mid show to fly back. I remember one time, years ago, she fell off the stairs in the apartment building she and Vic lived in. Her arm was obviously broken, but she insisted she was fine. She didn’t go to the hospital until three days later because ‘not being able to use her arm properly’ bugged her.”

“You see, she’ll be fine.”

I nodded. Noortje was going to be fine. She had gone through so much, this was just another obstacle to overcome.

----

A couple of hours later a nurse finally came up to us. I had never stood up so fast as I did then.

“So, Ms. Ottlinger is ok,” the nurse smiled at me and Austin before looking down at the clipboard. But what about the baby? Was the baby ok? She kept looking over her notes and I started to panic.

“She almost had another miscarriage, but the baby is also fine,” she added on.

“Oh thank god,” I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Austin rubbed my back in a supportive and cheerful way.

“You can visit her, if you would like.”

Austin and I nodded and followed her down several corridors. Hospitals scared the shit out of me. I only had bad memories and everything was sterile, white, and bland. This place was supposed to be about helping people and caring for lives, but everything gave off a morbid death glare. It made me shiver.

We entered the room and saw Noortje lying in one of the white beds with the covers on top of her. Her clothes were switched out with a hospital gown and were placed on a chair. I put down the bag next to them and walked up to Noortje.

“Hey, baby,” I kissed her and sat down on the chair stood next to the bed.

She grabbed my arm and admired it, “woah. So many colors!”

“She’s drugged up. The painkillers haven’t worn off yet,” the nurse said from the doorway, “somebody will come in soon to tell you more about what is going on.”

I smiled at her and looked back down at Noortje who was tracing my tattoos. Austin took one of the chairs that were against the wall, and sat down on the other side of the bed. I put one of my hands on Noortje’s belly that had grown so much over the time I had been gone.

“What are you doing?” She giggled.

“Just feeling the baby,” I gave her a faint smile.

“What! There’s a baby inside of me! Woah! What happened!” She started tearing up, “There’s a living thing growing inside of me! No! Tony! How did this happen!’

Austin couldn’t help but laugh, causing Noortje to look at him.

“Austin, you’re also here! Hi! You also have so many colors,” she stopped freaking out, forgetting about what had just happened.

“Yeah, I do,” he shook his head and couldn’t hold back the occasional snicker that came out.

There was a knock on the door and a different younger nurse walked in. She was looking down at a file, but froze when she saw us, letting out a squeak, “you’re… you…”

“I’m me!” Noortje exclaimed and raised her arms in the air before letting them drop back down.

“Umm- Oh- uhh- ok. I’m sorry. I’m supposed to tell you what’s going on. Sorry.”

I grinned at the nurse. She looked so nervous; she probably knew who we all were, and was trying her best not to screw up. I recognized her from one of our shows. She seemed so flabbergasted and bewildered now.

“What happened was, I won’t get into details, Noortje nearly had a miscarriage. She came here just on time, so you’re lucky. It could have been a lot worse. Not only the baby would have lost it’s life, but Noortje could have too. But she and the baby should be fine now,” she explained. I definitely knew she was fan now. Instead of using ‘Ms. Ottlinger’ like everybody we had spoken to in the hospital, she used Noortje.

“Luckily she was found on time,” Austin sighed in relief.

“So, umm, is the father here?”

I nodded, “yeah.”

“Woooo! Tony!” Noortje hollered and clapped her hands.

“You guys are-” the nurse started, “sorry, that’s none of my business.”

“Shhh,” Noortje pushed her finger clumsily against her lips, “don’t tell anyone.”

“I won’t,” the girl laughed and then looked back at me, “so, umm, she should rest for the next couple of weeks. Don’t make her carry anything heavy; she shouldn’t run, get stressed, stand up for too long, or do anything that requires her to any type of work. So basically, the doctor put her on bedrest.”

“Ok, I now need to tell the others I’m not coming back. I hope they won’t have to cancel tour… That would suck. I also need to figure out a way to have all my stuff sent back home,” I sighed, “but I’ll do anything to make sure she’s ok.”

“I could stay here for a couple more days,” Austin suggested, “we were on our way home, so it won’t get in the way of any plans. That way you’ll be able to fly to wherever they are and get your stuff.”

“Yeah, that might work,” I nodded. Normally I would decline an offer like this, but this time I really didn’t know what else was going to work. i couldn’t just let one of the crew member fly over, that would be unfair.

“Ok, I’ll try to make some arrangements, then,” Austin stood up while getting his phone out of his back pocket before standing just outside the door.

“Hey, Tony,” Noortje reached out for me.

“What?” I smirked down at her.

“Hi,” she said before getting distracted by her hand.

“Hi,” I whispered back as I ran my fingers through her tangled ginger hair.

I wasn’t going to leave her anymore.

Notes

So Noortje's ok! YAY! But what's going to happen next? Will more go wrong?