Calum's PoV

I decided to check on Poppy before we left for soundcheck. She'd been feeling unwell before we were due to go shopping and despite my best effort to try and have a good time I was too worried about her. The news she'd got from Sam had only worsened her anxiety and she was worrying herself into sickness. The day she got the diagnosis would never leave my mind - when we refused to speak to anyone and just went into herself, trying to save everyone the pain - but it didn't work. I felt like she was doing it again now.

"The car will be here to pick us up in twenty." Luke said as the guys waved me off, wanting to hang out and sunbathe before we went to work. I knew I had to use this time to speak to Poppy. I rushed up to the room and knocked, hearing muttered words coming from a man behind the door. As my pulse quickened, wondering what could be going on, Sam opened the door. My stomach dropped. Why was he here? Her appointment wasn't that long away. Was she really sick?

"Is Poppy okay?" I blurted out, walking past him without so much as a sorry or hello. He probably thought I was the rudest person he had met. Without a care, my eyes were scanning for Poppy, taking in the mess of the room until my eyes fell on her. She looked pale, her eyes dark with bags like she hadn't slept well in years, her body hidden under big clothes as she hugged her arms around herself. As soon as her eyes met mine she seemed to straighten as if she was scared and had wanted to avoid this moment. She looked uncomfortable.

"Oh. Hey Cal." She said, her voice low and rough sounding. Was the cancer taking over and making her worse? Why hadn't she told me about it?

"Are you okay?" I went to rush towards her but she put her hand out to stop me. My heart sunk sadly. She'd never refused my love before. I shot her a confused look.

"I'm really not feeling good Cal, that's all. I'm sorry." She said as she rubbed a hand over her mouth. "As you can tell it was bad enough to call Sam." My eyes fell on Doctor Forrester who seemed to stand there just as awkwardly as when I'd arrived, as if he'd interrupted something and now had to watch it play through.

"Is it the cancer? Has it come back?" I pressed, willing for someone to finally just tell me what was going on. The pressure I'd built inside myself was tearing me apart. I needed someone to tell me what was happening. My eyes flitted between the two of them but both remained hushed.

"Unfortunately until the appointment later we don't know if we even removed all of the cancer before." Sam offered without giving me a hope in which way the story was going to go. Would she come out happy that it's all gone? Or would we be having to struggle through the radioactive treatment?

"Right." I said flatly, wondering why everyone was so hesitant to say anything around me. Wasn't I her fiancé? The love of her life? What did she have to hide from me? If it was about her diagnosis it's only fair that I know so I can support her and be there for her - I know I've hardly been there for her so far but if this was bad news then I'd really want to step up. The tour could wait, hell they could play without me. I wanted to be there with Poppy through it all.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, probably Luke signalling that the car was here. I sighed heavily as I looked up at Poppy once more. I felt deflated at the secretive nature of their conversations, but what more could I do now?

"Are you off?" She asked, glancing down at the pocket my phone was in. I barely wanted to answer, to give her a taste of her own medicine. How would it feel if I stopped giving her useful information?

"Yeah the car is here." I said as I turned towards the door and made my way over, stopping in the doorway. "Let me know how it goes today, yeah?" She nodded and offered me a small smile.

"Of course, I love you." She said sweetly and I smiled back.

"Ti Amo." I said quietly as I left, heading down to the car. The guys were all hyped up, laughing and joking. I walked up and instantly sucked the happiness from them.

"Shit Cal. You look like crap." Mike was the first to offer his thoughts. I let out a flat laugh.

"Is Poppy okay?" Ashton asked after shooting a glare to Mike to silence him. I simply shrugged.

"I don't know. She had Sam there." The guys gasped, suddenly thinking the worst had happened. "But she didn't seem worse, like she was a bit pale and tired but she didn't look like it was too bad..." the guys exchanged glances.

"You think she's keeping something from you?" Luke added and I nodded as we all headed to the car, sliding into it before the paps got a chance to catch us off guard. The car began the journey with soft music playing in the background.

"Yeah." I responded solemnly, gazing out of the window. "But I don't get why."

"Maybe it's just not the right time?" Mike piped up, all of us glancing over to him to hear his thoughts. "I know it's different but crystal really wanted to set out a special time for her to announce her pregnancy. Maybe Poppy just wants some alone time with you or something to open up. We're on the road so much sometimes we forget what it's actually like to just spend time as a couple." He made a good point and I clapped a hand on his shoulder as I smiled.

"You may be right. Maybe I'll try to sort something out when we get back after the show tonight. Thanks." And with that my mind began whirring with possibilities.