✧･ﾟ: * twenty-eight *:･ﾟ✧  

Madeline is a few weeks into the college life when she comes home one day to her mother stumbling through the house. Dropping her backpack in a panic, she rushes over to catch her mother just as the woman's hands miss the edge of the wall. Her mom can't hold herself upright, all of her body weight relying on Madeline to keep her standing.

"Mom, what's wrong?" she asks, a lump swelling in her throat as she struggles to help, but mostly drag, her mom to the couch.

"I-I don't know," her mother whispers, putting a hand to her own forehead. "I just... I got dizzy all of a sudden. I feel... I feel like I can't breathe."

Madeline fumbles to get her phone out of her back pocket, already dialing emergency services.

"That isn't... necessary," her mother says, breathlessly as her eyes begin to flutter. "I just need... a nap."

"Mom, don't go to sleep," Madeline almost yells, gripping her mom's chin on instinct and shaking her face. "Stay awake, okay? Don't go to sleep."

Madeline's mind is racing as she speaks frantically to an operator. She tries to think of what could b wrong with her mother. She's been fine, as far as Madeline knows, and it seems rather abrupt unless her mother has been hiding symptoms of something. There could be a lot wrong with her, truthfully. Her alcoholism and obsessive drug use from the past is an automatic no-brainer to something that might be causing this.

Still... how long has her mother been feeling bad? Surely this isn't a spark of light-headedness out of nowhere.

Madeline focuses on keeping her mother awake, albeit, the woman's eyes have been closed all the while she was on the phone. She keeps checking for a pulse, keeps sighing in relief when there is one, and spends the rest of the waiting time pacing the floor. When she hears sirens, she runs to the door and swings it open, ushering the paramedics inside.

"Is she breathing?" one asks her.

"Y-yes, but not well. It's erratic," Madeline explains. "I t-tried to keep her eyes open, b-but she went to sleep and—"

Before she can become hysteric, the paramedic gives her a kind look. "You did well. You can help some more by giving us a brief history of her background," he says, watching two of his comrades check my mother's pulse before lifting her onto a stretcher. "Any family history of heart failures, seizures, or stroke?"

"N-no, I don't think so."

"Does your mother drink? Smoke?"

Madeline swallows the lump, knowing this is the problem. "She used to drink heavily, and she was into all kinds of drugs. She's stopped, but only recently."

The man gives her a solemn look. "Don't worry, kid. Most immune systems are strong enough to push through."

Madeline nods, but she has a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She doesn't think the paramedic understands just how bad off her mother truly was once. She drank vodka like water, snorted cocaine like saline. This went on for years, ever since her father died. Madeline can't see happy news at the end of all of this.

After all, she's been mentally preparing herself for bad news since her mother ventured past the point of reason. Only recently, after her escapade around the world, did her mother swear off alcohol, though she still sneaks a cigarette every now and then when she thinks Madeline isn't paying attention.

Madeline isn't shocked as she sits with the paramedics and her mother in the back of the ambulance.

No, she isn't shocked at all.

She's heartbroken.

***

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy.

Or, in simpler terms, heart failure from abuse of alcohol. And not just one, but both of her kidneys are failing.

The doctor doesn't have to say the future doesn't look promising. Madeline isn't a fool. One look at her mother with an oxygen mask strapped to her face is enough to put her in a numb mood, her gaze cast to the floor as she sits at her mother's bedside, listening to the heart monitor. The very irregular, very dangerous, heartbeat bouncing off the walls of the small room.

Madeline listens to her phone ping, but doesn't make a move to grab it off the table. She knows it's probably Taehyung checking in, since she usually texts him when she gets home because it's around the time the two are about to talk. Or it could be Tony, asking why she didn't bother to show up today.

She doesn't know how long it's been when it pings again. Inhaling deeply, she musters the strength to grab it, seeing one message from Tae, and the other from Tony. Taehyung is definitely more important to her than the latter yelling at her for not attending today.

taehyung: maddiieeeeeee, are you home?

madeline: no... can i call you later?

taehyung: are you okay? :(

madeline: yes and no. i'll explain later, i promise.

taehyung: of course you can call

it will have to be later because of the show

That's another thing. Madeline and Taehyung don't get to talk as long anymore since he's had his comeback. He has show after show after show. She swears he doesn't get enough sleep, since he tries to spend the time when she's awake talking to her, rather than getting rest himself. He's fallen asleep on the phone more times than she can count.

Her foot begins to tap as she looks around, a weight pressing down on her chest. She stares off at some spot near the door, unaware that she's zoned out until she snaps back to reality some time later to the doctor snapping in front of her face. It's dark outside the window now, the clock revealing it's nearly nine o'clock. Madeline swears it was four pm five minutes ago.

"Visiting time is over, darling. You can come back first thing in the morning."

A cold fear creeps up Madeline's spine. "What? I can't stay?"

The doctor gives her a look of pity. "I'm afraid not. We'll be taking her for tests soon, and there can't be anyone in the room when she returns."

"B-but..." Madeline's bottom lip begins to quiver as if she's a toddler. "She's my mom."

It comes out in the most strained, most pathetic voice Madeline has ever heard. She almost can't believe she made the sound.

The doctor purses his lips, obviously hating this as much as her. "Sweetheart... you need to go home and rest, all right? I promise we'll take good care of her."

He moves to help her out of her chair, her body feeling numb as she gets to her feet. She squeezes her phone tightly as he walks her out of the room. She wants to look back at her mom, but the door is already closing.

"Do you have someone to take you home?"

She shakes her head.

"I'm sure Deandra won't mind. She's clocking out now. Give me a moment, okay?"

Madeline watches him walk off, her body shivering as if she's cold though her body is burning up. She does the only thing she can think to do, knowing she won't be able to sleep in that house alone.

"Girl, Tony is going to kill you."

"Sage," Madeline whispers. "Could I stay over at your house tonight?"

Instantly, the girl's tone changes at the sound of Madeline's shaky voice. "Yeah, yeah, of course. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she lies. "I just... I need some company."

"Sure. I'll get snacks ready."

Madeline manages a weak smile. "Thanks. See you soon."

Just when she hangs up, the doctor comes back with a dark-skinned woman with beautiful hair fluffing around the shape of her face, her eyes bright and kind. "This is Deandra," the doctor says.

"Hi," Madeline greets meekly. "I'm Maddie."

"Hey, Maddie. Let's get you home, yeah?"

And although Madeline wouldn't normally ride with strangers, she isn't in the mentality to give a fuck right now.

***

"So the comedies are lined up over there, we have chips, cookies, some slightly stale donuts, and ice cream in the freezer if it's really drastic. I've got a pallet made in front of the TV with my fuzziest blankets and softest pillows. Are we looking at code yellow or red?"

Madeline's eyes water just from the sincerity of everything. Sage is by far who she's grown closest too; she's already spent the night a few times since the two of them share a psychology class. In a few weeks, she's easily someone Madeline can call her best friend.

"A code orange right now," she says. "Not quite red yet."

Sage nods thoughtfully. "So we should definitely start with the cookies and Footloose."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good plan."

Right when Madeline is setting down her bag (Deandra was kind enough to drive her home for clothes, then take her to Sage's), angry footsteps storm down the stairs. "Sage!" her brother shouts. "How many damn times do I have to tell you to stop using my cologne?"

"But it smells good!" she argues.

"It's men's cologne!"

"So it's a sexist product?"

He groans in frustration, running a hand through his hair. He notices Madeline standing at the door, his posture straightening a bit when he realizes there's company witnessing his little tantrum. "Just... leave my shit alone," he growls out before he goes back up the steps, averting his gaze from Madeline.

"My parents are out at dinner," Sage tells her. "So we have plenty of time to squeeze in two movies and a bowl of ice cream."

Madeline smiles, sitting cross-legged on the pallet as Sage sets up the movie. That's when she remembers she hasn't called Taehyung yet.

"Shit," she mumbles. "I need to make a phone call real quick, okay?"

Sage declares she'll get the snack plates ready as Madeline heads upstairs to the bathroom, dialing Taehyung's number along the way. Part of her hopes he's asleep, getting the well-deserved rest, but the other part of him prayers he picks up. She really needs to hear his voice right now.

"Jagiya," he mumbles sleepily, and Madeline feels guilty for waking him up. "I was worried."

"Sorry," she murmurs, closing the toilet lid and sitting on it. "I sort of got a little swamped."

"Are you okay?"

"Not really," she whispers, picking at the loose threads from the holes in her jeans. "My mom is in the hospital."

"What? She's sick?"

"Yeah. She... she isn't doing well, Tae."

"What can I do?"

"Send me pictures of Yeontan," she trails off. "Or puppies in general."

"I'm on it!"

Her voice already starts vibrating with messages. "Taehyung, I didn't mean now," she says with a laugh. "Did I wake you up?"

"Yes, but I wanted you to," he answers, then yawns.

"Well, you can go back to sleep now."

He hums on the other end, the sound deep in his throat. "I slept much better with you."

Her cheeks flush, but she rolls her eyes. "Go to sleep, Kim Taehyung."

"Okay, okay." He chuckles. "I will send you more puppies first."

And when they hang up, that's exactly what he does.

She giggles, scrolling through them as she walks out the bathroom—

And right into Sage's brother, Xander's, chest.

"Oops, sorry," she says, stepping to the side.

He stares at her a moment too long before he cuts his stare away, briskly walking into the bathroom and slamming the door. She gives the door an odd look before walking back downstairs.

"No offense, Sage, but your brother is weird as hell."

She snorts. "Tell me something I don't know." She pats the spot next to her. "Come, come, child. The movie is ready and the cookies are warm!"

Madeline sighs dreamily. "Have I ever told you how much I appreciate you?"

"Yes, but I'll listen to you say it again," she says with a smirk, pushing play when Madeline sits down.

"Really, though, thank you. A distraction is what I need."

"That's what I'm here for." Sage points to the cookies. "Now, these are not homemade, but we're going to pretend like they are, and that I most certainly didn't microwave them."

Madeline takes a bite of one. "Wow, Sage, you're an incredible baker."

Sage grins. "See. That's why you're my favorite person."

Madeline laughs just as the opening credits start.

However, when the distraction is over and it's time to sleep, the thoughts come flooding back, and Madeline wakes up with puffy eyes.