Guarded: Sequal to Broken

Thirteen

Calum's POV

"Why do you both look like you haven't slept?" Ashton frowns as Maddie and I walk into the studio green room, the last to arrive.

"Because we haven't and we aren't going to talk about it. It was a rough night." I snap instantly, pulling Maddie into my arms protectively.

After getting home last night we had gone to bed assuming, or at least hoping, we would both sleep a couple more hours before getting up for album stuff. Maddie's paranoid brain had other plans, and she woke up both herself and me again about 4:30. Neither of us have slept since. The hour long nap after getting home from Walmart was not enough. Both of us are obviously dragging as our bodies fight the exhaustion of having been awake and put through strenuous emotions since 2am.

"Okay. Tread lightly around him today." Luke mumbles.

"It's my fault he's grumpy, sorry." Maddie sighs, seeming to grow smaller as she comments quietly.

"It's not your fault, Mads. Don't you dare blame yourself for any of it." I turn to her quickly, hating that she keeps blaming herself for her anxiety and for all the trauma this trial is bring back into her conscious mind.

"But it is my fault you didn't sleep last night. I can sleep in the guest room tonight so you can get a full nights rest. Don't worry about it." She shrugs, pulling my hoodie tightly around her before pulling away from my hold to curl up on the couch.

"Is it really that bad?" KayKay frowns.

"I've woke up to her unresponsive with her back on fire and a fever of like 103°, and what I woke up to twice last night was so much worse. This trial is eating away at her mentally." I mumble quietly. "She is losing herself, he is winning without even getting a chance to walk. I hate it. I want to fix it and I have no idea how. Look at her, Kay, she doesn't look like Maddie. She looks like a ghost."

It was true though, Maddie's skin had paled significantly with her lack of sleep or willingness to leave the house. The bags under her eyes clearly a heavy set blue, the fact that she didn't put on any makeup this morning a telling sign to anyone who knows her. And even with my hoodie on, it's obvious she has lost weight, her leggings not hugging her legs like they normally do, cheek bones and knuckles more ridged and defined. She looks sick, she looks like she is slowly dying. And it breaks my heart knowing that only two months ago she was thriving and happy.

"I want my Mads back, and I can't do anything to speed up the court or the process to get it. To ensure we win and to make sure she doesn't die from an anxiety attack before we ever get there. I don't know what to do, KayKay, I really, really, don't and it scares me. She is scaring me."

"Have you thought about getting her out of the country for a bit? A break, a vacation? Do you think that would help?"

"No. If I take her out of the country and leave her family here there is no way she would be in a better state of mind. She would just be more anxious about their safety. She is going to get worse until this is all over. She will deteriorate until she is gone or he is. And I'm afraid one will come before the other." My voice cracks slightly.

"I'll see if I can get her to relax at all, maybe get her to nap on my shoulder? You have Crys or Sierra blend in some color below your eyes and go do what you need to for the drop. I've got Maddie for now, Cal. I promise."

"Thanks." I sigh, walking over to Maddie quickly. "Hey baby, I'm going to do the interviews and things for the drop, KayKay is going to stay with you today to make sure you're okay after not sleeping so good last night. I love you." I coo, kissing the side of her head gently, she doesn't respond though, just stays as she is staring at the carpet.