Keep On Walking (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 3 of the Hardships Saga)

Chapter Five

❝phoenix (pronounced ˈfiːnɪks or fee-niks)
1. a mythical bird of great beauty fabled to live 500 or 600 years in the Arabian wilderness, to burn itself on a funeral pyre, and to rise from its ashes in the freshness of youth and live through another cycle of years: often an emblem of immortality or of reborn idealism or hope.
2. what was on the other side of the door.❞

"H-Hunt..." she whispered. "It's... it's..."

"What is it?!" he asked urgently, pushing past her and seeing... seeing...

"Hunter, it's... it's a baby."

"What?! But-" He suddenly spotted someone in the darkness of the street. "Hey! Is this yours?"

The figure began to run, and Hunter ran after them. "Stop!! Come back!"

He ran as hard as he could, but the woman was faster. She made no noise, and as Hunter ran behind her, he only saw her face once. Her eyes were big and wide, though he couldn't see what colour they were, and her hair was dark.

But then he lost sight of her.

He slowed down, panting. He was sweating hard, and he leaned his hands on his knees, trying to regain his breath. "Gosh..." he whispered breathlessly. "I need to get into shape."

He walked back to the house and realised how far he had run. The door was closed, and he knocked. "Honey, it's me," he said. "Let me in."

Ryan appeared at the door, and she was holding the baby, who was awake now. He had dark, black eyes, and black hair, but skin almost as pale as Ryan's. "Nothing came with him except his cradle and this," she said, showing him a card.

"Phoenix Xavier Ruscoe," he read. "Born 21st December, 2020."

"He only turned two about two weeks ago," she said. "He doesn't seem to make much noise. I think he might be mute."

He sighed. "Why did she drop him here, of all places?"

"Isn't that obvious?" asked Ryan. "She wants us to look after him." She brushed his hair out of his face and smiled at the little boy. "Isn't he just precious?"

"Are you crazy? No. We're going to the adoption agency first thing tomorrow."

Ryan's mouth fell open. "W-What?"

"Ryan, we're having a wedding soon. We have a little girl with leukemia already. This isn't the time for something like this."

"But- but-"

"We'll look after him tonight, but-"

"No!"

"Excuse me?"

"You- You won't let me have my own baby because you're scared I'll get hurt! Why can't you let me look after Nick?"

"Nick?!"

"Phoenix, Hunter, his name is Phoenix, and Nick for short!"

"No! Don't be stupid-"

"Oh, that's what I am now?! Stupid?!"

"You know that's not what I meant!"

Her eyes were filled with tears, and she averted her eyes. "Fine," she said, sounding choked up. "Fine. Adoption agency tomorrow. Whatever."

"Ryan, come on," he said, trying to touch her cheek, but she turned away, still holding Phoenix.

"Don't... don't touch me."

He pulled his hand away, feeling hurt. The child looked at him. His eyes were wide, frightened, and he hugged Ryan tightly, like he didn't want her to let him go like his own mother just had. Hunter shook his head, walking to the bedroom and getting into his pyjamas. It was clear that there would be no love between them that night.