We Are Family

Chapter One: Shocking News

Hailey Álvarez Rubio had certainly not been expecting a call from the local hospital that late at night, she had been settling the twins down for bed when she had received the call that her husband of five years had been in a car accident.

Hailey had been with her husband, David Costa, for eight years and it was a shock to lose him like this; sure they'd had their problems and made mistakes but she had never thought this would happen.

"I'm so sorry Mrs Costa but there is nothing we could do to save your husband," the doctor said as he rested a comforting hand on Hailey's shoulder, he knew that this was hard for her and it had all come as a bit of a shock for her; no twenty-something ever thought that they would become a widow and a single mother like this.

Hailey blinked as she stared at the doctor, his words swirling around her as she opened her mouth and closed it in shock; she didn't want to believe that her husband had gone, she couldn't have lost him.

"Is there someone you would like us to call for you?" the doctor offered as he showed the blonde to a seat, he didn't want her to pass out and she was in shock; he knew that none of this could be easy for her, she had lost all of the colour in her face as she started to shake.

Tears covered her cheeks and she took deep breathes, Hailey felt a little light headed and she knew that there was only one person that she could call and she hadn't seen him in years; she had sworn to David that she wouldn't unless it was an emergency and there was no other choice now.

"Gerard... I need you to call Gerard Piqué," Hailey whispered as she fumbled for her mobile, she sniffled as she handed it to the doctor; she needed her best friend and she knew that he would come running if she called and that made her feel even worse for doing it.

***

Gerard Piqué grinned as he threw his arm around his team-mates and stepped off the team coach, they had just arrived back at the stadium and he still had to get to his car before he was able to get home and sleep.

The team had just won their match and while they had all celebrated on the way home, Gerard was in a good mood and he doubted that anyone would be able to take it away from him.

"So what are you doing tomorrow?" Lionel Messi asked as he looked at his giant of his friend, he smiled knowing that his friend always had something planned; he wasn't sure what it was but Gerard always had some sort of plan for what he was going to do next.

Gerard paused for a moment as he thought, he had planned to go and see his parents that weekend since it had been weeks since he had last seen them; they worried when he went without speaking to them for too long.

However before Gerard could reply his mobile started to ring, he paused for a moment as he pulled it from his pocket allowing a smile to form on his face when he saw that it was Hailey calling him.

All of his close friends knew that Gerard had feelings for the blonde, they had dated before she had gotten together with her husband and they had even had a small affair about six years ago; however she had remained with her boyfriend after they had been found out.

"Hola Hailey?" Gerard said cheerfully as he placed the phone to his ear, he ignored the eye rolls from his friends as he thought about the woman that he had been stupid enough to let go; he regretted their break up more than anything but he was happy for her.

The colour drained from Gerard's face as he heard the professional voice of a doctor speaking to him; he swallowed heavily wondering what was going on and why he was being called by him.

"This is he," the footballer said softly making a couple of his team-mates look at him concerned, he ignored them as he leant against the wall of the car park; he suddenly felt sick at the thought of something happening to Hailey, he hadn't heard from her in a months and now he got this call.

"Is she okay?" Gerard asked as he clutched at his phone, he closed his eyes wishing that there was something that he could do right now; David had taken Hailey from Barcelona after the fling thathe'd had with her but he didn't know where to, he would have followed her if he had any idea.

"Geri?" Cesc Fàbregas asked as he moved towards his friend concerned, there was only one thing that could break him this badly and he didn't want to think about what could have happened; Hailey was his close friend and if anything had happened to her then Gerard wouldn't cope.

Gerard almost sighed in relief as the doctor told him that Hailey was fine, he opened his blue eyes and looked at his friends who were all now focused on him; if she was in hospital then something had to have happened.

"What happened?" Gerard asked carefully, his heart pounded in his chest as he thought about the blonde; he knew that she had twins that he had never seen, though that was more down to David and not wanting to upset him after their fling years ago.

However the doctor's next words sent Gerard's entire world spinning, he stared blankly at the space in front of him as his mouth dropped open at the news of David's death; he was silent for a moment as he tried to understand what was happening.

"He's dead?" Gerard asked breathlessly, he had fallen out with David because he had taken Hailey away from him but he had never thought that their feud would end like this; he had hoped that he'd be able to make amends for sleeping with Hailey but now he never would.

Cesc and Lionel looked at one another as they realised what had happened and suddenly they couldn't help but worry for Hailey and wonder what was going to happen now; there was no way that Gerard was going to stay in Barcelona if Hailey needed him.

"Which hospital?" Gerard asked as he pushed away from the wall, he knew that he wasn't going to stay in Barcelona when Hailey needed him; he swallowed wondering how he could make up for the fact that she had just lost her husband and was now a single mother to twins.

"Hospital Nicolas Peña in Galicia," Gerard said to make sure that he had heard the doctor right, he nodded his head as he looked at his friends who were watching him; he couldn't believe that Hailey was all the way across the country right now.

The footballer took a deep breath as he tried to calm himself, he felt a little angry that David had taken her that far away from her family and friends, only to go and get himself killed like this.

"Tell Hailey I'm coming... I'll be there as soon as I can," Gerard said as he started to walk towards his car, she needed him and he wasn't about to allow anything to keep him from her; not when Hailey needed him the most right now.

Cesc watched concerned as his friend walked away, his friend would do anything for Hailey and it worried him how Gerard would react to the secret that she'd been forced to keep from him.

Cesc knew that Hailey had wanted to tell Gerard for years the secret that she had kept at David's insistence; he could only hope that Hailey was prepared for what was to come.

Now it was all going to fall apart and someone was going to get hurt.