Always.

That night

Brendon POV

"Bren her fever is 102, I think we should go to the hospital. That's really high." Sarah spoke softly, trying to calm down our crying 2-year-old.

"I'm gonna call Zack. He can drive us there. Maybe you should call that nurse hotline thing, the thing your mom was talking about yesterday." I responded getting up to grab my phone from the kitchen. I quickly called Zack, he answered after a couple of rings.

"Brendon? It's three am. Is everything okay?" He asked, his voice groggy and reflected that he was sleeping.

"Tatum's fever is really high, it's 102. What do we do?" My voice mimicked Sarah's but with more of silent panic.

"That's really high for a 2-year-old. You guys should go to the ER. Do you want me to come and get you guys?" He questioned, I found myself sighing.

"Zack I think so. Sarah is really worried. That wouldn't stop crying, she's really uncomfortable. She's probably really dehydrated and hungry but she really won't keep anything down." I felt defeated, as a dad aren't you supposed to know how to protect your kid? But I can't help her.

"Brendon, take a deep breath and go get ready. I'll be there in like 20 minutes. Okay?" I could hear that he was now getting out of bed.

"Okay. Thank you, Zack, see you soon."  We ended the call and I leaned against the kitchen counter.

"What did he say?" Sarah called lightly, I turned to look over at her.

"He's gonna be here in 20 minutes." I breath walking over to sit on the couch next to her and the baby.

"Can you hold her for a little, I'm gonna go get her bag together. Also, change my clothes, I've been like this for two days. After we can switch." I nodded and she got up and passed Tatum over to me.

"Dada..." she mumbled grabbing onto the collar of my shirt and putting her head into my shoulder.

"baby Tat," I spoke back, she cuddled into me. As if she was searching for some comfort, some kind of relief for her sickness.

"Dada sing." She whispered. I started rocking back and forth and started singing.

"When the world gets too heavy
Put it on my back
I'll be your levy
You are taking me apart
Like bad glue
On a get well card" I sang lightly. I looked down to see that she had finally fallen asleep, I took a breath. Three days of crying, coughing so hard she'd thrown up, and fevers.

"She's asleep?" Sarah asked as she places Tatum's diaper bag down on the couch. She had put on a pair of jeans, a hoodie, and slipped on a pair of sneakers.

"Yeah, she's out." I smiled looking down at Tatum fast asleep.

"Thank god. I don't know what's wrong. She's just so sick. I'll take her, you go get dressed babe." She spoke quietly, hoping not to wake up the sleeping baby.

"I think I'll just stay in this, but can you grab my glasses and I'll put on my shoes when Zack gets here." Sarah nodded and went to grab my glasses from the kitchen. Soon Zack was lightly knocking on the front door and Sarah went to answer it as I slowly rocked with Tatum lying on my chest.

"Hey Sarah, how is she?" I could hear Zack ask as he entered. Sarah sighed,
"Today was worse than yesterday, but Brendon got her to sleep. It's pretty bad." She spoke honestly, anguish tightly laced her voice. Almost defeated.

"Hey Zack, thank you for coming over I know it's late." I thanked him, even at 3 am he's here to help.

"It's no problem man, Tatum is basically a niece to me and I know you guys are really worried." He spoke calmly.

"I'll take her, and put her in the car. You go get shoes and stuff." Sarah smiled handing the car keys to Zack, carefully picking Tatum up off my chest and walking out to the car. I sat up, dropped my head into my hands and sighed.

"what do you think it is B?" Zack asked leaning against the entryway of the den.

"It's gotta be the flu or something like that, it's been days. It can't be cold." I said more like I was begging it to be the flu. Knowing it could be leukemia or something that could take this precious two year old from us. Something I never thought I would have, a kid. I never wanted one till Sarah and I saw the two lines on that test, or that little blob on that first ultrasound, or heard the metronome of a heartbeat.

"She's gonna be okay, she's a Urie. She's 50% percent you, and look at all you've survived." Zack and I chuckled, he is right I've done some crazy shit.

"Can't kill a Urie, heaven knows the universe has tried. We're like cockroaches." I smirked and walked to put on my shoes. Then I went to get my wallet and glasses. Then I followed Zack to the car, the second we got into the garage we could hear Tatum screaming crying Sarah was trying to hold her to calm her down but at this point, both of us haven't slept in two days and all we want to do is cry.

"Sarah, I'll sit with her, you sit in the passenger seat," I spoke, taking the hysterically two-year-old in my arms.

"Come on sweetie. You're okay, we are gonna go to the hospital and you'll feel better soon." I mumbled into her ear, her cry's silenced a little but not a lot. I got her into her car seat and sat down in the seat next to her.

"Let's go," Sarah spoke, the fatigue and sadness evident in her voice. Zack pulled out of the garage and drove to the nearest hospital.

—drive drive drive—

Somehow Tatum had managed to fall asleep in her car seat, I think we all took a sigh of relief. Sarah went into the ER and explained what was going on. All I could think was, just let it be a cold, let it be the flu.