Title: Headaches

Part One: Collapse

Author: Kayson

A/N: Just going to be a story about a girl named Riley who has a very serious medical problem. Either a brain tumor or something similar. Going through her struggle. Just an idea I got from my own headaches. Please read and review, whether you liked the story or not. Thanks.

~*~*~*~*~

“ I'm sorry dad, it's just I've had a headache all day, despite aspirin, and I still have homework to do and my laundry isn't finished. I'm sorry.” The brunette was trying to apologize for her abrupt behavior.

“ It's okay. I'll leave you to your work.” He wasn't happy but he left anyway.

“ I'm sorry.” She whispered towards the closed door. My head hurts. Going back to her homework, the girl tried to ignore the pounding in her skull.

~*~*~*~*~

“ Okay. Wake up, sunshine.” Her father entered her room, sounding a wake-up call.

“ Make it stop.” She groaned, clutching her head. His voice, the sound of the dogs collar jingling and the radio were making her head all that much worse.

“ Make what stop?” Standing by the rail on her loft bed, his face peered into his daughters', full of concern.

“ The noise. It hurts.” She kept whispering, trying to cover her ears and stop the noise from coming in.

“ Riley?” He questioned, stretching his hands in the space to feel her forehead. “ You don't have a fever.”

“ It feels like someone's hammering on my head.”

“ Okay sweetie. Just stay in bed. You can stay home today. Do you need anything?”

“ Stop the sounds.”

Riley uttered before pulling the pillow over her head. Nodding, her father stooped over and shut off the radio, leaving her room in somewhat silence.

~*~*~*~*~

“ Riley?” She groaned as her dad's girlfriend called out. Sarah had broken her leg a couple of weeks ago and was staying home with her. As always when Riley was home, she asked her to do things.

“ Yeah?” She practically whispered, knowing Sarah wouldn't hear her.

“ Riley can you come here?” Sarah called again.

“ Coming!” Riley called louder, wincing at the pain it caused in her head.

“ Riley, can you get me some water?” Sarah didn't notice the pain her voice, the tv, and the dog were causing Riley's head. Nodding and rubbing her temples she grabbed the water bottle and started down the stairs.

With two stairs left, she collapsed and fell, knocking her head hard on the floor.

“ Riley? Riley what happened? Riley!” Sarah called, struggling to get out of the bed when she couldn't hear a response. Getting to the top of the stairs, she saw Riley sprawled on the floor. Frightened, she rushed, as much as she could with a walker, back in the room to her cell phone.

“ Keith? Keith, it's me. It's about Riley, she collapsed.”

“ What? What happened?”

“ I don't know. I asked her to get me some water and all I heard was a thump. When I got to where I could see her, she was unconscious. I couldn't get down there just yet.”

“ I'll be home in ten minutes. Just stay put. Better yet, get down to her and make sure nothing's broken.” As the phone was put down Sarah could just hear groaning coming from the bottom of the stairs.

“ Riley?!” She called hobbling back out.

“ Shut up.” Was the reply from the twisted form of the girl at the bottom of the stairs.

“ Sorry.” Sarah slid down the stairs on her butt, trying to make sure she didn't jostle her leg. “ Anything broken?”

“ My head hurts.” The two sat like that for fifteen minutes until they heard a very audible slam and then her father shouting.

“ Honey!” He yelled, slamming two more doors as the dog, Taylor, scrambled to greet him.

“ Shut up!” Riley yelled, wincing as her head was shot through with pain.

“ Honey?” He asked, going to help her up.

“ My head hurts.”

“ Come on. It's your turn to get taken to the hospital.” He said, helping her stand.