the only exception

 "Give her some time to cool off," Taylor spoke quietly, grabbing Hayleys wrist as she moved past him towards the stairs. She stopped mid step to relax against his touch, clearly overwhelmed.

Seconds later they heard a door slam and music start blaring from the teens room, earning a groan from Hayley.

"I'm at least gonna tell her to turn the music down," she decided, pulling her arm from his grasp and making her way upstairs. She's fine with giving Phoebe space, but she wasn't gonna just let her slam doors and shake the house with her speakers.

Taylor followed behind, "She's already upset, just give her some space."

"I will give her some space, but she's turning the music down and keeping her door open." Hayley reiterated, stopping at the top of the stairs to face him. "I'm sorry but I'm not gonna let a teenage girl who just said how much she hates life and doesn't wanna do it anymore lock herself away in her room. No way. Especially not with everything she's gone through and how much impulse control she seems to lack."

Taylor stared at her for a moment, eyes sad, before nodding.

When they arrived at her room, Hayley knocked, even if it was futile with the music playing so loudly on the other side of the door. After a moment of waiting she opened the door to find Phoebe curled up in bed, facing away from the door.

Hayley knew the teen hadn't heard them enter, she could barely hear her own thoughts. Watching Phoebe shake slightly, obviously crying was hard and all she wanted to do was follow the urge to comfort the younger girl, but knew that wouldn't be the right move in this situation.

So, instead, she silently made her way over to the speaker and turned it down to where it was still loud, but hopefully wouldn't bleed throughout the whole house. Although she expected some kind of complaint from Phoebe, she found that the silence was worse.

"Try to keep the music down a little bit, okay?" Hayley told her, staring at the back of Phoebe's head as she stilled, "And the door stays open. For now, at least."

She waited for any kind of acknowledgment, but it never came. After a few seconds of waiting, Taylor lightly nudged her hip, tilting his head towards the door, earning a nod from Hayley before they both made their way out of the room.

"Do you need anything?" Taylor asked as he followed Hayley into their room, watching as she fell back on the bed.

"A time machine?"

Taylor smiled sadly, "I wish I could get that for you."

"Me too."

"How about some tea? I could get Alf up here for some quality cuddles?" Taylor suggested, earning a small smile from Hayley.

"I have a cup of tea in the music room if you don't mind? And I'll always accept Alf cuddles."

"On it," Taylor nodded, leaving the room only to return a few moments later with a mug in hand and Alf behind him. "She'll talk to us when she's ready,"

Hayley accepted the drink, taking a sip before setting it on the nightstand and moving to lay back down. "And if she doesn't?" Hayley sighed, eyes closing, "I mean, what are we doing wrong here?"

Taylor frowned, both of them trying to keep their voices low, "I don't think we're doing anything wrong. She's just been through a lot and she's still young. She doesn't know how to regulate herself or her emotions yet. Plus, teenagers act out. It's kind of part of the deal."

"I guess," Hayley mumbled, turning her head to face him, "You think she meant it?"

"No, I really don't." He said easily, sitting beside her hip on the bed and intertwining their fingers, "She adores you. I think anyone can see how much you two love each other."

"She loves you too," Hayley assured, because even if she was the one taking Phoebe's words harder, she can tell they hurt Taylor too. She doesn't think there's a word where it wouldn't hurt.

"I know." Taylor nodded sadly, "I think she's just scared about her birth parents showing up and she doesn't know what's gonna happen. Her whole life has been out of her control and this is another thing she has to add to the list now."

"It shouldn't be out of her control though. I just wish there was something I could do to fix this all for her. Give her whatever she wants." Hayley whispered, eyes shining with tears as Taylor nodded.

"I know, I do too."

"And what if she meant it? What if none of this is real to her and she decides she wants to go with Erin? I'll fight for her, I always will, but not if it's not what she wants." Hayley's words were soft, but the feelings were so harsh that she felt like she might explode.

Taylor shook his head, "I don't see that happening, Hayles."

"Why wouldn't it happen? Erin is her mom. Her real mom."

"No," Taylor shook his head, "We aren't gonna do that. You've been there for her from the moment you met her. You drive her to school, make her favorite foods, braid her hair, make her do her homework, and comfort her when she's had a bad dream. You do all the mom stuff, Hayley, and you have been for a while now. Above all, you love her more than anything. Everyone knows that."

Hayley wiped under her eyes, desperate to get the tears under control, "I just don't wanna lose her, T. I was already scared of it happening when Murphy first showed up about Erin, but now?"

"Now nothing." Taylor cut her off, "One fight doesn't change everything, think about how much you'd fight with your mom in highschool. It's basically a right of passage, yeah?"

Hayley shrugged, curling into herself more as Taylor sighed.

"Do you need anything?"

Hayley shook her head, "I'm okay, thank you."

"Try not to lounge around too much, you know it always just makes you feel worse." Taylor warned her gently, earning a soft smile from Hayley who knows he's always just trying to look out for her.

"Lay with me a bit?"

"Of course," Taylor smiled sadly, scooting down on the bed before laying down and wrapping his arms around her, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. "It's all gonna work out."

___

a/n

writing this as an escape from the war that is paramore twt right now. enjoy the angst, but soft tayley!