nurse; mgc

sixty

Michael's POV

"You're free to go, Clifford." The guard spat at me, shoving me along to long dark hallway, up into what looked like a driveway. I heard the clang of my handcuffs being separated, and he just pushed me outside the gate. I soon realized, this is where the vans come in. I walked up the driveway that led into the garage, slowly and steadily— still trying to wrap my mind about the fact that I'm free. Michael Gordon Clifford, after 17 years in prison.. is free!

I squinted my eyes at the light, looking up at my surrondings. Sydney looked so different now. Obviously it was 2034, I thought by now there would be flying cars and shit but no. The buildings are a little taller, the sky is a little darker, and the people are a whole lot bigger.

My hair was in a short buzzcut, now growing brown, its natural colour and I had a bit of stubble growing in that I wasn't able to shave. It made me sad my 20's were spent wasting away in a jail cell, while my son was growing up. After Calum told me Jazzy didn't wake up, the visited got less and less. And besides from a few family photos, I never actually met our son. Jasmine's dad does still make time to visit every week, and from what he's telling me, Calum is pretty much raising him.

I finally reached the end of the driveway, only to see a empty parking lot, other than a few cars. In the corner of my eye I see a tall black guy, with his arms crossed infront of his chest. I turn to face him, only to see he was a few parking spots away from where I was standing.

"Are you Michael Clifford?!" He shouted, and we both began to walk towards eachother.

I guess Calum must've sent some kind of über? That lazy bastard.

"Y-Yeah, I am." I responded, now we were arms length apart. I saw the young man tear up. I placed a hand on his shoulder, and shook him. "Why are you crying?" I asked, he flashed his big brown eyes at me and said one word that stopped my heart. "Dad"

"Reece?" I asked, he nodded. My eyes began to water, now examining his face I could see the little boy in the photos. That was my baby boy. Tears began to stream from both of our faces, I jumped on him engulfing him in a big hug. We sobbed into eachothers shoulders, rocking back and forth. "Dad..Dad..Dad" he repeated between sobs. "Oh God, it's my dad!" He chuckled, slapping my back. All I could do was smile.

I rubbed his head, full of looser curls. He looked so much like Jasmine. "I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry, I should've been there, I should've been with you, I should've raised you— I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry.." I sobbed back into his shoulder and he just shook his head.

"Don't cry, Dad. You're here now. That's all I need."

-

"This isn't a good way to meet." I chuckled, looking over at Reece in the drivers seat. I wiped my now happy tears, looking over at the family pictures Reece had brought for me. Jasmine looked so beautiful, didn't look a minute over how I left her. She was probably in her mid 30's aswell, but doesn't look a day over 19.

"Is she awake?" I asked him, running my thumb over her face. "Who? Mama?" He asked me, taking a turn into some kind of parking lot. "Yeah." I said and he bit his lip. "Uncle Calum told me not to talk about Mama, something about him needing to explain a few things." Reece explained and I wanted so badly to roll my eyes.

"Okay. Let's grab some coffee." He said, putting the car in park and climbing out the door. I followed him inside of the Starbucks which now had a completely different symbol.

I ordered just a small black coffee, and Reece ordered a complicated bungle of things, he bought me a sandwich and 2 croissants- that I wanted to refuse but I was starving. He paid for everything and told me to sit as he collected our food.

"How old are you, Reece?" I asked him as he sat down with the tray of food. I slowly unwrapped my sandwich, and took a bite. "16" he smiled, showing off a little dimple before biting into a croissant.

"Why were you arrested?" He asked.

"Um.. Mama," I copied his nickname for Jasmine, "she had this old boyfriend. and basically, she told him that she had found someone else but he didn't respect that, and he tried to shoot her. but, I... I.."

"you shot him?" Reece whispered and i nodded. "I did."

"Thanks for saving my life." He chuckled and I laughed a little. I never thought about it that way. I guess Jasmine was pregnant at the time of the shooting. If I wouldn't have shot Xavier, Jasmine and Reece wouldn't be alive.

"Mama told me you changed your plea."

"I did" I nodded, secretly smiling at the fact that Jasmine still talked about me. "Why?"

"Their family was really poor, and you could see that he was a big source of income for them. it wouldn't have been right to take advantage of my white privilege. People say what I did was selfish. In a way, it was. If I didn't take the plea, I could've raised you, Calum could've continued on with his studies. So could've Mama. But I wouldn't have been able to live with myself." I said, it finally felt good to release the thoughts I had been thinking for 17 years.

"Do you regret it?" He asked, I shook my head no. "At the end of the day. I did the right thing." I said and he nodded.

"So.. any cute girls.... o-or boys at school?" I said and he just laughed. "I'm straight, and yes. I have a girlfriend." He said and I laughed. "Good for you, buddy. Use protection." I said and he rolled his eyes.

"You're just like grandpa!"

-

Reece and I spent a few more moments in Starbucks, before deciding to head home. As much as I didn't want to confront it, but I had a strong feeling that Jasmine had passed away. Or ran away, because coming up to the final months of my sentence her dad refused to bring her up in conversation.

He drove me along a road i couldn't no longer recognize, and began to drive through a neighbourhood until pulling into a big house.

How they could afford this, i had no idea.

I climbed out of the car with Reece, by now it was pitch black outside. I entered the household, and immediately heard heavy footsteps rushing towards the door. I kicked my shoes off and before I knew it two tight bodies were clinging onto me. I looked down to see Ashton and Calum.

"Ash! Cal!" I exclaimed hugging them tight. They all seperated for me, revealing the only person I wanted to see.. Jasmine.

Alive, breathing, and conscious. A huge smile spread across her face, and tears welled in our eyes as our lips collided together. It was like nothing had ever happened. Like we had never been separated. Like it was 2017 all over again. Our love wasn't a day past how I left it, and having her in my arms was all I could ever ask for now. God, what where would I be right now without her? Living with my parents, still in the band? It doesn't even matter. Thank god— she was my nurse.