If || rsl & r5 (SLOW UPDATES)

• 6 •

Charlotte's POV

His hand grabbed mine and I felt my breath hitch. "Charlie, please at least let me help you. I can give you a ride and you can stay the night at the hotel. I'll sleep on the couch." He gave me a hopeful look, his hazel eyes pleadingly staring at me.

I hesitated, glancing back at my sleeping son and Mel who was on her phone. "Fine."

"Awesome." He gave me a small smile and opened the car door, scooping Ian into his arms as I stared at him in panic.

"Ross-"

"Relax, Charlie. Did you forget that I have a little brother? I do remember how to hold a child." He chuckled softly and carried Ian towards the tour bus.

I heaved a sigh, noticing a smirk on Mel's face as she got out of the car, "You'll thank me later, Char."

I rolled my eyes as she locked the car and we followed Ross who was already in the tour bus, with Ian asleep in his arms. He looked up at me and I felt myself stumbling backwards as the bus started moving. "Come and sit down. I don't want you falling over and getting hurt." Ross reached out his hand, pulling me closer as the bus swerved a corner and I quickly sat down next to him.

Mel was about to walk to another part of the bus but I begged her to stay to which she refused and carried on down the corridor where the others were. Having Ross hold my son - our son - was enough already and now the thought of being alone with him genuinely scared me.

"Charlie, a-are you ever going to be able to forgive me?" Ross finally spoke up after a while.

I swallowed a lump in my throat, "I don't want to talk about it here, not with Ian here."

"I'll go lay him down in the bunk-" he somehow effortlessly lifted himself up from the couch with Ian in his arms but I grabbed his arm, making him look at me with a smile on his face and I arched an eyebrow in confusion.

"Why are you smiling that, like an idiot?" I questioned, genuinely confused as to why he was smiling.

"Because that's the first time you touched my arm." He plopped himself back down next to me as I avoided eye contact at all costs, instead focusing on Ian and brushing my fingers over his growing blonde locks.

It seemed like an eternity when the bus finally pulled up in the parking lot of the hotel and I stood up, picking up Ian out of Ross's arms and into mine as I carried my son out and into the building.

I looked around for Mel once we were inside and I was still holding a sleeping Ian in my arms. He was an angel but holding him for so long was beginning to make my arms ache. Ross offered to hold him as he led me to his room.

I was surprised by how Ross was behaving around Ian. Any guy would've probably made a run as soon as he'd realize the fact of having a child, but Ross was acting like he was already a part of the family which he won't be anytime soon.

"Do you want to uh...make yourself comfortable and I-I'll sleep on the couch?" Ross nervously scratched the back of his neck.

"Oh, uh, sure, I guess." I gave him a tight smile and tucked my son into the double bed which made him look so tiny. I pressed my lips to his forehead, aware that Ross was watching me. Before I could really think about what I was doing, I gave him the smallest smile I could muster, my voice soft. "Thank you."

He mimicked my smile, his lips quirking upwards. "You're welcome." He glanced at Ian as he slept, and his smile widened. "He looks so much like you."

Despite the tense air that surrounded us, I let out a slight chuckle. "You don't have to lie to me. He's practically the spitting image of you."

An awkward silence ensued, neither one of us knowing what to say. Conversation wasn't easy to come by anymore, obviously, and it wasn't like I was thrilled to be here. Being in the same room with him was difficult, almost unbearable, but I didn't have a choice in the matter. Waiting for a tow truck could've taken hours, and I wasn't about to let Ian sleep in the car for that amount of time.

So, with a quick cough to clear my throat, I excused myself to the bathroom, wanting to wash my face. As soon as the door was shut, I leaned against the wooden frame, mentally and physically exhausted.

Today was full of too many surprises, and unfortunately none of them were good.

This is the second update this week because I can't believe this book has over 500 reads and I love you guys so much but I'm sorry this is a short chapter