Godfather

3

Today was the day.

The day that Daisy was finally getting out of the hospital after being trapped in there for what felt like aeons. Her memory was still a bit foggy in places, and her cuts and bruises were still very prominent, but she was finally okay to leave the dreadful place.

Luke was scared out of his mind, though. Yes, he was more than happy that she was finally getting out of the overly sanitised facility and was getting better, that also meant that he had to face the realities of his future. He was a father now. Or, at least a legal guardian. And even though he loved Daisy more than anything, he was still petrified.

How was he going to manage being Daisy's parental figure and going on tour at the same time? What about school? How was she going to adjust to being uprooted from her old life and thrusted into some new one all of the sudden? How would management act? How would the boys feel? What about the fans?

These were the questions that ran through his head as he stared down at the little girl curled up in his side, sleeping away her aches, pains, and traumas. Daisy had grown accustomed to sleeping next to Luke. Her hospital bed was easily big enough for the both of them, so as the days passed while she was in hospital, he found himself resting with her on the comfortable mattress as well. Anything was better than those cheap plastic chairs.

"I don't know what I'm to do, Daisy," He murmured, running his fingers through her hair soothingly. "You've already been through so much, I just want you to be happy."

Luke pulled her a little bit closer, smiling a little bit as she cuddled deeper into his side, and ran his index finger over her chubby little cheek.

"I'm gonna try my best, baby," He whispered, bending down and sealing his promise with a kiss on the head. "I swear."

"Mr. Hemmings?"

The soft knock and soothing voice were the things that broke Luke out of his trans.

"Come in."

The nurse walked into the room with a happy smile on her face and a tray full of different tools, letting Luke know that it was time for Daisy to get out.

"Do you want me to wake her up?"

"Yes, please."

Nodding, Luke gently brought Daisy into his chest before waking her up.

"Daisy? Daisy, baby, time to wake up," Luke spoke, causing the three year old to stir. "Come on, Daisy. The sooner you wake up, the sooner we can leave. Isn't that what you want?"

Daisy, being the grouchy little one that she was, didn't take kindly to being woken up from her slumber early. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let out a whine, making Luke chuckle.

"I know, I know, waking up is so difficult, but after this you can sleep all you want, baby."

"Sleep now." Daisy whimpered, sniffling.

Luke, sensing the oncoming waterworks, rubbed her back in soothing little circles and mumbled little nothings into her ear, trying to calm her down a little bit.

"Daisy, baby, you have to calm down now." Luke said, a little more stern, but still calming, in a way. "I get that you're sleepy, I do, but it'll take only a few minutes before you can go back to sleep. You just have to cooperate, okay?"

And, just like that, Daisy Jane let out a little huff, and sat down on his lap, still curling up into his chest despite her mood. The nurse just smiled at the boy, who sent an amused one back, stroking his little brat's hair once again to make her feel a little bit better. And without anymore disruptions, the nurse promptly started her last examination of the little girl.

After that was done (not to mention a few more grumpy moments and some tears) then came the hard part. The needles. Only this time they weren't going in, they were coming out. And with Daisy in particular, it was a lot worse than the first part.

"Ouch!" Daisy cried, squirming while the nurse took out the IV. "Luke, it hurts! Make it stop!"

"It's almost over baby, she's almost done." Luke reassured, hiding her face in his chest and using the other arm to keep her still as the nurse finished and put a band-aid on her. "Look! It's out! See? No more wires!"

And although that did little to nothing to soothe the young girl in his arms, when he brought her into his full embrace (without the intrusion of wires getting in the way), she eased up after a minute. She just needed some love, is all.

"That's a good girl," Luke said in a soothing, yet proud tone. "My brave little baby."

"H-Home, n-n-now?" Daisy asked thorough her sniffling.

"Yes, Daisy. We can go home now."

Except, well, for Daisy, home was her house. Her bed. Her walls that were covered in her drawings and colouring book pages. Under her parents' duvet cover on Saturday mornings when they'd play together and pretend they couldn't see her. It was watching her mommy and daddy dance barefoot on the kitchen tiles to songs from when they were teenagers and dancing with them. It was family. That was her home.

But Luke meant the word "home" as in his place. The one he had rented out in Australia all those months back in case he ever wanted to take a visit to his childhood city. The place that was mostly white walls and new, practically untouched, furniture. The place that Luke barely knew for himself.

Luke meant the word "home" as in a house. Not a home.

But the pair said nothing more to each other as Luke got Daisy dressed in some proper clothes and checked her out, thanking the nurses for all that they've done. The nurses smiled and blushed slightly at the attention that they were being given by the rock star, and Daisy's nurse came back from around the desk so that she could talk to them properly.

"My friend called back," She informed, looking into Luke's eyes. "They said that they're working on Daisy's paperwork immediately, and that all you need to do is come in whenever is best for you so that everything can be settled. Here's a packet of Daisy's documents that I had printed for you, so you don't have to waste time getting those from the government, and here's my friend's card. They'll be expecting you at any time."

Luke was floored. This woman had done more for him than he could have ever hoped or asked for. She was an angel. A true angel.

"Thank you," Luke spoke, trying to hold back his tears. "Thank you so much."

"Luke I said," She smiled, breaking the contact and smiling at the man. "You've got a lot on your plate right now. You need a little help."

"Any show I play for the rest of my life, you're on the guest list for it. No questions asked." Luke blurted out. "Friends, too! Any number! Best seats in the house, and backstage passes!"

The nurse laughed at the rambling boy and nodded her head, accepting his offer.

"I'll be sure to take you up on that," She grinned. "Just be sure to call if you need anything else. I wrote my number on the back of my friend's card. And don't be shy, either."

"I won't. Thank you."

Luke couldn't help himself from giving the helpful woman another hug.

"Thank you."

"You already said that." The nurse laughed.

"And I'll say it again. Thank you."

Smiling at each other, Luke and the nurse finally parted ways, allowing each other to go back to their work. The nurse being a literal lifesaver, and Luke being the broken musician with a kid. He and Daisy were guided out by hospital security through some alternate route, where a cab was waiting, and drove them "home".

Daisy sleeping the whole time.