Give Into Me

Chapter Sixteen

"Go ahead with the C-Section." Ashton said softly, looking up at Dr. Brighton. 

"Yes, sir. You'll be the first to know how things go." Dr. Brighton nodded before heading into the room with Harley. 

"This can't be happening.." Ashton shook his head, tears filling his eyes.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay. The doctors are gonna help both of them and everything's going to be just fine." Luke sighed, wrapping his arms around Ashton. Ashton nuzzled his face into Luke's shoulder and let the tears fall freely.

"I just bought a ring.." Ashton cried, gripping Luke's shirt.

"You bought a ring?" Luke asked quiely. 

"We had just come out of the shop when you called to tell me that Harley was here." Ashton sniffled. "I can't lose her. She means too much to me.." 

"Hey, you won't lose her. She's going to be just fine." Luke rubbed Ashton's arm. "These doctors know what they're doing, they can help Harley and the baby."

"What if Harley doesn't make it? I can't be a single father at 23." Ashton wiped his nose on the back of his hand. "I'm still growing up, how am I supposed to raise a child when I'm still a child?"

"Ashton, you have so much support. You wouldn't do it alone. You'd have me, Michael, Calum, even Hannah and Tyler." Luke rubbed Ashton's back.

"I don't want my daughter to grow up without her mother." Ashton sobbed, covering his face with his hands. Luke sighed heavily and pulled Ashton's body closer to his. Luke held him close until he had cried himself to sleep. Luke had called Calum, Hannah, and Tyler and told them the gist of what was happening. The three of them walked up to the waiting room together.

"Any news yet?" Hannah asked, sitting down next to where Luke sat with Ashton's sleeping form huddled next to him.

"Not yet. They started the C-Section almost 2 hours ago." Luke sighed.

"It should be done soon then, right?" Calum asked, sitting on the other side of Ashton and Luke. 

"I don't know, I hope so." Luke shook his head. "All this waiting is driving me crazy."

"Where did Michael go? I thought he was here with you guys?" Tyler asked.

"He said he was going to talk to someone." Luke said, leaning back in his chair. "I think he just wanted to get out of here, and I do too, but Harley could come out at any time."

"At least Ashton's getting some sleep." Hannah sighed, looking down at Ashton.

"Yeah, he cried himself to sleep on me." Luke sighed and ran his fingers through Ashton's hair. "Ashton bought a ring." 

"He what?" Tyler snarled, looking at Luke. 

"He and Michael were buying the ring when I called after the accident." Luke explained. 

"They're too young to be married." Tyler shook his head.

"Honey, they're already starting a family." Hannah reasoned. "They're mature enough to be parents, and they're mature enough to be married." Tyler was about to argue back when Dr. Brighton came out, his lab coat covered in blood. Luke shook Ashton, waking him up.

"Oh, God.. Is that Harley's blood?" Ashton asked, looking at Dr. Brighton.

"Your daughter is waiting to see you, sir." Dr. Brighton smiled softly. Ashton stood up quickly. 

"Is the baby okay?"

"She's been put in an incubator, but we have high hopes that she'll survive." Dr. Brighton nodded.

"What about Harley? Is Harley okay?" Ashton asked.

"She's being taken into surgery for her wounds, but they say she'll be alright." He explained. "I can take you back to the baby now." Luke stood up, wanting to accompany Ashton. "Just the father, please. She's in such a fragile stage, any outside contamination can harm her. We want to minimize that as much as possible, and we do that by only allowing one person back." 

"Oh, okay." Luke nodded, sitting back down. Ashton took a deep breath and followed Dr. Brighton into the neonatal intensive care unit. Dr. Brighton gave Ashton a bright yellow gown and helped him put it on, along with a pair of gloves. He pulled a chair up to a small table with a basin attached to it.

"Congratulations, sir." Dr. Brighton smiled softly and gestured for Ashton to sit down. Ashton let out a shaky breath and sat down, looking at the baby girl in front of him. 

"Oh, my God.." Ashton choked out, tears filling his eyes.

"I'll give you two some time to get to know each other." Dr. Brighton smiled. "I'll come find you if I have news on Harley." 

"Thank you, sir." Ashton smiled softly, not taking his eyes off of the little baby in front of him. He carefully pushed his hands through the plastic of the incubator and rubbed his pinky finger over her cheek. "Hi, princess." He whispered, trying to fight back the tears. "You're so beautiful, I'm so happy I'm your daddy." Ashton chuckled, tears falling down his cheeks. He used his sleeves to wipe his eyes. "God, I wish your momma was here to see you. We've waited so long to finally meet you." Ashton could hardly breathe. He looked down at the small baby in front of him. He couldn't hold back the sobs. He pulled his hands out of the incubator and placed them over his face. He sobbed into his palms. 

"Hey, Ash." Michael said softly as he entered the room. He was dressed in the same yellow gown the doctor had made Ashton wear. Ashton pulled his face from his hands and looked at Michael.

"I thought it was only safe for one person to be in here with her?" Ashton wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"I convinced Dr. Brighton to let me back." Michael pulled up a chair next to Ashton. "My god, she's tiny." Michael cooed, looking at the baby in the incubator. 

"She's only 10 inches long." Ashton said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Have you heard anything on Harley yet?"

"She's out of surgery, but she's still in a coma." Michael sighed. "I have something for you." Ashton turned to look at Michael again. He pulled a small black box from his pocket and handed it to Ashton. Ashton took the box and opened it, tears filling his eyes again. 

"It's the ring." He ran his thumb over the diamond. 

"I told Crystal what happened, and she rushed the process for us. She put your order through first." 

"Mike, Harley might not even make it out of here.. you didn't have to get the ring.." 

"Even if Harley doesn't make it, which she will, Crystal wanted you to have the ring." Michael rubbed Ashton's shoulder gently. "I should get back to the others." Michael stood up.

"Thank you, Mike." Ashton sighed, looking at the ring again.

"You're welcome." Michael forced a smile before walking to the door. "And, Ashton, Dr. Brighton wanted me to tell you that the baby might be more responsive if you sing to her."

"Sing to her?" Ashton looked at him a little confused. 

"It'll help her learn your voice." Michael smiled before walking out of the room, leaving Ashton alone with his daughter once more. He spent the next 48 hours with her. He stayed awake the whole time, even while she slept. He was constantly talking to her and singing to her, wanting her to learn is voice, as Michael had said. He was in the middle of telling her the story of how he had met Harley when Luke burst into the room.

"Ashton, she's awake. Harley's awake."