Stay Together For The Kids - Michael Clifford Fanfiction

The Beginning of the End.

I hug Ruby close to me as I try to settle her. She falls back asleep quickly, used to being unsettled at this time of night. Maybe when she wakes up she can believe the crashing and yelling is nothing but a bad dream.
I walk slowly down the stairs, Ruby resting in my arms, each step guiding me to a scene I don't want to live through.
I walk into the kitchen, where Michael is distractedly walking around the kitchen, looking almost lost. I see the broken glass on the ground.
"What are you doing here, Michael?" I ask, my voice coming out much stronger then I felt.
Michael turns in surprise to me.
"What are you doing up?" He grunts, looking less then pleased to see me in my dressing gown clutching his daughter.
"You woke up Ruby when you broke the glass." I nod to the mess on the floor.
Michael barely listens as he staggers towards me.
"Let me hold her." Michael says, reaching out for his daughter.
I can smell the alcohol and god knows what else on him as he comes closer to me. I take a step back instinctively, and I receive a glare from Michael in return.
"She just fell asleep, can't it wait until morning?"
I didn't want to tell him the reason I didn't want him to hold his daughter was because every time he got like this I was so scared he was going to hurt her. Nevertheless, I can tell Michael is pissed off at my refusal. He towers over me, and I can see his jaw tighten as he looks down at me. He doesn't say anything, but turns away from me. admitting defeat.
I sigh slightly, relieved there was no confrontation while Ruby was here.
I turn back up the stairs, leaving Michael in the kitchen.
I tuck Ruby into her cot, watching over her for a second. One day you will have a happy home, I promise her silently. God, I wish I could believe that.
I grab her baby monitor and head down the stairs to deal with my very drunk husband.
"What are you doing here, Michael?" I repeat, as I enter the kitchen again.
"I live here." He spits at me, not bothering to even look at me.
"Do you?" I ask, my eyebrows raised.
Michael grunted, his back to me still as he searches for food.
"Couldn't you find a place for your dick to rest tonight?" I ask, instantly regretting it.
It was like I had lit a match. Michael turns to face me.
"Don't fucking start." He says, moving over to the fridge.
"I'm not starting anything, I'm ending it."
"Really?" Michael scoffs.
"My lawyer says we could be fully divorced in three months."
"Does he now?"
"Yes." I say. The conversation is too platonic. I'm waiting for him to jeer at me like he usually would.
"Are you fucking him too?" He asks, smirking.
This was the conversation I was expecting.
"Would it really change anything?" I ask, trying to read what expression I can get out of him.
Michael looks at me for awhile until he finally says 'No.'
There's a small silence, us looking at each other for a split second, until Michael continues.
"How many times have I heard this divorce threat?" He asks, almost amused.
"You're right, too many times I have threatened this and not enough has been done."
Michael shook his head.
"You won't though, you have no reason to leave."
He was kidding, right?
"I have every reason to leave. You treat me like a child, not a wife." I can feel the hurt and betrayal rise up inside me and I force myself to push it down. "And Ruby is just some kid you managed to create when you were fucking something." I continue, the hint of anger in my tone.
Michael's eyes narrow.
"Don't fucking tell me how I feel about my daughter and wife." He says lowly.
"Then stop acting like that's how you feel!"
I had pushed too far.
Michael grabbed a plate from beside him, and threw it across the room, landing on the far right side of me. I didn't even flinch. He had such bad aim when he was drunk.
"What do you want from me?" He calls from the other side of the room. "Seriously, what do you want?"
"I want you, Michael!" I plead. "I want you! I want our family back. I want you to kiss your daughter goodnight. I want you to not just come home because you've run out of food and sex. I want the Michael I fell in love with!" Heavy streams of tears came as I spoke.
Michael's expression was softer, and I saw the slight guilt begin to creep up on him now.
He opens his mouth to speak, but as he does the baby monitor goes off.
I wipe my eyes, and begin to walk up the stairs.
"Lily!" Michael calls.
I stop, and turn to look at him.
"Can we talk about this in the morning?" He asks.
I manage a small nod, before proceeding up the stairs. I had no intention of being anywhere near Michael in the morning.