Stay Together For The Kids - Michael Clifford Fanfiction

The Search.

"What do you mean, gone?" I almost yell. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be real.

Karen is sobbing greatly and it takes a lot of my patience to listen to her.

"Michael," she stammers, "I woke up this morning and they were gone, and my car was gone. I told him he couldn't go anywhere, and he got angry last night. I tried calling him but he hasn't answered." She is crying heavily now, and looks distraught.

My stomach is doing backflips. No. He wouldn't do anything with Ruby.

"Maybe, they've just gone out for breakfast." I say desperately.

Karen shakes her head.

"He told me, he was going to take her away. I didn't believe him. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Karen is rocking and I can barely believe my ears. I can feel everything crumbling down inside me. But my determination is far too strong. I had to get Ruby back.

"Karen," I say, gripping her arm. "Did Michael tell you where they were going?"

Karen manages to shake her head.

My breathing is getting quicker and the on set of panic has started to take over.

"Get in the car." I command her. She obliges, following me to my car and getting in the passenger side. I know I'm in no state to drive, but neither is she.

"Let's go to the shops first, he might of taken her to get something. He knows Ruby needs breakfast."

"Look for my car." She says.

I nod. I can't speak. I feel sick.

We pull into the shopping car park, searching around it in an urgent silence.

"It's not here." Karen says quietly.

Panic is rising but I try to push it down.

"There's another shopping centre up the road." I say quickly.

I'm sounding more optimistic then I feel.

We drive down the street quicker then I should. Karen is silent, until I hear her suddenly yell.

"There!" She calls out. She's pointing to a car parked on the side of the road. I recognise the silver as Karen's car.

I quickly pull up next to it and we both run out of the car, not caring to turn the car off or to close the doors.

I rip the passenger door open, and find nothing.

No one. Nothing. An empty car that looks like it hadn't ever been touched.

Karen and I look at each other over the car.

"Where are they?" I croak out.

Karen shakes her head.

"You don't think this means?" She says. I know what she's thinking. I don't want to believe they were in an accident.

"No." I say quickly. "There's no damage to the car or anything. He just parked it here."

"Why?" She asks, bewildered.

I take a big gulp.

"He doesn't want us to find him." I say quietly.

We get back in the car, an energy of fear surrounding us.

I try to clear my throat, and act more positive.

"Our old house is just around the corner. We can go there and try and figure out what to do next." I say.

"Do you think he's taken her back home?" She asks.

I shrug. I hadn't thought of the possibility. I hadn't been able to think clearly on anything.

We pull up to the house and almost run up to the house. I fiddle quickly with the key and swing the door open.

"Ruby?" I call, running up the stairs to look in her room.

I hear Karen calling out downstairs, looking through the living room and kitchen.

I walk into our old bedroom, quickly looking around.

The panic starts to boil over, and I can feel the impending doom starting to take over. I can barely see straight.

I walk quickly downstairs.

"Anything?" I say to Karen as I meet her in the kitchen.

Karen shakes her head.

"Where the hell is she?" I cry to the room. I'm pacing through the kitchen. I don't know where to go now.

Karen stops pacing and looks at me fearfully.

"Lily, do you hear that?" She whispers.

I look at her and try to listen.

That's when I hear it. The soft dull of breathing, and another sound. It sounds like a whimper.

"You don't think?" I ask, trailing off.

Karen looks terrified.

Karen walks around the kitchen island and to a cupboard. It was a walk in pantry. I dare to believe it.

Holding her breath, Karen opens the cupboard door slowly.

The sight makes me almost cry out in relief.

Michael is lying in a heap on the ground, snoring softly. Ruby is sitting next to him, and awake, looking startled to see us.

"Mummy." She cries, leaping forward into my arms.

She looks terrified as I hold her tight to me. She is crying softly, and I start crying to.

"Shh. It's ok, I'm here." I say softly.

Karen is just staring down at her son.

"Lily." She whispers. I'm too busy trying to quieten Ruby down.

"Lily." She repeats.

I turn to her. "What?"

Karen nods at the ground. Michael is on the ground, stirring. His eyes haven't fully opened yet, but I know he's awake.

I have stopped breathing, and all three of us are staring down at him.

"Run." Karen whispers.

I don't have to think twice. Holding onto Ruby tight, I run up the stairs. I'm not even at the top when I hear Michael's scream of rage.

As soon as I'm up the top of the stairs, I start to panic. Running up here was a stupid idea, but it was the closest exit I have. I quickly slam us into Ruby's room, locking the door shut and holding my back against the door.

I sit down against it, as Ruby hugs tightly into me. She is still whimpering, and I'm trying to quieten her so I can hear what is going on downstairs.

There is a lot of yelling, and a lot of sounds of things being broken. I can't make out much of it.

Then, there is silence. And for the first time that I can remember, the silence is the scariest thing I've ever heard.