End Up Here ||michael.clifford||

Eighteen

February 3rd

Michael's POV

It happened when I was on stage, in LA.

We were about to song Everything I Didn't Say when the call came.

"Guys! Wait, it's Anna, I have to take this!" I shouted.

With shaking hands, I pressed the answer button. "Hello?" I answered. "Michael, guess what?" She squealed. "Uh I don't know, what?" I asked nervously. "Congratulations! You're a father!" She screeched.

I smiled so wide I thought my face would split in half. "Okay, thank you for telling me! I'll call you back after the show but I'm kinda in the middle of a concert!" I explained quickly. "K, bye!"

I hung up and slipped my phone in my pocket, looking up. Luke and Ashton were shaking with anticipation. I walked over to the microphone nervously.

"LA... I have some amazing news." I announced. "I'm... I'm a father. My baby girl was just born."

The crowd erupted in cheers and awes and Luke, Ashton and Calum engulfed me on a hug. "Congratulations, daddy Clifford!" Ashton yelled. "Thanks Ash." I said.

OH MY GOD I HAVE A DAUGHTER.

The rest of the concert went by in a blur.

As soon as we were off stage, I ran out to the bus and yelled for the others to hurry up so we could go back to the hotel and get my things and then go home. I can't wait three days to see my baby girl and my girlfriend. That's unbearable! I have to go now.

Calum and Ashton bounced up the stairs and onto the bus and Luke was not far behind them.

"What's her name?" Ashton asked. I laughed. "I don't know yet. I didn't think to ask." I admitted. Luke whistled. "Shut up I have to call Anna back." I said.

I dialled her number and she picked up right away.

"Michael!"

"Anna banana! Tell me, what's up?" I asked impatiently. "You're baby girl is beautiful." She said. I mentally awed. She better look like her mum! "How's Lily?" I asked. "She's okay. Really tired. Labour was hard on her." Anna explained. "Can I talk to her?" I asked. "Sure."

"Mikey?" My beautiful girlfriend asked into the phone. "Hey babe. How'd it go? Are you okay?" I asked. She laughed. "I'm fine. It actually wasn't so bad. Scarlett was pretty small." She said. "Scarlett? Is that what you named her?" I asked. "Yeah. Do you like it?" Lily asked hopefully. "Like it? I love it." I said.

"Good. Look, as much as I really want to talk to you, I'm exhausted, and I really want to sleep. Do you mind?" She asked. "Of course babe. I love you and I'll be home in a few hours." I promised. "I love you to and I can't wait for you to see her." Lily said weakly.

"Bye."

I hung up and looked at the boys. They were practically dying to know. "Her name is Scarlett." I told them. "Awe! That's fucking adorable!" Calum squealed. "Hey, don't swear." Ashton said playfully.

We stopped quickly at the hotel and I gathered up my clothes. Then we headed to the airport and I got on the first flight home.

To Lily <3 :

I'm coming home :)

Twelve agonisingly long hours later, the plane landed in Sydney.

I grabbed my stuff and hailed a taxi, told them to high tail it to the hospital because my baby was waiting for me.

"Good luck son. This'll be the time of your life." The driver said when we pulled up to the hospital. "Thank you." I replied and gave him a decent tip.

The receptionist smiled when she saw me. "You don't even have to tell me your name, I know who you are. Lily is in room 327, just down the hall." She said kindly. "Thanks." I walked briskly down the hall in the direction she pointed and found her room. The door was opened and I spotted Anna sitting in a chair, looking absolutely exhausted.

I walked in and looked at Lily. She was sleeping peacefully. Anna looked up and grinned. All tension between us seemed to have been forgotten, for now at least.

She hugged me. "I'm glad you're here." She whispered. "Where is she?" I asked. She pointed to a plastic crib by Lily's bed and it had a pink bundle inside.

I walked over and peeked inside.

Inside, lie the cutest baby I'd ever seen in my entire life. I swelled with pride. She's so perfect. I gently stroked her tiny hand with mine. She smiled in her sleep and grabbed my finger. "Oh my god, she's precious." I whispered.

"Wait till she wakes up and she opens her eyes." Anna said.

I pulled out my phone with my free hand and snapped a picture, putting it on twitter.

@Michael5SOS: everyone, welcome my precious Scarlett to the world 😍

I didn't want to make Scarlett upset by pulling my finger out of her hand so I stood there until she let it go.

I moved to the chair next to Lily's bed and sat down in it, taking her hand. I ended up falling asleep that way.

I woke up hours later. Lily was awake to, holding Scarlett.

"Hey." She said, delighted. Anna had disappeared. "Hey gorgeous." I replied. She grinned and stuck out her tongue. "Want to hold her?" She asked. "Yes please."

I took the tiny bundle of pink and held her close to my chest, admiring her perfect face. She was wide awake. And her eyes were stunning. They were a wet, sad looking chocolate brown that just captivated my heart. "She has your eyes." I whispered. Yes.

"Those aren't my eyes. Those are her own version of my eyes. They're prettier." Lily said. I shook my head. "Yours."

"Okay whatever. Anyway, her full name is Scarlett Tess Clifford." She informed me. "Beautiful name for a beautiful baby."

"Yeah. I hope you don't mind that I didn't ask your input on anything." She said awkwardly. I shrugged. "You didn't need to. I like her name. You did a good job." I assured her. She smiled. "Thanks. Also, I made Ashton her god-father. Because we both know he's amazing with kids." She explained.

"That's fine." I said.

Scarlett had started whimpering and crying. "I think she's hungry or something." I said. Lily held out her arms and I gave her back. "If you don't mind, I'm going to baby proof my apartment. And then sleep. I can pick you up tomorrow, when you're being released." I offered. Lily smiled. "Okay. I'm getting discharged at noon. I'll call you."

I went home and looked around. Since all of us guys live here, there are plenty of things that are breakable and potentially dangerous to a small child.

I started by setting up the portable crib Luke and Lily had bought a couple months ago, in my room. Then I picked up my room and the living room. The kitchen was already clean, thankfully.

Then I stocked the cabinet in my room with diapers, wipes, bottles and formula powder.

After that, I flopped down on my bed and opened the twitter app to look at all the comments on Scarlett's picture.

@cliffordfeels: OMF she's too adorable stahp

@lukeisbaee: congrats! Welcome, Scarlett. We love you! #weloveyouscarlett

@lashtonshipper: lucky baby, she doesn't even know what she's been born into :)

@5saucer: she's beautiful. Congrats Mikey and Lily!

@fuvkcasey: she's absolutely perfect, welcome to the 5sos fam Scarlett! #weloveyouscarlett

I smiled. I knew they'd love her.