michael.

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I wasn't allowed to sleep. And even if I were allowed to close my eyes and fall into a deep slumber I couldn't. Not when my mind was in a dupstep music video dedicated to the tragedy that is Carrington. Her sudden death was consuming every inch of my brain that no matter what I tried to do to eschew the sadness, there wasn't enough pizza, beer, or alone time that would do the trick. 

And speaking of tricks, it felt like I was in one. I was almost convinced that I was part of some huge plot to trick me into actually believing that I had a 3-year-old daughter running around. I was f-cking pissed off at Carrington for leaving this tiny detail out of my life, but I was more pissed off at the fact that there was nothing I could do to confront her about the situation. I couldn't run to her house and yell at her. I couldn't meet up with her at our favorite restaurant to ask why she decided to keep this child out of my life. Death was a horrible thing; it was selfish, and was the barricade that kept me from Carrington. 

I sat in a fancy office on the 21st floor of some skyscraper in Sydney. One wall was made completely of floor-length mirrors, over looking the Harbour Bridge. At 9AM, it was already a good 27 degrees C outside and the sun was radiantly streaming through the streak-free windows. My mother, Jude, and I sat on cushioned rolling chairs before a very large wooden desk that looked like it weighed a ton. 

Emily Riordan, the expensive-looking nameplate read, embellished with gold letters. As I sat in silence, I looked around the office, noticing all of Miss Emily Riordan's achievements hanging on the walls. 

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," the door flung open and in came an older woman with shoulder-length brown hair. She smiled, holding a stack of folders in one hand while brandishing out the other. "I'm Emily Riordan." 

"Nice to meet you," mum said, shaking the woman's hand. "I'm Michael's mother." 

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jude, Michael's manager." Jude shook her hand, standing from his seat. 

I however, stayed with my ass planted on the seat. I just f-cking wanted to get over with this stupid bullshit so I can go back home or spend time with the lads. 

"Well I guess let's just get down to business," Emily announced, taking a seat behind her desk and plopping the folders before her. She placed a pair of thin-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose before opening one of the many folders. She looked up at me with a small smile, "Mr. Clifford, I'm so glad that you could make it so early in the morning, but this situation is of the utmost importance due to the fact that we are dealing with a child." 

I cringed.

"As you already know Mr. Clifford," Emily continued. I felt so frigging old when she addressed me by Mr. Clifford; assuming that because I had a child, I could no longer be a kid. "Your ex-girlfriend Carrington Marie Cruz has unfortunately passed. She left behind a few possessions in your name including a sweater and a necklace." 

I f-cking knew it.

I knew which items Carrington had left for me. A black All Time Low hooded jumper that I reluctantly gave to her when she had forgotten hers at home. She never got around to giving it back-- well, I insisted she keep it because I always thought Carrington looked hot in it. The necklace on the other hand, was something I thought she'd be buried in. She never took it off, 

*flashback*

"I have something for you," I smiled, looking down at Carrington whose head was rested on my chest. She lifted her head, flipping over to her belly. 

"What is it? I hope it's box of pizza because I'm hungry," Carrington teased, her beautiful laughter filling my ears. 

"This is why I love you," I told her honestly, reaching over and tucking a stray piece of her black hair behind her hear. "But no, it is not pizza," I paused, turning over to open the drawer in the side table and pulling out a small silver box. 

"Baby, what's this?" Carrington asked, her eyes scanning between the box in my hand and me.

"Just open it," I insisted. Carrington seized the box and lifted the top, gasping the moment her eyes fell on the delicate and dainty necklace inside. A simple gold chain, and two linked hearts made up the simple gift, but it was enough to witness the biggest smile to have ever adorned Carrington's face.

"Oh my god! Michael!" Carrington gasped, sitting up on the bed. She pulled out the necklace and looked at it in awe. "Baby this is beautiful!"

"I'm so glad you like it. Here, let me help you put it on," I said, taking the necklace from her hand. Carrington pulled her hair off to the side as I draped the necklace around her neck and fastened the hook. I kissed the exposed skin of her shoulder, "I love you babe." 

*end flashback* 

The black jumper was given to me inside a clear plastic bag. I stuck my hand inside and pulled out the familiar piece of clothing that I hadn't touched in several years. It was exactly how I last saw it: faded, a tear by the hood, and its smell was just like hers. Tide laundry detergent and her fruity perfume. It made me miss Carrington even more. 

I looked through the bag, searching for the necklace that was apparently supposed to be given to me but there was no sign of it.

"Son? What are you looking for?" Mum asked. 

"The necklace," I answered. I looked up at Emily, "where's the necklace? You said Carrington left it in my name." 

"She did," Emily replied, "the necklace, gold chain and a charm made of two linked hearts," Emily read from a piece of paper, "is currently with your daughter." 

Oh.

"Where is she?" I questioned. 

"She's down the hall in another room," Emily informed. "Would you like to see her? Then we can talk about the next step in all of this."

I nodded my head, "yea, let's go." 

We followed Emily out of her office and into the hallway where we passed a lobby area made of fancy tile and real vegetation. Into another small hallway, Emily suddenly stopped in front of a rectangular window. I peered through the glass to see a simple playroom on the other side. Multicolored, foam puzzle tiles lay on the floor, a small table with legos, and square shelves with toys sat against the wall.

Just then, from the other end of the room, a tiny girl sauntered to the table with a teddy bear in her hand. No more than three feet tall with black shoulder-length hair and bangs that fell across her forehead, the little girl quietly played with the stuffed animal. 

"She's a beautiful child," Emily sighed, turning to me. It was all so surreal to me. Finding out I had a daughter was one thing, but actually seeing her in the flesh was a whole different story. 

"What's her name?" Jude asked. 

"Melody Joyce Clifford," Emily simply said. My head snapped to her. 

"She has my last name?" I hastily questioned with furrowed eyebrows. 

"It's on her birth certificate," Emily held up a folder in her hand. "Come on, let's go inside so you two can properly meet." 

Emily held open the room door where we all filtered in. Melody kept her eyes on the teddy bear, not once lifting her head to look at us. 

"Melody, sweetie?" Emily approached her, crouching down. "What do you have there?" 

Melody looked up at Emily with her almond-shaped eyes which were hauntingly identical to Carrington's. She held up the teddy bear to show Emily before proceeding back to play. 

"Honey, I have someone here who wants to meet you," Emily sweetly declared. "Do you want to meet him?" 

Melody didn't verbally speak and instead held out her little arms, prompting Emily to pick her up. I walked closer to Emily, staring at the little girl whose arms were wrapped protectively around the teddy bear. 

"Melody, this is Michael," Emily announced, her voice soft, as she rested Melody on her hip. 

"Hi Melody," I smiled subtly. The little girl turned her face away, wrapping her arms around Emily in panic. 

I looked to Emily with concern who explained, "she's shy. A little traumatized with everything that's happened. Melody was the one who discovered her M-U-M the night of the incident." 

I felt sick. I felt disgusting, and my stomach was churning in pain. This tiny girl, who was already so fragile in stature, had her innocent eyes tainted by death. Discovering your mother lying dead would be heartbreaking for anyone, but for a pure, three-year-old… it must've been absolute torment. 

"Oh my God, that's terrible," mum breathed, throwing her hand to her chest. "What's going to happen now? With Melody? My son is only nineteen. He's a baby himself. He leaves Australia in a few weeks to America for a few months. How can he raise--" 

"What happens to her if I don't take Melody?" I interrupted, glancing at Melody who rested her head into the crook of Emily's neck. 

"Melody has no other family," Emily informed, "Carrington's parents are no longer in the picture. She would have to be turned into social services where she will be placed in an orphanage till a foster family takes her in." 

"So if she doesn't come with me, she's parentless?" I questioned, trying to fully understand the consequences of denying Melody a home. 

"That's correct Mr. Clifford," Emily affirmed. 

This should've been the hardest decision I'd have to make in my life-- to take in a child or not when I was a child myself. But it wasn't. Just the thought alone of Melody being deprived of a loving home was enough to shatter my heart and I'd be damned if I was the reason for it. I knew absolutely nothing about raising a child, but thanks to my own mum, I knew that it took a lot of love and care.

There was also the fact that my career was beginning to bloom. I was in the middle of a tour; about to start the North American leg in a few weeks. We had a sophomore album being released in two months, and when it came to anything 5SOS related, everything was going perfect. With Melody in the picture, the press would be in a f-cking carnival. I could already read the headlines: Australian Rockstar Tours with His Long Lost Daughter. 

But I couldn't give a f-ck at that moment. Maybe it was innate feeling of being a father that was suddenly coming out that my mind was so wrapped around the protection of this child? Whatever it was, all I knew was that Carrington left our daughter in my care and in respect to Carrington's memory, I couldn't let her down. Melody is mine now. 

"She's coming with me," I announced, "I'm choosing to take Melody." 

//

Aw, so Michael has chosen to keep Melody. A scary thought when Michael is a child himself, but I believe in his power to take care of the little girl. So what does everything think of this chapter? Hope you all enjoyed it!

Please vote, comment, and share it with all your friends if you like this story so far. Thank you so much for reading it! <33