Chapter 26

MCKINLEY P.O.V

The guys had a huge meeting at work today, so Michael had dropped Lynn off with me. She was days away from giving birth. I could tell how uncomfortable she was. She was out of breath just walking in from the elevator, her belly was so low she had to waddle with her hands on her back.

I quickly got her settled on the couch while the guys left. I turned the air up for her and grabbed a fan to place on the coffee table and aimed it right at her. She had finally gotten comfortable on the couch when she asked if I could make her something to eat. So while I made grilled cheese, she relaxed.

By the time I got back to her with them, she was asleep. She looked so uncomfortable as she slept. Michael had texted me asking how she was. I quickly responded that she was asleep but knew their meeting was going to be starting any minute and they most likely wouldn't have access to their phones.

I did some work for about an hour before she woke up. She pushed herself into a sitting position and groaned as she did.

"You okay?" I asked standing up to help her.

"I need to pee." I helped her get up before following her into my bathroom. I was so worried, I didn't want to leave her side. She was wearing a dress so it was easy for her to go. "You don't have to stay." She said.

"I wanna make sure you're okay." I answered. "But I'll leave you alone. Give you some privacy." I commented. I walked out of the bathroom and sat on the bed. She called me a few minutes later and seemed panicked. I quickly rushed in. She was still on the toilet but in her hand was toilet paper with blood on it. "Oh god." I rushed over to her helping her up. "Let's head over to the hospital. I'll call Mike on the way okay?" I commented helping her stand. She pulled her underwear back on. I grabbed a towel so we could lay it over my seats.

I grabbed my phone before we headed to my car.

"It's hurting." She cried.

"What hurts?" I asked as I got her in the front seat.

"My belly." I quickly closed her door before rushing around the other side. I quickly called Michael who of course didn't answer. Then I called Luke as I pulled out of the spot. I slammed on the steering wheel before calling the front desk.

"I need to talk with Michael Clifford." I nearly shouted into the phone at the woman.

"He's in a meeting." She answered. "Can I take a message?"

"No. His wife is in labor. Go and interrupt that meeting." I said. She gasped before the music started playing through the phone. I waited impatiently as I quickly weaved through the traffic to get to the hospital. Lynn was doing breathing exercises beside me. 5 painfully slow minutes later, Michael's voice was on the phone.

"I'll be right there. Tell her to relax. I'm coming." The studio was much further away from the hospital than our apartment building. Then he hung up. Leaving me and Lynn to panic on our own.

By the time we got to the hospital she was mostly calm. I wasn't sure what she was thinking but I was terrified. I made her wait in the car while I ran in and grabbed a nurse and a wheelchair. The nurse quickly moved out to the car and helped Lynn into the wheelchair. When we went inside, we right away went up to labor and delivery.

"Are you the partner?" One of the nurses asked me as they got her registered.

"No. I'm just a friend. Her husband is on his way." I commented holding her hand.

"Okay so we're going to get you into a room. We'll get you checked out and see if you're in labor okay?" A nurse asked Lynn. She was in so much pain all she could do was nod. Once they were finished with registering her they got her into a room.

One of the nurses helped her change into a gown while I put away her clothes. Just as they were checking her, Michael came flying into the room with all of their hospital bags.

"Hi." He rushed right over to her dropping everything. "I was so worried I wouldn't make it." I smiled as I put their bags in the little closet. I made sure they both had everything they needed before I kissed both of their cheeks and headed home.

I had texted Luke that everything was okay. I knew that this was going to be a difficult day for all of them. I knew Michael would be terrified of the future. I knew that he was going to be terrified that something was going to happen to Lynn. I knew Luke was already having a difficult time thinking that Michael was replacing Macy.

I was pacing in the living room when Luke came in. I hadn't heard from any of them and had no idea what was going on.

"Heard anything?" He asked. I shook my head. He right away wrapped his arms around me. "I texted him but he didn't answer." He sighed. Luke had moved all of his things in over the weekend. Nicole had moved her things further down the hall to the last bedroom. I wasn't sure how long we stood there wrapped in each others arms but we didn't move until his phone rang.

He right away reached for it and answered. I couldn't hear what the other person was saying but Luke didn't look worried. He held my hand with the hand that wasn't holding the phone. He sighed into the phone before hanging up.

"She's okay. She's in labor. In a lot of pain so they gave her an epidural. Said that she should rest. They're thinking the baby will be here tonight." He sat down and pulled me onto his lap. Ashton and Calum came in a few minutes later and sat with us. We were all quiet.

I didn't know them when Macy was born. I didn't know what it was like to watch your friend become a dad and then to lose that child. But sitting here with them in the silence, I felt it. I felt the fear. The look on Luke's face nearly killed me. I wanted to wrap all of them in my arms tell them that everything was going to be okay.

I couldn't just sit here so I got up to make us all dinner. I could tell that Luke didn't want to eat but when I brought him the plate, he knew I was going to force him too. Once we all ate we decided to watch a movie. I think we all needed the distraction.

Then the phone rang. I had never seen them shoot up so fast as Luke answered the phone.

"Mike." He breathed into the phone. We all stood staring at Luke as he talked. A smile broke out over his face and tears sprang in his eye. I quickly wrapped my arms around him before I felt Calum and Ashton also hug us. It has been a very emotional last few hours. When they finally hung up and we let go of each other he nodded. "It's a boy. So far they're both healthy. He was born about an hour ago." He smiled.

"That's great news. Does he have a name yet?" I asked.

"Cade Michael Clifford." He smiled. "We can go see them whenever we want." Living in LA we were the closest thing Michael had to family. And Uncle Luke, Ashton and Calum were not waiting to meet their new nephew. So we all piled into my car, with the presents we bought, and headed to the hospital.

Walking into their hospital room, I could feel the joy radiating off both of them. I smiled the second I saw Lynn, holding a little tiny baby in her arms wrapped in a hospital blanket. I leaned over to kiss her cheek and looked down at his sweet face. He was sleeping but he was perfect.

"Hi, Cade." I whispered tearing up. "I'm auntie Kinley." I smiled feeling Luke's hand on my lower back as he glanced at him with me.

"Wanna hold him?" She asked. I glanced at Luke to make sure he didn't want to hold him first before taking Cade from Lynn. I gently rocked when he fussed and couldn't help the tears that flowed from my eyes. Once I got my fill of him, I handed him to Luke. Luke sat down and I couldn't help but smile at the way he held him so close.

I took a few pictures of them together.

And in that moment I saw my entire future. I wanted it. I wanted Luke with a wedding band on his finger, sitting in a hospital room where I just gave birth, holding our baby. The look of pure love on his face was something that I wanted to experience with our own child.

Now just the fear of telling him.

*LUKE P.O.V*

Meeting Cade made everything that was ever wrong in the world, disappear. Watching each of the guys hold him, made me realize that I was so dumb thinking about the fact that Michael was replacing Macy. He was so happy. That was all I ever wanted for my friends.

I knew right then that I was ready to propose. I just had to figure out the how and when. I wanted this life with McKinley. I wanted her forever. We both agreed on forever no matter what but I wanted to get the government involved.

After meeting Cade we headed home. I could feel the love coming off her. Her hand was held tight in mine and I wanted to ask her, right here and right now. But I wanted it to just be us when I popped the question.

She pulled into her spot and we all walked inside together. She had her arms wrapped around me as we entered the apartment. She kicked her shoes off right inside the door while I lingered in the door. I couldn't help but look at her as she moved further into the apartment.

"Marry me." I blurted before my brain could think.

"What?" She said looking at me.

"Marry me." I repeated. "I want forever with you. I want to have children with you. I want to live this entire life calling you my wife." I choked up as I looked at her. "Life is too short. I love you so incredibly much. I never stopped loving you. I'm sorry I screwed some things up along the way but I'm here. So marry me."

"You're serious?" She whispered tears flowing from her eyes.

"I'm not sure of anything in this life, McKinley. But you, I am so sure of you." I slowly pulled out the ring that had been burning a hole in the pocket before getting down on one knee. "Will you do me the honor of marrying me?" I flicked open the box that held the perfect diamond that I picked out. She came over to me, tearing streaming down her face.

"Yes." She simply said smiling before grabbing my face in both of her hands and kissing me. I held her as tight as I could, pulling her against me. "I have waited what seems like a long time to be Mrs. Luke Hemmings." She smiled wiping her eyes. I chuckled and sniffled before sliding the ring on her finger. Where it would stay, until the end of time.

She admired the ring holding her hand out and letting it shine in the light above our head.

"I love it." She smiled. She then made me stand in front of her and she held her hand out in front of her and took a picture of her hand with me in the background. I had never been so in love with her. "It's perfect." She smiled.

"I love you." I smiled pulling her against my chest and kissing her.

"I love you." She smiled. "We're engaged." She giggled. I hummed as I moved to kiss her neck. She let me kiss her neck before pulling me down the hall to our room. As soon as I got the door closed and locked behind us, I lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around me and I fell onto the bed with her under me. I kissed her before pulling off her pants. I lifted her shirt just enough that I could see her skin. I kissed her stomach then kissed my way down her left thigh before doing it to the right. I licked her through her panties making her gasp. "Luke." She whined taking her shirt off herself.

I slid her panties down her legs before sucking on her clit. I was gentle making sure she could feel the love I had for her through my tongue. I instantly got hard when she moaned and arched her back into me. Her hands were grabbing at the sheets before reaching for my hair. I slipped two fingers inside her and slowly pumped them, listening to her moans.

"Please!" She whined loud pulling on my hair. I chuckled before standing up, her hands dropping to the bed. I took my clothes off before climbing between her legs again. I kissed her and slowly pushed into her. She gasped and moaned as I settled deep inside her.

"I love you." I whispered as I rocked into her slowly bringing my hips down to hers before pulling back out. We had never done it like this before. It was always hard and fast with multiple orgasms. This was almost as tiring.

"I love you." She whispered looking me right in the eye. I nearly exploded right them. I gently rubbed her clit, feeling her clenching around me making me groan as she did. "I'm gonna-" She was cut off by a moan, clenching me so hard it triggered my orgasm. I moaned into her neck staying as still as possible as I shot deep inside her.

"Holy shit." I moaned slowly pulling out, laying beside her and pulling her into my arms. She was already pretty much asleep when my breathing finally evened out. She was asleep in my arms as I was falling asleep.

I'm engaged. Holy shit.