Guarded: Sequal to Broken

Five

"There you two are. You're late." Crystal snaps at the boys.

"Five minutes. Traffic does that much damage on it's own." Ashton rolls his eyes, turning to the employee dressed in black who has hurried over to us. She instantly rushes both Calum and Ashton away, presumably to find their suits and get them on.

"How's my little goddaughter?" I grin, dropping beside Crystal on the small couch, rubbing softly over her growing bumb.

"Busy as ever. But we are officially in the third trimester, so baby girl is that much closer to being here." She smiles, hugging her own stomach softly, "And we never agreed you are the godmother, and in fact we agreed it is someone else."

"I know. But I'm going to love her like my own goddaughter." I coo at the bump, grinning as I'm greeted with a small kick. "Thought about a name yet?"

"About 700 of them, but we can't pick one. Naming dogs is so much easier than naming humans." The blonde groans, leaning back in the cushion.

"You guys will find the absolute perfect name for her, you have a couple months still."

"Ya, sometimes it seems so far away, like she'll never be here, like I'll be pregnant forever. But other times I am panicked because she will be here so soon. And am I ready to be a mom? Is Michael ready to juggle parenthood and band stuff? Am I? Do I know enough to keep her alive? Do we have everything we need? How can I be more prepared?"

"Calm down, Crys, you guys are going to be amazing parents. And remember, you're not alone. We are all going to step up to help with baby girl when the band takes her daddy away for any amount of time, and even if you are both home. We all already love her like crazy."

"Ya, I try to remind myself of that." Crystal sighs, "Thanks for that too. Now tell me what you're hiding in those nearly impossible to read eyes of yours. I can see something is bothering you."

"What?" I reactively slide away slightly, taken aback that Crystal could see it already. "I'm fine."

"Maddie, that line may have worked when I barely knew you. But you have been one of my best friends for years now. What happened back home? Why are your eyes hesitant and afraid again?" Crystal frowns, glancing up to see if anyone is coming back out from changing yet.

"I can't tell you yet, not until after the wedding. Please accept that answer. It isn't an immediate issue, and Calum and I agreed we have to let it not affect this week or this wedding. It's not worth it to let it be a negative blotch on such a positive occasion it has nothing to do with."

"You promise the moment the wedding is over you'll tell me?"

"I promise. But don't bring it up to anyone, okay? Everything is fine and will continue to be fine for a couple more weeks at least. Wedding then me."

"Got it. But you know you have me if you need, right?" Crystal's eyes laced with concern as she stares into mine.

"I know. Thank you. Next week I may need you."

"Even before then, I'll be here, I promise." Crys smiles, both of us turning as Luke walk out in a fancy navy blue suits, a pale pink tie tucked into the vest.

"Well," he smiles nervously, shifting around for us to see the whole suit, "do I look ready to marry the love of my life?"

"Do you feel ready to marry the love of your life?" I ask back with a grin.

"More than ready." Luke's face splits into a large smile, his nerves suddenly disappearing.

"Well you look ready too." Crystal nods.

"That suit fits perfectly." I agree, standing to straighten a couple wrinkles on the shoulders. "Sierra is gonna cry."

"I'm going to cry." Luke chuckles, "I love her so much, guys. I know you girls know the feeling, but it's just unexplainable how ready I am to be married to her."

"Soft, Luke, you've gone soft." Jack groans, both of Luke'a brothers walking up to us along with his parents.

"Not as soft as mum." Luke grins, pulling his mom into a tight hug. "I thought you guys weren't coming into town until tomorrow."

"Got an early flight, plus then these boys could get their suits fitted sooner too." Andy smiles, hugging Luke softly.

"Worth it to see you done up in your wedding suit." Liz sniffled slightly, wiping below her eyes. "I can't believe my little Lukey baby boy is getting married."

"Mum, we talked about this. No blubbering. It's just a wedding." Ben chuckles.

"Shut up, Ben, she'll be just as blubbery if you ever decide to get married too." Luke laughs.

"And you'll be just as soft for your fiancée then too." I smirk, challenging the eldest of the Hemmings brothers.

"Hell no." Ben laughs.

"They all have been, Mike was a soft little puddle of a mess. Now Luke, no doubt Calum will be the worst of the lot, it's in his personality. And just you wait, Benny Boy, you'll be one of them too." Crystal laughs.

"I refuse."

"And that's why you're still single." Jack chuckles. Everyone turns as there is a small commotion, Ashton and Calum seeming to be arguing quietly as they come out with Michael.

"He can see it too." Crystal whispers between her teeth into my ear. And sure enough as the conversation comes closer I catch just enough to know Ashton is questioning Calum about what might have happened in Spokane and something about him looking concerned or on alert.

"Get these two in their suits too, so we can see the full line up together please." I calls to the employee, eying Calum as he finally breaks away from Ashton's pestering.

"I'm fine." He mumbles as he moves closer to me, holding out his arms and circling, letting me examine his navy suit.

"Very handsome." I grin, snaking my arms around his middle and pulling him into a hug.

"It fits well?"

"Looks good to me. Everything lays right. And you definitely look dreamy."

"Ash can sense something's off with me. I don't know how, but he called me out already. I told him to stay quiet about it until next week and then I'll fill him in."

"Crys said the same to me. I think I have her convinced to wait until after the wedding to ask again. When did our friends get to know us so well?"

"It's not a bad thing, but I wish they would be a little less observant this week."

"Me too." I sigh, laying my head against his chest softly for a moment.

"You good?" Cal frowns, lifting my chin to make me look at him.

"On the outside."

--------------------------------
Updates may be slow for the next couple weeks. I'm sorry! Work, Holidays, and family shit are weighing me down. I don't have the next chapter finished yet, and I usually have 5 ahead of what I'm posting. Just a heads up. I'm going to try to do my best, but it may be slow updates until about new years.

I hope yoy stay interested in the story while I'm busy and posting less.

Vote and comment!

I love you guys!!

~M =)