Their Baby Girl

Meeting Melanie

Melanie

I hear someone's loud voice as I continue wailing.  I hear numbers called out but not sure why.  All of a sudden the room goes quiet and then gets loud again with cheers and hollers.  I just want it all to stop. This just sucks. I want to go back home not stuck in this horrific place, barely able to move.

I keep crying as I kick my feet. My whole body hurts, my head hurts, I'm hungry, I'm confused, I'm freezing and I'm just absolutely miserable.  I tug at my hair hoping to get my headache to stop somehow but that only makes it worse (go figure).

All of a sudden I feel warm, soft hands go under my head and bottom. I jump startled and a strong but soft voice shushes me as he carefully lifts me onto his shoulder.  My first thought is that he smells good. Like freshly washed linen and what seems like an expensive cologne.  No, wait. What? Shut up Melanie. This guy might be why you're stuck in this infant body. He's not a friend, he's the enemy.

I can't seem to stop crying and I rub my face against his shoulder. Luckily, he doesn't seem to care that I'm getting tears and snot on his black jacket.  I clench his jacket in my small fists but can't seem to hang onto anything. Again, this sucks!

He continues to shush me keeping one arm under my butt and a hand on my back and head.  He says a few soothing things but I can't fathom what he's talking about. Frankly, I'm too tired and upset to care at the moment.  For some reason, I find it soothing though and start to calm down against my better judgement. I bring my thumb up to my mouth and take comfort in sucking on it.  I realize how exhausted I am and start to fall asleep, taking shuddering breaths in and out. 

I briefly notice there's another guy standing next to us with dark black hair and a chiseled face and he looks rather angry. He's saying something but in my sleepy state I'm struggling to make out the words.

I don't have time to register what he's talking about before I completely fall asleep on this random guy's shoulder.

I don't know anything about him personally but I know he smells good, he's warm, and he has a soothing voice. I'll have time to fight him off later, I convince myself as I fall asleep.

Liam

As Zayn and I walk hurriedly to the stage, Melanie's cries get louder. My heart goes out to her. You can tell the poor thing is upset about something, just not sure what yet. 

We walk up the side steps and rush over to where Andrew and Melanie are.  Our security team is behind us but far enough back so they aren't intruding. We consider them friends but when they're on the job, they are 100% in work mode. 

I rush over to Melanie and stare at her for a second in awe and I swear my heart bursts.  You can tell she is miserable based on how red her face is and how loud she is.

I don't waste a second as I scoop my hands underneath her. She jumps startled and I can't help but smile. 

I shush her gently and ease her onto my shoulder.  I keep an arm under her bottom and I use the other hand to rub her head and back.  It doesn't bother me that she's screaming in my ear or getting tears and God knows what else on my suit.  My only concern is getting her to calm down. I pat her gently on the bottom as she shrieks louder.

"Awww baby you're alright. Calm down for me yeah?"

I feel her feet against my arm and take note that they are freezing. I frown, that's the first thing we need to deal with. I make a mental note to change her into the clothes we brought for her as soon as possible.  I rub her feet with my free hand hoping to make them a bit warmer. 

She continues wailing while I rock her slowly. 

"Shhh sweetie, you have to calm down.  You're gonna make yourself sick."