Zap! (M. Clifford/5SOS)

Chapter 11: Lost Boy

Monica's P.O.V.

"What?!" I exclaim, sitting up and accidentally waking up Tatiana.

"I don't know how but it was on the news before and I had to tell you guys," Calum gulps.

"You couldn't have texted or called us?" I ask.

"You watch the news?" Michael questions.

"My mum had it on, okay? A-and I know I could have done that but I couldn't take another look at the TV so I ran out of the house and all the way here a-and-"

"Calum, calm down," Michael suggests.

"What happened?" Tatiana groans, lifting herself up off of the couch.

"Ashton and his family are in the hospital," I explain.

"What?" she proclaims, her eyes opening wide and looking to everyone.

"Can we go to the hospital?" I inquire.

"Woah, woah, woah, hold up. First of all, it's one in the morning, and second, we don't have anyone to drive us," Michael points out.

"My mum probably could. She's still awake yet. I can call her," Calum offers.

"Please, Mikey?" I pout, hoping that will crack him. He can't handle my puppy dog face and soon, we're all putting on our shoes and waiting for Calum's mum, who took a little bit of convincing to do this but luckily gave in at the end. As the minutes tick by, worry spreads through my body, causing me to tremble a bit. I don't know how severe the fire was and I'm scared for how badly him and his family got hurt. He's already damaged enough on the inside; he doesn't need any more pain.

Calum's mum pulls into the driveway and we climb in, heading off to the hospital. The uneasiness hasn't stopped and my trembling has turned into shaking. Tatiana seems to notice and hugs me close, trying to calm me down. But nothing will alleviate this distress until I see Ashton and understand the situation.

Finally, we're at the hospital and we pile in the lobby. Everyone takes a seat in the waiting area while Michael and I walk up to the desk and ask the employee. She replies that they're not taking any visitors right now, but since the three youngest ones aren't in bad shape, she'll send them out here. We thank her and settle into the chairs with everyone else.

After a few minutes, a little boy and a girl enter in from the hallway, followed by Ashton. As I look up, I'm relieved to see he seems fine, but then I notice white bandages wrapped around both of his hands. That doesn't look good.

"Woah, what are you guys doing here?" Ashton asks, glancing at all of us. He stops in the middle of the waiting room and his siblings stick by his side.

"Long story, but to cut it short, you made the news about the fire and now we're here," I answer.

"We made the news?" he questions. I nod. "Wait, but the news isn't usually on at this time."

"It was a rerun from earlier. My mum missed it because of something and so we were watching it before," Calum explains.

"Oh, wow. But you guys didn't have to come, especially this late at night," Ashton ponders.

Mrs. Hood steps in and with a little smile, relays, "They said they were going to die if they didn't see you." Ashton's face lights up in shock.

"Really? Thank you. I can't believe you would do this for me," Ashton responds. "By the way, these are my siblings: my little brother, Harry, and my younger sister, Lauren."

We greet them and they grin shyly in reply. He tells them that they can either stay out here with us or go back to the room and they choose the room, so Ashton leads them back, but reappears in the lobby in the next few minutes.