It's Better To Not Know Better (Ziam)

Blame

{A/N So guys, I'm really glad that the issues in the last chapter were relatable. Your stories were very inspiring, I just love to hear good coming to other people. As a present for everything you've done, put up with, and supported me with so far, I worked super hard to give you a lot more drama in this chapter, and I got it done the day after I uploaded Driven. So I was working very hard to get it done sooner than I have been (don't worry, I didn't halfass it just to be quick). Unfortunately, I cried while writing this chapter. You'll see soon. Lotta Love xox}

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When Liam woke in the morning, the door was shut, which it hardly ever was, and it took a few minutes before he heard the talking on the other side. Niall was still in his bunk, sleeping, so Liam got up quietly, pressing his ear to the door, trying to hear what was being said.

". . .think it's his fault, I know it."

"For all we know, it could be."

Lou and Hazz. But where was--

"Zayn left, for a reason, and as long as we don't know what it is, anything is possible," Harry said soberly.

Liam's eyes widened. Zayn was gone? When and why? Had he left last night? But what reason would he have to leave them all, in the midst of a TOUR?

Liam erased all shock from his face, and slowly creaked the door open.

The boys looked up, Harry sniffling and wiping his eyes. He's doing it again, Liam thought. Only this time, I guess it's real.

Lou sighed. "Liam get Niall, will you?"

"Where's Zayn?" Liam asked slowly, not sure if he was ready for the answer to be said straight to his face.

"Get Niall."

Liam, more worried than he had been only seconds ago, turned back and was set to wake up the last left asleep. Zayn's usually last.

"Niall," he said, gripping Niall's hand with one of his own, while the other shook him awake. "Niall, wake up."

The Irish lad groaned in response.

"Please Nialler, it's an emergency," Liam coaxed. Niall propped himself up on an elbow.

"What kind of emergency?"

Liam swallowed his pride, refusing to be the one to break Niall's heart. "Guess you'll just have to find out," he substituted, using Niall's catlike curiosity as an advantage. Niall paused, then let Liam help him slide out of his bunk and onto the floor.

Niall disconnected their hands; Liam didn't object. He was panicking mentally, begging for someone to give him some sort of contact, to let him know everything was going to be okay, but Niall just followed behind him.

Liam sat in the same place he had yesterday--where Zayn had placed a cup of tea in front of him. His jaw tightened, but it didn't brace him for what was about to be said again.

"Where's Zayn?" Niall asked. A part of Liam died. Harry sniffled again, and Louis winced.

"He's gone."

Liam squeezed his eyes shut at the sound of Louis' words. The guilt and pain in his voice was maddening. He didn't want to see Harry's tears overcoming him again, or Niall's doing the same for the first time that day, he didn't want to see Niall's expression when he said "What?" in the most out of breath voice Liam had ever heard him use. He didn't want to see any trace of sadness in that bus. But it was all flooding into his head.

"We woke up this morning, and. . .he was gone. No one knows what happened."

Liam opened his teary eyes long enough to see Niall shaking his head in disbelief. He couldn't take it. He threw his arms around his brother, and they were enveloping each other in a tight embrace that didn't make the pain go away. Zayn was gone. What was going to happen?