home || niall horan

t h i r t e e n

Fans are out front when Niall and Ella walk out of the building hand in hand. Niall has this look of pure fear as he grips Ella's hand tightly. Everything had gone completely according to plan and Ella was quite relieved everything was now in the open.

The fans outside the station are either completely quiet or screaming at the top of their lungs, there is no in between. Niall doesn't know how to assess the situation so he kind of just smiles and stops to take pictures with fans that are barricaded off with fences.

One fan asks for a picture and Niall can tell she is completely hysterical. She looks like she's about 9 and she has a bandana wrapped completely around her skull. Her mum is close by her, blocking anyone who dares get close to her little baby.

Niall suspects there is something else to this little girl, but he just smiles and grabs her tiny camera. As he goes in to take a picture with her he hears a sniffle and he looks to see that she's shedding little tears. He feels his heart pull a little like it always does when he sees someone cry.

He quickly kisses her check, "Hey little one its alright." He smiles seeing her eyes widen a little.

"Its ok for you too Niall." She says pointing to his hands. "Everything will be alright with your hands. My mummy always tells me that when I go to my therapy everything will always be alright." She smiles a toothy grin and Niall finally understands.

He feebly smiles back feeling so much for this little girl that makes him feel better than he could ever feel in his life.

"Tell you what, when I get bad I'll think of you and how you told me everything is going to be alright," he says bending down to her level, "And whenever things get bad for you, you remember that I love you very much."

The little girl's eyes light up and she looks towards her mum who has this look of adoration on her face as she looks at Niall. He feels good now that he sees this little girl so cheerful and alive.

He's pulled away from the little girl by a guard and Ella kind of just walks after him, completely shell shocked at what she's just witnessed happen. Sure she knows Niall is amazing with kids, but she knows that this little girl will keep in her heart forever what Niall said to her that day. And maybe she wont remember it for very long-Ella isn't sure as to how much time the little girl has- but she'll never forget Niall Horan loves her.

She grabs hold of Niall's forearm as they enter the car and pull out of the news station.

"What now?" She asks watching London fly by.

"Now we pack for Peru." He says smiling.

***

The two arrive in Peru and it's sweltering hot. Ella has to put her hair up to escape some of the heat and even in a tank top and shorts she's sweating. Niall seems content in his board shorts and snapback, using only a thin tank top as a cover from the sun that is sure to burn him.

Fans line the streets as the two make their way to the car that will take them to their hotel. Niall waves and takes pictures as Ella stays behind, shielding herself from the screaming fans.

Paparazzi are covering the street as well and they make it a little more difficult for them to reach their car.

"Niall tell us more about your disease?"

"Niall is this going to stop your tour?"

"Niall what do you plan on doing now that everyone knows about it?"

"How is it living as a freak now Niall?"

This is the one Ella hears among all of the questions thrown at Niall. She whips around faster than humanly possible to see where the comment has been made from. Unfortunately all she sees is a sea of flashes and clicks and middle aged men looking straight at her. She knows paparazzi say anything to get a rise from celebrities but she thinks this time they've gone too far.

"Turn around and walk Ella, now." Niall says tugging at Ella's hand and pulling her into the safety of the air condition van.

Ella's mouth is agape, completely stunned by the person outside. And really she shouldn't be because she's heard mean comments thrown towards Niall before, but it just catches her off guard.

Really its unfair that Niall has just confessed one of his best-kept secrets and now he's got to deal with backlash from incessantly rude people.

Ella watches Niall as he quietly picks at his fingers; probably mulling over everything people have put him through.

***

"They can't just say those things to you Niall, it's not fair!" Ella says pulling at her hair again.

"Nothing is fair Ella, I suppose that's life isn't it." Niall is the calm one in this situation.

"Still-" Ella begins before Niall grabs her hands and places a kiss on her forehead.

"There's nothing you can do El." Niall pulls Ella's waist and puts her onto his lap. Ella pouts like a little child, still thoroughly upset about what happened at the airport.

"Do you remember when people were saying I was the ugly one from the group and they would shout mean things at me all the time and I would come to your apartment in the middle of the night crying?"

Ella nods. Sure she remembers, it was probably first of many times she saw him vulnerable at the beginning of their relationship. She hated seeing him cry, it was always heartbreaking to her.

"Well we had to take one thing at a time during that situation and we have to do it with this situation as well." Niall begins smiling slightly. "I will be okay, I promise. Everything will always be ok."

And Ella is overcome with some kind of feeling. One she's never felt before. Its like this mixture of pride and hurt and happiness all in one. Pride because Niall is so brave doing everything he does. Hurt because she still feels all this pain he's going to have to endure and happiness because she's just glad he's kept her along for the ride.

"Plus, look how wrong they turned out to be." Niall smiles, clicking his tongue, "I'm the hot one now."