We MaDe It

21.

That was wishful thinking it would seem the worst has come and he cant deal. He not cried but a wail came out of him, a prolonged high pitched cry of pain and of anguish as realisation hit him hard. Harry was dying.

Harry felt Zayn's cry. It pierced through his chest into his heart. Zayn crying and breaking down while on his knees on the floor was worse that being told the cancer was back.

The need to protect him was overwhelming, he got up and perhaps hadn't realised how affected he was by Zayn's cries until it took few quivering steps to reach him. His legs like jelly. He made it, matched Zayn's position kneeling before him, their knees touching. His hands went on Zayn's shoulders to steady himself as his whole body trembled.

"Zee, I'm not_" Before Harry finished explaining he wasn't dying Zayn decided to lie on the floor curling up in a ball. "Baby, come on. Get up please. The boys are at home and could walk in here any minute. You don't want them seeing you like this_fuck." He muttered a curse under his breath as on cue Elijah and Mason entered the room, concern on their faces. He glanced at Yaser with a pleading look to help with the situation.

"Boys." Yaser stood up making his way to them before they walked any further. "Back to your rooms. Nothing to see here."

"Daddy?" Mason managed to squeeze past gravitated towards Harry. "What's happening with Baba?" He asked, bottom lip quivering. He hated seeing anyone hurting but was also clingy and emotional when sick.

Harry sighed having to get up to give him a hug. "Its okay, Mase. Don't get yourself worked up. Its fine."

"But daddy_" Elijah frowned looking at Zayn who he could hear was sniffling. Like Harry he had protective instincts and couldn't help himself going over to kneel beside Zayn to check on him. "Baba, are you alright?" He asked placed a comforting hand on Zayn's back.

"I'm fine." Zayn nodded sitting up. He dried his tears with the sleeve of sweats. "I'm sorry, Eli. Mase, babe, I'm fine."

"You're on the floor, crying. You're not fine. I'll help you up." Elijah grabbed Zayn's hands pulling him onto his feet. Being athletic and playing football in school meant he had good physique and was strong. It helped he matched Zayn's height, helped him up with ease.

"My strong boy." Zayn smiled kissing both of Elijah's hands. "I'm sorry. I overreacted about something your grandpa said. Okay?" He flung an arm over his son's shoulders, kissed him on the temples before walking them towards Harry and Mason. "Come here, Mase."

He let go of Elijah to give Mason a warm embrace. "What I did was silly. I didn't mean to upset you, bub."

Mason sniffled against Zayn's chest. "Why were you crying? What did grandpa say?"

Zayn glanced at his dad. He gave him an apologetic look as he was about to lie. He wasn't ready for the boys to know the truth about Harry. "He told me that, um, Nana Trisha had, erm, an attack. A heart attack."

"A heart attack?" Yaser said. When Zayn cleared his throat, he sighed. "Yeah. She had a heart attack. Bad. Bad one."

"Oh." Elijah gasped going over to Yaser and gave him a hug. "I'm sorry. Nana Trisha is dead?"

"What? Dead?" Yaser couldn't help a loud laugh escaping him. When Zayn cleared his throat again he looked over at him. "She is not. Unfortunately."

"Dad, really." Zayn pretend to scoff to hide his own laugh. "Mom is not dead and thats unfortunate?"

"I didn't say that's unfortunate? Did I?" Yaser asked looking at Elijah. 

"Yes you did, gran." Elijah said with a smile. He often called Yaser gran instead of grandpa to tease him.