End Up Here (Ziam AU)

Chapter Twenty Five

Zayn's pouting as Liam laughs, and loads Bella's suitcase into the trunk of his car, "honestly Zayn what is in there? She's only staying one night" Liam teases. Zayn crosses his arms after buckling Bella into the seat Liam had bought for his car a week ago because "honestly Zayn it's just easier this way" and glares at Liam. "There's a few outfits, some pyjamas, diapers, wipes, toiletries and Bunny" Zayn lists, as they climb into the car too, Liam smirks at Zayn knowingly, "how many outfits Zayn?" he asks. Zayn bites his lip and shrugs, "I don't know, enough. Look Li, I know I probably over packed but she's never spent the night anywhere that isn't my mum's and I just didn't know what she'd need" he defends. Liam grins at him before leaning over the console and kissing his lips gently, Zayn's just getting into it when Liam pulls away, "we should get going" Liam murmurs. Zayn nods,still a little dazed from the kiss he really doesn't understand it, but he gets that way whenever Liam kisses him. Liam chuckles pulling away from Zayn's apartment building and driving towards where Zayn assumes Ruth and her family live.

Liam pulls up in front of a nice looking two story house about forty five minutes later, Zayn smiles, it's the perfect family home. He can see a few toys scattered across the front lawn, and porch, "welcome to Ruth's" Liam says, turning off the car, "you ready?" he asks turning to face Zayn. Zayn sighs nodding, it's not that he's not ready, he's just hesitant to let his baby go, Liam rests a hand on his arm, "this will be fine, Zee, promise" he assures him opening his door to climb out. Zayn sighs again before following Liam out of the car, Liam's already pulling Bella out of her seat, so Zayn moves to pull her bag out of the trunk, coming around to stand beside Liam a moment later. "Baba look" Bella gasps and Zayn furrows his eyebrows, "what baby?" he asks and she giggles pointing to where Kenzi is bouncing excitedly in the window, having spotted her uncle's car in the driveway. Zayn chuckles "she's excited to see you I think" he teases, bopping her nose gently, Bella scrunches it up and struggles to get down. Liam sets her on her feet and she runs towards the door, Zayn and Liam following behind. As soon as they're on the porch the door is pulled open and Ethan is standing there grinning, "Hey Uncle Liam, Zayn" he calls, Bella pouts and stomps her foot. Ethan laughs and crouches down, "I didn't forget you Bella-Bug, come give me a hug" he calls, and Zayn watches as he opens his arms and Bella flies into them, hugging the older boy tightly. Zayn smiles and Liam nudges his shoulder with his own, making Zayn roll his eyes, "Mum says to come in, she'll be down in a minute" Ethan explains, once he's let Bella go.

Zayn and Liam follow the nine year old into the house, Zayn taking in the framed pictures covering most of the entrance way. "Thanks Ethan" Liam says reaching out to ruffle the boy's hair "Uncle Liam" Ethan whines attempting to fix it, and Zayn laughs. Ruth walks in then shaking her head at both her oldest son and her brother, "mum, make him stop" Ethan calls out from where Liam now has him in a playful headlock. She laughs shaking her head, "you'd be better to ask Zayn, I bet Uncle Liam will listen better" she teases, grinning at Zayn. Ethan turns his gaze to Zayn "can you call him off please?" he asks, Zayn laughs and picks Bella up, where she's now tugging on his shirt, before turning to Liam, "Li, let him go" he laughs. Liam pouts but releases his nephew who shakes his head before leaving the room muttering under his breath. Ruth shakes her head at her oldest son, before turning to Zayn, "sorry about him" she murmurs but Zayn waves her away, Ethan really is a good kid, and he's super gentle with Bella. Liam hands over the suitcase Zayn had set down, and chuckles "sorry, Zayn may have over packed for her, but here's her stuff" he teases, winking, and Zayn pouts. Arabella pokes his lip "why sad Baba?" she asks and Zayn shrugs, "I'm fine, Lovely" he murmurs. Ruth takes the bag giggling, "it's fine I completely understand, and I promise Zayn, she's in good hands" she assures him. Zayn grins nodding, just as Kenzi slides into the room, "Bella" she cheers and Zayn watches Bella's eyes light up "Kenzi" she cheers back struggling to get out of Zayn's arms. He reluctantly lets her down watching as the pair of two year old's hug each other tightly.

Bella follows Kenzi out of the room after that and Zayn pouts again watching her go, Liam wraps an arm around his waist, "she'll be back to say goodbye" he murmurs. Zayn nods, blushing when Ruth clears her throat, "anything I should know?" she asks. Liam pulls away from Zayn, which he's grateful for, he gets a little flustered when Liam's too close, "um, bedtime is usually eight, but if you want to let her stay up late tonight, I'm alright with that" Zayn starts, and Ruth nods slowly. "Bella's not allergic to anything we know of, so you're fine that way. But um she sometimes has really bad dreams, where she can't relax herself at all. The last one I had to get this one to come over in the middle of the night because she kept screaming for him" Zayn explains further. Ruth nods slowly, "if anything like that happens I'll call you guys right away, okay? Anything else?" she asks. Zayn bites his lip as he thinks not really coming up with anything Ruth as a mother of three wouldn't already know, so he shakes his head, "no I think that's the important stuff" he murmurs. Ruth nods, and steps towards him, "she'll be fine, and if we have any problems I'll call, I know this can be hard though, so feel free to call us as much as you'd like" she says, soothingly, Zayn nods, smiling gratefully because Ruth just calmed all his nerves really. "Thanks" he mumbles and she smiles, as Liam slips an arm around Zayn again, and Mason runs in, "Mum, tell Kenzi to get out of my room" he whines, Ruth rolls her eyes "go tell your sister and Bella to come down here please, Bella needs to say goodbye" she instructs. Zayn laughs as Mason groans but runs back out and he can hear him calling Kenzi's name.

A few minutes later there's thumping footsteps, followed by giggling and the two toddlers come into the room, "Baba, I stay" Bella pouts. Zayn laughs crouching down, opening his arms, "yes, you are staying, but Baba wants to say goodbye" he pouts. Bella grins, running into his arms and Zayn wraps his around her tightly, "I'm going to miss you. You be good and listen to Ruth, okay?" he instructs. Bella snuggles into him "I miss Baba" she mumbles and he grins "I be good" she adds, Zayn chuckles, "I know you will. Now if you need me at all, just ask Ruth and she'll call Baba, and I'll be right here, okay?" he asks. Bella appears to be thinking about it, before she nods, "okay, Baba" she murmurs, hugging him tightly, Zayn hugs her back tightly, pressing kisses to her head as he does, Bella pulls away and presses a sloppy kiss to his cheek. Zayn kisses her cheek back before he lets her go to say goodbye to Liam, he doesn't hear what his boyfriend says to her, but she nods seriously before hugging him and kissing him too. Ruth looks at him "she'll be fine, you two go enjoy yourselves, and remember you can call whenever" she reminds him. Zayn grins nodding "thanks for this really" he says, hugging her briefly, before Liam steps up, and hugs her as well, "yeah, thanks sis" he murmurs. Ruth waves them both off, resting one hand on each of the giggling toddler's shoulders, "it's no problem, I already have three kids, what's one more?" she jokes. Zayn's about to say something else, but Liam cuts him off, "we should be going, you ready Zee?" he asks, and although Zayn doesn't think he is, he nods slowly, "bye Bella, I love you" he calls, and she giggles "love Baba too" she answers, blowing him a kiss. Zayn blows one back before allowing Liam to lead him back to the car, he looks back to see Bella waving at them from the doorway, with Ruth and Kenzi. "She'll be fine Zee" Liam assures him as they pull out of the driveway and although Zayn knows it's true he can't help but feel nervous about leaving Bella.