End Up Here (Ziam AU)

Chapter Thirty Seven

Chapter Thirty Seven – Zayn

Zayn is very sure of two things right now, one; he is incredibly late for his first day of school, and two; Bella has been abducted by aliens and replaced by a child that is definitely not his sweet, little girl. "Baba, no. I not. I not going" Bella cries again, small arms crossed against her chest, and bottom lip poking out in a pout, "Arabella, yes. You are going, you have to go to Grandma's Baba has to go to school today" Zayn reasons, his own tattooed arms crossing across his chest. Bella shakes her head, stomping her foot as she does, "no" she says, plopping down onto her bum in the middle of the living room floor. Zayn sends Louis a pleading glance, as his best friend comes into the hallway, but Louis shrugs, and keeps walking, indicating that Zayn is on his own with this one. Zayn sighs and moves so he's sitting across from Bella, who turns her face away so he can't see her eyes, that mirror his own "Bella, please, Baba is already late. Why don't you want to go see Grandma?" he asks, almost pleads with the toddler, who finally looks at him, and Zayn can see the unshed tears in her eyes. "Baba, no." Bella says simply and Zayn groans in frustration, because this is really not how he pictured his morning going, if he's being honest. "I stay Uncle Louis" Bella adds after a minute, apparently hearing her favourite "uncle" in the kitchen finally, Zayn sighs shaking his head. "You can't stay with Uncle Louis, he's going to school too" Zayn reasons, hoping that whatever this is will be over soon, because he really needs to get going, before he misses his first class entirely.

Bella cocks her head to the side as she thinks about her next move, and Zayn knows she knows exactly what she's doing. He also knows he should just pick her up and drop her into her seat in Louis' car, but that never ends well, he doesn't like to force his daughter into doing things, but apparently he may have to start. "I go Daddy" Bella says shrugging, and Zayn frowns, shaking his head "nope, sorry Boo. Daddy is working, lots of meetings today, you can't go play in his office" he explains to her. Bella's pout deepens, and Zayn can hear Louis coming into the room behind him, "c'mon Bella, why don't you want to go to Grandma's? You love Grandma's" he asks, sure there has to be a reason for this stubbornness to make it's appearance. Bella frowns "Auntie Safaa mean" she whispers, so quietly Zayn has to strain to hear her, and when he makes it out he sighs, reaching out to pull his daughter into his lap. "Why is she mean? What happened?" Zayn asks, sure there has to be an explanation, sure his youngest sister likes to antagonize his daughter sometimes, but he knows she loves her niece and would never do anything to intentionally hurt her. Bella pouts, "yell at Bella" she whimpers hiding in Zayn's chest, "why'd she yell?" Zayn asks carefully, Bella clutches at his shirt, shaking her head slightly as she does. "Bella playing, then it broke and Auntie Safaa yell" Arabella says, and Zayn furrows his eyebrows in confusion, because that explanation explained nothing, "what broke? And were you playing in Auntie Safaa's room again?" Zayn asks. Bella nods biting her lip, but doesn't answer verbally, so Zayn still doesn't know what she broke, or how much it's going to cost him to replace whatever it is. "You know you aren't supposed to play in there" Zayn scolds gently, deciding he can figure out what it was later, Bella pouts nodding up at him, and he sighs dropping a kiss to her cheeks.

After their discussion it only takes Zayn five minutes to get Bella into Louis' car so they can get going, she's still not happy about it, but the tantrum that Zayn was expecting never came, so he decides to let it go for now. Louis comes to a stop out front of Zayn's mum's house and Zayn shoots him a thankful smile before jumping out of the car and opening the back door to pull Bella into his arms, slinging her bag over his other shoulder, as he walks quickly towards the door, and lets himself into his childhood home. He spots his mum in the kitchen and makes his way towards her, Bella still in his arms, "I'll miss you. You be good and stay out of Auntie's room. I love you" Zayn murmurs, hugging the toddler close and kissing her forehead. Bella giggles, "Love you too. Okay Baba" she sighs hugging him back, before reaching for her Grandma, who happily takes her into her own arms, as Zayn drops the bag onto a nearby chair. "You're later than I expected, doesn't your first class start twenty minutes ago?" Trisha asks, glancing at the clock. Zayn groans, running a hand through his hair, "yes, but someone was being difficult this morning" he answers, with a pointed look at his daughter who avoids his gaze, "it Uncle Louis" she whispers dramatically. Zayn rolls his eyes and Trisha laughs, "are you sure it wasn't you?" Trisha laughs, and Bella shrugs. "I'll be back after classes, I don't work tonight, but what of Safaa's did she break?" Zayn asks, backing slowly out of the kitchen, Trisha sighs, "a bottle of perfume, she says you owe her a new one by the way. And that's fine I'll see you then" she answers. Zayn sighs, nodding his head "alright. Bye Boo, you be good" he warns before blowing Bella a kiss and turning around to leave.