Love Me Like You Do (z.h. mpreg)

chapter nine

"It's okay, baby, I'll be right here," Niall encouraged him. Louis wiped his eyes and pushed his small hand into one of Harry's own, somewhat quieting his cries. Harry settled down and gently tugged on Louis' hand as he shoved his other thumb in his mouth.

Niall glanced back over at his husband again, quietly slipping his pale, shaky hand into Zayn's limp one that hung over the middle console. He squeezed it hard, trying to hold back the tears. He needed to hold it together for his son; he couldn't cry in front of Louis.

"Niall, is that your name?" Niall turned his head towards the window and groaned. Whiplash. A policeman stood outside, his flashlight pointing directly into Niall's eyes.

"Yes," he grumbled. "What happened?"

"Well, I was hoping you'd be able to tell me. Do you remember what happened, anything at all?"

"Just headlights." Niall screwed his eyes shut and reopened them after a second, trying to remember anything. "I think I blacked out,"

The officer stuck the flashlight between his cheek and his shoulder as he scribbled something down onto a small pad of paper. "Okay. Do you think you can get out?"

"No," Niall clenched his teeth together as he tried to move his leg. "I think me leg's broke,"

"Alright," the policeman sighed. "I'll have the paramedic come and check you and your family out," He quickly walked away, leading a paramedic over. Niall kept his eyes trained on Zayn, searching for anymore signs of movement. Zayn's eyelids started to flutter and he began to pull away from Niall's grasp. One eye slowly blinked open, and then the other.

"Wha-what happened?" He gasped. Zayn picked his head up and tried to get a good look at what was going on.

"Oh-oh my God," his eyes widened in realisation. "Niall!" Zayn groaned and clutched at his ribs.

"Shhh, Zaynie, just relax," Niall grabbed Zayn's hand again and tried to calm him down. "Just breathe, baby, everything's fine, everybody's okay,"

"But-" Worry flooded Zayn's expression as he tried to undo his seatbelt.

"Look at me, Z!" Niall tried to smile. "Look at us, we're fine! Everybody's okay!" Niall brought up Zayn's knuckles to his mouth and kissed them, also trying to see if Zayn's eyes could follow his hands. Niall, even though he was training to be a neonatal nurse, still knew what to do in this type of situation. "I'm okay, Louis is okay, Harry is okay, and Liam is just passed out, that's all. We're fine!"

Zayn's expression didn't soften, but he gripped Niall's hand in his own and squeezed it tight.

-

Zayn felt immediate guilt as soon as he regained consciousness. The last thing he had done to his son before the accident was snap at him for innocently kicking the back of his seat, and now Liam was probably in a coma or something! Tears threatened to spill at the thought, but Zayn blinked them away before anyone could notice.

"Zayn, my love, the paramedics are asking if you can get out okay," Niall asked from beside him. Zayn winced slightly as he turned around to look at the door.

"Yeah," he grunted and reluctantly took his hand out of Niall's. He didn't want to let go, especially now. One of the firemen opened the door for him and stuck his arm out so Zayn could keep his balance. The fireman helped him onto a stretcher and loaded him into an ambulance.

"Is my family okay?" Zayn sat up but grimaced as the pounding in his head intensified.

"I assure you they're perfectly all right, Zayn," said one of the paramedics. "Your husband and children are going to meet you at the hospital in just a few minutes and you can see them again there." Zayn exhaled slowly and slumped against the back of the raised stretcher.