The Boy From Firehouse 81

0.4

Zayn remembers hearing a few people talk as he lays on an uncomfortable platform. He remembers being warm for the second night in a row. But what he remembers the most is the fear settling in his stomach.

The night before he grew to be comfortable among the firefighters because, well, they're firefighters. You're taught as a child to trust firefighters and to trust police officers...it was just like little kid protocol. But now he was here with this unknown people, as he lays in an unknown place, and he waits for his unknown future.

Deciding it'd be best to remain pretend sleeping, Zayn kept his eyes shut and tries not to move too much so that the people wouldn't notice him. However, like most things in Zayn's life, his idea doesn't go as planned because within five minutes he found someone gently shaking him from his sleep.

"Zayn, sweetie, you gotta get up, bub," the unknown voice spoke while laying a hand on his shoulder.

Immediately Zayn flinched at the touch as his eyes shot open, but all he was met with were soft, sympathetic eyes. Upon noticing the boy's reaction, the slightly older woman coos as she removes her hand from his shoulder and gives him a friendly smile.

"It's alright I'm not gonna hurt you, buddy," the woman says with a sweet smile. "My name's Charlotte, and I'm gonna be the lady to help you find a new, nice family."

"Mummy?" Zayn whimpers, but the woman just shakes her head.

"No, love, no mummy. Your mummy was naughty and now she has to spend time thinking about what she's done, I'm sorry," Charlotte says with a sympathetic look.

When the little boy continues to frown though the woman speaks up again.

"Why don't we go get ourselves a little dinner, yeah? We can go to McDonald's," the woman asks in an excited voice, and being a child Zayn can't help but smile at that.

So with a shy nod of his head Charlotte helps the boy get off the bench he had been napping on and guides him out to her car where she once again helps him get into the carseat. It was a relatively quick drive, and Zayn remained quiet throughout the whole thing. In fact, he remained quiet for the entire time they were eating as well. The only time he seemed to speak up was when the woman asked what he wanted to eat and drink.

Eventually, though, they both finished their food, and they were once again back in the woman's car as she began to drive. Not having anything to distract him, the boy opted for looking out the window of the car and watch as the city and other cars passed on. The boy became so mesmerized by all the passing surroundings that in no time he was once again asleep within the carseat.

Charlotte took notice of the boy's sleepiness, and once again couldn't hold back a coo. Upon getting the call that morning that she was to pick a child up from the fire station, immediately she thought it was going to be a joke, but she was quickly proven wrong. When the boy was at the CPS offices she was able to take notice of some of the bruising along his arms as well as was able to determine that he wasn't fed enough seeing how fast he ate his dinner. With those two factors along with the constant tiredness, it wasn't hard to determine that the boy wasn't in a good household.

Eventually though, Charlotte pulled up to a two story building that was lined with a playful looking fence - painted all the colors of the rainbow along with different sized hand prints. The woman got out from her seat and went around back to grab Zayn before she made her way over to the gate where she was quick to be buzzed in. Before she could even arrive at the front door with Zayn, though, the door was opening only to reveal a friendly face.

+

"Louis, babe, please just sit down and enjoy the film," Liam pleads while wrapping his arms around his boyfriend's waist and pulls him down into his lap. "You need to stop worrying."