Stumbling through the dark

Got These Scars On The Same Ground

"

"Niall, angel? Wake up" Niall reluctantly opened his eyes then smiled as he saw Jacey bending over him.

"Hey, beautiful" He pushed himself up into a sitting position. "What time is it?"

"Three O'Clock, you fell asleep on me. Come on, up you get. Louis has already taken your bag down to the car. You've just got to sign the discharge forms and I can take you home." Jacey's smile grew even bigger at the thought of finally being able to take her husband back home. It had seemed like the day would never arrive.

"Here you are, Mr Horan" the nurse handed Niall a pen and he rapidly scribbled his signature, as anxious as Jacey to leave the place. "Here's a list of your follow up appointments, dietary information and your medication." Niall took the package from her with a quiet word of thanks then grabbed Jacey's hand and walked out of the room where he'd been stuck for weeks.

"I can't wait to get home and be with you, Louis, Aoife, Caoimhe and everyone. I hope don't ever come back here for a long time" Niall said fervently.

"Do as your told and you won't have to come back. But Niall, in all seriousness, you have to follow the doctors instructions. I know you hate feeling like they are controlling you, but you have to be sensible. You were luck this time but like Doctor Morrison said, this time there were consequences...serious ones..and you have to be careful" Jacey couldn't keep the worry from her voice. Niall could be so stubborn but this time he really did have to pay attention.

"I know, Jay, I'll be good" Niall grinned at her. "I'll refrain from wild living, all night parties and binge drinking" He smiled cheekily.

"All drinking, Ni" Jacey said sternly.

"I was joking, babe" Niall said, slightly hurt that Jacey even thought he'd be that foolish. He knew his stomach couldn't handle alcohol. He couldn't even drink tea that was too hot. He sighed as he reminded himself it was his own fault but the damage was done and you couldn't turn back time.

"Da!" Aoife squealed with delight as her dad walked through the door. "I'm so glad you're home. We're having a party to celebrate. Tay and Uncle Liam have the barbecue all fired up. Uncle Harry and his family are coming, and Uncle Zee too". she barely paused for breath then danced out of the French doors through to the garden.

"Wow, I need some of her energy" Niall said as he followed her out. He soon had his baby son in his arms as he sat in the shade., watching his tiny granddaughter tried to haul herself onto her tiny feet, laughing at the expression on her face as she fell down onto her well padded bottom. He was so happy to be home.

"I've been ringing the doorbell for ages" Zayn said as he suddenly appeared around the side of the house."

"Zee" Niall yelled and stood passing Louis to Jacey so he could hug his friend. "Where have you been? I've not seen you since before I had the last SCT done"

"No, sorry. I got tied up in the States. How did it go, bro?" Zayn kept his face expressionless.

"Good, it worked. I'm MS free" Niall grinned happily " Aoife and someone else donated their stem cells, they sort of got engineered in the lab and I'm cured"

"Cool" Zayn said and gave Niall another hug. " Jacey said that you'd developed other problems and they were serious, bro?" Zayn's voice was tinged with worry.

"Jacey's just being a doctor. My heart was damaged what with the intense chemo, and all the cr*p from being so sick but I'm fine, really. Just have to watch what I do." Niall was dismissive of the problem making Zayn bit his lip and shake his head." Help yourself to a drink" Niall waved his hand over to the makeshift bar that Louis had set up along with his son, Freddie. Zayn ambled over and was soon in conversation with the two men.

"Anyone coming for a swim?" Aoife called out as she pulled off her sun dress revealing a tiny bikini.

"Aoife, put some clothes on" Niall instantly yelled. "You're not decently covered" he blushed as his pretty daughter stuck her tongue out at him.

"Da, don't be so old fashioned. And I bet you ogled a few young ladies when you were younger" Aoife teased.

"Yeah, well, but they weren't my daughter" Niall huffed making everyone else roar with laughter.

"You'll never change, bro" Zayn laughed as he flung an affectionate arm around Niall's thin shoulders. "You swimming?" he asked.

"Yeah, think I will. I'll just go change. You?"

"No swimming trunks, bro" Zayn replied . "I could skinny dip" he added cheekily making Niall brush even more. "Joking, bro, joking" Zayn added quickly as Niall began to splutter. "Can you lend me a pair?"

"Yeah, sure, come on" and Niall led the way back into the house and up to his bedroom. "Here, these should fit" he tossed a pair at Zayn who caught them then started to undress, completely at ease. They boys had seen each other naked so many times on tour they never gave their nudity a second thought and they bantered back and forth as they dressed.. Niall was just adjusting the drawstring on the waist of his trunks when he glanced up at Zayn , seeing the familiar inkings that littered his body, the scars and marks that had been collected over the years.

"At least I finally learnt to swim" Zayn said laughing. Do you remember that video we did where they made me wear swim arm bands as a joke? We had fun those days, didn't we?" Zayn looked up at Niall who had a closed expression on his face. "You all right ,bro?" he asked, suddenly worried by Niall's abrupt silence

"I'm fine" Niall replied briefly. "You ready? Let's join the party" and he led the way back downstairs and into the garden where Aoife and Taylor were splashing about the shallow end with their little Caoimhe, Jacey laughing at them. Niall sat down at the edge of the pool, legs dangling in the water, a strange, far away expression on his face. Zayn bit his lip then joined him.

"Bro?" he questioned quietly.Niall looked down at the small scar still visible on Zayn's hip . He'd seen that type of scar before, in the same place on another body less than thirty minutes ago. He looked up and met Zayn's eyes. Golden brown eyes looked back at him from a serious face. Niall felt his breath stop as both men stared at each other.

"You" Niall whispered.

"Me" Zayn replied.