Louder Than Lions [zarry stalik au]

Chapter 4 - I'll Find The Words To Say Before You Leave Me Today

4 years later

            "You're...you're leaving?" Zayn asked, his eyes wide in confusion. Louis nodded, running his hands through his hair and looking over Richard, who was now ten years old, becoming rebellious.

            "Niall and I think it's best for Richard to have a change of scene. He's...getting out of control," Louis explained. Charlie and Harry came into the room then, walking over to Niall and Richard who were building a tower out of Lego's. 

            Now, Zayn didn't want to be selfish about this, but they couldn't leave. They needed Richard to stay here and protect Charlie. They needed him to.  "But, Louis, what about...what about the rest of your family? They all live here,"

            "We'll come back to visit and stuff," Louis sighed, "But we need to do this for Richard's benefit, not ours, okay? And I'm sure that Charlie will be okay. He's a good kid, he can fend for himself,"

            Zayn wanted to scream, because everything had been going so well, and Louis and Niall were about to ruin this for everyone.

           

~

            "Richard is leaving?" Charlie asked, pulling on the hem of Harry's shirt as they stood on the Tomlinson's back patio.

            "Yes," Zayn said, "They are going to another city,"

            "Why?" Charlie asked, his bottom lip quivering.

            "They...they want to...try another place,"

            "They don't like it here?" Charlie said, letting tears stream down his face.

            "Baby, they just...they need time," Zayn tried to explain this to Charlie so many times, but each time ended with his son running away in tears. This time was no different.

            Charlie ran across the green grass of the Tomlinson's backyeard, over to the bushes. Zayn was about to follow him, when young Richard stepped out of nowhere. Richard looked sad too, but he gave Zayn a small smile.

            "Can I talk to Charlie?"

            Zayn nodded, and watched as Richard ran after Charlie into the bushes.

            "Charlie?" Richard asked, ducking into the bushes.

            "Go away," Charlie sobbed.

            "No," Richard sighed, sitting down in the dirt by his best friend, "I won't leave you until I have to,"