Room 22A [Narry]

Chapter 42.

The next morning, Niall woke up earlier than normal. The baby's continuous movements in his belly didn't help at all so he hardly got any sleep. He couldn't really say the same for Harry, though. The lad was sound asleep when Niall woke up, dead to the world but with a protective hand lay around his bump. He had obviously fell asleep in hope that he'd feel the baby move again his hand, which Niall thought was adorable.

Niall gently lay Harry's hand aside so that he could get up and he limped across the room. Getting up in the morning now seemed like more than a chore than ever. Especially if he was sleeping in a bed that he wasn't used to and it was a reminder to him that he was getting fatter and fatter every day.

He crept downstairs quietly and made himself a cup of tea (herbal tea and non decaf, much to Niall's dismay) and walked around the living room for a bit in hope that it'd settle the baby's movements. He heard the floorboards creaking and looked up to see Maura standing at the landing. Their eyes met and they shared a fond smile. "What are you doing up? It's only six thirty." Maura teases and Niall grins.

"Just this fatigue. Baby's keeping me awake." Niall explained sheepishly and Maura chuckles, heading into the kitchen to make herself her own tea. When Maura sits down, she pauses and looks at Niall, who's looking troubled and uncertain about something.

"Are you okay?" She asks anxiously and Niall looks up.

"Yeah, it's just...all this baby stuff, it's a little overwhelming." Niall admits and Maura smiles sympathetically. "I'm...I'm scared." Niall adds simply and at that, Maura frowns.

"About what?"

"Everything. I'm an eighteen year old teenage boy who's carrying my boyfriend's baby. I'm still at school and I have a part time job, meaning I have no time or space for a baby. This isn't me, mum. There's nothing stable about this situation at all." Niall finally drawls, feeling a little better with himself that he's let it all out. He didn't know what had come over him but it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders and it was a huge relief. Sort of.

"I don't know what I was thinking, mum." Niall continues, sniffling a little as he runs a hand through his hair. The thought had hit him pretty hard yesterday, when he and Harry were talking about the sex of the baby. It scared him pretty badly. He wasn't ready to be a parent. Heck, he was after all, only a teen. He'd never be ready. He felt so stupid.

"You were thinking of Harry." Maura says suddenly and Niall looks up.

"What?"

"You were thinking of Harry, sweetie. You only wanted to make him happy, right?" Maura repeats and Niall nods slowly, not really gathering where this conversation was going.

"Niall, it's okay to be scared. In fact, I'd be worried if you were completely calm and collected about the whole thing! But, I'd suggest that you talk to Harry. He is the father of the baby after all." Maura says but Niall only grunts and purses his lips at that. Maura tilts her head to the side and gives her son a questionable look.

"Sometimes I think...that Harry is only there for the baby." Niall admits warily and Maura's lips part slightly. "I'll be honest with you, I don't know where me or Harry lie in this relationship. We haven't really spoken much about it and I think Harry's scared too. I don't know what my feeling are for him, even though I'm having his baby. But I'm scared that if I admit to him that I like him, having feelings for him, he'll run away. I feel as if I've pushed him into something he's never wanted before and I don't know if I have much time left to tell him how much he means to me," Niall continues and by the time he's finished, he's crying. Maura sets down her mug of tea and strolls over to hug her weeping son. She rocks him back and forth a little as she hugs him, holding him close and Maura's suddenly scared of the fact that how skinny Niall and gotten over the past few days. Of course, it's probably the pregnancy itself that's doing this to Niall so Maura doesn't bother to pester him further.