"I'm sorry what?" Niall asked dumfounded. If anything why wouldn't he want a DNA test. At least just for sound of mind.
"He's mine. I don't know I just feel it." Liam said rubbing his temple.
"Well at least take it just to prove that he is." Their manager spoke with a "duh" tone.
"Fine." Liam said with a big sigh. He looked behind him out the window and couldn't help but smile seeing the boy travel with the ball with intricate footwork. "Let's go then." He said rising to his feet.
"Okay." Niall sighed in relief but realized Zayn was till frozen next to him. "Zee..." he whispered.
"You all go ahead. I need to be alone for a minute." Zayn whispered back and walked past all three men heading upstairs. He hated storming off like that. It seemed so dramatic but what does one even do in that position...
"You guys go... I'll uh- I'll go talk to him." Liam said before heading back upstairs stealing one last glance at the boy who was enjoying his time outside with the ball and the puppy.
When he got to the door of his room he heard quiet sobs. It broke his heart. He didn't blame Zayn for being this upset. As much as he wanted to be angry at Zayn for feeling that type of way towards his past, he just knew he couldn't. He brought it upon himself and he knew that deep down everything he did hurt Zayn in a way. It wasn't something he was ever conscious of at that time, but he felt a sliver of that when Zayn had been talking to KJ. The thought of the boy he started falling for ending up with someone else, lets just say he didn't enjoy it.
He tried to open the door but it was locked. He heavily sighed as he heard Zayn try to stop his hiccups due to the amount he was crying. "Zee please open up."
On the other side Zayns sobs become harder to contain as he heard Liam's voice muffled through the door of their shared bedroom. "Zayn... I- I know this is hard to process. I don't blame you. Please talk to me." He desperately asked.
Zayn couldn't even form words to speak back. He wanted to, but he couldn't get anything out besides a sob. After a few seconds he finally spoke out. "I J-Ju." He sighed catching his breath. "I need t-to be al-alone right now. Please Liam." He said sobbing and hiccuping.
On Liam's side his forehead rested on the door. His eyes shut as he listens to Zayn struggle to get out what he wanted to say. He wanted to stay and continue trying but he needed to get this done. He knew he needed to know the results before he acted on anything else regarding the boy at least. "I'll be back okay... We really need to talk about this Zee. I love you." Liam sighed out and waited for a response. He didn't get one just sobs and his chest hurt at that. He turned away before taking anymore in.
When he went downstairs Niall, Andy, and Ezra were almost headed out the door. Niall closed the sliding door letting the puppy stay outside as Liam approached him first. "I need you to stay here with Zayn." He whispered. Niall had a look of concern but ultimately nodded. "I'm going to pick up Louis on the way. I don't really want to be alone with him."
"Who Ezra?" Niall questioned back his voice barely able to reach where they were standing.
"No Andy." Liam said as Niall's mouth frowned. "Wait he doesn't know yet or did you tell him last night?"
"No, but I'll fill him in on the way." He nonchalantly stated.
"That's an awful lot to drop on someone in a 20 minute car ride." Niall warily said.
Liam cocked his brow and straightened up. "And this is an awful lot to drop on someone after an almost 10 hour flight, but look at where we are." Liam let out with a straight face.
"Liam I-" Niall said feeling guilty
"It's okay I'm not mad. I just really need to get this situated so I can come back to him. I'll be back." He said as he went to grab a hoodie that was hanging in the coat rack, and slipping on his shoes.
"The nearest hospital is just down this road, I'll be there in a sec." Liam said to Andy who just nodded "Come on Ezra." He said as he tapped the boys shoulder who kept staring at Liam. He felt the eyes on him but was scared to look.
Maybe he thought looking would get him attached, but deep down he wanted this to be true. Of course, they wouldn't know for about 2 days, but the thought of it wasn't scary. The only scary thing was losing Zayn in this process but it hadn't fully set in yet. He was so busy at the tasks at hand that he hadn't had time for this to settle in yet. With his shoes on he grabbed his keys and headed to his car dialing Louis up, as Andy and Ezra said bye to Niall.
It rang a few times before the man answered. "Hey what's up mate. Innit a bit early for a lunch call?" Louis asked.
"Louis I'm coming by the brokerage. I need you to come with me." Liam tried his best to sound sane when in reality he wasn't. His mind was cloudy with so manny thoughts about everything that was going on, but he did a good job of not showing it.
Louis on the other line contorted his face. He sounded like he was in a panic or something but the words were so blank. "Sure but are you okay?"
"Juuuust peachy." He sarcastically said.
"Okay... we'll I have to submit this offer in real quick I'll be done in a few minutes." Louis shrugged at his tone but decided to ask in the car.
"Perfect." He said as Louis picked up his tone again and shook his head. Something was definitely up.
Meanwhile at the house Zayn opened his door to Niall who immediately was tackled into a hug. He moved to the bed and pulled Zayn in closer to his side letting him cry it out. He rubbed his shoulders and combed through his hair.
After a few minutes Zayns sobs died down as his breaths steadied. "I shouldn't have snapped at you earlier. You've always been there for me so I'm sorry." Zayn said hugging Niall's body tighter.
"It's okay Zayn. This is a lot... I understand."
Zayn loosened his grip around Niall and sat up wiping his face. He scoffed because he hated crying like that. "God I probably look and sound like such a brat."
"Hey... it's okay." Niall said resting his hand on Zayns shoulder again giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"What's wrong with me Ni?" He said as his voice cracked out but his tears weren't falling.
Niall's look saddened. The last time he heard Zayn ask that was when he came to him about wanting help. "Nothings wrong with you. It's natural to have those reservations, but what I do know is that there is no doubt you and Liam were practically made for each other. Yes I know it was a contract that brought you two together, but you still chose each other. That has to mean something."
"I know and I'm thankful for it... I just- ugh... I don't know. It's not that I'm scared it's just that knowing our lives could have been totally different and that those possibilities might have existed is what's scary. Does that make sense even?" He said as Niall let him ramble
"This is just another reminder at how different it all could have been. I know this was long before the contract even came into our lives, but still... I don't know Ni. I'm not angry at him. I can't be angry at the boy or even his mother... not even at Andy. I'm angry with myself for feeling that way about this."
"I know I'm not perfect, heck I fucking kissed someone on our bachelor trip while I was deeply devoted to Liam. I'm not a fucking saint either. I doubt Liam even thinks about that so why do I have to keep being consistently reminded of it? I fucking hate it!" Zayn said in a more angrier tone. Niall sat back and watched as his rant gradually went from sad, to angry. He began pacing and frantically throwing his arms out.
"I mean maybe moving is going to help because being around all those models just sucks. Every time someone mentions their past with him I get so bothered and my God I sound like a jealous teen girl!" Niall just nodded and continued to let him get it all out. Especially since his session was canceled and they spent all week out in LA. He knew Zayn must've been pent up. It was a nice break for Zayn, but now all of this coming out just sent him back.
"I mean they're nice and all, don't get me wrong, but it's just annoying..." he said with as huff sitting back down. Seconds later he turned to Niall who gave him a sympathetic look.
"I'm not even scared about him being Liam's." Zayn said softer than before as Niall's head slightly jerked back.
"I know. What a shocker. I can't be mad at the boy like I said. I also can't be mad at Liam's past decisions. I'm honestly kind of happy for him. He's always wanted a son. He's never fully said it but I know he has."
"Well that's great Zayn! Honestly yes I'm kind of shocked but I know you're a good person. You have such a big heart and it's amaZayn" Niall said with a wink as Zayn dropped his demeanor and giggled. It was a phrase Niall made up when they had a meeting after their wedding, along with "brilLiam" talking about how the media was eating them up.
"Stop." He playfully said.
"I know. I'm too corny. It's big of you to not be mad at that though. Anyone in your position would be. It's reasonable." Niall tried to reason.
"Yeah I guess... he does look like him when he was that age though besides the eyes. I'm uh also not mad at you for telling Liam about my sessions. I know this put you in an awkward position." He said with a frown. "I know me and him need to talk about it though... my uh issues that is. I kept it from him thinking it was helping but I know I shouldn't have, and I shouldn't have asked you to keep it from him."
"It's okay Zayn. Now uh I have to ask you something." Niall said with a curious look. "Can I uh- live with you and Liam in LA for a month or so?" He asked about to continue but looked at Zayns surprised face.
"This whole week I've been back and forth between here and Wolverhampton and I know if and when this becomes public its going to be tough. Especially out in LA there's far more media, and clout chasers there." He said as Zayn giggled at the way Niall said "clout"
"Yes I know... anyways I want to really protect the both of you and I know when people get word of him, it'll just be a lot at once. I think it'd be best to move over there with you guys... if you let me of course." Niall rapidly said.
"You'd move just for us?" Zayn asked
"Well yeah. You both are like my family and I don't want to leave you guys. Plus I can just transfer branches. I am the co-founder of the firm anyways." He said shrugging and even though they were close friends, Zayn had never knew that information.
"Wait wait wait... co-founder?" Zayn said dumbfounded.
"Well yeah... what did you think G & N Publications stood for?" He looks at Zayn through his brow.
"I don't know... Your brother is hardly ever in the office when we go." Zayn said shrugged with a sigh. He wasn't crying anymore but the feeling still loomed. "Plus you never really mention it to anyone. Like at all."
"Yeah well I just like to play coy. Bragging's not my thing. So you just thought my office was that big by being good at my job?" Niall lightheartedly laughed. "That's also my point exactly, Greg's never in and maybe if I move he'll finally come into the office and run things. I can move to our LA branch! They've been kind of struggling over there too so it's a win win." He said with an exciting pop of his shoulders.
"Wow you and Harry there with us... all that's missing is Louis." Zayn said with a frown. His thoughts regarding all this sort of left him for a bit. He knew later on he'd have to have that conversation alone with Liam and it made him kind of nervous. He didn't know what to expect.
"Maybe we can convince Louis to come too!" Niall gasped.
Zayn laughed a bit then stood up straightening out his clothes. "I think he's good here Ni. He just started real estate and it's been booming for him I doubt he'll want to come too..." Zayn shrugged as they started talking about things such as the situation at hand.
Meanwhile Liam had arrived at the hospital in his own car. He didn't want to be next to Andy at the moment In fear of lashing out. The whole car ride he was silent, with bits and pieces from that time flashing back from the depths of his memory.
With every passing second everything started to make sense. Him meeting her, the parties, the night they slept together and Andy waking in, the not answering, and her roommate and friend asking if he'd seen her because she was gone. At the time he shrugged it off because he was already into the next handful of people he messed around with, but now it just clicked. Of course he was still going to take the DNA test but deep down he knew...
Ezra was more than likely his.