Author's Note: There will be a longer and more important author's note at the end. I just wanted to say thank you for getting this story over 600 votes and that I'm dedicating this chapter to GregoryCalderon. Enjoy :)
Two years, nine months later.
He accepted it. He accepted the fact that his parents weren't going to allow him to live his life the way he wanted to. He argued, protested, complained, and nearly ripped his own hair out, the moment he found out they weren't going back to London. The memories remained fresh on his mind simply because hurt and defeat was all he had known over the past two years. Niall's parents continued to pour salt on an open wound - a wound that never had the time to heal and close. It became a battle scar, over time, always reminding him that he was involved in a conflict he didn't have the strength to get through. He felt weak, pathetic, and useless. There was nothing to live for and no one to scream out for help for. Everyone they came across looked past his face, the one full of anguish and stress. Everyone chose to ignore the fact that his need for food vanished along with his happiness. At least, it was that way for the first couple of months of him being away from what he truly felt like was home. He was taken abroad, again, and he was far more out of reach than he could have possibly imagined.
Germany had became his parents' next destination. What started off as another lie about a business trip, and then some ridiculous story about a lay over, Niall had caught on to what his parents were doing. He realized that they were keeping him on his feet and taking him away from anyone who could possibly love him and make him feel whole again. Unfortunately, he could never figure out exactly why they were going through all that trouble just to separate him from a boy. There were boys everywhere, all colors, sizes, and sexual orientations. Yet, they were so hooked on keeping him away from the only one that could make him feel like life was worth living. Niall had lost all contact with his grandmother, weeping for her every night before he went to bed. His heart burned, his muscles ached, his hair went back to its natural state. He couldn't bring himself to care anymore, allowing all the blond dye to disappear. It turned out that he actually enjoyed being brunette again, sparking a little bit of happiness in him, for once; however it wasn't enough. He was now nineteen, had finally been able to get a job at a cafe, working there for seven months, so far. He continued to save up, hoping he would reach a reasonable amount of money for him to finally make his escape from his parents.
Those weren't the only changed that happened in Niall's life. Something huge, unexpected, and unexplainable happened. He had every reason to be shook, nervous, and scared. He panicked, not knowing how to cope with the situation or how his parents would make him feel. Though it wasn't possible for them to make him feel like any less than a human, he thought they would have enough decency to give him a pass that time. A week after leaving his grandmother's house, Niall started to experience a case of barfing and it occurred almost every morning and at the end of almost every meal. He thought that maybe he caught an illness due to all the stress and heartache. He didn't hesitate to go to the hospital because he felt he was far better off there than with his parents. Sadly, he had received shocking, sad, and bittersweet news all within the same time frame. Niall had found out that he was two weeks pregnant. Impossible, right? That's exactly what he kept telling himself and even his mother was baffled enough, and idiotic enough, to throw a fit in the doctor's office. Just when someone, a doctor, was there to help Niall yet again, his mother was always there to push them away.
The doctors went on to explain to him about the likelihood of that event happening and why him of all people. They explained the worse case scenarios as well as the perks and positive outcomes. They ran a few tests to make sure their hypothesis was correct and that it wasn't just some tumor swelling up inside of him; he indeed was carrying a child. Niall didn't think he would be able to do it. The fact that he was living with the devil's workers, stressed out, and didn't have any support - bringing a baby into that world was bound to be full of hardships; but, then, Niall would think about the fact that the baby was Zayn's and, should he never see the love of his life again, he would have someone just as sacred and close to him. So, it was settled, Niall went through the whole nine month experience. Everything from mood swings, weird cravings, sleepless nights, back pains, the mini kicks, and the emotional nights of missing Zayn. In the end, he was blessed with a beautiful, baby boy, Chase James Malik, or CJ for short. Born at just five pounds, eight ounces, he was a bundle of joy for the teen and that was the first time, in a long time, that Niall's parents gave him a break from making his life a living hell. That's when Niall decided he would stop fighting it and just accept the fact that he had lost everything, but gained something wonderful.
So, for the next year, and so on, Niall dedicated all of his time to his child; but it didn't take long for his parents to return to their prior ways and that's when Niall decided he needed to assert his independence, putting job hunting at the top of his list of priorities. It took quite some time, but he was able to do it. The cafe wasn't much and, though he would have rather been there all day than be at home, he simply didn't trust his parents to be around Chase for a long period of time; he didn't want his son picking up their dirty ways and he prayed he would never return home to find it empty, as well as his son being taken from him. He worked as many hours as he could, saving up as much as he could. His parents started to fine him, saying that he would have to pay to continue to stay there or they would ban certain things from him, not allowing him to have access to every aspect of the house. Niall handed them over a reasonable amount each month and spent a reasonable amount stocking up on things for he and Chase, but little did they know that he was keeping some for himself - hidden.
Today was the day. Niall could feel it. He waited for over two years and freedom was calling his name. For the past couple of weeks he had been having more and more dreams of reuniting with Zayn. Each dream was a little more extended. The first one started with him going up to Zayn's door, but ended just as the door was opening. Then, weeks later, his dreams got to the point to where he fully made it in the house and was able to interact with the Zayn in his dream state. Niall wanted the real deal; he pondered what Zayn had been up to for all these years. He wondered if he had moved on and forgot all about him and if he would still love him as much as he did before. He was also excited to reunite with his brother, only to show up at his grandmother's steps a little after. He would be returning to London for good, but he owed her so much and a visit was in order. He wanted to hug her, introduce her to his child, eat some of her freshly, baked goods and wear another perfectly knitted sweater. All of those things and people were his motivation to continue on with his life. The day was today; that much he knew.
Niall stood behind the register, watching the clock. He had less than ten minutes left of his shift and business had slowed down for the evening. He was itching to snatch his robe off and rush to that hell hole to retrieve Chase, and anything else he could carry, then leave. He was old enough to leave if he pleased. The only reason he hadn't sooner, or when he turned eighteen, is because he didn't have the funds to pay for traveling expenses and anything else he would have needed for his son. He put in a lot of hard work for the past seven months, at his job, and worked overtime whenever he could. So, there was no way in hell he was spending another sleepless night within that home. Sure, it was a bit luxurious because his mother refused to settle for less and sure, he had a comfortable bed to rest his body on; but it wasn't his home and it wasn't where he felt happy, safe, and secured. If anything, he felt suffocated and he needed to get Chase away as soon as possible. Now, being two years old, he was starting to become a bit intelligent and mindful and Niall wanted a better lifestyle for him. The clock struck five and Niall snatched his apron off, waving as quickly as he could to his fellow workers, then sprinted out of the cafe.
Niall's feet hit the pavement as he sprinted towards the bus stop, hopping on it quickly. He paid his fare, then took a seat. He couldn't stop smiling; a few people on the bus smiled back, genuinely, and others looked at him as if it was abnormal. Niall thought they should lighten up. He also thought of all the things he was ready to do once he landed back in London. Nandos was a definite and visiting all of his friends was required as well. He wanted to look for another job, enroll in a college, and get his life back on track. He felt so disconnected from the world around him and had so much to make up for. His stop grew near, causing him to pull the string that gave the driver indication that he was ready to get off. The bus stopped at the corner of the familiar street - the very street he dreaded for the past two plus years and the very street that he would no longer have to wake up to. He wasn't expecting his departure to be so easy, considering the fits his parents would throw, but they had no say-so in what went on in his life anymore. Niall walked across the lawn, then stumbled onto the porch. Though he had been waiting for this day, he was slightly nervous and overwhelmed. But, first things first, he needed to at least make it out of the house.
Niall stuck his key in the slot, then turned the knob. The moment the door opened, he could hear foot stomps, down the hall, approaching him quickly. Instantly, he smiled and his little boy came into view. "Daddy!" Chase squealed with excitement. Niall knelt down and scooped him up in his arms, planting kisses on the side of his head. He and his son had a bond, an unexplainable one. It was as though Chase could pick up on certain things going on, as far as Niall's unhappiness, and he would do everything in his two-year-old-power to cheer his father up. Niall never thought he would be ready to raise a child, considering his age and slight naivety; however, maturity came along with the parental experience. Much like Niall, Chase didn't have much of a bond with Niall's parents and didn't refer to them as grandmother or grandfather. They spoiled him rotten the first few months, but soon began to neglect him. Niall was shocked at how kind enough they were to babysat for him while he worked, but he knew they were only doing it because it was bringing money into the household. All of that was about to change.
"Did you have a fun day, CJ?" Niall asked, nuzzling his son close. Chase wasn't the exact replica of his parents, but his characteristics and a few traits resembled theirs. He had Zayn's eyes and a mixture of both of their delicate features and fair skin. He often reminded Niall of Freddie because of how adventurous, thoughtful, and silly he could be. Chase nodded, mindlessly playing with Niall's nose, causing him to giggle.
"I see you're home." Maura emerged from the hallway, hair in a bun, and a robe on. Niall was also aware that his father was somewhere around the house, lounging around. Every since they had moved here, he decided to take some sort of "extended vacation," saying that they had enough money saved up to keep them stable. Though it may be true, Niall knew his father was just using that as an excuse not to find work. Little by little, they started to rely on Niall's income. Niall kissed Chase's head once more.
"Go upstairs, love. I'll be in there in a second." Niall mumbled to him. Chase obliged, then headed for the stairs.
"Do you have this month's rent? I'm sure you were paid today." Maura said, slightly coldly, while beginning to light up a cigarette. She never really was much of a smoker; but it was a habit she picked up along the way. There was only one person Niall didn't mind doing that around him.
"I did get paid, but I won't be handing anything over this month." Niall explained, heading for the stairs. His mother quickly grabbed his arm and spun him around.
"The hell you are. What makes you think you're allowed to just stop all of a sudden?"
"I'm leaving." He stated, bluntly. As expected his mother began her usual bantering and shouting, her voice cracked and reeked of cigarette. Niall headed up the stairs, not bothering to argue with her or say anything at all; he rolled his eyes and he could hear her trailing behind him, following him to his soon-to-be ex room. Niall opened the door, then slammed it in her face, locking it afterwards. Chase was perched up on the bed, watching a children's show and playing with his mini, toy helicopter. Niall smiled instantly; it was always the better part of his day. "CJ?"
"Y-yes, daddy?" Chase also suffered a case of stuttering; however, it wasn't as bad as it could be. There were days when it didn't happen at all and then there were days when it would get the best of him. The doctors explained to Niall that it could have been a result of whatever stress and hardships he was going through, accepting the fact that Niall didn't want to go into further detail about it. All in all, Niall still didn't treat him as an outcast and he would hope no one else would.
"We're leaving, bud." Niall smiled, heading over to the closet and pulling out their respective suitcases that he had purchased some time ago. He had to rebuild his wardrobe from the ground up because they never returned to the home in London, leaving all of his things behind. One thing Niall did keep though was the bracelet, still holding on to his promise to never take it off.
"Where we goin'?" Chase asked, almost excitedly. He hopped off the bed, then ran towards the closet.
"Umm...my old home, before you were born. I have a few people I would like you to meet and we're moving." He explained the best way he could. Chase smiled, then jumped up and down a little, causing Niall to chuckle. Niall removed all of his clothing items from the hangers, in the closet. He folded them as neatly as possible, then tucked them as neatly as possible. He then proceeded to the dresser and grabbed all of his son's things, placing them in the luggage bag as well. They were nearly set and stone and nothing would be able to bring Niall down from this high of happiness, or soon-to-be happiness. The patience was worth it; of course, he had to make some sacrifices and of course he regrets not fighting a little harder to get away sooner; but things were meant to be that way for a reason and there was nothing be could do, but move forward now.
Niall pulled out his cell phone, which he was able to purchase earlier on in having his job. Sadly, he didn't have any numbers or remember any of them by heart, so he still didn't have a way to keep in touch with people; he vowed to take better care of his new one. He pulled a small, white paper out of his back pocket containing the number of a taxi driver. He dialed the numbers, then pressed the phone to his hear, awaiting an answer. "Hello? Hi, I would like to arrange for a cab to pick me up." Niall started, then went on to give the man the address, ending the call with a guarantee to be there within half an hour, depending on the traffic. Niall hung up, then smiled, placing the phone in his back pocket.
"Da-daddy, can we get something to eat? I-I hungry." Chase explained, sticking his bottom lip out in a way in which Niall couldn't possibly say no. He smiled, then ruffled his hair.
"There should be a food-court at the airport. You can have whatever you like, bud." Chase smiled, then gave Niall a kiss on the check. It had became his way of endearment, every time he wanted to thank his father for something. Niall zipped up their luggage bags, then headed for the bedroom door. He opened it, then set their bags out in the hallway. Chase continued to run around the room with his toy helicopter, then sprinted out into the hallway, running back and forth, and making sound effects. Niall walked over to the stairs, placed the luggage bags on their backside, then allowed them to slide down the stairs.
"And what is this your mother is telling me about you leaving?" Bobby walked out of his room, approaching Niall; his face was twisted in annoyance and anger, but Niall couldn't bring himself to care.
"Hey, bud, wait downstairs for daddy, will you?" Niall explained to Chase. Per usual, he obliged. Niall was very protective of his child, doing anything in his power to keep him humble and out of harm's way - out his parents' way. They had crossed the line long ago and there was no way of mending their family. Niall turned to his father, then brushed past him, heading back into the room to retrieve the rest of their belongings.
"I'm talking to you, boy."
"Yeah? Well, I'm done talking to you. I'm done talking, period." Niall stated, shuffling around the room to load up the last luggage bag. His father snickered, then wiped the corner of his mouth. Lazy and good-for-nothing were the only thoughts swirling in Niall's mind. His father completely allowed himself to let go - gaining weight, putting work on the back-burner, frequently belittling Niall, drinking, and enjoying a cigarette with the misses, occasionally. It wasn't a lifestyle that Niall was accustomed to and they weren't the same people he knew and loved, once upon a time. His father stood by the door, contemplating and plotting. He thrived off of Niall's unhappiness, allowing it to fuel him and make him feel like this powerful being - thinking he could get away with anything. Niall wasn't bitter and he wasn't going to continue his life hating them. He was simply done and ready to move on. Niall zipped up the last luggage bag, then clutched it, headed for the door. He brushed past his father once more, then headed for the stairs. Just as he was about to reach the last two steps, his body flung forward, causing him to fall on his knees and drop the suitcase.
"Daddy!" Chase screamed, panic rushing over him. Niall let out a small groan, but quickly stood on his feet. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, baby." He quickly got up and ushered his son closer to the door. His dad came walking down the stairs, along with his mother; he chuckled darkly and proudly for pushing Niall down.
"Think you're a bigger man than me, boy? Think because you got your ass a little job you're free to do whatever you want?" Niall's fists clenched, anger boiling over him. He hadn't found himself this taunted and willing to fight since the day he made it his priority to save Zayn from those thugs and he would be damned if he was going to allow anyone to hurt him or his child.
"No, I don't 'think'. I am." Niall stated, smirking at his remark. Chase stood in the background, pressed against the wall and surrounded by their luggage. He was frightened and he had never seen them get into an altercation such as that.
"You're not that bright." Bobby retorted, chuckling. "You leave here and you'll have no one to run to. No one even knows if you're still alive. You can be six feet under, for all they care. At least we provided you with a roof over your head. Ungrateful, little bastard."
"Yeah and I suppose you think I love being here. I just love to be stressed and unhappy. I just love having to wake up to your asses everyday. I'm leaving. I'm taking my son and that's that." Niall explained.
"Oh, and where are you going to go?" His father protested. "Do you think, after all these years, that Freddie or that poor excuse of a boy, who was stupid enough to knock you up, is going to just welcome you back in with open arms?" Niall's hope shattered a little; but it returned just as quickly. He had allowed them to get inside his head far too much and he was used to the mind games.
"Yeah...yeah, I do." Niall stated, simply.
"It's not like they'll want you back. Hell, they didn't even bother to come and look for you."
"You don't know that!" Niall retorted.
"Where are they, hm?" His father widened his arms, scanning around the room in a mocking manner. "Where are they? I don't see them. You've been here for two years. Don't you think they would have found you by now?"
"It's not like they knew where I was."
"Oh, give me a fucking break! They could've rescued your ass if they wanted to. That's the whole reason we left. You had the right to leave if you wanted to!" His father blurted out. Niall's jaw dropped and eyes widened.
"W-what?"
"It was a scam, the whole thing! That wasn't a real lawyer. At least she wasn't one when we set this whole thing up."
"You-...you didn't? You couldn't... To think I always gave you two the benefit of the doubt." Niall was broken all over again. This entire time, he was free and had no inkling. Then, it occurred to him, he was definitely free now. No more secrets, no more lies, no more heartache." A fist collided with Bobby's jaw, causing him to fall backwards. Niall shook his hand, feeling a slight sting. He smirked and Chase gave small, baby claps in the background. Bobby groaned, rolling over on the floor.
"Yay, you can be Spider-man, daddy." Niall smiled at his son, adorably, then headed towards him. He picked up a few suitcases, allowed Chase to walk ahead of him. As he reached for the door knob, his mother continued to fight the inevitable.
"You're not being fair! What about CJ? You can't just take him away from the only people he's known - the only people that have loved him!"
"Oh, shut the fuck up, mother." Niall said mockingly, remembering all those times she would spit the word 'mother' venomously at his Nana. Niall opened the door, Chase marching ahead of him.
"Daddy, you cursed." He stated. Niall slammed the door behind himself and instantly started smiling and giggling. He was free. There was nothing stopping him from getting inside that taxi and leaving. Upon reaching the cab, the driver opened the trunk, took Niall's luggage and packed it inside. Niall and Chase climbed into the backseat and buckled up. Niall took one, last look at the house, then sighed in relief. The driver returned to the car and started the engine.
"Where to?" He asked, looking through the rear view mirror.
"The airport." Niall stated, proudly.
The flight was long, but Chase's excitement with being high up in the air kept Niall steady and happy. They pointed out several, differently-shaped clouds, together; They sat in first class and ate as much as they could. Chase's appetite was much like his father's and he was able to get a taste of all the things he had been missing out on. Niall explained to him that they would try Chinese food, remembering that it was one of he and Freddie's favorite places, since they were kids. He was eager for Freddie to meet his nephew and for them to form a bond. Of course, it would be hard to explain why things happened the way it did and how in the hell Niall was able to conceive and deliver, but he wouldn't go too far into detail because it wasn't as natural as it could have been. With all of that being said, they had arrived back in the United Kingdom. It was bittersweet.
Niall smiled as he walked through the airport, hands in his pocket and strutting ahead. Chase followed closely behind, skipping along the patterns of the square-tiled floor. Not too far behind was the bellhop, pushing the cart along with their luggage. Upon reaching the automatic doors, they stumbled into the beautiful night. The air was fresher, comforting. It was felt like home - it was home. London had seemed so unrecognizable, but that didn't last long when one of the tour buses drove by. A few people shouted, waved, and took pictures of the scenery before them. Niall smiled and Chase giggled, seeing as it was his first time seeing a bus such as that. "'S shaped funny." He giggled again. Chase's accent, surprisingly, turned out to be a British one. Niall felt a little down about it, hoping his son would get the Irish accent; but in a way he was happy. Then, there were times when Chase would mimic Niall and be able to get his accent to sound exactly like his father's, so maybe his body incorporated both.
A cab pulled up and Niall rose his hand, indicating that he needed a ride. The yellow car pulled over and parked, popping the trunk for them. The bellhop, nicely, placed their luggage inside. Niall pulled out his wallet, taking out fifty pounds and handing it to him. "Wow, thanks sir." The bellhop replied, smiling.
"No, thank you." Niall concluded, patting him on the shoulder. Again, Chase and Niall hopped in the back of the taxi.
"Where to, fellows?" Niall froze a little. He hadn't exactly thought if Freddie lived in the same house, or if any of his loved ones did. Two years was a long time and bigger and better things could have happened for them. Zayn was probably off, at a university somewhere. Liam probably didn't stay down the street anymore. After all, they were all nineteen now, minus Harry being eighteen and Louis being twenty. Niall could only imagine how far they've made it into their relationship and he wanted that with Zayn. So, he wasn't going to turn back now. Niall told the man his brother's address and decided to take the chance, hoping he would still be there. They took off, passing a lot of familiar streets. They passed the mall that Elizabeth worked at, last time he checked - and they passed his old high school, instantly causing him to smile when he saw the parking lot where Zayn almost kissed him for the second time.
Niall was excited, scared, and overwhelmed all wrapped into one. His nerves increased the moment they turned on the familiar street. He passed Liam's house first and saw the lights on, but he didn't see any figures standing around anywhere. A few seconds later, they pulled up to Freddie's house and he saw Freddie's car. Not only that, but, somehow, Niall's Range Rover was there as well. Tears were already forming in his eyes, thinking about the fact that his father was wrong and that his brother, in-fact, must've stopped by the house to look for him. "W'as wrong, daddy?" Chase questioned, looking concerned.
"N-nothing, baby. I'm just happy, is all." He opened the door, climbing out. Chase scooted towards the edge of the seat and hopped out the car. The driver retrieved their things from the trunk and set it on the lawn in exchange for the money he was owed. He tilted his hat to Niall, then waved farewell to Chase, who gave the man a handshake. The cab drove off and Niall grabbed his bags and began walking towards the door. He was scared and thought of all the outcomes. He thought that Freddie wouldn't recognize him because his hair was now brunette and no longer in a quiff, but then he thought about how stupid it was of him to think that because Freddie is his brother who grew up with him and they both used to have brunette hair. His braces were gone, so that was a given as well. Niall let out a sigh and Chase became a little frightened by the unknown. He stood behind Niall's legs, as Niall reached for the doorbell and rung it.
"Just a second!" Niall's heart jumped. It was Freddie. He turned around and gave Chase a small smile, then faced the door again. The locks were being picked and he heard the knob turn. "Hello - " Freddie froze, eyes nearly bulging out their respective sockets. "Ni?" He asked softly, eyes starting to water. His throat became dry and Niall nodded. Freddie's gaze lowered a bit and Chase stuck his head out from behind Niall's slim legs. Freddie's eyes widened some more, as he looked back and forth between father and son. To their dismay, Freddie fainted.
"Uh oh!" Chase stated.
Author's Note: So, I just wanted to clear a few things up. Despite Chase coming from Niall, I don't want to categorize this story as MPREG. I don't have anything against the genre because I actually love reading those types of stories, but that's not the direction I was heading in. That's one of the reasons why I did a big time skip - Chase already being 2 -, didn't go into too much detail about the pregnancy, and didn't write any chapters pertaining to the whole 9 month experience. So, you can pretty much just conclude that Chase came from Niall and Zayn and that's it :) I know not everyone is a fan of MPREG, but yeah...this story will still be the same. Now, there's just a child involved. The picture on the right is a random picture I found on google, but it instantly captured my attention and I thought he should play the child x