Chapter Sixty Eight – Liam
Liam frowns, he's trying to pack his suitcase for the upcoming trip to LA, but he can't find half the clothes he wants, not to mention Bella is bouncing on the bed beside him and making it difficult to concentrate. Zayn is once again at work, leaving Liam home alone with Bella, which he's fine with, but for some reason she's extra energetic this afternoon, and Liam has a bunch of stuff he needs to get done, before they leave in two days. "Daddy?" Bella asks, bouncing onto her bum beside him, and Liam arches an eyebrow at her, "where you going?" she asks, pointing at the half packed suitcase, before climbing into his lap. Liam sighs "I'm going to Los Angeles, it's in America. I have to go for work, Niall's coming with me" he starts, and Bella pouts, clinging onto him, "no! Don't leave" she exclaims, trying to push closer to him, Liam chuckles, wrapping his arms tightly around her, "if you'd let me finish Princess, you and Baba are coming with me this time. I'm not leaving without you" he coos. Bella relaxes at that and presses a kiss to Liam's cheek, making a face at his beard, "too scratchy" she mumbles, and Liam laughs, shaking his head at her. "Sorry, Love. Now do you think I can finish packing?" Liam asks, chuckling when Bella cocks her head to the side, thinking, before she shakes her head no, and grabs his hand, "later, come play with me" she giggles, and Liam really has no choice but to agree, the packing and everything else he wants to do tonight can wait.
Bella's busy digging through the toybox they keep in the living room, after instructing Liam to stay on the couch, "what are you looking for?" Liam asks curiously, his eyebrows furrowing when Bella turns to face him. She's holding a small plastic teapot and a few pink, plastic tea cups, it's then that Liam realizes he's about to be forced into a tea party, "tea, Daddy" Bella exclaims bounding over to him and Liam chuckles. "We're going to have tea?" Liam asks and Arabella nods, giggling slightly as she sets everything in her arms down on the coffee table. Liam watches fondly as Bella 'pours' tea into two of the plastic cups, passing one to him, before picking one up for herself, "careful, it hot" she warns, and Liam nods, blowing gently on his empty cup in an effort to cool the imaginary liquid. Bella nods approvingly, before copying his actions and taking a small sip of her own tea, Liam follows suit, "that is some good tea" he praises and Bella beams at him, nodding her head. Bella sets her cup down a moment later, climbing into Liam's lap, and holding his face between her palms, "when Baba home?" she asks and Liam sighs, shaking his head, "not until after dinner Princess" he answers. Bella pouts, but nods her head and Liam feels bad, knows the toddler misses having Zayn home, as much as Zayn misses being there. Liam wraps his arms around Bella, hugging her tightly, "we've still got a few hours before dinner time, what do you want to do?" he asks, in an effort to make her stop pouting. Bella cocks her head to the side as she thinks, before her eyes light up "ice cream"she exclaims and Liam shakes his head, "not until after dinner" he offers, remembering the last time he gave her ice cream before dinner. Bella pouts but nods her head, "go see Uncle Niall?"she asks and Liam chuckles, "you want to go see Uncle Niall? Yeah I think we can do that" he answers and Bella cheers, as Liam pulls out his phone to text Niall quickly.
Niall's response to Liam is quick, that him and Josh are just hanging out at his apartment and would love to see Bella, and Liam, so Liam is now packing up a few of Bella's toys into a bag for her to play with at Niall's while the three year old waits impatiently by the door for him. Once he's sure he's got enough to keep her occupied he slings the bag over his shoulder, and grabs Bella's hand in his leading her towards the elevator, and then his car. Once he's strapped her in and handed her a couple dolls to keep her occupied, Liam moves to get in on the driver's side and starts the car, flipping the radio to a channel he knows Bella enjoys, as he backs out of his space and heads towards Niall's apartment. Niall's waiting out in the hallway for them once they arrive and Liam has lead Bella up the elevator to his floor, he's dressed in sweatpants and a hoodie and Liam shakes his head when he sees his best friend is barefoot as well. Bella breaks away from Liam running towards the blond who crouches down to catch her in a hug, "Uncle Niall" she cheers, pressing a sloppy kiss to his cheek, "Bella, how are you?" Niall asks, hugging her close to his chest, "I good. Where Joshy?" Bella asks, and Niall laughs, "Joshy's inside" he answers pressing his own kiss to Bella's cheek before, he sets her back onto her feet, and she takes off into the apartment. "How's it going Liam?" Niall asks, as Liam steps inside after him, Liam just shakes his head, "it's going, what about you?" he asks and Niall laughs, "oh you know, just getting ready for our trip" he replies and Liam nods, "yeah me too" he says, as Bella reappears. "Daddy, come" she demands and Liam just arches an eyebrow at her, "please?" she adds and Niall laughs loudly as Liam nods his head, slipping off his shoes and following after Bella.
"HeyJosh" Liam greets as he arrives in Niall's living room, followed by the blond who curls back into Josh's side, once he sits, "hello,Liam" Josh answers, one arm wrapping around Niall. "Uncle Niall?" Bella asks, landing on the couch beside the couple, "what can I do for you miss Bella?" Niall asks, arching an eyebrow. Bella giggles, moving so she's sitting half on Niall and half on Josh, "have toys?" she asks, cocking her head to the side, and Liam chuckles at her. "I brought you some toys from home, Love" Liam offers but Bella shakes her head at him, "want Uncle Niall, toys" she insists. Niall chuckles,moving Bella slightly so she's just sitting on Josh, as he stands up, he disappears from the room, coming back a minute later carrying a medium sized box, which he sets on the floor, "there you go" he says. Bella furrows her eyebrows and points at the box, Niall chuckles and sits back down again, "why don't you go see?" he teases. Arabella sticks her tongue out at Niall, before climbing from Josh's lap and moving to dig through the box, "Daddy, Uncle Niall has toys" she exclaims pulling out a couple of trucks to show him. "I see that" Liam answers turning to arch an eyebrow at his friend who shrugs, "I like to have a few toys here for when Theo comes to visit" Niall offers as an explanation, and it makes sense to Liam, really. "There isn't much and I'm afraid there isn't any princesses" Niall adds. Liam chuckles shaking his head as Bella drives a truck up his leg, "I don't think she really minds" he chuckles, as Bella drives the truck over a particularly ticklish spot.
Liam and Bella visit with Niall and Josh for a couple hours before Liam checks the time, "hey Bella-Bug, I think it's time to clean up. We should go home, I think Baba will be home soon" he says slowly. Bella pouts at him "don't wanna go Daddy" she whines and Niall and Josh both grin, "yeah Daddy" Niall teases. Liam glares at his best friend, before moving to sit on the floor with Bella, "we can always come back and visit again another day, but right now it's time to go home" he tries. Bella sighs, and pouts but starts putting toys back into the box, "thank you" Liam coos, leaning to press a kiss to her forehead. Once Bella's done cleaning up she climbs onto Liam's lap, "all done Daddy" she mumbles and he grins, "alright why don't you go say goodbye to Uncle Niall, and Josh, then we can go pick up something for dinner and go see Baba" Liam says. Bella doesn't say anything but climbs off of Liam and throws herself at Niall, wrapping her arms and legs around him in a hug, Niall murmurs something that Liam can't hear but it makes Bella nod her head wildly, before pressing a kiss to his cheek. Niall passes her over to Josh who hugs her and kisses her cheek lightly, "I'll see you soon, say hi to Baba for me?" Josh asks and Bella nods "okay Joshy" she grins, before climbing down, and coming over to Liam, "I ready" she mumbles. Liam grins and scoops her into his arms, "I'll see you Sunday, for the flight right?" he asks Niall, as Bella starts rubbing a hand over his beard, Niall nods "yes you will. Bye guys" he answers, as he follows them to the door, closing it behind them once they're out of the apartment.
Liam's struggling when they arrive back at their own apartment, he's trying to carry, a sleeping Bella, her backpack, and the two bags of Chinese take away he picked up as well, all while trying to unlock and open the door. When he succeeds in getting inside Liam sees Zayn's shoes, so the younger must be home, he toes off his shoes and moves further into the apartment. He lays Bella on the couch, gently, even though he knows she needs to wake up soon to eat, he figures he can find Zayn before they wake her up. Liam pulls her boots off her feet and slings her bag down to the floor, before he moves to place the bags of food on the kitchen counter. He still hasn't come across Zayn, so Liam makes his way towards the bedrooms, where he finds Zayn sitting on their bed in sweatpants, and one of Liam's t-shirts, with still wet hair, as he stares at something on his laptop, while Aurora sleeps by his feet. "Hey" Liam, murmurs, as he moves to sit on the bed beside Zayn, Zayn looks up and smiles, reaching out for Liam who moves to be snuggled in close to him. "Where did you guys go?" Zayn asks, Liam kisses him gently before answering, "Bella wanted to go see Niall and Josh, so we went there for a little, then I picked up dinner on the way back home" he explains. Zayn nods, before his eyes dart back to the computer screen, "what's this?" Liam asks gesturing towards the screen, Zayn bites his lip, "remember that maternity leave position I applied to cover?" he asks, Liam furrows his eyebrows nodding his head, "well the Principal emailed me, I got the job,I start the middle of March" Zayn says slowly. Liam's eyes widen, as a huge grin spreads across his face "Zayn, that's great" he exclaims and Zayn grins, slightly, nodding his head, "yeah it is" he mumbles. Liam pulls Zayn into his arms hugging him tightly, "why don't you seem excited?" he asks and Zayn shrugs, "I am, it's just a lot to take in" he answers. Liam just nods pulling Zayn in for another kiss, "we should go wake up Bella, and eat, then I'll take you both out for ice cream to celebrate" Liam says, pulling Zayn to his feet.
Bella proves difficult to wake up, as Liam left Zayn in the kitchen to dish out the food as he moved to the living room to wake the sleeping toddler, "Bella" Liam coos, only to have her groan and swat at him. Liam sighs and reaches down to tickle her gently, this time Bella's eyes pop open and she swats at Liam's hand again, "no Daddy" she mumbles. Liam chuckles, "hey, don't hit. But it's time to come eat" he coos, Arabella pouts, and reaches out to him to be carried Liam sighs dramatically, but pulls her into his arms, where she immediately snuggles into his chest. Liam carries her into the kitchen where Zayn is just setting out plates, "hey look who's up" Zayn teases, Bella lifts her head to smile at him "Baba" she calls reaching for him, and Zayn scoops her into his arms quickly "I missed you Baby Girl" Zayn coos, and Liam can't help the fond look he knows is on his face as he watches Zayn with Bella. Liam also can't help thinking about what it would be like to have another baby with Zayn, somehow, someday soon.
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A/N: So I updated finally and I am so sorry for not having this up sooner. I've just been feeling kind of blah and trying to figure things out. But I got this up hooray!
Let me know what you think, and I hope you guys like it.
For anyone wondering my dog has fully recovered and seems to be back to his old self, which is a huge relief, and makes me happy.
Until next time
xoxo