*Niall's P.O.V*
I sat on the top floor of our hotel in New York City. Liam, Louis, and Harry had gone down the street for a couple drinks. I didn't feel like going out tonight, though. All I wanted was to be back in London with my wife, holding her and feeling the babies kick under my hands.
I sat next to the window and stared at the street below as I thought about her. I wondered how she was doing. When I talked to her last night she was having a lot of back pain. My thoughts were interrupted by my phone vibrating in my pocket. I reached in and pulled it out to see Y/n's name on the screen. I frowned as I realized that it was the middle of the night over in the U.K. What was she doing up this late?
"Hey baby." I said as I answered.
"Hey Ni, how's it going over there?" She asked. I could tell by the sound of her voice that she was exhausted. She sounded like she hadn't slept in ages.
"It's good. We have the night off so I'm just hanging out at the hotel." I said.
"Where are the guys at?" She asked.
"They went down the street for some drinks at some bar." I said.
"Why didn't you go with them?" She asked.
"I just wasn't feeling it." I said as I tried to keep her from worrying about me.
"What's wrong, Ni?" She asked.
"I just can't stop thinking about you." I said as I fought back my emotions. I hated hearing her sound so tired and knowing that I wasn't there for her.
"Don't worry about me, Y/n. I'll be okay." She said.
"I just hate knowing that you're over there and that I'm not there with you. I'm supposed to be there to take care of you and help you through the rough spots in the pregnancy, and I'm not." I said.
"Niall, we both know you have to be over there. You have to work and be with the boys so that me and the babies are taken care of. And this is the last time you'll have to leave. You're coming home in two weeks, and then you'll be here for good." She said.
I smiled at the thought of seeing her once again and not having to leave her alone until after the babies were born and bigger.
Then I heard a small sniffle and I felt my breath catch in her throat. She was crying.
"Y/n...is everything okay? What's wrong, princess?" I asked worriedly.
"I just...I can't sleep. The babies keep kicking me and my back hurts and I have heartburn. I just can't get comfortable." She said as she fought back tears. "And...I...I miss you, Ni."
I sighed as I closed my eyes. The thought of my wife alone and needing me was almost more than I could handle. I hated being away from her and not being able to take care of her or comfort her. But I had to keep myself composed. I had to be strong for her.
"Shh love, take a few deep breaths for me, okay?" I said softly. "Just breathe. In and out, nice and slow."
The other end of the phone was quiet and I hoped that she was taking deep breaths like I told her to. After a few moments she came back onto the line.
"Okay. I feel better." She said.
"Good. I'll be home soon, princess. Just hang in there for me, okay?" I said.
"I will. I love you, Niall. And I miss you. The babies miss you too." She said.
"I miss you guys too, baby, but I promise I'll be home soon." I said. "I love you." I said.
"I love you too, Niall." She said.
I hung up the phone and leaned my forehead against the window as I tried not to cry. I felt like the worst husband on the planet because my wife was halfway across the world and I wasn't there when she needed me.
The guys came back from the bar about an hour later. Harry came over and sat down on the couch next to me.
"You okay mate?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'm okay...just tried." I lied.
"You sure that's all that's on your mind?" He asked as he saw right through my lie.
"Y/n called me earlier," I paused. "She's having a rough time. The babies are kicking and her back hurts. She sounded...so uncomfortable." I said as I stared at the ground.
He reached over and put a hand on my shoulder.
"I know it's hard not being there with her, for both of you guys. But you'll be going home to her soon in a few weeks." He said.
"I never imagined it would be this hard to not be with her." I said.
Louis came over to the couch and sat down on the other side of me.
"How do you do it Louis? How do you handle being away from Freddie?" I asked as I looked over at him.
"It's a lot harder now that he's older and asks where I am when I'm gone. But I just remind myself that everything I do is for him. The miles and long hours on the road, and the days away from home. It's all to provide for him and make sure he has everything he needs. It's definitely not an easy thing, Ni, but I make it work by calling and Skyping with him. His smile makes my day." He said. "You'll be that way too. Once those babies are born, your whole world will revolve around them."
My lips curved into a smile at the thought of seeing the twins for the first time, and having Y/n in my arms again. It would only be a few weeks until I got to go home and see her. It seemed like forever, but Louis was right. I'm sacrificing time away from Y/n to make sure her and the babies are taken care of and have everything they need.