A few days later, Niall finds himself sitting on the sofa with a medication box at the coffee table, next to another box of injections. He had his t-shirt raised over the slight bump of a belly and with pinched skin, he was about to inject his stomach with the medication Faye had offered him. He had seen Harry watching close by, by the bottom landing of the staircase and their was a look of betrayal flashed upon his face and once again, Niall was left alone to fend for himself in this particular situation. After he waited his shaking hands to become steady, he inserted the injection before wiping it clean and throwing the used injection in the empty box. After he was done, he looked up to find Harry staring at him. There was a look of pity on his face. A look of sheer guilt and anguish, a mixture of emotions but Niall understood.
Niall offered a weak, approachable smile to him but Harry didn't bother to respond. Instead he turned on his heel and sauntered back up the stairs. It was the most they had acknowledged each other the past couple of days, since Faye's visit. Niall knew Harry wasn't too happy with the idea of the whole situation, never mind the mock trial. It was understandable why he was acting like this. But Niall couldn't think about that right now. He was thinking about this foetus growing inside him and that scared him more than anything. Louis comes and sits down next to him. Sits on the coffee table in fact starts to clear things away. Niall is slightly grateful that Louis is there for him when Harry isn't. He could really use a friend right now.
As if on cue, the door bell rings and Niall turns his head to the sound and at the same time, Louis is up on his feet to answer it. Seconds later, Liam strolls through the door and waves at Niall before sitting next to him on the sofa. Niall wasn't going to lie, he was a little surprised to see him here but at the same time a little relieved. Liam's eyes fall on the medication boxes that lay aside, the ones that Louis was about to clear up and Liam frowns.
"What's this?" Liam asks curiously and Niall couldn't help but wince.
Niall started to explain, he started to explain what Faye told them at the visit and he could see Liam's facial expressions changing to sheer confusion and utter bewilderment and he was genuinely, genuinely concerned about his best friend.
"Please don't freak out." Niall practically begs.
But Liam's respond totally surprised him. Instead of acting out and insulting him and offending him, he pulled him in for a tight hug and didn't let go for a very, very long time. It was the kind of reassurance he needed, the kind of reassurance he longed for. But at the corner of his eye, Niall could see Louis standing in the hallway and when their eyes meet, Louis gives him a quick 'thumbs up' motion before darting back upstairs and Niall rolls his eyes.
That's when his eyes caught Harry standing at the top landing of the stairs, gazing down at them both with such a stern look on his face that it caused Niall's insides to turn, for him to tense around Liam's grip and at the sudden change of reaction, he felt Liam pull away with a confused look on his face.
"What's wrong?" He wonders, gazing curiously at his friend.
"I need to speak with, uh...Harry." He clears his throat awkwardly and gestures toward where Harry was standing and when Liam follows his gaze, a knowing look falls on his face. Niall excuses himself and follows Harry up the stairs while Liam stays sitting, waiting patiently.
"Harry." Niall greets softly.
"I thought I'd let you know that I've called a couple of guys at Harvard University." Harry states calmly.
Niall is taken aback.
"What?" He asks, stunned.
"There's a CEO that wants to talk to you about your condition." Harry explains.
Niall finds himself breathing hard, breathing calmly through his nostrils because he can feel anger boiling inside him. He bawls his hands into fists and glares at Harry.
"Harry...what did you do?"
The colour suddenly drains from Harry's face as he realises it wasn't the reaction he was expecting from Niall.
"Well, I thought – I thought this is what you wanted." Harry stutters, trying to back track a little but it only seems to make Niall angrier.
"What I wanted?" Niall repeats, "Harry, how did you even know what I wanted? You didn't even ask me, tell me this in the first place!" Niall exclaims.
"Babe...I'm trying to help you. I'm trying to do the right thing -"
"Well, stop! You never think about what I want, it's always what you think is best! You're always making my decisions, telling me what I need to do. You're fucking suffocating me!" Niall shouts and storms down the stairs.
As he storms, he trips over his feet, missing a few steps and causing him to tumble down the stairs, head first and it all happens in slow motion. Louis stops in the kitchen and Liam springs to his feet while Harry is frozen at the top of the stairs. They hear the sounds of Niall's limps banging against the wood of the stairs until he falls finally to the floor in a heap, his hands clasped tightly around his middle as he groans in pain.
The dishes clash in the kitchen and Louis is at Niall's aid in a flash while he begins to roll himself over.
"Niall? Niall, you gotta roll yourself to the left." Louis instructs firmly and Niall does as he's told, tilting his head up a little to gaze up at Louis and Liam looking down on him.
His eyes go past the boys and he sees Harry talking fast over the phone, his back to him as he paces the length of the floor and Niall couldn't help groaning again, this time resting his head back. That's when an uneasy feeling rose in the pit of his stomach and the colour drained from his face.
"I think I'm going to be sick." He announces suddenly.
Louis darts into kitchen and returns seconds later with some sort of basin and thrusts it under Niall's chin, just in time for him to vomit. Harry spins around at the horrible, retching sounds and is by Niall's side in a heart beat, his hand placing affectionately on his thigh.
"Faye's on her way. Managed to get her on call." Harry states and Louis nods knowingly.
"Try sitting up, Ni." Louis offers once Niall had done being sick and Niall does so, shuffling his legs backwards and lifting his bum on the brown leather ottoman chair. This time Harry disappears and comes back with a glass of water, handing it to Niall.
They both sit, crouched, opposite him and watching him closely while Liam hovers close by, unsure of what to do or say.
"It couldn't have been a maternal collapse, could it?" Harry asks curiously and Louis shakes his head.
"No, those normally happen six weeks after delivery." He explains.
"Still, I've called Faye just to be sure." Harry shrugs.
"Really, guys, I don't want any fuss." Niall moans.
"It's not any fuss, love."
Niall looks up at Harry and Harry gazes back. They stare into each others eyes for a moment and Louis looks away, he couldn't help feeling like he was invading in a private moment. He ends up catching eyes with Liam, who gestures toward the front door, indicating that he was leaving and Louis nods slowly.
"I hope you feel better, Niall." Liam says softly.
Niall tears his gaze away from Harry and smiles weakly at his best friend, who gestures a witty salute to him before leaving. When Faye arrives, Niall finds himself in Harry's bed and she's performing an ultrasound. That's when the sound of the baby's heart beat is to be heard through the room and Harry's head snaps up at the screen. A wilful smile spreads across Faye's face and she turns her head away from the couple before her. There was tension in the room, that much was obvious. Faye hoped that this moment would at least distinguish it and it would put their minds at ease.
"I'll be a moment."
It was as if on cue, she excused herself just like she had done with Niall the first time and swiftly exits out the room, handing Harry the little knob to place on Niall's belly. Niall watches in sheer amazement at Harry. Only a short time ago, they were arguing over Niall's university situation but now they seemed to have completely forgotten about it.
"Harry, I want to -"
"Shut up." Harry instructs happily, the knob moving freely across Niall's belly as the heart beat beats vaguely.
"I just want to apologise for how I acted before. It wasn't fair." Niall sighs and Harry finally drops the knob, looking at him.
"You don't have to apologise for anything -"
"No, I do. It wasn't right for me to act like that. It was immature. But what you've got understand, Harry, is that -"
"Sometimes you need your space. I know."
Harry and Niall exchange meaningful looks and they fall into a comfortable silence. Faye had headed downstairs and greeted Louis in the kitchen.
"Hey. Thought you'd like a cup of tea." Louis greets, handing Faye a cup over.
"Thank you." She smiles politely and takes a sip.
"How do you do it?" Louis asks suddenly and Faye tilts her head to the side in confusion, giving Louis a puzzled look.
"Do what?"
"Make Harry and Niall forgive each other like that. I swear, each time before they go and see you they're arguing and every time after that they've kissed and made up." Louis says and Faye couldn't help letting out a chuckle.
"It's not me, Louis, it's their kid." Faye reasons and Louis raises his eyebrows.
"They're absolutely smitten for it, it's ridiculous."
"Yeah, you can't deny that." Louis agrees, taking a sip of his own tea.
"Anyway, it's you I'm concerned about as well. How have you been...y'know, since last time?" She asks hesitantly.
"I've been good. Harry's kept me busy." He assures her and this time, it's Faye who raises her eyebrows.
"Just remember I know you Louis." She points out.
"Really, I'm...I'm fine." He says, although there's a crack to the end of his voice.
"Louis, I looked after you while you were imprisoned to The Dalca. I have a degree in psychology and if you think for a minute that I don't know when something is up then you've got another thing coming." She remarks, smacking her lips. Louis takes a deep breath and exhales, his shoulders rising and falling.
"I'm just worried about Niall. He's like a little brother to me. And Harry of course. They've been through a lot...I just hope they get their happy ending."
It was the truth. Obviously, Louis couldn't tell Faye everything. Louis was a little dubious about trusting the woman in his life, especially after the whole chaos with Carmen. She had caused nothing but trouble.
"But other than that, you're fine?" She suggests.
"Other than that, I'm fine." He confirms.
Faye studies Louis carefully but she didn't say anything else. She knew when to keep her mouth shut. After hearing a certain couple giggle from above, she headed back upstairs.
___________
I do apologise that this chapter is a bit of a mess. It's all over the place, filled with drama. Hope you like it though. Feedback would be much appreciated, thank you :)