As soon as the car was parked in the driveway, Niall got out slowly; carefully and stood outside, waiting for his mother to get Janelle and carry her inside the house.
"Niall go on ahead, we'll bring everything in. Just go get comfortable." Bobby said.
Niall just glared at his father, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. The man had succeeded in breaking them apart.
God knows what he had said to Harry but earlier that day, Harry got back from the canteen --with Bobby hot on his heels-- and kissed Niall and Janelle then whispered him that he would be waiting for them in London.
Niall couldn't even ask what Harry meant because he had soon grabbed his bag and was out the door.
He had glared at his father and demanded to know what he had told the father of his child but had just just told him to forget about him and concentrate on the people that had gone to see him and Janelle.
Since then Niall hadn't said a word to Bobby or to Lewis who was also with them.
Once inside, Niall slowly made his way up the stairs and when he was on top, he breathed in relief. He was in pain.
He had no idea if it was his incision acting up after the damn stairs or if it was because he missed Harry. Either way, he was pain.
He dragged his body to his room and got in, leaving the door open, knowing that his mother would be up with the baby soon.
He went to stand infront of the mirror and lifted up his shirt, just to be sure that the incision wasn't bleeding.
And when he was certain, he carefully lay down on the bed and searched for his phone, planning to ring Harry up but he couldn't find it anywhere.
He reckoned he had placed it in one of the baby bags that were downstairs. He thought of going back down to check for it but there was a little knock on the door and his mother walked through the door with the baby carrier.
She unstrapped the baby and was about to lay her down in the little crib when Niall stopped her.
"Just lay her down next to me right here." He said and smiled when she opened her eyes as soon as she heard his voice. "Hey baby girl." Niall cooed and placed a kiss to her cheek.
She closed her eyes again and Niall reckoned she had gone back to sleep.
"Okay Niall, what's going on?" Maura asked after she had grabbed his desk chair and sat down.
"What do you mean?" He asked, having a vague idea of what she was talking about but wanting to be sure first.
"You haven't said a word to your father since... I have no idea and where is Harry? I just know that it's something but Bobby won't say anything and Greg is too oblivious to notice anything." She sighed and rubbed her temples. "I just want you all to be happy and talking to each other. I mean it's baby Nellie's first time at home. It should be a happy day."
Niall bit his lip, chewing on it as he thought about the whole thing while his mother was still speaking.
He had two options; tell her the reason why he wasn't talking to his father or just play it off. He reckoned telling the truth would make him feel a tad better but anyone who knew Maura Horan knew of how protective she was of her sons and Niall being the youngest, she still considered him her baby.
So telling her the truth will only result in things Niall wouldn't like. She would be crazy enough to even have him quit his job and look for something there Ireland, raise his daughter as far away from Harry as possible.
And so Niall chose the latter.
"Does it really seem like that?" He asked with a smile that was fake but his mother didn't need to know that. "I'm just tired, ma. Da and I are good. Oh and Harry had to go back for an emergency at work, his debut album is coming out soon and he said to tell you that he apologises for leaving without saying." He said, surprised at himself for being so smooth.
Maura seemed to buy it because her face was graced with a smile.
"It's official, I'm paranoid." She groaned.
"Take it easy on how much you stress, ma. You're gonna give yourself frown lines." Niall grinned, trying to mask up the guilt that he was feeling because no, his mum was not paranoid. She was infact very correct about everything. But he couldn't tell her that.
"Oh my god, where? Do I have any?" Maura's hands flew to her forehead making Niall laugh quietly.
"I'm kidding ma relax, will you?" Niall rubbed her arm, fondly. "You are the most beautiful woman in the whole wide world."
"Aww you charmer." Maura smiled and went to sit on the bed then opened her arms, "come here."
They shared a hug.
"I'll go get started on dinner, get some rest, yeah?" She stood up and left the room.
Niall looked at his sleeping daughter and leaned down to kiss her nose, laughing when she scrunched up her little button nose.
He got off the bed and resumed his search for the missing phone; checking Janelle's nappy bag that his mother had brought with her, still nothing.
When he felt the incision begin to hurt again, he decided to lay down and ask for his phone later at dinner.
*
"Niall baby, wake up." Niall heard someone call him softly and he opened his eyes to be met with his mother's face. "Dinner's ready."
He sat up slowly and stretched carefully then a small yawn followed.
"Where's Nellie?" He asked when he saw that the space next to him was empty.
"Downstairs with Theo." Maura answered and Niall's eyes widened.
"Theo is here?" He asked excitedly, already getting out of the bed and walking over to the door, slowly.
Maura laughed but followed behind anyway.
When they were downstairs, Maura walked to the kitchen while Niall went to the living room and almost cooed when he saw his nephew, with the help of Denise, holding his daughter.
He leaned against the wall and watched them.
"She small, mammy." Theodore said adorably. "Love her."
"She loves you too honey." Denise said. "You are a big cousin now. Will you protect your baby cousin?"
Theo nodded eagerly.
"I protect baby Nellie. I big boy."
Niall decided then to show his presence.
"Hellooooo." Niall said with a grin and Theo turned around to spot his uncle.
"Uncle Ni! I hold baby Nellie." He showed off with a grin of his own.
"You are such a good boy." Niall walked over them and kissed Denise's cheek then ruffled his nephew's hair.
"Look she love me." Theo said excitedly when Janelle smiled in her sleep, dimples popping and everything.
"Alright, everyone, come on. Food is served." Maura said from the kitchen door.
Denise took the baby from Theo completely and handed her to Niall, taking the boy to go and wash his hands.
"I love you baby." Niall kissed Janelle's forehead and placed her in the swing so she could sleep while he ate.
His mother had already fed her so he needed not to worry about her eating.
In the kitchen, Niall noticed that his father and brother weren't around. And that Lewis had left.
"Where's da and Greg?" He asked as he sat down.
"Oh they went to grab groceries, should be here soon." Maura answered and Niall nodded.
He didn't wanna be at the dinner table with his father right now, anyway.
Although he wanted to ask about his phone.
*
That night, after Greg and his family left, Maura cleaned Niall's incision and gave Janelle a bath then put her to bed.
Niall was thankful for his mother, she was truly a blessing and he was glad she was always there to help.
He had gone to sleep as soon as Janelle had slept so that he could rest a bit before she woke up in the middle of the night.
He was awaken by something hitting his window repeatedly. He listened agian and was met with the same thing.
Niall sat up and looked at his daughter, seeing that she was asleep then he slowly walked to the window and peeked through the blinds.
He was met with a sight of Harry stood on a branch and knocking on his window.
"Haz?" He opened the window. "What are you doing here at this time? And where were you?"
Harry smiled at him. "Do you think I could maybe come in and then I'll explain?" He asked with a tilted head.
"Yeah sure." Niall blushed, opened the window wider and Harry pulled himself up.
"How are you?" Harry cradled Niall's face on his hands as soon as he was inside the room and had closed the window.
"I'm fine, are you?" Niall led him to the bed so they were both sitting down.
"Yeah, I'm sorry I had to leave. Your dad had called Simon and threatened both our jobs of I didn't leave. I know it was just a way to get to me but I had to get him off my back." Harry explained.
"Okay." Niall was too drained and sleepy to say anything else. "Where were you, though?"
"Checked into a hotel and rented a car, I've been waiting for about two hours, wanted to make sure everyone was asleep."
Niall pulled Harry into a hug. "You poor thing, I hate that my da is keeping you away from your daughter, your family."
Harry kissed the top of Niall's head and hugged him back.
"How's she been?" Harry asked when they had pulled away.
"Been good, she sleeps a whole lot." He said with a smile.
"That's my girl." Harry cheered quietly. "Well, we better get to bed before she wakes up."
Niall raised his eyebrows at him.
"You are spending the night here?"
"Yeah."
"If you want to get him off your back, then I don't think you spending the night is a good idea."
"I know." Harry sighed. He hated that he had given in to what Bobby wanted but he didn't want Niall to be stressing about it. He would be seeing them like this and they would soon all fly back to London. "But I'll be gone before he wakes up."
"What if she cries in the night and ma comes to help me feed her?" Niall asked again because he knew his parents would wake up as soon as she cried.
"Then I'll say sorry. I mean I shouldn't have left but I'm honestly more embarrassed than terrified of your mum knowing our past." He looked down shamefully.
"We'll be fine, Haz. I won't force you in anything, but I always have your back, okay?" Niall said and kissed Harry's cheek. "We should sleep."
They both stripped down to their boxers and after kissing their child, cuddled each other so that they could sleep.
The next time Niall woke up, it was because of a loud cry; Janelle.
He quickly sat up just as Harry opened his eyes too and sat up.
"I'll go make her a bottle, would you mind checking her nappy?" Niall asked, not wanting Harry to go downstairs.
"Sure, babe." Harry nodded and Niall walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
He went down and quickly made a bottle, making sure it was the right temperature.
When he was done, he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and took a sip, deciding to take it with him upstairs.
He went back up and into his room but he found the door open instead of closed like he had left it.
And when he walked in, he was met with a sight of Harry holding their child and his father glaring at Harry.
"What the hell are you doing in my house? Didn't I make myself clear enough?"