End Up Here (Ziam AU)

Chapter Sixty Four

Chapter Sixty Four – Liam

It's all Liam can do not to speed excessively on the drive back from picking Bella up at Louis', as she started crying pitifully as soon as he strapped her into her seat in the back of the car and hasn't stopped, reaching towards him as he drives, even with Zayn sitting in the back beside her. Liam has never wanted to hurt a person as much as he wants to hurt Sadie right now, whatever she said to Bella has caused her to react this way and it's breaking his heart in every way possible, he can only imagine what it's doing to Zayn. Liam parks the car, back at their building and Zayn has Bella out of her seat and into his arms as soon as the car stops moving. Liam meets the pair at the front of his car and they make their way back up to the apartment, Liam pulling Zayn and Bella into his arms as soon as they step onto the elevator, "it's okay, you're home now" Liam coos, and Bella sniffles but she seems to calm down just a little. Once they get inside the apartment, Liam pulls Bella's shoes off her feet, while she stays wrapped around Zayn, and presses a kiss to her forehead, "why don't you two go get snuggled on the couch, and I'll go make some hot chocolate" he murmurs. Zayn nods but Arabella doesn't really respond as Zayn carries her into the living room and Liam goes into the kitchen.

When Liam walks into the living room a few minutes later balancing a tray with three mugs of hot chocolate, complete with marshmallows, and a plate of cookies, he smiles slightly at the sight. Zayn is sprawled on the floor with Bella laying on his chest, his one hand rubbing rhythmically up and down her back, while the other twirls a piece of her hair around one finger. Liam smiles and moves to sit on the floor by Zayn's head, setting the tray down on the coffee table, before he does. He carefully lifts Zayn's head up and places it back down on his lap, Zayn smiling lightly at him as he does so. "You get anything out of her?" Liam asks quietly, Zayn shakes his head, as best he can the way he's lying. Liam sighs and gently taps at Bella's hand, "hey, Princess, can you tell us what happened?" he murmurs. Bella peeks up at him from where she's laying on Zayn, looking up through her eyelashes at Liam. She blinks slowly before shaking her head, "mean lady" she mumbles. Liam pouts and runs a hand through Zayn's hair, "yeah, she was mean, but can you tell Baba and Daddy what she said to you to make you so sad?" Liam presses. Bella bites her lip and buries her face into Zayn's chest, Liam coos slightly at the sight, because she does look adorable even if she is sad right now. "Baba, Daddy no want Bella?" a tiny voice asks suddenly, and Liam can hear his heart crack, as Zayn's face twists into a pained expression. "What? Is that what she told you?" Zayn squawks and Bella bites her lip as she nods against Zayn's chest, "oh, Love. That's not true, I love you so much, and I always want you with me" Zayn murmurs, as Liam nods, "of course we want you" Liam adds. Bella blinks up at them, "promise?" she asks quietly, "I swear" Zayn answers "promise" Liam echos, and Bella smiles at them for the first time since they got to Louis' to pick her up.

The three stay cuddled up together that way, Zayn laying on the floor with his head in Liam's lap, and Bella laying against Zayn's chest, until Bella starts to squirm around on him, "Baba?" she asks. "Yeah, Boo?" Zayn answers and Bella grins at the two men, "watch Frozen?" she asks, pouting and batting her eyelashes at both men. Liam's a goner and agreeing before she even finishes the word, he can't stand up to the puppy dog eyes, he has gotten a little better at resisting, but he still caves ninety percent of the time. Zayn chuckles, nodding his head as he pushes himself into a sitting position, Arabella scrambling into Liam's lap as Zayn moves to get up. "Hello Princess" Liam coos, wrapping his arms tightly around her as she cuddles into his chest and they wait for Zayn to start the movie. "Daddy?" Bella asks, pouting and Liam pouts back, "yes?" he asks, "love Bella?" she asks quietly, and Liam's pout becomes real, "yes I love you Bella, forever and always times infinity and two" he answers seriously. Liam can tell by the way Bella cocks her head to the side she doesn't really understand everything he said, but she nods and snuggles in closer to him. "Why don't we sit on the couch?" Zayn asks, coming back over and standing over the pair on the floor, Liam groans, because standing up is hard, but nods, allowing Zayn to scoop Bella up before climbing to his feet and moving to sit on the couch, Bella and Zayn snuggling into him as soon as he sits.