Downfall [Punk Niall Horan]

15

What. The. Actual. Hell.

My own Grandfather stood there in front of me, eyeing me with wrinkled gray brows. I'm sure my face had completely lost all of its color as I glared back at him, everyone in the room falling completely silent.

Memories of him twirling my toddler body around and buying me my favorite ice cream swirled in my head, twirling until I felt nauseous. My hands fell on the table in front of me, gripping it until my knuckles turned white.

He had went missing about 12 years ago, so we had just assumed he was dead at the time. We held a funeral service for him but didn't do much else. We were never really close so the loss didn't faze me, especially since I was very young. But seeing him here now, alive and in fact not dead, made a sadness well up in me.

Along with the thought that I had family down here, that he would let me out, and that I wasn't so alone.

Finally confusion left his weathered face, and awe took its place. An unbelievably bright smile lit his face. "Tylie Brooke?" Zaios questioned unbelievingly, standing up from his chair. His voice reminded me of better times, of when Harry was alive and my family wasn't broken.

I felt my lip quiver staring back at him, seeing Harry's face meshed with Zaios'.

Without a moments pause I ran shot you from my seat and ran towards him, crashing into his broad chest. After all these years of assuming he was dead, it felt good to have a part of my life back no matter how minuscule.

After a second of hesitation, his firm arms hugged me back tightly to his chest. Zaios' breath hit the top of my head as I buried myself deeper into his chest, feeling at ease for once. I finally pulled away and looked at him through teary eyes. Zaios smiled down at me fondly, gripping my shoulders, "Look how beautiful you turned out to be." My cheeks heated and I looked back towards Niall for some reason, feeling his heated gaze on our exchange.

Niall seemed utterly lost at our exchange, eyebrows arched and finger pointed towards us, "You two know each other?" Unbelief was in his words as he gaped at us, his mouth hanging open. Why was he acting as if I just stabbed him in the gut?

"She's my granddaughter. My son's daughter." The word 'son' seemed foreign and bland off his tongue, like he hadn't used it in years. Zaios was my Dad's dad which made it all the more confusing as to why he was a leader here. It also made what everyone has been telling me even more surreal, which I didn't like at all.

Blowing out a long breath, I turned to walk back to Niall's side. I didn't want to be the center of attention anymore. "I'm sorry to cut this beautiful reunion short, but there's a bigger matter at hand," someone interrupted with a clipped tone.

Turning towards the voice, I realized it was the she-man from earlier. Giving her a hateful glare, I turned to face my Grandpa with wide eyes. "That's true. Niall, you need to go into the city tonight," Zaios stated bluntly, crossing his arms I just vacated over his chest.

"Excuse me? You want me to go out there when we just collected Tylie a week ago? When I have a fucking bounty over my head?," Niall blurted, completely flabbergasted. I cut a glare at him for his use of the word 'collected', like I was a bunch of antiques.

"We have no choice, Niall. We are out of food and supplies. We cannot survive without them, Niall, and you know that we cannot just live in the city again. And if we flee, then we will be killed. Bring right-wing with you," Captain Zaios demanded, rubbing his hand on his temple. Talking to Niall seemed to give him a headache. I guess that runs in the family.

"Did you not hear him? We are to be shot if seen! That's a death mission!" Niall screamed, throwing his hands in the air. Red flared on Niall's cheeks, something that happened when he was mad.