End Up Here (Ziam AU)

Chapter Seventy Four

Chapter Seventy Four – Liam

Liam groans as fingers poke at his cheek, "Daddy" Bella whimpers and that makes Liam's eyes snap open "what is it?" he murmurs, looking around the dark room, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. "Bad, scary" Bella mumbles, reaching for him, Liam looks beside him to see Zayn still sleeping, and groans as he glances at his phone to check the time, seeing it's just after two AM. "C'mere" Liam murmurs, slipping from the warmth of his bed, scooping Bella into his arms as he makes his way out of the bedroom, "no Daddy, not back to bed" Bella whines and Liam shakes his head. "We're not going to your room, yet" Liam soothes, pressing a kiss to her forehead before he sits Bella on the kitchen counter, as he gets out what he needs, and flips on the kettle. "Daddy?" Bella asks and Liam hums as he turns to look at her, "what doing?" she asks, head tilting to the side the way Liam's noticed it always does when she's curious about something. "Making you some hot chocolate, and me some tea" Liam murmurs, dropping a few things into the two mugs he set out, Bella nods, watching his every move, until he's finished. When everything's done Liam carries Bella into the living room, placing her gently on the couch before returning to the kitchen to grab their mugs. When he comes back Bella is whimpering lightly, looking wildly around the room, "hey, it's okay Princess, shh" Liam coos, setting the mugs down and pulling her back into his arms, "what's got you so upset, hmm?" Liam hums, rocking her slightly in his arms, he wonders briefly why she woke him and not Zayn, but decides it doesn't really matter, what matters is settling the three year old down.

Bella's clinging to his shirt, as she whimpers and he can feel the fabric of his t-shirt getting wet, which means she's started crying. "Arabella? Can you tell me what happened?" Liam asks his voice soft, as he gently pulls her out of his chest to look into her eyes. Bella pouts,and she looks so pitiful, but Liam doesn't know how to fix it, how to make it better, until he knows what he's got to fix. "Scary, Daddy" she whimpers and Liam nods, "I know it was Baby Girl, but can you tell me what was scary, please?" he asks, leaning forward to grab his mug, taking a sip of the tea, before setting it back down. Bella turns slightly to make grabby hands at the other mug and Liam chuckles, grabbing the half full, Frozen mug for her and letting her take a sip. Once she's done he sets her mug back down, and notices the process of taking a drink has calmed her down considerably, "now, Love, I need you to tell me what happened" Liam murmurs. Bella sucks in a shuddery breath before nodding "scary, gone, all gone" Bella mumbles and Liam furrows his eyebrows confused, "who was gone?" he asks carefully. Bella pouts up at him, grabbing a fistful of his shirt, "you" she whimpers, before burying her face in his chest again.

It all makes sense to Liam now, why she woke him up, not Zayn and why she doesn't want to be very far away from him right now, whatever happened in her dream resulted in Liam not being with her anymore and the thought apparently terrifies her. "But I'm right here Love, and I'm not going anywhere" Liam soothes but Bella shakes her head, "all gone, mean lady take away" she mutters and Liam's eyes widen slightly. He knows in her dream Sadie had done something to make Liam be gone, there's really no other option, but he needs to make sure, "Bella?" he asks gently. She pulls her face out of his t-shirt to look up at him, "was it the same 'mean lady' who made you sad that day when you were with Uncle Louis and Uncle Harry?" Liam murmurs. Bella sucks in a breath, before burying her face back into his chest and nodding slightly. Liam frowns, wrapping his arms more tightly around the toddler, he really doesn't know what to say now, "it was just a bad dream, Love" Liam murmurs, rubbing her back as he talks, Bella doesn't respond just stays hiding in his shirt. Liam sighs as he settles back into the couch, Bella still snuggled into him, "I promise Princess, I'm not going anywhere, and that woman can't hurt you, or Baba, or Daddy. Okay?" Liam asks. Arabella looks up at him before nodding slowly, and holding out her pinky finger to him, Liam chuckles, and wraps his pinky in hers. Bella smiles tiredly at him "Daddy, look, Baba" she yawns and Liam furrows his eyebrows before looking behind him to see a sleepy looking Zayn leaning against the door frame.