The Only Way ✓

Extra - Zayn

Third Person

No one was really sure whether the red head had given up on her death wish. Though they were all assured that she was putting all her effort to remembering her past. It hadn't been quite easy, seeing how much it tore her apart physically and emotionally as memories seeped back into her mind. No one truly understood how she endured so much pain, all except the one who was vigilant of her late night rendezvous in the living room.

"Are you alright?" He cringed at his own question knowing how obsolete it was to ask it as it was to answer it.

"I don't know if there is an answer to that," she admitted as she sat down in her seat, staring back at the television screen, the television being the only source of light among them. Complete and utter darkness covered them though neither mentioned it, there was some comfort to it as they lied there together.

"Are they coming stronger? Your memories, I mean." He walked around slowly, careful that any sudden movements could trigger anything and possibly break their darkly solace.

"I remember it all," she murmured clenching her eyes shut. It was a truth she didn't want to confess but it made no difference if she lied or not. Her face gave her away easily in broad daylight. Whenever she sat around them, phrases, gestures, their smiles sparked old memories and they were hard to control. They flood her system until it paralyzed her and came to the ugliest of stops when it all dialed down to the same memory that had brought her here.

"But it doesn't stop, the pain, it's endless. Every memory feels like glass shattering in my head, and when I want it to stop, it swallows me. It consumes me and thrusts me toward the one memory I wished I could forget." She trembled in her skin as she pulled her knees to her chest, cradling them in her arms. He took the few seconds to take the empty seat beside her and was careful to pull her to his side like he did numerous nights.

"Do you want to talk about?" He closed his eyes as he asked his question. He wasn't sure of his own question, afraid she'd shut down on him like she did every night and leave him there, alone.

"I'm a monster, Z. A monster. I killed so many innocent humans, and I enjoyed every kill. I don't deserve to live," her body shook as her murmurs turn into sobs. Hearing her cries, he pulled her closer to him with his arms wrapped as tightly as he could around her, trying to ground the storm brewing inside her.

"Everyone deserves a second chance," he murmured into her hair. She shook her head.

"I was going to let Niall die and that was before I became this. I was a monster before all this." She croaked as she now realized his hold and fought against it. She didn't deserve his affection. She didn't deserve to feel any warmth for she was a cold blooded killer.

"Stop fighting me. Listen to me," he let her go only to hold her face between his hands. He looked straight into her eyes and wasn't taken back in how hollow they were. He was well acquainted to pain and grief.

"Ryder couldn't stay by your side and we all knew it was the real reason why you kept your memories dormant. You were living your life using him as your crutch."  She closed her eyes putting her best efforts to ignore him. She didn't want to hear it. Hear how he would end up defending her.

"You spiraled out of control when he left. That was your fault, because you were trying to live a lie, pretending you were okay with that. And now your dealing with the consequences. That doesn't mean you have to do it alone." Her eyes fluttered open, incredulously staring back at the being before her. She recognized those words.

"I said that. I said that to you before," she whispered as he let her go completely.

"Zayn, how long, how long have you've been holding onto this for?" He scrunched his brows not fully understanding her question. She pulled out a small rectangular object and she hesitated a few seconds before she grabbed his hands placing the object between his palms.

His body shivered at her innocent touch. He let his hand rest in hers as he held the rectangular object he finally recognized as her phone.

"Too long," he voice fading away with his breath.

"Thank you. Looking over the pictures, it helps me visualize the good times. They get really fogged up in my head after," she shivered at her unfinished thought.

"Don't think I don't know why you're here," she chose to say. He blinked at her new formed thought. It hadn't register to him that she took notice of his own troubles. Not that he cared because he was glad with the fact that at least one them could save themselves from their hell.

"It's not that important right now. Right now it's about you," he responded. She shook her head neatly clasping his hands around the object that had become a piece of her own soul.

"It's been about me for too long, Zayn. I've been selfish for too long. It's about time you've all decided to be selfish. Let me take care of you for this once." Her hands slowly made their way up his arms and landed softly on the sides of his face. She caressed his face with her thumbs as she felt the stubble that had grown. It was something new about him.

"I-it's alright." He stuttered, her caresses too much for him.

"Close your eyes," she whispered as she mustered up the last bit of the courage she had. And so he did.

"You were right. I don't want to do this alone. I want to do this with you." His breath was whisked away at the sound of her words. He didn't know if he had heard right or if it had been his imagination. Maybe he had fallen asleep beside her, like he accustom to every night.

"Me?" He stuttered.

"Because after I save you, maybe you can save me for the last time," she uttered her face so close to his. She didn't know if it was her desire to help him or if it was another one of her selfish desires but she did it anyways. Her lips brushed his only for a few seconds before he realized what was going on.

His hands dropped the phone and he pulled her hands off his face as he guided them to hang around his neck. He kissed her until he could no longer remember who he was. They kissed until they no longer knew where one of them began and where the other ended and that's how they fell asleep. In each other's arms, in the loneliness of the night, the broken saving the broken. No one realizing who had become complete.

•

Dedication: CandyApple12393
thank you so much for all of your support. I love you so much because you've seriously been there since the beginning and I was truly honored to know that you still here. You mean so much and I chose to finally post this just for you.

Nike x