End Up Here (Ziam AU)

Chapter Ninety Nine

Chapter Ninety Nine – Zayn

Zayn can't help the groan that escapes early Christmas morning, he knows Bella's just excited, but he's not a fan of being woken up so early by an energetic three year old jumping on his crotch. "Arabella, please" Liam groans and Zayn knows he got the same wake up as he did "Daddy, Baba, up! It's Christmas" Bella cheers. Zayn groans again before pushing himself up so he's sitting on the bed and reaches out for Bella, who drops to the bed and crawls into his lap. Zayn holds her closely and presses a kiss to her hair, "you know we love you Boo. But your brother and sister kept us up very late last night, Daddy and I are tired" he explains. Bella makes a face before she sighs, nodding her head and snuggling closer to Zayn, who lays back down, glancing at the clock to see it's just after four in the morning.

When Zayn wakes up again, he's alone in the bed and can see sunlight coming through the curtains, as well as hear Liam and Bella banging around in the kitchen. When he steps out of bed he narrowly misses stepping on the sleeping dog next to the bed, "why aren't you downstairs with your girl?" Zayn asks, Aurora just cocking her head from side to side, "come on then" Zayn murmurs, patting his thigh as he moves out of the bedroom, pulling on a hoodie as he goes. "Smells good in here" Zayn hums as he walks into the kitchen, Aurora following behind him, to see Liam moving around the kitchen to finish breakfast, while Bella sits on the floor between both of the twins, who are strapped into their swings. "Baba, Daddy make cinnamon rolls" Bella cheers excitedly, which causes both babies to jump slightly, "that's great Lovely. But please don't shout around the babies" Zayn murmurs, hugging her tightly to him when she jumps up to grab him, before he bends low to kiss each of the twins on the head, straightening up to move to kiss his husband who is frying eggs at the stove. "Merry Chritmas Li" Zayn hums when they pull apart and Liam nods, "Merry Christmas Zee" he answers before Bella collides with both of their legs. "He's up now Daddy. Presents now?" Bella insists, looking at Liam who chuckles shaking his head, "breakfast first Princess" he laughs, which makes Bella groan and flop onto the floor beside the twins again.

They make it through breakfast rather quickly which is delicious before Bella is bouncing on the balls of her feet as Zayn scoops up Zack and Liam takes Chloe and they all head to the living room where the tree is set up, and the presents underneath it take up over half the room. Bella squeals and Zayn chuckles as he watches his three year old run around the room excitedly, "why don't you start with your stocking, Love?" Zayn asks and Bella nods giggling as she runs to pull down her stocking. Zayn watches in fascination as she changes her mind and reaches to pull down first Zack's, then Chloe's stocking first, running them over to where Zayn is sitting with Liam, the twins in each of their arms, before dropping the much smaller stockings off and bolting back to find her own. "Now?" Bella asks impatiently, as Liam made her wait until he had a camera ready, "yes now" Zayn responds and Bella begins pulling things out of the stocking with a speed that impresses Zayn, but also leaves him feeling a little dizzy.

Zayn's happy, despite the wrecked state of the living room, Christmas morning has been great, now he needs to shower and get dressed, before getting Bella and the twins dressed and everyone into the car to go to Liam's mum's for Christmas dinner. "You go shower, I'll start getting these guys ready" Liam murmurs, low into Zayn's ear which makes him shiver slightly. Zayn looks around the room for a second "you're sure?" he hums and Liam nods, before pushing him off the couch towards the stairs. Zayn sighs before nodding and heading up to their master bathroom and jumping in a hot shower. Zayn doesn't allow himself too much time in the shower, even though he could have happily stayed in there for an hour. Once he's out he pulls on Christmas jumper that Liam insisted he buy, and a pair of black skinny jeans before he heads back downstairs to see Liam locked in a staredown with Arabella.

"What's going on in here?" Zayn asks making his presence known as he moves further into the kitchen, scooping Zack up out of his swing as he goes, when the boy starts fussing. "Do you want to tell Baba, or should I?" Liam asks arching an eyebrow at Bella who just shakes her head at him, Zayn groans internally because it is Christmas, and he honestly thought they were past whatever this attitude is. "Well, Arabella?" Zayn asks and Bella pouts but doesn't say anything, so Zayn turns his attention from his daughter to his husband in an attempt to figure out what happened while he was in the shower. "Daddy no" Bella whines as soon as Liam opens his mouth to speak, reaching out to grab onto his wrist, "I'm sorry" Bella mumbles afterwards and Zayn furrows his eyebrows confused, and Liam's face softens slightly. "Can someone please tell me what is going on?" Zayn asks and Liam sighs this time, as Bella sniffles, "I was getting the twins ready when Bella called for me. I told her I'd be another couple minutes and next thing I know she's in the doorway throwing one of her new dolls at me. She at least missed me and just missed hitting Chloe with it too" Liam explains. Zayn's mouth just drops in shock, he really doesn't know what to say to that, this isn't like his sweet Arabella, not at all. "Bella, Love, this isn't like you" Zayn murmurs, handing a wriggling Zack over to Liam so he can crouch in front of the three (almost four) year old, "and it's Christmas" he adds. Bella pouts and looks down at the floor instead of into his eyes before she just starts wailing.

Zayn's eyebrows furrow before he scoops her into his arms and moves quickly upstairs and into her bedroom, Bella's still crying and burying her face into his neck, "hey you're okay. Talk to me Bells. What's going on?" Zayn coos as he sits on the edge of her bed, careful not to smash his head. "Still sad Baba" Bella hiccups and Zayn frowns, "why didn't you tell us Boo?" he asks and Bella shrugs, "you know Daddy and I, we both love you very much, and we don't want you to be sad but we can't help you if you don't tell us what's going on in that pretty little head of yours" Zayn continues. Bella looks up at him with tear streaked cheeks and shakes her head, "Daddy doesn't" she mumbles and Zayn's eyebrows furrow, "Daddy doesn't what?" he asks confused. "Love me" Bella whimpers and Zayn feels his heart break "of course he does, why do you say that?" he hums, hugging Bella close to him. "Loves Chloe and Zack. Called Chloe Princess again" Bella mumbles, playing with Zayn's sweater, and Zayn frowns "oh Love" he murmurs, "I'm sure Daddy didn't mean to. But you can't throw things at Daddy no matter how upset you are, especially when he's around the babies okay?" Zayn presses. Bella pouts "I'm sorry Baba" she mumbles and Zayn nods "I know Boo. But you need to tell Daddy, and then I think you can leave all your new toys here when we go to Grandma's today" he explains. Bella pouts but nods her head, "but Daddy hates me" she mumbles and Zayn frowns, "I promise he doesn't" he says offering her his pinky to shake. Which Bella does before winding herself around Zayn as he stands up again and makes his way towards the nursery where he can hear Liam and the twins.

"Everything alright?" Liam asks from the rocking chair where he's sitting with both Chloe and Zack in his arms, but Zayn shakes his head, "not really. But it will be" he murmurs. Liam's eyebrows furrow and he gets up carefully, placing both babies in his arms down into Zack's crib, before turning back to face Zayn, and Bella where she's now standing in front of him. "Tell Daddy what you told me" Zayn urges, tapping her shoulder. Bella bites her lip before looking up at Liam through her long eyelashes "Daddy don't love Bella" she mumbles, avoiding Liam's eyes. Zayn can see the exact moment her words register with his husband because Liam's face crumples and he drops to his knees in front of them, reaching out to pull Arabella into his arms, hugging her tightly to his chest. "Of course I love you. Why on earth would you ever think that I don't?" Liam rushes and Bella shrugs, "go on" Zayn murmurs and Bella sighs pointing towards the crib "have babies, love babies instead" she mumbles. "I-I, what?" Liam stutters and Zayn sighs "she heard you call Chloe Princess again this morning. Liam we talked about this" Zayn explains, his voice becoming harder towards the end. Liam's face pales and Zayn can tell he's mentally replaying the whole ordeal over in his head before he's shaking his head quickly back and forth.

"No, no, no" Liam says quickly and Zayn furrows his eyebrows "no what?" Liam doesn't answer instead he falls onto his bum on the floor and positions Bella into his lap. "I was with Chloe yes, but I was talking to Bella" Liam starts, Zayn and Bella both giving him a similar look of confusion. "You were talking to Bella?" Zayn asks slowly, because he's honestly is so confused right now his whole head is starting to pound. Liam nods his head, adjusting Bella so she's looking into his eyes, Zayn decides to just watch, to let them have this moment. "I was changing Chloe, when Bella called me, and told her I would just be another minute. Then I heard you get closer to the room Bella so I said "almost done Princess' to you. I understand why you may have thought I said it to Chloe, but you're my Princess, always be my Princess" Liam explains. It makes sense to Zayn really, both Liam's story and Bella's confusion. Apparently Bella thinks Liam's being sincere because she wraps her arms around him tightly, "I'm sorry Daddy" she murmurs, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Liam chuckles hugging her back "I'm sorry too, Princess" he coos, kissing her forehead, Zayn coos at the scene before clearing his throat, making both his husband and daughter look up at him. "Now that, that's all worked out we should probably get going" Zayn says and Liam nods, standing up with Bella still in his arms, "I love you" he mumbles, leaning around Bella to kiss Zayn quickly, who grins "I love you too" he murmurs, biting his lip.

Bella insists Liam carry her to the car which leaves Zayn to carry both car seats and the diaper bag, but he honestly doesn't mind as long as everyone is happy again. Which judging by Bella's giggles, she definitely is right now, but they're going to have to be careful with what they say around Bella, to try to keep her jealousy down. The last thing Zayn wants is his little girl to be sad and thinking either he or Liam don't love her, or have time for her anymore. Zayn knows it's going to be hard, but when has being a parent ever been easy, and he's sure that with Liam by his side, and all the help from their families and of course their friends they're all going to be okay. "Ready?" Liam asks starting the car and snapping Zayn from his thoughts "yeah ready" he hums as Liam pulls out of their driveway.