First You Fall

Chapter 4

Maisie paced back and forth in the dressing room. The press conference was in half an hour and no one had any idea where Niall was. She had sent Nolan to his house to make sure he wasn't just being an obstinate ass only to be told that Niall wasn't even home.

Maisie checked her watch as she turned to pace back across the room. She rubbed her hands together. Kyle was out searching every possible spot anyone could think of while Janina held off the reporters in the room while she answered questions with as many non-answers as she could come up with. And Nolan stayed at Niall's house to make sure he didn't show up.

It was safe to say this was a disaster.

Maisie was about to call the whole thing off when the door burst open. Kyle had Niall's arm around his neck, mostly carrying him into the room while Niall's head bobbed back and forth like a ragdoll,

"He was with Melinda." Kyle informed Maisie.

Maisie sighed,

"Shit."

Kyle nodded,

"Thankfully that girl has been on my radar for awhile so I knew where she lived. She's coked up out of her gord."

Maisie watched as Kyle laid Niall on the couch,

"We have to sober him up. He can't go out there like this. He's not on cocaine is he?"
Kyle shook his head,

"No, just drunk. If there's one thing I know about Melinda...she doesn't share." Kyle left to find some ice and water and aspirin as well as to get to the nearest Starbucks for some coffee while Maisie was left to try and sober Niall up as best she could.

Maisie knelt down next to him as she leaned forward to push some of his hair out of his face. Again she was taken with just how vulnerable and innocent he looked while he was passed out there on the couch. She held her breath when his eyes opened just slightly to look at her.

He blinked couple times, his eyes darting back and forth as they focused on her features. He took a breath,

"Not feelin' so hot, Maggie."

The hair's on Maisie's arm instantly stood on end. She hated that name. She stood up, the moment where he'd been just an innocent boy who was trying to figure out what he was doing was gone,

"Don't call me that."

Niall lifted his hand to his eyes,

"Where am I?"

"Press conference." Maisie barked back at him, "Remember? You were supposed to be here an hour ago. Like you said you would."

Niall lifted his hand to look at his non-existent watch,

"Well..." He said as he sat up, "Guess I'm late."

Maisie glared at the top of his head while he grunted softly and tried to wipe the sleep from his eyes,.

"You really don't care do you, Niall?" When he looked up at her, his expression one of boredom and irritation she shook her head, "What about your family? Do you think they wanna see you like this? Or your friends..." Maisie threw her hands up, "What am I saying? Your friends are fuck ups too." She sighed as she tried to think of anything she could to get through to him, "What about your fans? Don't they deserve better than this?"

Niall looked up at her, his eyes flashing,

"You don't know nothin' 'bout my fans. So keep quiet."

"I know they love you. I know they've moved mountains for you in the past. Why can't you do the same for them?"

Niall shot up off the couch, ready to drill into Maisie when the door opened and Janina and Kyle walked in with a treasure box full of crap to sober Niall up. Maisie frowned as she watched him stare her down before he turned to Janina to take the water she was holding.