End Up Here (Ziam AU)

Chapter One Hundred Forty Nine

Chapter One Hundred Forty Nine – Zayn

"Okay but why do I have to go to school?" Bella grumbles as Zayn turns off the car and turns to face his daughter in the backseat.

"You have to go to school because if Daddy and I don't give you an education we'll get in serious trouble" Zayn explains, rubbing his temples as he and Bella have been having this same conversation since she woke up this morning. It's the first day of school and for some reason that Zayn and Liam have yet to figure out Bella doesn't want to go to school today.

"Baba!"Zack shouts from his carseat "out, please" he adds with a grin when Zayn turns to arch an eyebrow at him.

Zayn chuckles "I'll get you out in a minute Bubba. Then we have to take Bella to her class before I take you and Chloe to see Heather and Trina while I go to work" he grins, reaching between the seats to squeeze Zack's toes through his shoe.

"No!" Zack shouts, and keeps chanting the word even after Zayn has let go of his foot, because some things will never change.

"Baba, please can't I just come to school with you?" Bella asks drawing Zayn's focus back to her.

"Bella-Bug, why don't you want to go back to school, I thought you liked school?"Zayn asks confused, trying to block out the sounds of Chloe and Zack shouting.

"That was in kindergarten, Baba. Mason told me all you do is maths in grade one, and I don't want to do maths'" Bella huffs, crossing her arms.

Zayn bites his lip to hold back a laugh, of course Mason told her that, "Boo. Listen to me. You will do maths this year and yes there will be more work than last year but you'll still be with all your friends, and I promise you will have fun" he explains. Bella tilts her head as she thinks and Zayn grins, "so can we please go inside so you're not late, and neither am I?" Zayn asks.

Bella sighs before she nods slowly and reaches to unbuckle herself before she grabs her backpack off the floor. Zayn sighs in relief and hops out of the car, quickly opening the door to unstrap Zack and Chloe, setting both toddlers feet on the ground and grabbing their hands quickly, before Zack can run off into the parking lot.

As soon as they arrive at her classroom Bella hugs Zayn quickly "promise I'll have fun?" she mumbles.

Zayn grins kissing all over Bella's face "yes I promise and I'll be here to pick you up at the end of the day okay?" he hums.

"Me" Zack cheers holding his arms out wanting to hug his sister, Bella rolls her eyes fondly but hugs both Zack and Chloe goodbye, before Kenzie calls her name and she skips off into her classroom.

Zayn watches her go before Chloe whines "Baba" she mumbles, pulling on his hand.

Chuckling Zayn scoops Chloe into his arms while still holding Zack's hand in his "alright let's get going" he hums, heading back out to his car in the parking lot.

**

Zayn's last class of the day is about to start and he's just ready to go home and relax with Liam, maybe have a glass of wine or two after the kids are in bed. Ethan's class is his last class and from the looks of the class list, Ethan's new boyfriend Jonah is in the class as well. Zayn just hopes it turns out better for his nephew this time then it did last time.

Zayn hears them before he sees any of his students, because someone is shouting and judging by the words he can hear he knows exactly who it is. He's on his feet and in the door of his classroom in a second, just in time to see Elliott and Justin forcefully push both Ethan and Jonah into the wall. "Hey" Zayn shouts, pointing at both Elliot and Justin "you two, principal's office now" he seethes, pointing back down the hall towards the office. "I'll call down and let him know why you're coming" Zayn adds, narrowing his eyes as Elliot snickers, before he and Justin do as he asked.

"Everyone else. Inside, let's go. Pick any seat you want, you know I hate seating charts" Zayn grins, standing aside as his students all file into the room. Zayn reaches out to stop Ethan when he tries to move past him, "you okay E?" Zayn hums, eyes scanning over the visibly shaken teenager.

"I'm fine Uncle Zayn. Thank you though. They've been at it since first period" Ethan mumbles just as a boy who Zayn can only assume is Jonah comes up to them as well. "C'mon Jonah, let's go get a seat" he adds, with one last grin at Zayn.

Zayn chuckles when he hears Jonah and Ethan chatting on their way to find seats "that's your uncle?" Jonah asks glancing back towards the man, who can't help but wave even though it makes Ethan glare at him.

Chuckling to himself Zayn turns and comes back into his classroom, grabbing the intercom phone to call down to the office and let them know why he sent Justin and Elliott down, and that he doesn't want to see them in his classroom today. Before he turns to the class, clapping his hands together once, "alright class. As most of you know already "I'm Mr. Malik-Payne, and this is English. So how about you write me one page about your favourite part of the summer" Zayn instructs before he drops to sit at his desk.

**

Liam's already home when Zayn comes in, the twins running ahead screaming for Liam as they go, while Bella is walking with Zayn. "You okay Bella-Bug?" Zayn asks the tired almost six year old.

Bella shrugs, "just tired Baba" she mumbles, dropping her backpack off her shoulders.

"Okay, well, I'm sure Daddy has dinner going and we can just take it easy all night, okay?" Zayn hums, running a hand over her hair.

"Thanks Baba" Bella grins, before she takes off into the kitchen to find Liam and get a snack.

"Hey! How was the first day back?" Liam asks, setting a bowl of cut up fruit in front of each of the kids that are sitting in their usual spots. "I missed you all" he adds with a pout.

Zayn chuckles grabbing a grape off the counter popping it into his mouth. "First day was okay, Elliot and that Justin kid are still picking on Ethan, but now he at least has Jonah on his side" Zayn hums. "I gave every class a simple assignment, where if they wrote literally anything on the page I'm going to give them full marks" Zayn adds, pressing up on his toes to kiss Liam quickly.

"I'm sure it will work out. Glad you're there for him though" Liam hums, kissing Zayn again. "I'm not surprised about the assignment, you hate marking" he teases, making Zayn stick his tongue out at him.

"What about you Princess, how was your first day?" Liam asks, turning to the kids at the table.

Bella shrugs, "we didn't do any maths" she offers with a grin going back to eating her snack.

"That's good?" Liam asks, turning to look at Zayn confused.

Zayn chuckles, "it seems her problem this morning was that Mason, our lovely nephew, told her that all she was going to do this year was maths" he explains.

Liam makes a face before he laughs "well of course he did. Glad it worked out differently for her then" he chuckles, ruffling Zack's hair where the toddler sits in his high chair.

"Daddy no" Zack insists, reaching up to push Liam's hands away.

"Sorry Bubba" Liam grins, accepting the half a grape that Zack passes to him in response. "And how was your day Tiny Dancer?" Liam asks, turning to look at Chloe in her own high chair.

"Good" Chloe says simply, going back to ignoring her Daddy as she eats her snack.

"Okay then" Liam hums to himself. "I was thinking tacos for dinner, that sound okay to everyone?" he asks, already moving towards the fridge.

There's various agreements from around the kitchen so Liam nods to himself and pulls what he needs out of the fridge, deciding to start chopping up the vegetables for toppings, before he feels arms wrap around his waist and Zayn's lips on the back of his neck.

"I'm gonna get changed, then I'll come help you" Zayn breathes out kissing up Liam's neck as he does.

Liam shivers, but nods his head, "sounds good to me" he hums, tilting his head to let Zayn have better access to his neck. Liam pouts when Zayn pulls away turning to head upstairs and change.