Drifting Snowflakes

Hello?

Patience found her hands were shaking so badly that she could barely hold the letter from her mother. Finally, taking a deep breath, she continued to read:

My Darling Patience,

I'm sorry. Useless words, but I will say them anyway, say them and mean them, darling girl. I know you must hate me for everything I've done. I don't expect you to forgive me but, I hope, when I explain, you'll at least understand why I did what I did.

I tried so hard to have babies of my own but miscarriage after miscarriage, I realized it was not to be. Your father and I finally heard of this community where childless families could go and live and adopt disadvantaged youngsters to raise as babies. It seemed like a dream come true to me. You know how it worked. We'd get homeless teens from the street and bring them to the community, make them our babies. Well, one day, they brought in this young girl, 15 years old and in the last stages of pregnancy. She was so undernourished, very sick. She was too frail, and though I did my best, she passed away after the baby was born. I fell in love with that tiny baby and took her as my own to raise. That baby was you, Patience. We loved you, cared for you and, even though I didn't physically carry you for those 9 months, I carried you in my heart. I still do, and I always will.

Well, I don't need to explain about the community. You know how it works. Originally it was meant to help people but it got out of hand when Niall Horan was kidnapped. Then you tried to escape with him and little Harry. We couldn't risk the exposure so I had you regressed. I hated it but I knew it was one way of keeping you safe. I was going to do it again, once we had you back. But when I found out you were pregnant, I couldn't do it. I couldn't rob you of being a mother. So I talked to Louis. He understood Patience. He really understood. His late wife, Serena, only wanted to be a mother. The need, the desire, twisted her so badly, but she loved you too. And Louis loved Serena. He agreed with me, you needed the chance to live a normal life with Mark, so he helped smuggle you out. You and your baby are safe now. 

There is a cell phone in the bag I left with you. Call Mark, tell him you're safe.

I know forgiveness is impossible but would you do just one thing for me? When your baby arrives can you find a way to let me know.?

Mom.

Patience dropped the letter into her lap and covered her face with her hands as she sobbed. She was safe, her baby was safe, and now she knew the truth. She scrambled up and searched the room until she located the bag and the cell phone it contained. Hands still shaking, she keyed in the number and chewed her lip anxiously as it rang.

Mark woke from a doze as his phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it out, he saw it was an unknown number calling. He wiped a tired hand over his face as he shakily answered.

"Hello?"

"Mark, oh Mark. I'm safe."

"Patience!" Mark screamed out making the nearby Police race towards him. He found the phone gently pulled from his hand then an Officer spoke quietly into it. The Officer's face went from serious to smiling as he listened to the girl talking.

"We're coming". He handed the phone back to Mark.

"You f.cking let her go?" Zayn screamed at Louis and  Doctor Andrews. "You just let her go?"

"Yep! We just let them go. Look, Zayn. We'd have ended up with more complications if we'd hung onto her. We've got a better chance of disappearing without having to worry about her. Anyway, it's done. We've made sure that she is in a different area. They won't connect it with her. We'd better get moving." Loui turned his back on Zayn and instantly started working on his laptop. "Right, systems go." He tapped a few keys then closed down. "Time to move, troops."

Niall whimpered in pain. The movement was distressing him badly. He just wanted the pain to stop.

"Shh, little one. Daddy will make it better." Liam injected something into the iV bag and almost instantly Niall's body relaxed. He felt so sleepy. Sleepy, but safe, as he listened to the familiar voice. A paci was put into his mouth and he automatically began to suck on it. His stuffed Giraffe was tucked into his free arm and he snuggled his face into the soft fur. Some part of his brain was telling him something was badly wrong but he couldn't focus. He drifted off to sleep.

Liam gently picked up the small Irishman and cuddled him into his chest, carefully supporting his injured leg. He gazed down at his 'son' and then up at his husband. "Zayn, I can't let him go. I can't. We've got to get away from here."

"We will, babe. They won't find us and we'll be safe. Come on, get the baby settled. We've got a long journey ahead of us." Zayn leaned forward and kissed Liam then bent his head to kiss Niall's forehead. "Let's do what Louis said and get going."

"Oh G*d, I thought I'd never see you again" Mark hugged his wife tightly. She buried her face into his neck, warm tears dripping onto his skin. Suddenly her stomach lurched and she pushed away from him to bend over the nearest trashcan as the contents of her stomach erupted. Mark watched in horror. "Patience, what's wrong, did they hurt you?" He checked her over anxiously.

"Nothing a few more months won't cure. We're having a baby She smiled at him brightly before another wave of sickness had her bending over the trashcan a second time., Mark. A real baby!"

The Investigative team was bent over a large map marked with various crosses. A huge whiteboard contained random place names, names, and comments. It seemed hopeless. It was as if Niall and his kidnappers had vanished into space. None of the leads made sense. They were going nowhere,

A/N I am so sorry for the delay in updating. But I should be back on track again now.