Drifting Snowflakes

Nomis. Nomis. Nomis.

Niall gasped quietly and quickly laid down, feigning sleep. He closed his eyes just enough to appear shut but allowing him a narrow view of what was happening. Louis had entered the room, Doctor Clarke following closely behind. Free from the pain medication, Niall's mind was crystal clear and things he had buried deep down in his subconscious bubbled to the surface. He knew Doctor Clarke was Doctor Andrews. But where did Louis fit in? Harry's "daddy, yes, but what was his connection to them after they left the community. And Doctor Nomis? He had long ago fitted Jamie and Java into the puzzle as being Daddy and Baba. No! Not daddy and Baba! No! He had to control his mind, he had to stay in the present. He started to rack his brains but his mind started to cloud over. He whined and shook his head trying to clear it. He was trapped again. His quiet whine and movement caught the attention of the two in the room and they turned from Harry's crib and moved towards him. Think, Niall. You've got to think. Be smart, he told himself as the side of the crib was lowered and Doctor Andrews stood right next to him, reaching toward him.

"Oh, baby, are you in pain?" she cooed at him as she lifted him and cuddled him, mindful of his recent surgery. Niall lay pliant in her arms. You've got to act he told himself. Act! It's your only chance. He lifted his hand and stuck his thumb in his mouth and sucked harshly. "Oh, sweetie, you want your paci, not your yucky fingers." She reached into his crib and grabbed a paci, hooked it over her finger s she gently pulled his thumb from his mouth and replaced it with the paci. Niall made himself gaze at her, blue eyes wide and steady. "Now do you need changing, little one?" she cooed and stuck a finger into the side of his diaper, Niall trying not to flinch and give the game away. "Soaking wet" she murmured. "Let's get you dry and comfy then I think you'd love to cuddle with your daddies. A nice bottle too, we don't want an empty tummy do we?" She carried him over to the changing table and quickly cleaned and rediapered him. Niall felt himself starting to blush so he sang  "The Tide"  in his head to distract him. So far he was getting away with it. If he played his cards right, they'de believe he had genuinely regressed and then he stood a chance of getting Harry and himself out of here. As Doctor Andrews carried him from the room, he glanced in Harry's crib but it was empty and neither Harry nor Louis were in the sight.

Doctor Andrews carried  Niall through what appeared to be a maze of rooms. They looked functional but fairly comfortable and there seemed to be plenty of baby equipment about. We finally reached a comfortable looking seating area and Baba...no Zayn!,  Niall reminded himself, was sat on the couch, a bottle of milk in his hand. He made grabby gestures towards Niall and the doctor handed him over. Zayn pulled the small man into his chest and he started to try to wiggle away but Zayn's grip was strong.

"You're a little wiggly one today, aren't ya bud" Zayn cooed at  Him and  Niall froze. He mustn't let his guard slip. He fixed my eyes on him in what he hoped was an owlish, baby-like stare and Zayn adjusted Niall's position until he was cradled in one arm, the bottle held in the other. "Baba is sure you'd like some nice warm milk for that little tummy of yours" and the paci was whipped away and the teat pushed into Niall's mouth. It gave him had an instant dilemma ...did he drink the contents of the bottle? Was it just milk or was it drugged?. Zayn jiggled the bottle slightly and Ithe little Irish man reluctantly began to suck, almost gagging as the milk hit his tongue. As nothing seemed to be happening, he decided it was safe and continued to suck, albeit reluctantly. Niall allowed his eyes to wander a bit and saw Harry, in a similar position on Louis's lap. Harry's eyes had a glazed over look and his heart sank. Maybe it was already too late.

Niall's brain was going into overdrive as he thought through the situation. It was only when he heard Patience's name mentioned that he tuned into the conversation. She was free? They'd let her go? Why? He concentrated harder on the conversation but it had changed again, now talking about how cute the babies were and how Preston had been working on various medications. Niall began to panic, he couldn't help it. If they gave him the drug he'd be royally f.cked, no chance of escape. He found himself struggling to breathe. Zayn instantly sat him upright and turned frantic eyes towards Doctor Andrews, who instantly took charge. He was swiftly lifted from Zayn's arms and the doctor hurried down a short corridor into a room that looked like part of a hospital. Niall panicked even more at the sight and felt like he was about to blackout. His vision was definitely wavering.

"Asthma" Doctor Clarke announced briskly as she fitted the mask over Niall's face. "Babies are often subject to breathing problems after surgery. I treatment or two and he'll be as right as rain." Niall breathed in the medication and felt his lungs expand and his head becoming clear again.

"There, that's done the trick" the doctor announced a little later as she pulled the mask off Niall's face then checked his diaper which was still dry. "Let's get him settled."

"Thank g*d" Zayn murmured as he looked down at his 'son'. "I thought that perhaps he was coming out of regression?" He turned his gaze onto the doctor.

"No, no. Don't worry. Just make sure that both Harry and Niall have their stuffies with them at all times Simon has implanted behavioral reactions to the stuffies while he was doing their therapy. It will help keep them regressed until they can have the permanent treatment done. Let's put this little man into his crib now the treatment has done its work. He'll probably sleep now."

Niall lay quietly in his crib after they left him to rest, his mind racing as he thought through what he had heard. Simon? Who the h*ll is Simon? And the need to keep his stuffie with him? Then it hit him in a blinding flash! Even when they had been rescued from this f.cked up community, neither Niall nor Harry could bring themselves to part with their stuffies. And Doctor Nomis and told them it was fine, please keep the stuffies, it was part of their healing from the trauma. Healing! Niall felt his rage rising. It wasn't healing them. Doctor Nomis has tricked them.

Nomis. Nomis. Nomis. With every tick of the clock in the room, the name rang in Niall's head. Nomis. Nomis. Nomis. Then it hit him and he reversed the letters.......Simon!  He had to get himself and Harry out of here, and soon. Niall took some deep, calming breaths as he knew he'd be in trouble if he didn't quiet his breathing. He reminded himself he needed to think. There was no room for error. He swiftly closed his eyes when he heard the door open and Louis appeared with Harry in his arms. He didn't want to draw any attention to himself. Louis had tucked Harry's little blue rabbit into his arms then placed him gently in his crib before covering him with a soft blanket. He looked down at the sleeping lad, his heart filled with love. He was so glad he had his baby back and this time, it would be forever. He quietly left the room.

Once Louis has left the room, Niall' pushed himself up on his elbows and stared about the room. He needed to see if there was a baby monitor in the room. He groaned inwardly when he spotted one. It was on a shelf, Tantalizingly close but just a tiny bit out of reach. He flopped back and glared at the ceiling. Think, he reminded himself.

       **********************

Men began piling into vans as Joe watched them. Patience had done her best to give them any information she could even though she felt it wasn't anything useful. The police were going to return to the community and if they had to rip every building apart, they were going to find Niall and Harry. Face grimly set, Joe climbed into the lead vehicle and the convoy started to move off.

Louis yawned and rubbed his eyes. They felt sore and gritty from staring at the bank of computer screens that were in the security center of their bunker hideaway. He took a sip of the energy drink then turned his gaze back to the screens. Suddenly he leaned forward then pushed his chair away from the desk, hand reaching out to press a button on the wall next to him. Immediately an alarm sounded. He grabbed the telephone, pressing just one number which was responded to instantly.

"They're coming!  We have to get the babies away from here.....now!" Louis yelled down the phone.

"We're on it" was the reply.

Louis ran from the room and down the corridors to the nursery.

A/N. I am so sorry the story updates are so slow. As many of you know, my baby daughter, Martha, was born in February but has a few complications that required surgery. She is doing much better now, still more surgery to come and we know she isn't totally out of danger yet but she is a little fighter.