Forever Hidden (Niall Horan)

Chapter 7- By The River

Shawn's POV- 

The craft landed with a thump in the middle of... nowhere. 

"Australia," I muttered as everyone started to vacate the helicopter. The air was warm but extremely dry. We were a long, long way from civilisation. 

Liam started to build a fire as everyone began to set up two tents. I looked at Niall, "I'm going to go look for some fresh water. I saw a stream a few miles back."

He nodded and went to offer his telekinetic services to the tent crew. 

I grabbed my purse and a water jug, and took off. The stream I saw was about thirty miles back, so I will be far out of site of our camp.

I had felt myself starting to slip away hours ago. I kept myself composed by focusing on flying but I knew I couldn't keep myself once my mind was free. 

When I reached the stream I dropped to my knees, already shaking. I splashed my face with the icy water and dug around in my bag. My frantic fingers encircled my iPod. I plugged the headphones in and found the playlist I wanted. 

I sat as familiar voices faded in and out of my ears. My panic wouldn't leave me. Then Torn began to wail in my ears. I felt my tears threaten. Everything blurred as I saw my young self dashing away through the Highlands. No one to help me. 

Alone. 

I began to let myself slip into the hysterics. 

I got these attacks on occasion. But never this bad. It's a byproduct of the telekinesis. This is the "different frequency" people say we have. I'm sure Niall gets something like this but he must be able to handle his like a pro. 

I tore the song away from my eardrums. The iPod and headphones landed in a puff of dust. 

My eyes began to burn as tears came thick and fast. 

I hated seeing Harry torn from his family. They thought I didn't know but I heard Louis and Eleanor last night, discussing when they will be able to go home. I was ripping these people from their homes. 

Finally after about twenty minutes I had calmed down enough to hear slow, human footsteps approaching me from behind. 

"Shawn?" Came Liam's voice. 

"What?" I snapped. 

"Shawn, are you okay?" 

"I- I'm fine. I just... need to think." 

He ignored my hint to screw off, and sat in the dirt by my discarded iPod, "I know how you feel. I get stressed and sick like this too." 

I looked right into his eyes, "You don't. You have no idea how painful this is. I haven't called anywhere home in years. I have no comfort that anyone I ever knew is alive. Thats why I clung to Niall, to you guys. Because you were like a safe zone. A becon. Now I've messed that up." 

He looks at the water, which is turning a darker shade of blue as the sun sets, "I know what it's like to mess things up though. I didn't protect the love of my life. I let people hurt her and she left me. We tell everyone that it was for the best, and I think she truly belives it is, but I won't ever stop loving her and regretting not taking care of her. Because she was, is, my everything." 

"Danielle..." I whisper. 

He nods, "I wrote her a song, They Don't Know About Us. You haven't heard it. It's supposed to be on on our new album. But I wish she could hear it, that way she'd know I never meant to let anyone hurt her." He begins to cry.

I crawl over and hug his shoulders, "We're going back for her." 

"What?" 

"You care for her in a way I've seen before. Its the way my father cared for my mother. The two married nomads I met cared about each other. Liam you may think I don't know what your feelings mean but she's not the one Liam. She's your one." 

He looks at me in shock, "You'd be willing to put everyone at risk just so I could fix a stupid mistake?" 

I nod, "You didn't make a mistake. You set what you love free. You're going back for her, that means you are hers. If she comes back to you then she is yours." 

Niall's POV- 

I stopped short as two figures came into focus on the horizen. Liam and Shawn were just sitting, holding each other. 

I froze, more still then I thought possible. Shawn and Liam? 

For some bizarre reason I hated even the thought of them together.