In The Nick Of Time

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 11

Morning came on the fifth day and Niall was out on the porch watching the rain now drizzle lightly over the woods. Liam could feel dread in him as he watched out the window. The rain would soon stop if anything, and the mud would dry in some spots. The road would be easy to drive and then he would be "home". He didn't know if he could be a criminal on the loose for long, didn't know if he could survive without his family or normal way of living. Here he was - in a island of paradise with his time running out.

Lin went out to Niall to give him his own plate, since he wasn't coming in any time and actually wanted to try an enjoy the little rain. Liam cleaned up the remaining food into a plate, and a slumbering figure came into the room. Babby wagging her tail in as she went to her water bowl. Liam stared at Zayn's bare chest appearance, but looked down.

"Good morning." He mumbled, putting aside his own plate and taking Zayn's in hand. He placed it out on the island for Zayn to grab, putting a fork along side it.

Zayn sat in his chair, pulling the plate along the way. Poking at the food a moment, he looked to the extra plate beside Liam's. "Where's the others?"

Liam drank his water, "They're out on the porch. It's almost stopped raining." He said grumbling.

With that, he looked over his shoulder to the window. There wasn't heavy thudding against it, but light tapping now.

In Zayn's distraction, Liam looked up and his eyes watched the dark scar on his chest. The story coming back in mind, and he dropped his eyes.

Zayn turned back, eating his food silently.

The screen door in the front opened and Niall walked in, "Oh, Z you're up. It's only raining a bit," he placed his half eaten plate on the island, leaning into the chair beside Zayn's. "I was thinking we could maybe try now to get the wheels out of the mud. Instead of when it gets worse later."

Liam stared.

"It's not ready to go out yet." Zayn mumbled, as Liam placed a cup of water in front of him.

Niall swayed, "Well, we could try-."

"Leave it alone." He said, voice a little sharper. "I said it's not ready to go out yet."

Niall stared a moment before exhaling and taking his plate, leaving the room and going out to the porch again.

Liam stood quiet in his spot, eating his food standing up by the island. Quietly, he looked to Babby who'd paced several times around the island already. "Babby."

He called, she hyped up and came back around the island looking up at him. He patted his side, and instantly she balanced on her hind legs and leaned her front paws on him. Petting her head lightly, she looked over the island at Zayn and made a whining noise. Looking between the two, she stepped impatiently back down and rounded the island going to Zayn.

He looked down at her and reached out his hand, she propped up on his chair and rested her head in his lap.

Liam cleared his throat lightly. "How long have you had her?"

Without looking up, Zayn reached for the glass and took a drink. He shrugged lightly.

"I asked Niall this morning, and he said you would know maybe."

"Niall never knows anything." He mumbled, licking the crumbled of bread from his lips.

Liam shrugged, "That's not all true. He knows some things. I guess just some things he doesn't know - wont kill him." Suddenly choked in his own words, Zayn was staring at him.