Forced Family 3

S E V E N

Pushing the door open, Annika's breath hitches her hands instinctively grabbing onto Thomas through the bars of the crib.

The man with brown hair smiles softly, "Good Morning you two," he chirps bending down to collect Thomas from the crib, "Sleep well?" Annika steps back watching the man with careful eyes, she glances towards the door the man had left open when entering the room.

From her stance, she could see a hallway brightly lit, a staircase leading downstairs not too far from the nursery door.

"H-how's your eye?" Annika asks softly, she wants to ensure his attention is focused solely on Thomas that resides in his arms while being taken to the changing table before she attempts to escape.

The man looks over his shoulder towards her, his features brighten when their eyes meet, "Healing," Annika would admit feeling slightly guilty for bashing the man's head with the club she wasn't one for violence, but she also wasn't a fan of being kidnapped.

Liam returns his attention to Thomas that had yet to utter a single word to him or Niall, the boy stares simply at him, a hint of curiosity in his bright blue eyes. 

Removing the onesie he slept in, Liam secures a new nappy on him brushing hair from the boys face, "You're quiet," he notes, "Don't be scared to say something, Papa and I won't hurt you." Liam assures reclaiming the boy in his arms turning, he sees the pacifier on the floor furrowing his eyebrows, "How did it get here?" Crouching down to retrieve it, Liam gasps suddenly realizing it was just him and Thomas in the room.

"W-where did Annika go?!" 

Freezing at the bottom of the staircase she clamps a hand over her mouth to silence her breathing hearing someone close by.

She's thankful the stairway was enclosed in its own room with the front door, however, the archway led to an open concept letting anyone in the kitchen have an open view.

Biting her bottom lip she counts to ten after the noise quiets down meaning the person either moved on or became busy doing other things.

Letting her foot touch the hardwood floor beneath the stair, her shivers stepping closer to the front door.

"W-where did Annika go?!" 

Hearing this she twists the door handle throwing it open, sprinting outside.

Annika feels her chest burn as she inhales the thick, cold air heavily. Her eyes scan the area wildly in front of her, she considers herself dumb for running off the main road in fear. She had convinced herself that if she ran in the forest that surrounded the house she'd find another home and ask to call the police. If anything she figured it just gave her more of a chance to find the time.

Liam places Thomas down once he reached the bottom of the stairs, Niall's standing on the front porch crossing his arms with a saddened frown, "She'll freeze out there," 

A blanket of fresh snow lay invitingly on the ground, footprints leading to the forest draw their eyes. Thomas chews his bottom lip sticking his own head out the door, he feels tears prick his eyes at the thought of Annika dying out there leaving him to escape by himself.

Niall sighs scooping Thomas up with a kiss to his temple, "She'll be back sweetheart," Liam can't help but stay outside after his husband and son went in. He blamed himself entirely, if only he hadn't turned his back, if only they had installed locks as Harry and Zayn told them to.