Snowflake, My Pretty Little Snowflake.

Niall, Niall, Niall

"The text came from your phone, Greg. What does that sound like to you?" the detective, Joe Marks, put his hands on the table and leaned forward so he was face to face with Greg.

"But I tell, you, I didn't send it. It wasn't me." Greg was almost screaming. "I haven't seen Niall for months, not since we had the fi....." Greg's voice trailed away as he realised what he was saying.

"Yes, the fight" the detective said smoothly " Quite the Twitter sensation wasn't it. A very public fight."

"Look, I know what it looks like. I admit Ni and I had a fight but he's my brother, I'd never hurt him. I was just mad at him" Greg spoke quietly now, breathing heavily as he strove to get his emotions under control.

"Mad enough to harm him, Greg?" the detective pushed the shaking young man before him.

"NO!" Greg was yelling again. He stood and pushed the table over.

"Quite the temper you have, Greg. You're a big man, your brother is physically tiny. Did you use your strength against him, maybe got out of control and hurt him?" the detective persisted, his voice calm, almost conversational as he studied the sweating man facing him.

"No! Never! I'd never hurt my little brother" Greg screamed and started pounding the wall with his fists, turning them in to a bloody mess.

" Suspect injuring himself. Interview terminated" the Detective turned off the recording machine and Greg was escorted from the room for medical treatment. Once he was gone the detective sat and thought. They had been granted extra time to interview Greg Horan but he still was insisting he didn't know about the text that was sent to Niall. And something wasn't adding up. Greg was reportedly seen by an eye witness quite some distance from where the supposed meet-up with his brother was to have taken place. So, was the text sent to Niall , Greg's idea of a practical joke, a plan to inconvenience is brother by sending him on a wild goose chase? Or was someone else involved? He pulled the file towards him and started reading it again.

"Anything, Joe" his superior asked when Joe walked into his office.

"No, nothing. But I can't help getting a feeling we're missing something that's staring us in the face. I can't shake Horan. He still insists he never sent that text. And there's no trace of Niall's car and his cell phone is dead. There have been scores of supposed sightings but nothing solid to go on. And no random demands either. " Joe rubbed a tired hand over the stubble on his face. This was a high profile case and the press were hounding the Police, screaming headlines of incompetence at their lack of progress.
"Well I hope we find a lead soon. The media are crucifying us. Let me know if there are any developments." Joe nodded, and knowing himself dismissed, left the office to return to his own desk to re-read Niall's file yet again. He had to find the one thing he was missing, and find it soon.

"Baba's sweet little man" Zayn cooed as he lifted Niall from the crib and carried him to the rocking chair . Zayn was loving these moments when Niall was still not quite awake and he could cuddle the small man, snuggling him into his chest as he rocked the chair gently. Zayn smiled , closing his own eyes and absorbing the moment. It was a fretful whimper and a wriggle from Niall that brought Zayn back to the present and the need to get Niall ready for the day.

"How's daddy's little angel" Liam took Niall from Zayn's arms and peppered his face with kisses. "Have you got a hungry little tum tum? Daddy has some yummy food for you" Liam sat down and cradled Niall with one arm as he pushed the teat of the bottle into Niall's mouth. Niall sucked lazily, feeling floaty and calm. The constant drugs the two men used to keep him calm had made it hard for him to think rationally though there was some small part of him that knew he had to fight back, he just couldn't think why"