Snowflake, My Pretty Little Snowflake.

They Took Our Baby Away

"Calm down, Zee. Stay it again ,slower" Liam said. He could hear the panic in Zayn's voice. "Tell me what's wrong. He listened in silence , his face paling as Zayn listed Niall's symptoms. It didn't sound good.

"Oh G*d ,Li, he's having a seizure!" Zayn gasped.

"Zayn, listen to me. Zayn!" Liam yelled at his husband, trying to break through Zayn's panic and calm his husband down "Don't panic. Take him straight to the hospital. I'll meet you there. Stay on the phone." Liam could hear Zayn's voice telling Niall he'd be fine, to hang in there, he'd get help. Liam felt his heart sink into his boots. "Josh, hurry" he pleaded to his colleague. Josh hit the sirens and put his foot on the gas , speeding them towards the hospital.

"Someone help me" Zayn screamed as he ran through the door of the hospital, a screaming Niall cradled in his arms. "Help my baby". A nurse and Doctor Clark both appeared running and Niall was snatched out of his arms. Zayn tried to follow as they disappeared behind the swing doors but a male nurse restrained him.

"Sir, you have to stay here. Let them look after your baby, ok" he spoke calmly.

"But I need to be with my baby" Zayn cried, trying to push the man out of the way".

"Sir, they'll look after him but you need to wait here." the nurse repeated, guiding Zayn to a chair.

"Zee?" Liam and Josh hurried towards him, both breathless."How's Niall?".

"They took him away, Li. They took our baby away" Zayn whispered, tears pouring down his face. Josh knelt in front of Zayn and took his hands in his own.

"Zayn, they know what they are doing. You have to trust them. They need to be able to concentrate on the baby, yeah?" Josh spoke as reassuringly as he could to the distraught man. "They'll do their best, mate"

"I want my baby" Zayn said brokenly "Li, he's so sick and I didn't know what to do. He was screaming and I couldn't comfort him"

"Babe, I want the baby too but we have to trust the doctors" Liam hugged Zayn, his own eyes filled with tears. Zayn was usually the strong one but Liam knew that this time he had to take that role. He blinked hard, trying to clear his vision. He replayed Zayn's voice in his head , telling him their baby's symptoms. His medical training highlighted the possibilities of the causes, and none of them were good. He closed his eyes, praying silently.

The three men sat in silence, Liam and Zayn huddled together, Josh drumming his fingers on his knees restlessly. Outside, the light was fading and darkness was slowly creeping in. And still they sat, unable to speak, just staring ahead.

"Mr and Mr Malik-Payne?" Doctor Clarke had appeared through the swing doors. All three men stood, their faces pale, and Liam visibly shaking.

"Our baby" Zayn said, his tone pleading. "How is our baby?"

"He's stable for the moment" the doctor replied. "but it's touch and go, I'm sorry."

"Can...can we see him?" Zayn murmured, pleadingly.

"Yes, certainly. Try not to be alarmed at his appearance. Liam, you'll recognise the equipment.". The doctor said and Liam nodded. Just those few words warned him things were not looking good. "Follow me". The doctor turned , Zayn and Liam following. Josh stood and watched them disappear before making his way to where his own daughter was a patient. He felt so badly for his friends. Like Liam, he had a very good idea what was wrong and it didn't bear thinking about. He sighed heavily.

Both Zayn and Liam cringed at the sight of Niall. He was lying so still, seemingly with wires and tubes attached to him everywhere. His pale milky skin was covered with a rash that appeared to have been splotched on his skin. Liam looked at Doctor Clark who, nodding, picked up a glass and pressed it against the rash then removed it. The rash never paled or temporarily disappeared.