They Don't Know About Us

New Possibilities

Zayn's POV

It seemed like it was the most natural thing to happen - Liam walk around lulling Khai to sleep. I could hear him singing a slow version of Girl Almighty to her as she slowly went back to sleep. I smiled to myself thinking back to the day Khai was born when I had sung the exact same song to her at the hospital. It was as if he had stood there and seen me do it.

It wasn't new for me and Liam to be in sync. We were pretty much always in sync. We never had to talk things out loud - we were like a well-oiled machine. When I left the band, I knew I had broken him beyond measure. He was the only one who truly tried to keep in touch with me - okay correction, he was the only one I answered in the band anymore - not to misunderstand, I loved all of the lads. Niall was my baby brother, while Harry was like mine and Liam's adopted child. Louis was my partner in crime. We used to talk everything out and be a pillar of support for each other through anything. But everything fell apart after a couple of interviews. I had been forced to spew out - for the lack of a better word - a ton of crap to the media about how no one made me feel at home, how I never had a say in anything, how Harry... how Harry and I had never really talked. The last one was the one that hurt a lot - both Harry and me. It put a huge strain on our friendship. It has been a while since I talked to any of the boys, but Harry and I have been out of commission the most - maybe only next to me and Louis.

I was shaken out of my thoughts as Karen started speaking.

"Bear's room is still not changed. Go put her to sleep there" she said warmly. "I shall meet her tomorrow. She looks like an angel when she sleeps!" she chirped silently, as she slowly carded her hands through Khai's hair.

Liam carried Khai upstairs and I kept looking until they went out of my line of sight. Then, I followed Karen into the kitchen and sat at the breakfast counter where my mug of coffee was already waiting for me along with Karen who was sipping from her own mug.

"Why do you look so troubled, son?" she asked me warmly. She always reminded me of my mum - both of them could see right through me. "Is everything alright at home? You've recently been on the news quite a lot, but we have learnt long ago not to believe everything the media says. So, tell me, love. What has been going on?" Her voice was dripping with concern while her eyebrow was knotted in a frown. This was my family... my home... my peace. I had left all this to go out and meet the world all by myself! Don't mistake me - I don't regret any of it one bit, except for the part where I had to trash talk, my own brothers. But it would be safe to say, that I felt light, now that I was sitting among people who loved and respected me for who I was on the inside.

Just then Liam walked in with the baby monitor and set it on the counter while he went to get his coffee. Once he came and settled down next to us I began talking.

"As you both probably know, there was that huge issue with Gigi's mother Yolanda where I was accused of violence?" they nodded as I continued. "Well then you would also know that about a few days back, she came back to the media and confessed that she had made false allegations against me back then and that I had not done anything. Gigi knew everything but chose not to act on it - neither that time nor this time. But this time when I was acquitted of all charges, she felt guilty. She had made a few harsh comments in private which she felt very bad about. To absolve herself of all the guilt she started throwing herself more into work to get her mind off things - which in turn slowly distanced her from me and Khai. Now, one thing you must understand is, that she is a terrific mother. I have seen the way she took care of Khai when she was born. But guilt changed her. Despite my supporting her and asking her to just pour it all out, she became more closed off. One day she came home with legal papers - she had signed off all rights of Khai to me. She had decided that she wouldn't be a good mom. She had taken all the necessary measures and talked to all the legal entities, without consulting with me at all." my voice shook toward the end. I took a deep breath and sipped my now cold coffee.

"The courts cleared the documents. Yolanda almost made a media statement trying to make it seem as though I had made the whole scene right from me "slapping her" just so that I can get full custody of Khai. If Gi had not stepped in and taken a stand against it, I probably would be in a huge mess right now. She made Yolanda swear on camera that she would never come in the way of me or Khai and would let us live our lives in peace. In all this, I had fallen into a very dark emotional and mental space and had not come up with any good music in a few months. This created a rift between me and the record label. They refused to renew my contract. And since I somewhat do not have much of a job right now, my management is hinting at wanting to step away from anything to do with me. So, basically, I have nothing to back me right now. I have no career. I just have Khai. I am just..." and the dam finally broke. I couldn't hold it back anymore and so I poured it out.

Within seconds I was leaning against a warm chest while broad hands wove around my frame and held me together. He still smelled the same. He held me exactly like how I remember. My Li Bear held me trying to hold all my pieces together and glue them using his warmth and strength.

'You lost the right to call him that years ago. You left him. You broke him, Zayn Malik. Now, you don't get to act as if nothing happened.' my mind was talking to me - and it was the truth.

I cried for maybe half an hour as Liam and Karen whispered sweet nothings to me, trying to make me feel better. Finally, I stopped out of exhaustion. I wondered how I looked - bloodshot eyes, dishevelled hair - all in all, a mess. I did not pay attention to what Liam and Karen were talking about right now. A minute later, Liam was shaking me to get my attention.

"You remember where my room is, yeah?" I nodded at his question. "Good. I have set up the extendable couch there with bed sheets and pillows and such. Go sleep there. I will be up in a minute."

"Guest bed?" I questioned, slowly getting out of his hug, but still within his grasp.

"Uh... No, it is being refurbished. So, things are all over the place." he said after some deliberation. Although I knew for a fact that he was hiding something, I let it go. Or rather, I was just too tired to even try to come up with any logical reasoning for his behaviour. I sauntered up to his bedroom. Before I was out of earshot, I heard Karen speaking and could not help but stop and try to overhear.

"You still like him, don't you Liam?" she asked in a low voice.

"Like? Mum, he was and will always be my first true love. But, I don't know... I mean, I got burned once for putting myself out there, isn't it? I just... I cannot afford to get hurt again, mum. I can't go through that again. It was months before I was functional again when he left last time." he sighed.

I always knew I had messed up. But now I knew just how much! Months! I had messed him up for months before he rebuilt himself... Was I ever going to reverse that mental damage? Was I ever going to earn his trust again?

'Way to go Zayn! Way to go! The one person who loved you unconditionally back then is now afraid to trust you... You have done an amazing job of messing up!'

The last thing I remember before dozing off was telling myself that I would win him back.