Her Imaginary Friend: Liam Payne & Jade Thirlwall (AU)

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          "So what's the deal with you and Jade?" Harry asks Liam as they walk into Harry's apartment. Liam looks confused, "What do you mean?" He asks.

"Don't play dumb with me mate, I'm not gonna judge you or her. Are you guys shagging?" He asks. Liam catching up with the newer slang shakes his head swiftly, "No. I could never do that—not with Jade. She's getting married to another man." Liam says.

"But you want to." Harry says.

"...I respect Jade too much to just shag her. I want to be in a relationship with her, before pursuing anything else with her. I care about Jade, but she cares about another man and there's nothing I can do about that." Liam explains.

Harry nods, "Perfect answer. Jade is one of my best friends, I wanted to know what you're all about. I would never talk about Jade in that way ever either. I'm glad you respect her, she needs people like that in her life. Honestly, Sam doesn't...but Jade loves him, so we all tolerate him." Harry explains.

"He doesn't love Jade. The way he treats her, Jade doesn't deserve that. She deserves the world plus more, and she deserves someone who can give that to her." Liam says.

"Do you have feelings for Jade?" Harry asks Liam. Liam nods, "I love her Harry. I love her so much, and it hurts seeing her love someone else." Liam says sadly.

"How can you love her so much, if you've been gone for so long? If you abandoned her?" Harry asks, in a spiteful tone.

"I—I had no choice Harry. You don't understand...I had to go. I didn't want to abandon my best friend, I never stopped loving her." Liam says in a hurt tone.

"Well I understand that, and I know you had no control, but I need for you to understand this. Jade is my best friend, out of everyone we're the closest. And don't think you can come in after all this years, and have this special place in her heart that she's already replaced. You may have known her back then, but you don't know her now." Harry explains.

"I don't know Jade? I don't know Jade? Okay, I may not have been there for Jade during her teen years and her depression, but I was there for her childhood, and she went through a lot. And I was able to be there for her. Like you are able to be there for her now. My friendship with Jade is not inferior to your friendship with her. Nor is it superior." Liam says sternly.

Suddenly the boys are interrupted by Harry's phone.

"Hello?" Harry answers.

"H—Harry, is Liam there? Can I please talk to him?" Jade asks in a distressed voice.

"Jade, are—are you crying? Are you okay?" Harry asks.

"Jade is crying?!" Liam says in deep, deep concern. Jade sniffles a bit, "I—I just need to talk to Liam, please Harry."

"No, not until you tell me what's going on." Harry says.

"Does she want to talk to me?" Liam asks eagerly.

"Harry please." Jade says through the phone. Harry sighs, and hands the phone to Liam, who grabs it and answers frantically.

"Jadey? What's going on?" Liam asks.

"Sam, he got so pissed when saw the picture I drew of us. He went off on me, saying I was a hypocrite, and he can't wait to go back on tour with people who appreciate him." Jade confesses easily to him.

"Jade, I'm so sorry..." Liam says.

"I know you're gonna stay with Harry, but I need my best friend right now." Jade says sadly.

"Okay, I'm coming now." Liam says hanging up the phone. Liam looks at Harry, "I know you're hurt that Jade didn't tell you anything, I'm not trying to take your spot in Jade's heart Harry, I'm just trying to find room in her heart for me." Liam says to Harry.

"I know...no hard feelings." Harry says with a smile. Harry then frowns, "But what's wrong with Jade?" He asks.

"Sam, he freaked out on her. Harry can you please take me to go see her, she needs me." Liam pleads. Harry nods, "Of course, anything for Jade."

The boys drive to Jade's place, Liam slams Harry's door and runs to Jade's right away. He knocks on the door like crazy.

Jade opens the door, she looks fine now, but Liam can tell she's been crying. Liam hugs her right away, "I'm here Jade, I'm here for you." Liam says sincerely, and for some reason it hit Jade. She tears up a bit, wetting Liam's shirt with her tears.

They pull away from the hug, and Liam wipes her tears with his thumbs. She smiles, and hugs him again. She snuggles her face into his chest.

"Thank you for coming as soon as I called you that just proves how great of a friend you are." She says to him.

"No problem Jade, that's what friends are for." Liam says sweetly. The two of them walk to the living room, but Jade soon leaves Liam alone for a second, which causes him to be nosy and snoop around. Liam soon finds a pair of nerf guns and smiles.

He then writes a note to Jade.

Found your nerf guns, I'm hiding out in your home. Good luck finding me :P

- LiLi

Jade picks up the extra nerf gun and smiles. She looks around for a second, "Liam, I wanted to show you something first!" She laughs.

"Liam, I'm not gonna look for you with the nerf gun until you come out and see what I want to show you." She says.

Liam comes out with nerf gun and peaks, Jade is holding her hands up in defense and she giggles, "I'm not loaded I swear, come see this."

Liam still holds the gun in suspicion, but looks. He then sees a picture wonderfully drawn by Jade. He drops the guns, "Wow, is this us Jade?" He asks.

Jade nods, "I have tons more in my mom's attic, Liam even when you were gone, you still played a big part in my life." She smiles.

"I—I didn't know I meant that much to you Jade, I thought you would get over me leaving quickly." Liam says. Jade then shakes her head, "It took me forever to get over it, and I think subconsciously I still wasn't over it until you came back." Jade confesses.

"Wow...that means a lot to me. It almost makes it hard to do this." Liam says picking up the nerf gun and shooting her.

Jade drops her jaw in a smile, "Oh no, you gonna get it now." She says picking her nerf gun, and chasing him around the house.

)?/iYi/