I Give You My All {n.h.}

Chapter Forty

AN: Hello everyone! It's been a very long time and for that, I am extremely sorry. Sometimes life gets the best of us, you know?

However, I am back with a LONG update that I worked really really hard on. I hope you enjoy!

We have reached the point in the story where things begin to pick up, a lot! I really hope this is to your liking and I want you to know how much each of your individual reads and votes mean to me!

Happy reading!

-H

Niall Horan

There's a knock on my door, just as I begin to drift off into sleep. Brooke fell asleep nearly two hours ago and I've been laying here, watching how her features are still so tight and stressed even while she's sleeping. It stresses me seeing her like this. I don't like it.

I gently untangle myself from her, trying to avoid waking her, but her eyes flutter open and she grasps at my body.

"Where are you going?" Her voice is sleepy and desperate. Her lips press to my neck and mine press to her head, while my hands run along her back.

"Someone knocked on the door. I'll be right back, baby." I kiss her forehead, then pull her face towards mine, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips, before rolling out of bed. I reach over and tuck the blanket back around her and make sure that she's warm and comfortable, before I slip a shirt on and walk to the door.

When I open, I'm shocked when I see who is standing there. I had thoroughly expected Liam to be there, but sure enough, it's Arralyne.

"Arralyne?" She's standing there with tired eyes and sad features.

"I'm sorry. Hopefully I didn't wake you, but I saw that about ten minutes ago, you had tweeted so I figured you were awake." I rub my eyes and watch her as she continues.

"Can we talk? Please Niall." Her voice is desperate and longing, so I sigh and nod. I take a look at Brooke and see that she's already fast asleep, so I quietly slip out of my room and follow Arralyne down the hall and to the living room. She takes a seat and I do the same on the opposite side of the couch.

"Niall, let me start by apologizing." I keep my eyes fixed on her as she looks at her lap and fiddles with her hands.

"I have been nothing but terrible to you and you haven't given me any reason to. I take all blame. I thought I was doing it to protect Brooke, when really, all it did was drag her down.

"I was scared that you were going to hurt her. Scared that all you did was pity her. And the thought of you making her fall for you and love you, then you leave her and crush her heart, it infuriated me. One, I couldn't see her hurt and two, it had great potential to do some serious damage to her heart. Not just emotionally, but physically.

"All that has been going through my head is, what if he leaves and her heart can't take that type of pain? What if she shuts down? What if it kills her? Niall, she's my best friend and yes, it may sound selfish, but I don't want to lose her. She's everything to me." She finally looks up at me, tears falling down her face.

"That makes two of us, Arralyne." I whisper and she shakes her head yes.

"I know, Niall. I know. And see, I didn't see that before. It has taken me this long to figure out that you're not going to hurt her or leave her. If anything, she'll be the one to push you away.