Niall's POV:
I walked to the window to watch my girls and Eleanor drive out of sight. Louis sat on the sofa, watching me from across the room. He was a good mate; all of them were great at listening to me. I haven't talked to Liam in awhile and needed to catch up with him, but at the same time, I wasn't sure if I was ready for that.
"So, what's been on your mind lately, Niall?" I spun around to see Louis patting the spot next to him on the sofa. I took my place next to him, and started to spill everything out.
"I just can't control my feelings for her. I mean, I've always wanted her, but now it's just constantly on my mind." I ran my fingers through my head and rested my elbows on my knees. Louis patted my back as a gesture of letting me know he understood the feeling.
"Just don't pressure her into anything too soon, though. Her divorce with Liam is still kind of fresh." I looked up at him and put a kind of edge on my voice and body language.
"She didn't wait that long after I left to be with him." I stood up and wandered to the kitchen for a snack. "It only took her six months to get over me." I pulled out the bag of cheese curls from the cabinet and began to munch away, before Louis ripped the bag from my hands.
"You know that's not true. She obviously didn't get over you, mate, if she was sneaking around with you, now was she?" He tossed almost empty bag in the garbage can and stared at me in a parentaly way; I would know, I give Lilli that look sometimes. "She was afraid and lonely, and you know that."
"I do know that. It just," My fingers dug into the sink as I searched my brain for the right words to say. "I just love her, Lou."
"I know you do, Niall. And she loves you, but you have to let her come to you. I know she will sooner or later." He was right about that; she always came to things she loved when she was ready. If she really loved me, she'd come eventually.
The evening continued and I started to poke around in his life, feeling bad for placing all my stress on him. "So how are my favorite newlyweds?" I gave him a punch in the arm and sat back, waiting to hear about it all.
"We're actually trying to have a baby, now." He nodded at me and casually sat back. I looked at him in shock and excitment; there were going to be more One Direction babies in this family!
"Louis, that is so great! I'm happy for you two! How long have you been trying?"
"We've tried a few times, but I feel pretty confident this time around. I think it's time for us to become parents." The smile on his face was one I was unfamilar with on him; I saw it on Liam and I when we looked at our daughters.
"Well I wish for nothing but the best for you guys." I patted his shoulder and he brought me in for a hug. A tear of joy fell from his eye and dampened my tee shirt. "You'll make a good father."
Just as Lou started to wipe his tears of joy away from his eyes, I heard a car pull into my driveway; our girls were back. "Hi Daddy!" Lilli came running through the door and into my lap, just five seconds ahead of Amber and El. Louis' eyes grew twice as big when he looked at Eleanor. She was glowing with beauty and I was instantly happier for them than I ever was before.
"Hey guys," Amber came and sat real close to me. I was so wrapped up in Lou and El's perfect lives, without even thinking, I wrapped my right arm around her waist and started to stroke her thigh in secret. A strange look struck in her eyes while Lou and El talked among themselves. My touch grew heavier and her eyes softened. A smile played on her lips and she leaned into my arm to rest on my shoulder. Was this the beginning?
