Their Saving Grace {One Direction AU}

Chapter 2

As the girls slept on the couch, Niall and I were in the kitchen, because he said he wanted to talk about them.

"Liam, what are we going to about them?" He asked me, as he pointed to the girls, before crossing his arms across his chest. 

"Well, we can't just put them back on the streets. God only knows what would happen." I said, as I leaned my forearms onto the counter. He sighed, rolling his eyes in frustration.

"I appreciate what you've done for them, but we can't just bring two more people into the flat," He said, before looking at them. He stared at them for a minute, before looking at me and sighing. "We can hardly support ourselves."

"Then I'll pick up more shifts at the Record Store. Hell, I'll even get a second job." I suggested, before getting an aggravated groan from Niall. 

"That's not what I mean, Liam, and you know it," He said, crossing his arms. "This flat is way too small to bring in two more human beings."

"We'll make it work. I can't just put them out on the street. I just can't." I said, before hearing a knock on the front door. Niall and I exchanged looks, before walking towards the door. As I passed the couch, I saw that the girls weren't on it. Niall went to answer the door, as I searched for the girls. I heard loud voices as I walked throughout the flat, trying to find the girls. 

After searching every room, I was just about to give up. Until, I heard a whimper from the closet. Cautiously, I made my way towards the closet and slowly opened the door, only to find the two girls huddled close together. shaking. 

"Hey, what are you two doing in here?" I asked, as I bent down to their level. I looked at each of them and saw that their ears were hidden in their hair. The oldest just stared at me and pointed towards the door. 

"Did the doorbell scare you?" They both nodded, as the oldest held the youngest close to her. I've noticed she's very protective of the younger girl, making me wonder if their siblings. I sighed, before offering my hand to the oldest, only to have her hiss at me. It must've been the cat in her.

"I'm not gonna hurt you girls. I promise." I promised, as I watched the oldest examine my hand. She looked down at the younger girl in her arms and sighed, before shaking her head and giving me her hand. I helped the two of them off the closet floor and led them back into the living room, where I was soon greeted by Harry, my best mate and cousin. 

"Hola señor Liam." Harry greeted me, a smile on his face. Just as he walked towards me, the girls huddled behind me in fear. It shocked him for a moment, before pointing to the girls.

"Who do you have behind you, cousin?" He asked me, curiosity striking him. I looked over my shoulder and sighed. How was I supposed to answer him if I still didn't have a clue to what their names were? 

"Umm... I... I found them in an alley way on my way here." I replied, as I watched his eyes almost pop out of their sockets. 

"Do you even know their names?" He asked, only making me freeze in my place. I cautiously shook my head, causing Harry to react with a face palm.

"Just hear me out, Haz, okay?" I pleaded, as he crossed his arms. "They were shaking and freezing. For God sakes, it was pouring down rain. They looked as if they've been there for days. Plus, their different. I was scared something terrible would happen to them. So, I brought them here."  He bit his lower lip, before placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Your heart is way too big, mate. I guess that's one of the many things that makes you my favorite cousin." I smile at the curly haired boy in front of me, before looking over my shoulder to the girls.

"Hey, you don't have to be scared. This is Harry, he's my cousin. He won't hurt you." I tell them. It took a few minutes, but their ears reappeared and they stood beside me. As soon as Harry saw their ears, he was spooked. He couldn't find the words to say and just pointed at them.

"Their cat ears, Harry-"

"Their hybrids. I didn't know they truly existed." He replied, before I pushed the girls behind me. How did he know what they were? What are hybrids? The girls whimpered behind me, as I protectively hid them from Harry.

"Harry, how do you know this?" Niall asked the curly haired boy in front of him. 

"What the hell is a 'hybrid'?" I asked him, curiosity striking me. I knew Harry was learning genetics at UNI, but I didn't understand how he knew this.

"A hybrid is an offspring resulting from cross-breeding. Meaning either their mum was human and the father was part cart, or vice versa." Harry explained. Niall crossed his arms, trying to process what Harry just said. I just stood there in shock. 

"So, your telling me that they were born with ears? They weren't made in a lab?"  I said. 

"It's hard to tell. My guess is that they were born that way. But, I'm not very sure. I suggest keeping them off the radar, though." Harry said, as I took a deep breath. I looked over my shoulders and told the girls it was safe to come out now. Once they were at  my side, the brunette looked at me and sighed. She looked like she was warmin up to me, making me feel a little better. Harry, Niall, and I chatted a little bit longer, before the curly haired boy left the flat.

Niall and I exchanged looks. "Well, that certainly was suprsing." He said.

"No kidding."

*-*-*-*

As I sat on the sofa studying for the upcoming exams I had to take, the girls were curled up on the couch sleeping. They've been sleeping ever since Harry had left. I wouldn't blame them, I was exhausted. But it was damn near impossible for me to fall asleep anymore. Ever since I started going to UNI, sleep was a distant memory. The last time I actually slept a full eight hours was a few months ago. 

Welcome to my life.

I looked up from my book to see that the older girl was missing. I frantically searched the living room, before I found her sitting on the window seat, looking out of it. I set the book down and gingerly walked towards her.

"Hey, what are you doin' up so late?" I asked her. She didn't reply. She just looked out the window, staring at the cars that zipped by. I slowly sat down beside her, causing her to jump.

"I'm sorry. I did't mean to scare you." I told her, as she pulled her knees closer to her chest and sighed. She seemed comfortable and content where she was sitting. Her red hair was draped over her left shoulder, allowing the street lamp to hit it. I wasn't going to lie, she was very attractive.

"Do you know my name?" I whispered to her, wondering if I ever did introuduce myself. She shook her head, her gaze not leaving the window. I'm starting to think that she did this all the time.

I cleared my throat, before moving a tad closer to her. "My name is Liam," I said, causing her to look at me. "Do you know your name?" I asked. She just looked at me, worry and fright on her face. Was she still scared of me? Was I really the scary? Just as I thought she wasn't going to even anwser me, she nodded. 

"Really?" I asked, suprise in my voice. She nodded. "What is your name?" She sighed, before looking back out the window and then back to me.

She took a deep breath. "Riley."

__________________________________

Written by Logan <3