The Night That Changed It All

Australia

"Hey; guess what I just heard." Liam laughed as he walked into our room with Lily Ann, who was now four months old, in his arms. We'd arrived in Australia a few days ago after almost three months of interviews and promotion so we were ready to start touring a bit again. The fact Lily Ann had started to sleep the whole night through also helped with that.

Obviously we wouldn't be doing concerts every night like we used to but we would be starting next week with four shows a week. This gave plenty of time for traveling, practising and taking care of Lily Ann, but everyone was helping with that so we didn't need to worry too much.

"What? Is it good news?" I asked, laughing when Lily Ann made grabbing hands at me, before putting down the jeans I'd been folding and coming over to take her from Liam.

"It's very good news. Right little bear?" Liam replied, smiling down at Lily Ann, who gurgled in response to the nickname Louis had given her. "You know that girl Katie?"

"No. What girl Katie? Should I know her?" I asked uncertainly, bringing Lily Ann over to her play mat and laying her down on her tummy before sitting on the floor beside her and motioning for Liam to do the same.

"You know; that interviewer who gave us a hard time about three months ago?" Liam prompted, sparking the memory of all five of us tangled up on a settee to taunt an interviewer who clearly didn't like us. I hadn't learned her name until three days after the interview when I read in some magazine about what had happened and I didn't hear about her again after that.

"Oh yeah; the homophobic one. I remember. What about her?" I asked; only half listening as I watched Lily Ann lift her top half off the ground a bit.

"Something similar happened the other day, but this guy was so stereo typically gay he could have given Louis a run for his money. Anyway. She started verbally abusing him; calling him really derogatory names and basically just being her oh so charming self," A hint of sarcasm seeped into Liam's words at that and he clenched his jaw for a second before taking a deep breath and continuing. "She's completely ruined her career; no one's ever going to employ her again. Not in anything worth while anyway."

"And you're happy about that?" I asked neutrally; glancing up at Liam, who was examining my face, before returning my gaze to Lily Ann. 

"Of course I am. She was a complete bi-" Liam began angrily, but I cut him off before he could continue any further.

"Liam! Lily Ann's right there; no bad language." I exclaimed swiftly. I knew she wouldn't start talking any time soon, but it would be a lot easier to stop from cursing around her when she did start talking if we started now.

"Right; sorry. She was - is - not a nice person. I just didn't like that she got away with what she did to us. To you!" Liam sighed, before he suddenly smiled and sprang at me; pushing me onto my back on the ground and straddling my hips.

"Liam!" I whined quietly, struggling under him and trying to push him off, but my efforts were to no avail as Liam was a fair stretch stronger than me. "What are you doing?"

"I was coming to talk to you when Harry told me about that. I was thinking; maybe we could do something tonight. We haven't done anything just us for a while." Liam explained, leaning forward to kiss my forehead before he rolled off me so he was now lying next to me.

"I dunno. Who'd take care of Lily Ann?" I sighed hesitantly, curling up against Liam and leaning my head on his chest so I could watch Lily Ann, who'd just laid back down and was now trying to roll over. She almost managed it the other day, but she hadn't gotten quite that far since.

"The lads said they'd babysit; all three of them should be able to look after one baby who can't even roll over yet." Liam reasoned, glancing at Lily Ann and laughing when he saw she was trying to do just that: roll over.