Girl Almighty

Part 13

Liz returned to the couch and found Liam putting in a movie, while Louis was getting ready to order room service.

"I do NOT want to know" Harry said to Niall.  Niall just laughed and sat down.

"People, pay attention. We need food" Louie commanded."What would you like?" he asked Liz. She shrugged. "A sandwich?" 

All eyes turned towards her at once. "And how would that help rebuild your immune system. You'll have steak."

"And broccoli" added Harry

"with a Baked potato"chimed in Liam. 

"All the toppings" said Niall. 

Liz felt torn. She knew she should be polite and insist that  sandwich was fine. But steak...mmmm

"You promised tonight would be completely honest" Louie reminded her. "Would you prefer a sandwich or a steak?"

"Steak" she answered.

When he finished ordering for everyone, Louis and Liam moved the second couch so it was perpendicular to the first. "What now Daddy Direction?" Louis prompted. Liam sighed and looked at his hands.

"Right...so tell us from the very beginning. From when you tried to call us" Liam said. Niall reached over and took her hand in his while Harry held the other. 

So Liz told them. Dinner arrived but they insisted she kept talking. At one point she stopped and just smiled at them.

"What?" Louie asked.  Liz blushed, but finally told them how she used to imagine their voices in her head.

"Like if they were putting in an IV, I imagined Niall" she admitted. Niall smiled as he took another bite of his pasta.

"What did I say?"

"Jesus!" Liz exclaimed in a terrible imitation. Niall almost choked laughing.

"Do Harry!" Louie begged.  

"When it was  tense, like they were prepping a procedure or had to say something bad I imagined him standing in front of me..."

Harry looked down at his food "And what did I say?" He asked reluctantly. Liz stood up, feet together and her arms out at her sides like Harry during a concert 

"I'm going to tell some jokes!"  she proclaimed. Everyone groaned, but the smile on Harry's face lit up the room.

"Yessss. I'm funny." he boasted. 

"Do me next!"Louis requested, finishing his meal. Liz sat back down and sipped her drink.

"Okay, don't be mad but it's from an old clip of you at a book signing." Louis clearly did not know the moment she was referring to, so she reached across the table and took his hand in hers.

"Don't cry love." she said in his accent, rubbing her thumb across the back of his hand. Louis just smiled and took his hand back. They all just ate and drank for a little while, until Liam put down his glass in mock frustration.

"Get it over with!" he said, placing his head in his hands. "Please?"

Liz suddenly felt shy,and she didn't know why. Maybe because Liam didn't have a one- liner like the others; Liam was more a physical reassurance. She looked at Liam now and realized this was exactly how she would picture him - a gentle face, concern in his eyes, his muscular arms and shoulders ready to take the burden.

"Yours is a bit different." she began, moving back to the couch. Louis's head perked up and he put his hands over Harry's ears.

"Not in front of the little one" he said emphatically. Harry pushed him off and they all went back to the sofa.

Liam flopped beside her. "Now you HAVE to tell me" he said in exasperation.

"I imagined you putting your arms around me." she whispered. Liam smiled and leaned closer so she didn't have to speak loudly. He placed his hand under her chin and tilted her face until she was looking him in the eye. 

"If something hurt, physically, I would imagine that you sitting or laying  behind me." Liz dropped her eyes from his gaze. "You know, like I would lean against you and just feel your strength."

"Well it sounds like we make a pretty good team" Louis said. Liam scooted backwards on the couch and pulled Liz onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her. She struggled against the closeness, but he just held her. 

Louie crouched in front of them and took her left hand in his. "Don't cry love" he said, gently rubbing his thumb across her hand. Harry jumped up, grinning.

"I'm going to tell some jokes!" he proclaimed. Right on cue, Niall looked at them all and said "Jesus!"

It was perfect.