Twist of Fate

The Best of Times Becomes the Worst of Times

About a week later

Zayn

How am I going to do this?  I can't do this. I have to do this. I know I have to, though. But I can't. But I have to. 
"Zayn? We need to do this, baby. Come on." Zoe says, snapping me out of the trance I've been in all morning, interlocked in a debate with myself.
"I know. This makes me feel ill. But let's go."I say, taking her hand and walking down to breakfast.
"You think you feel sick? Eat my morning sickness." Zoe says with a smile. I'm really going to hurl. Not kidding. "Little slower." I say as she starts to move down the hall.
"Zayn Javaad Malik. Do you want this? No going back?" Zoe asks. I take breath, gathering all my thoughts and getting my bearings, and then we head downstairs, and everyone looks up.
"Hey, Zoe. Malik. Baby Malik." Lucy says, walking by, upstairs.
"Oh.. hey.... hey Lu." Zoe says hurriedly. 
"Morning, you two." Louis says as we walk into the dining room. The food is like usual. Toast, yogurt, and whatever else we can find with new babies around, and no one has time to go to the store.
"Hi, lads. Can we talk after breakfast?" I ask.
"I was gonna go for a run, actually, could it--" Niall says, but I can't even lat him finish.
"No. It's really important. This is me using my One and Only One Direction Pass." I say. That gets their attention.
"Oh my god. Okay. Yeah." Harry says.
"What?" June asks, feeding Hunter, and looking slightly confused and alarmed.
"We all have one pass to use. Only one. No extras given. You aren't allowed to miss the meeting. It's usually really important. Louis used his really early on, when he had a cancer scare." Liam explains.
"Oh he told me about that. I cried for like an hour when he told me that story.(A/N: NOT REAL) Wow, Malik, what's so important?" June says, surprised.
"I'll tell you when we get there." I stutter.
"Well you don't need to wait. Let's go now." Niall says. I mentally curse the Irishman in my head. Zoe grips my hand tighter as we move into the siting room. Everyone stands around.
"Guys, we might want to sit down for this. If he's using his pass, it's serious." Harry says. I thank our youngest member silently. Everyone sits comfortably, the old way we used to when it was us and June. I glance over and see the old Polaroid hanging on the wall behind the couch.
"So, I've been doing a lot of thinking. I've made a decision, best for me. Please promise me you won't be mad?" I ask.
"Babe, just say it." Zoe pleads, looking anxious for me.
"Okay. I've decided I won't be joining you all on tour. Not this year, not any year. I've got all the papers ready to sign to be released from our contract. I'm going solo. I'm so sorry. I never dreamed this would ever happen so soon." I say, and watch as the room crumples.
"Oh my god..... no...." Harry whispers quietly, putting his head back onto the back of the couch.
"Zayn....... I'm sorry you feel like this is the only solution. I wish you'd said something." Niall says, getting up and leaving.
"Well, then we need to call a meeting of the remaining members." Louis says. "I can't right now. But, I'll miss you. Really." he adds, putting his arm around a crying June, standing up, and leaving. Liam is the one who really gets me though. Almost reduces me to tears. His head is in one hand, his other on his belly. Must be kicking again. He's shaking his head, and by his movements, he's crying.
"Again, I'm sorry. It's Wednesday. I'll be out Saturday night." I say, leaving. 
"Hey, I guess we get to have some fun tonight, though. The wedding, right? One more fun night." Zoe says.
"Yeah. Oh by the way, we're having it in the backyard. We don't really want to go anywhere. Our parents are going to be staying overnight." Niall says. Apparently we walked into the room he left for. Surprise, surprise. Kitchen. But for once, he's not eating. He's sitting on the counter, typing into his phone.
"Oh, okay. What are you doing?" I ask.
"Since you won't be joining us on tour, it's best we have a show Friday night. One last show. I'm arranging it now." Niall says.
"That sounds great, Ni. Thanks. I didn't think of that." I say.
"You didn't think of a lot. Including talking to us even a little bit." He says, suddenly angry.
"I know. Zoe, what do you say to giving them some space?" I say, feeling like crying. She nods, and we depart. As soon as I hit my door, I know I made the right choice. I feel free. This has really held me back. We're role models for billions of teenagers, and our band it supposed to be cutesy and all, and that's not who I am. I want to grow up and all. I mean, I'm 21. I'm grown. I can't even get certain tattoos here, because I need to 'show some innocence'. Whatever. So why am I crying like this? Why do I feel free when I also feel like I just lost the happiest time of my life? Zoe is sitting on the edge of the bed, looking very uncomfortable.
"Hey, you okay, baby?" I ask., going over to her. She grimaces, but nods.
"I think so, just some--" her sentence is cut off as she emits a high pitched scream. Oh my god.
"Come on, we're going to the hospital." I say, grabbing a towel and run down the stairs with her.
"What the hell is going on, Zayn?!" Lucy asks as I hurry past, having heard the scream.
"Tell the lads to meet us at St. Andrew's. I'll text them more when I know more." I say. 
This is the longest car ride of my life. Zoe is half sobbing in my lap. I think she subconsciously knows what this means. Me too. But I can't believe it. When we get there, Zoe's barely conscious. I quickly give her information to a doctor who runs over quickly. I place her on the gurney, and the doctor turns to me. 
"Mr. Malik. Please. Let us take Miss Harris back. You can come, but I'm afraid you probably know what all this blood means." The doctor says. I hold back tears, and nod.
"I'll stay back. But please let me know when she's in a room." I request. He nods, and without another word, they run back. I sink into a chair, and just cry. I don't even try to stop myself. I only look up when I feel an arm around me.
"Zayn?! What's wrong?"
"Why did Lucy run in yelling at us to come and meet you here?"
"Why aren't you answering your cell?"
"Where's Z?" the questions are from all sides.
"Guys. There's obviously something very wrong. Give him a second. One thing at a time. First. Zayn, why haven't you answered? We called you the whole way here." June calms them down, and asks.
"I didn't hear anything." I say truthfully. I check all my pockets.
"Maybe you left it at the house." Harry says.
"He probably did. Next. Why did Lucy come in telling us to meet you, Zayn? Why didn't you come in yourself?" June asks again.
"Because I was kind of in a rush... I asked her to." I say, dangerously close to tears again when the next question is asked. If I say it out loud, it makes it true. It can't be true.
"Okay, I can only guess something is wrong with Zoe, because she's not here." June says. I nod slightly. "Okay. What?" she asks. I just start crying. A small gasp.
"Zayn... she didn't...?" Harry asks, sitting next to me.
"That's what they think, yeah." I whisper. He wraps an arm tightly around me. Once I get my bearings, I look up to all the faces. My brothers and sister. My best friends. Who have no clue what I'm about to say, and they aren't prepared for it at all. "They think she's miscarried. There's still a 15% chance, though. We went to our room, and we were sitting there, and she started to get cramps, and they get worse, and so I went to make sure she was okay, and she looked to her kees, and there was blood everywhere. All over her shorts, and we both kind of knew...." I say.
"I'm so sorry. Do you want us to shut up?" Liam asks. I give a very small laugh.
"Would you mind?" I ask.
"Not at all." Niall says. So we sit. And we wait. It's the longest 30 minutes. Then, the doctor walks out. I probably pale to Niall's skin tone. June squeezes my hand as we all slowly walk over.
"Is she okay?" I ask first. He nods, and I feel a small weight lifted off my chest. But my next question is answered when he starts talking.
"Miss Harris is absolutely fine. She's resting. You can all go to her when we are done here. The baby, though... he's gone. I'm so, so sorry. You can follow the hall to Room 25. Go be with her." the doctor says, and I see his name is Dr. Warthom. 
"He?" that's all I can say.
"Yes. Developmental processes show that you were having a son. I'm sorry." Warthom says. I bite my lip, nodding.
"Come on, let's go see her." June says, and we head left to Room 25. There she is. She seems so small. She's got her back to us, and she's curled up. 
"Zoe?" I whisper. She turns to me. Her red eyes give her away. She knows.
"He's gone. We lost him.." she says shakily. 
"I know. I know. I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry." I say, tears falling as hers do. I hold her in my arms, sitting on the bed. She isn't hooked up to any machines. I think she can go home tonight.
"Let's give them some space." someone says quietly. She's sobbing by now.
"Gregory." she says in between sobs. "I want to bury him as Gregory. I've always loved that name." she says.
"Okay. Whatever you want." I promise. "Let's go home." I say after a while. We get up, and go out to the lobby, where we sign a lot of papers, and then meet the others in the car. It's a little after 3 in the afternoon.
"Oh, Niall, Liam, I'm so sorry. The wedding, your families, I'd love to be there, but I really can't stand it. Please take pictures." Zoe says suddenly.
"What? You think we're going to have our wedding after this? Without you two? No way. Our families will understand. Do you think you can bear it Friday, though?" Niall asks, and Liam grins. And, despite myself, understanding what they're thinking, I smile a little too.

Friday Night; Right before the concert

June

"You ready to do this?" I ask the boys. "One last time." I say, and take out my phone. This will never happen again. And they do their funny little before show warm up. Ending with their timeless phrase. I continue recording, and take out my camera as well.
"One Band. One Dream. One Direction." They say, and hug. I snap a picture. I end the recording. Here begins the final show of One Direction: Group of 5.
"Hello!" my husband shouts, heading out on stage with me. I'm in 3 inch black heels, a white leather skirt, and a tight red long sleeve shirt. He's in red jeans, a white shirt, and gray jacket. I'm holding Freddie and Hunter, and he's holding Logan. They're all dressed in the same colors.
"We!" Harry shouts, running out with Lucy. They're both rocking greens. Harry has green jeans, a white shirt, and a green jacket, and Lucy in a green dress and white sandals.
"Are!" Niall shouts.
"One!" Liam yells, holding Niall's hand, and Niall holding Dylan's hand as she toddles out with them. They're all wearing blue. Niall and Liam are wearing blue jeans, and Niall has on a blue shirt, and Liam has a white shirt and blue jacket. Dylan is wearing a little blue sundress and I braided her long hair into a french braid."
"Direction! YAY!" Zayn yells, walking on stage with Zoe. Zoe is in a orange t shirt and regular shorts and converse. Zayn is in an orange t shirt, and orange hat, and black skinny jeans. The fans, never having heard this at a concert before,go wild. More than usual.
"Hey! We have a speech to make! We can't make it if you don't stay quiet! Okay, Louis, June, go ahead!" Harry says.
"Hey guys! Thanks for coming on such a short notice. We wanted to talk about a few things. Some more personal. Some less personal. First of all, we are broadcasting this live! So, hello to all of our fans on TV!" Louis says.
"Second, let's welcome our sons, Logan, Hunter, and Freddie to the concert scene! Backstage passes get to meet them, and Dylan too! You will have 15 minutes privately with us, since this concert is so early. Each. Anyway, we're just the welcoming committee." I say, motioning to Harry.
"I'd like to introduce my girlfriend, Lucy Swan. That's about it." Harry says. Lucy smiles, waves, and blows a kiss.
"We don't really have anything to say, except that we're welcoming twins soon! Charlotte and James! Dylan, sweetie, say hi!" Niall says.
"Hi peoples!" she says. We all laugh.
"Hey, guys. You all know Zoe. We have something very personal to talk about. And we feel you all should know. You remember us saying last week she was about 3 months along with a baby?" Zayn asks. The fans cheer. "Well on Wednesday morning, we found blood. We immediately rushed to the hospital. Sadly, we.... well, we lost our son. We wanted to tell you." Zayn says.
"You were given candles on your way in. If you'd please hold them up during Fireproof tonight, we'd appreciate it." Zoe says. Then, I take Logan, and the girls and I walk off. And the show begins. We all dance around and sing to every song. We all tear up during Fireproof,and the candlelight ceremony, and laugh and have some fun during No Control. Even Zoe. We're having a girls night before they leave tomorrow afternoon. Then, the boys take a 20 minute break, and we all run for our lives and change quickly and take our places. A voice speaks in my ear.
"Charmed to meet you, Mrs. Tomlinson. I've been wanting to meet the woman who stole Louis' heart for a while" it says.
"Oh my gosh! Tyler Oakley! It's great to meet you! I'm a huge fan!" I admit. He chuckles.
"Well, I'm officiating the ceremony, and I'll be at the after party back at the house. We can chat more then?" he asks. I nod. He runs onstage. 
"Hello London!" he yells. The shocked fans scream. "We have a huge surprise for you all. A wedding between two amazing people, who deserve lifelong happiness! Get your cameras out, press record on the TV! Cue the music, and here we go!" he yells. The music plays. I straighten my gray dress, and Niall's tuxedo collar. Then, we all walk onstage. I see so many phone lights, it's insane. Niall and Liam step out, and the crowd goes insane. 
"You got this, bud. Go get married." I whisper to Niall. And he does. The ceremony was beautiful. All eyes were on the grooms. Their smiles were so big they could be seen at the back of the stadium. The fact that the fans got to be there was even more amazing. Afterwards, we all went and changed again, and they continued with the show.
"This is my last day as a member of One Direction." Zayn says before the last song. "This is my last song with them. I'm going solo. I have loved every second of this, but I want to see what I can do on my own. These boys will always be like my brothers, and we will always be close. We just won't be a band anymore. Never fear, though, they're still around." he says.
"About that... after this tour, we are recording our 5th album, which we will write while on tour, and then we will be taking a hiatus. We will all go solo for a year or two." Louis says. "But we will get you more on that later! Hit it!" he adds. The whole crowd is slack jawed, and I can see about half of them in tears. 
"Did any of you know about the hiatus?" Lucy asks.
"I did. They had a meeting yesterday, asked me to be there. I've known them so long, and they wanted my opinion. I wasn't really for it, but they wanted to try." I admit.
"And so the best of times become the worst of times...." Zoe whispers.
"Yeah. I'm gonna miss this." I tell them, and they agree.