I Know Places - Ziam AU

27. The Solved Puzzle

That evening Liam searched all around the house, but still there was no sign of Zayn.

He cursed when he found out Zayn didn't bring his phone. Zayn must had gone sneaking out while Liam was sleeping, but to where? Liam had no idea. He fell asleep on the couch once Trisha left, giving Zayn some time alone. He knew he was giving his husband a hard time, gone missing and made everyone think he's already dead. But that was not his fault after all. "I should've worked harder so I could come back here sooner," he thought.

He grabbed his car key, not sure if he still remember how to drive. "I must have gone for so long." He said to himself, turning on the engine. "I got this." And then he shifted the gear calmly, or at least he tried to. He hit the gas pedal and driving out.

Zayn wouldn't be too far if he went by walking. Liam had only slept for an hour..

Liam tried to recall every of Trisha's word when she told him about her son's behavior lately.

Trisha got up to move to sit herself beside him, rubbing her hand on his back in comforting manner. "It's okay, we all do. Don't dwell too much about it. It's over, boy."

"Is Zayn okay? I mean, after the accident. Is he doing good?" Liam asked. Trisha gave him another look, a sympathetic one. "My baby's got an amnesia. He woke up once, the evening of that day where the accident happened. He didn't remember anything but he was doing fine at first. But once we got home, it's where everything started. One day he didn't wake up and I took him to the hospital, doctor announced that he was in a coma state.. It lasted a week. And there he was disgnosed for having Fantasy Prone Personality."

Liam was sure he could feel his heart dropped to his stomach, "what is it?"

Trisha took a deep breath, "it's a personality trait in which a person experiences a lifelong extensive and deep involvement in fantasy. It's like, he experienced the memories from the past with you.. And he couldn't differentiate the reality and the imagination. It is almost like a hallucination, but feels realer. Because it is something that you create on your own."

"Dr. Smith reported, this type of person has vivid memories of their early lives, feels extreme sympathy, tends to daydream, and has imaginary playmates.. As for Zayn, I think it was you."

"Since the first day he woke up, he started going out frequently. Alone. At first, I thought a little part of him was only having a nostalgia. He visited the park, had lunch outside. It was all seemed normal to me, but what strange was, how could he remember the way back home?

It was all getting stranger when one day he phoned me and told me he's going to America. I tried to stop him, because I was worried. He hadn't fully recovered yet that time. But then he told me to not worry too much, that he is with you." Liam furrowed his bushy eyebrows, listening closely.

"Zayn even visited your parents," She continued. "Karen phoned me once you and him were gone, telling me that he's acting so weird. Just like if you were there with them. It was all so worrying.. Until the day he went to France and I called him. I asked him how was the trip but then he cried to the phone. He said you're not in the picture when both of you took a picture." Liam placed his hand on her back, he was beyond confused. "What happened next?" He asked unsurely.

"I told him to go back to the hotel to stay the night and take his medicine, that I'd pick him up the day after." She sighed. "You know, love, I was playing pretend all those time. I pretended like you were real and that I followed Zayn's imagination. But the day he cried to me like that, the day I realized it wasn't healthy at all to keep my son in such state and to support all his unreal thoughts. So once we got home, I told him everything. I told him what the doctor had told me previously. And he didn't take it. Zayn was upset, he was confused. My son was lost when he took his car keys and 'held' your hand to walk out of the house. He claimed that he needed time, and I couldn't hold him back.. And he ended up in the hospital. The eyewitness said he hit the road on purpose, and he was calling your name before he passed out."

Liam kept himself focused, driving in a safe pace. 'He visited the park, had lunch outside'. Trisha's words were replaying by their own in his mind. 'It was all getting stranger when one day he phoned me and told me he's going to America.

But then he told me to not worry too much, that he is with you.' Liam parked his car along the sidewalk. Strange, but he feels familiar. 'Zayn even visited your parents'. California. They've been there multiple times. The first time was to take Zayn to meet his parents, two months after they first dated.

'Until the day he went to France'...

Once. They've been to France only once. And that was a hard time for both of them. Their relationship was going downhill a few years ago. And Liam thought, taking Zayn to France would make everything better. At first, it was. But at last, he was mistaken. What happened next is–

"No." Liam gripped the steering wheel tightly, his eyes widen at the thought. He was sorting the puzzle pieces together, from the first place Zayn took himself to.. To the very last place.

"Chronological order!" He shouted.

If anyone outside the car could hear him, they would think he has already gone mad; talking and shouting at himself.

"That means the next destination is–" He paused, trying to remember where did they go a few years ago. Staring to the front, Liam swore he felt like he was just seen a ghost, or worse than that. The fact is, they didn't go to that place together. Instead, Zayn went alone. Just like this time.

"The bridge."

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Thank your for staying with this story and for all the patience. This chapter is sorta important, and the next ones are even matter most. Meaning, the end is near.

Don't know if I have to feel sad or relieved! Once again, thank you ♡

Translations are accepted, message me.