The Chase [Watty's2018]

Twenty-Eight

Liam
"Liam!"

I paused, sticking my hand out to prevent Niall from walking.

"Is that Louis?" Niall whispered, looking at me.

"There isn't anyway it could be him. There's no way he's on the loose of a lockdown."

"Li-"

"Liam its him, I'm sure!" Niall urged, but something wasn't right.

He took a few steps forward, and that's when I saw the outline of someone. Without much thought there was a rumble.

"Liam, its Louis!" I froze, so did Niall.

I saw Louis crouched with his hands over his head, unharmed. The ground around him was charred, but a small circle around him was fine.

"Lou?" I asked shakily, sprinting over to him.

Louis looked up at me, his eyes wide before he jumped up and latched onto me.

"How?" I whispered to myself. I didn't ask it any louder because I really didn't want to know.

Zayn was a few feet away, staring at the ring. I set Louis down, but he stayed right next to me.

They both looked fine, like they had been sheltered, but not hurt. I wasn't sure what to say.

Louis reached for Zayn's hand and then turned to us. "Ready?"

"Yeah, we need to get away from the Lab."

"Harry told us where to meet him. He knew you guys were getting worried about us," Louis said, turning and walking the way they had come from.

Niall glanced at me worriedly. We stayed put, Niall whispering "Something's happened."

"They've been trapped-"

"No, one part of Louis misses you, the other's worried about something. And no. It's not getting caught."

I sighed. "We can't just leave them."

"I don't think Harry's been on our side as much as we thought he has," Niall argued.

I sighed. "I don't know."

Niall's defensive side slipped as he stepped closed to me. "I'm not expecting you to. I'm just warning you that this isn't right." He pulled himself to me, his arms as tightly around my waist as he could get them.

I kissed the top of his head and rested mine on his, looking at where my brother had wandered off to.

"I don't know what to do. He's my brother, but if he's under any other control-"

"Then you don't know. I know, Li. We just need to think."

I tightened my grip on him. "We might not have that time. We could be walking right into their trap."

Niall didn't say anything. He lifted his head up, forcing mine up with him. I pulled mine away to look down at him.

"Will you kiss me?"

"Why?" I smiled as I asked, and it made Niall's cheeks dust with pink.

"I want you to. It was more then I thought a kiss could be-"

I cut off his adorable babble by kissing him, not that he minded.

"Guys, come on, oh-" Zayn said, walking back over.

Niall almost jumped back, but my arms kept him close. "Its just Zayn," I whispered.

"Yeah, yeah," he smiled to himself as we linked hands.