Infinity //1D AU ✓

Chapter 12

I'm 17 today, and Niall's back in this chapter. 

-K

~Since you went away, there's nothing left in mine,

I feel myself running out of time~

When they pulled up in front of the little cottage, there were no cars in front of the house. Liam picked up a really large stick from the front lawn, and walked over to the door. Zayn watched over Lux protectively, just in case. "Louis, back me up."

Louis jiggled the doorknob, finding it locked. Then, Liam kicked the door down, sweeping into the room with his stick. "Liam!" Niall screamed, from his position on the floor. "Louis! Harry!" He started to cry, as they all took in the scenario.

Niall was handcuffed to a metal radiator - something that should have gone out of production many years ago. He was covered in dirt and grime; his cheeks looked hollow, and he couldn't stop crying. "Get me out of here, please. The key's in the top drawer there."

Harry ran to get the key, and Louis rushed to comfort Niall. "Are you okay? Injured?"

"No. Nothing like that." Niall said. "We just have to leave before she gets back. Oh, how did you find me, guys?" Harry got him free, and him and his boyfriend pulled him up from the ground.

"We worked as a team." Liam said, simply. "Well, Harry, Zayn, and Lou - as in the girl Lou, did a lot of it. Louis and I were busy with other things. Sorry."

"Let's get out of here." He said. "First stop. The coffee shop. Because I need coffee."

"It's in the car." Liam told his friend, and helped the other two carry Niall out to the car. There was definitely not enough room, so Louis, this time, sat at Lou's feet in the passenger seat, and Zayn sat on the floor in the back.

"Here's your drink." Harry said finally, handing Niall the drink once they were all settled.

Niall began to eagerly suck the drink down. "Food? Can we get food?"

"What do you want?" Louis asked.

"Anything." Niall started to cry again, and then held his stomach. Liam hugged him, holding him tight, while he cried.

"Drive to the nearest fast food place. We need to get him some food."

"We'll take you to my mum's." Harry said. "Once we're back in England. She'll take care of you. Give you some nice homecooked meals."

"Do we just want to drop off Lou and Lux and then take the ferry back to England? It'll be cheaper than a flight for the five of us." Louis brought up this idea, and Harry nodded.

"It's a rental, so we'll just return it, and venture out. But we need to hurry, then, because it's already five o'clock, and we have to drive to the ferry." Harry started working out logistics.

"If we take the backroads," Niall started. "And you don't get pulled over, Harry. We'll get there in time for the last ferry. We'll have time to spare. I'll tell you where the backroads are."

Harry just nodded, pulling into the Burger King parking lot. He ordered for Niall, and got a baby fry for Lux, who was complaining back there. "Back to the hotel, then?" He asked Lou, who nodded.

She was awful quiet, most likely because she knew that she was in the presence of someone she was supposed to turn in to the authorities. But she was letting it go. Just like Elsa.

The drive-thru attendant looked at them funny, all crammed into the car like that, but they didn't care. Niall inhaled his burger within three seconds, and then the second one. And then a large fry. All of Louis' credit card, of course. But it was worth it. Because they saved Niall.

He was their friend.

It was what he had always wanted - they had all known it that day that met him. He wanted people who would have his back. Protect him.

And he found exactly that in One Direction.

---

"Haz?" Louis asked to the boy who was half-asleep on the ferry. The high levels of dramamine were making him sleepy. In fact, Louis was the only one left awake.

"Hmmm?" He replied to his boyfriend, looking up to his face. Harry's head was in Louis' lap, and the hand dragging through his hair was calming.

"I don't want this drama anymore." He whispered, tears falling silently. "I just want you and I. Out there. In the world. Sticking to the rules. Traveling. Just you and I against the world."

Harry yawned. "That sounds nice." Another yawn followed that, and Louis felt one stirring in his throat. "But what I really want is some cheesecake."

Lou frowned. "I'm being serious, you idiot. After Zayn's wedding, we have to be good citizens. Maybe we'll move away, if you want? Live somewhere new? We could move to America. Live somewhere like Montana. Or in the city if you want?"

"But I was gonna open a bakery." He pouted.

"They'll like your bakery better in America. I just...I just want to escape, Harry. And the only person I want to do that with is you."

"Let's talk about this more in the morning." He finally sighed. "Goodnight, Lou Bear."

"Goodnight, Hazza."