We Belong

Epilogue

Molly's POV

I suppose I could sugarcoat it. Tell everyone that Niall and I sailed through our next year together with no major issues. We tackled our issues like champs and came out swinging immediately.

But that's so...

So...

Not what happened.

The next three months were the hardest of my life. And considering what I'd been through, that's saying something.

There was so much anger, pain and resentment between us. We were working under the guise that we knew who the other was. And we just had no clue. He had changed so much in the time we'd been apart and I never had been the person I showed to him.

We were failing.

And I was terrified.

The month I spent without Niall were akin to being denied oxygen. The moment I left him standing on the sidewalk, I found the first place out of his eye shot and I broke down. I sobbed into a ball on the asphalt. The only thing that saved me during all of that was the hope that he would do what I needed him to do. I needed him to get on with his life. I needed him to finish his CD and continue with his career.

Thankfully for me, he did.

There was no such safety net for me now. If we broke, if he left me, if it got so hard that we ended up hating each other...then what? Would I have to let him go? For good?

So after a particularly harsh fight between us, I decided to put myself on the line. Literally.

------------------

Niall was asleep on my couch, the glow from the TV illuminating his face. He'd refused to come to bed. I didn't blame him. After the venom we'd spat at each other a couple hours earlier I could hardly expect him to want to sleep next to me.

I could tell he was still upset, even though he was sound asleep. His arms were crossed over his chest in a tight x position. His legs crossed at the ankle. His shoes and hoodie still on.

The tension echoing off of him hit me so hard it took my breath away. I felt tears rush to my eyes.

I was scared. Putting everything on the line isn't easy.

What if he rejected me? He had every right to after what I'd put him through.

But then I realized something. Though he was angry. Though he was tense. He hadn't left. He was still on my couch.

I sat down on the tiny sliver of couch still available next to his hip. I watched him peacefully breath in and out a few times. I reached forward and I laid my palm against his cheek. The three day old stubble poked into my skin a bit.

He took a deep breath in before his eyelids lifted slowly. He looked confused for a moment. His eyes focused. But there was no anger on his features. No irritation. He was calm.

I slid my fingers under his arm,

"Come with me."

Thankfully, he didn't argue. He didn't say anything at all, actually. He simply allowed me to thread our fingers together and he followed me out my front door.

We walked through the campus that night. Niall was a few steps behind me, curious, but letting me lead the way. The night was silent save for a few students headed back to their dorms after a party.

Niall's confusion must have deepened as I lead him through the gate out onto the grass surrounding the running track,

"Wh-what're we doin'?" He asked, a slight bit of fear in his voice.