The More I Try (An One Direction Fan Fiction)

Forever (Chapter Thirty)

"Hello, may I please speak with Zayn Malik?"

"Speaking." Zayn answered as he frowned down at the Scrabble board- wondering why Louis had insisted they played.

Tapping his fingers against the board Zayn made a small cry of victory once he'd figured out a word.

"I'm sorry?"

"Oh, no I'm sorry. I'm a bit distracted." Zayn apologized to the male voice, just then remembering he didn't know who he was speaking to.

"Sorry, who am I speaking too?" Zayn asked, realizing he'd already said all this once he was figuring out to add a, b, l, and e to the t of Louis' cat to make table.

Sure, it wasn't an twenty point word- but it was better than Louis' first word. The.

"I'm Jared Kingston, head security officer at the Heathrow airport. Would you happen to know a Thalia?"

"Yes, why?" Zayn asked warily his full attention suddenly on the conversation. From across the table Louis mouthed 'What?' and Zayn only waved idly in his direction.

"Well, she arrived yesterday on a flight from Canada to here- and since she's a bit busy at the moment, asked me to call you asking if you would mind coming to pick her up?"

Busy with what? Zayn thought to himself, answering the head of security with a simple, "I'm on my way."

"On your way where?" Louis asked, frowning when Zayn stood from his seat, shouldering on his jacket.

"The Heathrow airport. Apparently Thalia's in the U.K." Zayn answered, shrugging when Louis asked him to elaborate. All he knew was that he had to get to Heathrow, which wasn't that far- considering their house was located in Hampstead.

Hampstead was chosen as a place because it was close enough to the City of London, as well as Heathrow airport. At first they'd argued over wanting places close to home, but in the end they all knew they could just drive for two or three hours for a weekend home if they wanted too.

"I know as much as you do- we'll finish our game later!" Zayn called over his shoulder, being already out the front door.

He was nearly home free, already half way in the back of a car when the front door of the house was flung open.

"Wait! Let us come with you!"

Groaning as he flopped back in the closet seat, Zayn would only sit their as Louis, Harry and Liam clumsily climbed over him to get into the car.

"Great to see you guys decided to invite yourselves.." Zayn grumbled as he slammed the door shut, turning to face three of his band mates as the car started moving.

"So where's Niall?" Zayn asked, not being surprised when Liam answered instantly that he had gone out for brunch.

Within minutes they were back to fooling around, but Zayn's heart wasn't in it as he thought of Thalia.

She was in London, this was such good news! Finally away from her family and with him.

She could come live with him and the boys, and they'd protect her and introduce the real her to the world.

It'd be a fairytale ending.

But why did she come so suddenly? And only two days after Zayn left her?

Could something be wrong?

"What do you think Zayn?"

"Huh?" Zayn responded stupidly, noticing that Louis had been talking to him.

"Well, I think that going through the West entrance would be faster, and they think it's the South entrance." Louis said in an annoyed voice- gesturing towards Liam and Harry.

"It is the South entrance! We've all been in that airport enough times to know that!" Harry said, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"Why doesn't Zayn and Louis just take the one route, and we'll take the other- whoever get's there first get's there first?" Liam suggested, shrugging once both Harry and Louis sent him dirty looks- both still sure they were right.

For the rest of the car ride they argued, discussing the terms of their walks.

"No running, it has to be a fair walk!" Louis stressed for the millionth time as he got out of the car, making all of the boys stand and not move until he said "Go!"

It was sort of anti-climatic as the boys just walked away from each other in separate directions.

Louis kept glancing over his shoulder, and the second Harry and Liam were out of sight- he hissed at Zayn to start running.

"We have to win!" Louis kept chanting as he sprinted as fast as he could- Zayn struggling to keep up.

Ducking around a corner, Louis knocked over a magazine stand- Zayn pausing in the whirlwind of paper to apologize before Louis darted backwards and started dragging Zayn away.

Chuckling Zayn went to keep up with Louis again, both of them skidding to a stop once they got into the terminal Thalia was supposed to be in.

"Do you see her?" Louis asked, looking around frantically- and probably more in search of Harry and Liam.

"Oh look, there she is!" Louis shouted, pointing and starting forward before Zayn could even lay his eyes on her.

Thalia sat by herself on a bench, her suitcase sitting beside her as she twiddled her thumbs- staring down nervously at her feet, which she crossed at the ankles.

"There's Harry! Hurry!" Louis called out as it became a race between him and Harry- the winner being whoever could reach Thalia first.

Zayn slowed down to a walk, just watching as Thalia looked up startled.

Just watching as Harry suddenly skidded to a stop, silently saying "Oh my god." as a shocked expression filled his face.

Just watching as Liam's horrified face appeared beside Harry.

Just watching as Louis reached Thalia, seemingly normal until she turned to face him- Louis jerking backwards and his hands covering his mouth.

Just watching as Thalia's eyes found Zayn- the right one that had been out of his view being swollen and blackened by a bruise.

Her right ear was covered in dry blood, and her right arm was half hidden by what looked like a security uniform- but with a slight movement Zayn could see the bruises that racked her arm as well.

It was like the world around him was going in slow motion, and suddenly Zayn couldn't move at all.

All he could hear was his own heavy breathing, and all he could see was a scared and sad looking Thalia- looking up at him expectantly from ten feet away.

Zayn's mind overloaded, and it was all he could do to clamp his eyes shut for a moment- trying to process what he was seeing.

Then suddenly there was a set of small and delicate arms latched around him, and Zayn's arms were wrapping around Thalia as she clung to him tight- rapidly trying to explain what had happened in a on the verge of tears sounding voice.

Zayn barely heard her, his own eyes clouding as he clutched her tight- scared of letting go in a way that almost made his hands shake.

How many times had this happened? Emotionally, too many times. Physically, the first time was one too many.

"I'll never let go of you again.." Zayn murmured into her hair, content on just comforting her forever if she needed it.