This Ain't Nothin'
One
Of course, Niall had been expecting it. The doctor had told him from day one, the cancer wasn’t treatable and they were going to lose her. He just hadn’t been expecting it so soon. Rachel had found out she was pregnant, just before they found the cancer. Of course, her and Niall had always dreamed of being parents, just not at 19 and newlyweds. The doctors wanted her to abort it, but Rachel being Rachel, refused and that meant she was refusing to take radiation and chemo for the cancer. She’d gotten to see her daughter, hear her first cries, but that was it. Niall knew it was going to happen. She’d been so weak for the past 3 weeks. He knew her body couldn’t handle that. To be honest, he wasn’t surprised when she was gone within an hour. Chase Rose Horan had come into this world 4 weeks early weighing 5 pounds, 9 ounces and being 19 inches long on July 20, 2012. To Niall, she was the best gift he’d even received even though she was so tiny. Actually, he was just happy she was healthy, that she had all ten toes, all ten fingers, both kidneys, breathing on her own, gaining weight like she should. She’d only been kept a week and half before he could take her home. Yes, it was true that the longest he’d been away from her was for her mother’s funeral. He’d been waiting for this day, and he was quite thankful that Liam was coming to pick them up.
“Hi, baby” he said, walking into the room and seeing her awake in the nurse’s arms.
“She’s just had her 7am feeding, Niall. As soon as the doctor comes in, you can take her home. You might want to change her diaper first, though” the nurse, Olivia, told him.
“Of course” Niall said, taking the baby from her. “Thank you for everything the past week, Olivia” She smiled but left to check on the other babies. Niall looked down at the baby, and smiled.
“Good morning, Chase.” he said. “Now, let’s change that diaper and see what Uncle Liam and Aunt Danielle bought you fits.” Niall quickly changed the diaper and put the pink owl print outfit, socks, and headband on her. She defiantly wasn’t happy about it, but she looked adorable to Niall. He knew the doctor wasn’t going to be on call until 8:30, but Niall was already so excited.
“Niall you can go ahead and put her in her car seat. Dr. Poncet will be in shortly, she came in early so you could get Chase home before the fans were awake” she said. Niall smiled, picking the small baby up and carefully placing her in the car seat before Dr. Poncet came in.
“I see you’re already to go Niall” she said. “You just need to sign the paper and she’s free.” A smile broke on Niall’s face as he signed it quickly and finished buckling the baby up and covering the carseat with the pink blanket Harry had bought. He grabbed the diaper bag, and made his way to the front with her to wait for Danielle and Liam. He sat the baby on the bench and reached for his phone.
NiallOfficial: Taking my princess home today! :D. She’s up to 6 pounds, 10 ounces!
“Is that Niall from One Direction?” it was an older lady, maybe 60, with her granddaughter who looked to be about 18.
“Yeah, Nan, it is.” she said. “Don’t bother the poor man, he’s waiting for someone.” Niall looked back down at his phone to see he had a text from Danielle
From: Danielle
Message: Stuck in traffic, be there as soon as possible
Niall texted her back with an “Okay,” and went into the coffee shop located by the doors with Chase. To pass time, he sat going through his mentions on twitter and replying to a few fans before he got the text from Danielle that her and Liam were here. He saw Liam come in to find him. Lifting the baby car seat with one arm, and picking up the diaper bag with the other, Niall went out to meet his roommate.
“Here let me take the bag” Liam said, taking the diaper bag and holding the door open for Niall. Once Niall had Chase buckled in, and was buckled in himself, they started back towards the flat.
“Niall, I can’t wait for you to see what Harry and Louis did to the spare bedroom for her nursery.” Liam said.
“Oh yeah?” he said.
“Owls. Niall. Rachel had this fascination with owls. They went out and bought baby bedding, and everything.” Liam told him. “Rachel would have been so proud of you, you know?”
“I know. I think, I was expecting it. They told us from the beginning the cancer was terminal. She was just so strong minded, Liam. She was determined to carry Chase to term. 35 weeks, 6 days. She almost did it. If they’d waited one more day, she’d been 36 weeks, book definition of full term.” Niall said, adjusting the pacifier in his daughter’s mouth.
“Your mom called, Niall.” Danielle spoke up from the front seat. “She’s flying out to see Chase.” Niall couldn’t help but smile, knowing his mom was probably extremely excited.
“Do you ever regret becoming a dad at 19? You’re still a teenager, Niall.” Liam said. “Who am I kidding? Next to me, you’re like the most mature one in the band.”
“I don’t think I could ever regret her, Liam. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” Niall said. They small talked the rest of the ride home, and when they got there, Niall couldn’t help but think Chase was adorable. He slowly got the carseat out and carried her inside the house. He unbuckled her, and lifted her up, cradling her in his arms.
“Let’s go see your room, Sugar” he said,carefully walking upstairs with her in his arms. When he opened the door to the nursery, he felt like crying. The walls were painted a pale pink, there were white letters on the wall, spelling her name. Little owl decals cover the walls, and the mobile over the crib was owls. The bedding was pink, orange, and brown with owls covering it. The crib itself (along with the changing table) was white.
“Do you like it?” The voice came from behind him, and he knew it was Louis.
“It’s perfect. Rachel would have loved it too.” He said. “I’m sure Chase will love it too.” He turned around and Louis’s eyes lighted up.
“Can I hold her?” he asked. “I’ll sit down if it’ll make you feel better.” Niall smiled.
“Sure, give me your phone and sit down. I want to take a picture. I mean, if we’re going to let the fans see her, we might as well do it through your account” he said. Louis just shook his head and sat down in the rocking chair. Niall carefully placed Chase in Louis’s arms. Knowing out of all of them, Louis probably had the most experience with babies. Niall quickly snapped a picture. It was rather adorable, before Niall could say anything, Liam came up with a bottle and the phone.
“It’s 11, so time to feed her. And your mom just called, her plane just landed.” Liam told him. Niall nodded taking the bottle and handing it to Louis.
“Can you watch her for like an hour? I need to go to get my mom. I trust you know how to feed a baby” he said. Louis nodded, taking the bottle and shooing Niall out. The drive to the airport wasn’t that long, and his mom was waiting for him outside the airport.
“Please tell me you didn’t leave Chase with Styles” she said. Niall laughed.
“No, I left her with Danielle, Liam, and Louis. Harry’s in Holmes Chapel right now, and Zayn’s god knows where.” Niall said. “Which is why, I’m taking you out to lunch.”
As soon as the two returned home, he found Louis and Liam eating in the kitchen.
“Where’s Chase?” he asked.
“She’s fine, Danielle’s changing her.” Louis said. “She’s the most indecisive child I know, and she’s not even two weeks old yet, Niall.”
“I know. She’s something else.” Niall told Louis. Danielle came down a few minutes later with the small baby in her arms. Niall willing took her and then handed her to his mom.
“She looks like Rachel” She said.
“She does. It’s kind of scary” he said. He and his mom talked for a while longer while Chase napped. So far her first day home had been pretty laid back, but Niall knew that the worst was to come that night, but she hardly cried anyway. Soon, Liam was taking Niall’s mom to her hotel and Niall was changing Chase for bed. After laying her down, Niall crawled into bed himself ready for the night, knowing it was going to be a long one.
12:00, 2:30, 3:00, 5:30.
Those were all the times Chase woke Niall up during the night. 12:00 changing, 2:30 feeding, 3:00 changing, 5:30 fussing. He was exhausted. He was almost ready to pass out. 5:45, Louis came in.
“I’ll take her. Go to sleep.. You’re going to need it” he told Niall. Niall didn’t have time to object before the older boy was lifting Chase out of Niall’s arms, grabbing the owl blanket out of the bassinet and making his way to the nursery. After about ten minutes, Chase’s cries stopped and Niall fell asleep.
“Hi, baby” he said, walking into the room and seeing her awake in the nurse’s arms.
“She’s just had her 7am feeding, Niall. As soon as the doctor comes in, you can take her home. You might want to change her diaper first, though” the nurse, Olivia, told him.
“Of course” Niall said, taking the baby from her. “Thank you for everything the past week, Olivia” She smiled but left to check on the other babies. Niall looked down at the baby, and smiled.
“Good morning, Chase.” he said. “Now, let’s change that diaper and see what Uncle Liam and Aunt Danielle bought you fits.” Niall quickly changed the diaper and put the pink owl print outfit, socks, and headband on her. She defiantly wasn’t happy about it, but she looked adorable to Niall. He knew the doctor wasn’t going to be on call until 8:30, but Niall was already so excited.
“Niall you can go ahead and put her in her car seat. Dr. Poncet will be in shortly, she came in early so you could get Chase home before the fans were awake” she said. Niall smiled, picking the small baby up and carefully placing her in the car seat before Dr. Poncet came in.
“I see you’re already to go Niall” she said. “You just need to sign the paper and she’s free.” A smile broke on Niall’s face as he signed it quickly and finished buckling the baby up and covering the carseat with the pink blanket Harry had bought. He grabbed the diaper bag, and made his way to the front with her to wait for Danielle and Liam. He sat the baby on the bench and reached for his phone.
NiallOfficial: Taking my princess home today! :D. She’s up to 6 pounds, 10 ounces!
“Is that Niall from One Direction?” it was an older lady, maybe 60, with her granddaughter who looked to be about 18.
“Yeah, Nan, it is.” she said. “Don’t bother the poor man, he’s waiting for someone.” Niall looked back down at his phone to see he had a text from Danielle
From: Danielle
Message: Stuck in traffic, be there as soon as possible
Niall texted her back with an “Okay,” and went into the coffee shop located by the doors with Chase. To pass time, he sat going through his mentions on twitter and replying to a few fans before he got the text from Danielle that her and Liam were here. He saw Liam come in to find him. Lifting the baby car seat with one arm, and picking up the diaper bag with the other, Niall went out to meet his roommate.
“Here let me take the bag” Liam said, taking the diaper bag and holding the door open for Niall. Once Niall had Chase buckled in, and was buckled in himself, they started back towards the flat.
“Niall, I can’t wait for you to see what Harry and Louis did to the spare bedroom for her nursery.” Liam said.
“Oh yeah?” he said.
“Owls. Niall. Rachel had this fascination with owls. They went out and bought baby bedding, and everything.” Liam told him. “Rachel would have been so proud of you, you know?”
“I know. I think, I was expecting it. They told us from the beginning the cancer was terminal. She was just so strong minded, Liam. She was determined to carry Chase to term. 35 weeks, 6 days. She almost did it. If they’d waited one more day, she’d been 36 weeks, book definition of full term.” Niall said, adjusting the pacifier in his daughter’s mouth.
“Your mom called, Niall.” Danielle spoke up from the front seat. “She’s flying out to see Chase.” Niall couldn’t help but smile, knowing his mom was probably extremely excited.
“Do you ever regret becoming a dad at 19? You’re still a teenager, Niall.” Liam said. “Who am I kidding? Next to me, you’re like the most mature one in the band.”
“I don’t think I could ever regret her, Liam. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” Niall said. They small talked the rest of the ride home, and when they got there, Niall couldn’t help but think Chase was adorable. He slowly got the carseat out and carried her inside the house. He unbuckled her, and lifted her up, cradling her in his arms.
“Let’s go see your room, Sugar” he said,carefully walking upstairs with her in his arms. When he opened the door to the nursery, he felt like crying. The walls were painted a pale pink, there were white letters on the wall, spelling her name. Little owl decals cover the walls, and the mobile over the crib was owls. The bedding was pink, orange, and brown with owls covering it. The crib itself (along with the changing table) was white.
“Do you like it?” The voice came from behind him, and he knew it was Louis.
“It’s perfect. Rachel would have loved it too.” He said. “I’m sure Chase will love it too.” He turned around and Louis’s eyes lighted up.
“Can I hold her?” he asked. “I’ll sit down if it’ll make you feel better.” Niall smiled.
“Sure, give me your phone and sit down. I want to take a picture. I mean, if we’re going to let the fans see her, we might as well do it through your account” he said. Louis just shook his head and sat down in the rocking chair. Niall carefully placed Chase in Louis’s arms. Knowing out of all of them, Louis probably had the most experience with babies. Niall quickly snapped a picture. It was rather adorable, before Niall could say anything, Liam came up with a bottle and the phone.
“It’s 11, so time to feed her. And your mom just called, her plane just landed.” Liam told him. Niall nodded taking the bottle and handing it to Louis.
“Can you watch her for like an hour? I need to go to get my mom. I trust you know how to feed a baby” he said. Louis nodded, taking the bottle and shooing Niall out. The drive to the airport wasn’t that long, and his mom was waiting for him outside the airport.
“Please tell me you didn’t leave Chase with Styles” she said. Niall laughed.
“No, I left her with Danielle, Liam, and Louis. Harry’s in Holmes Chapel right now, and Zayn’s god knows where.” Niall said. “Which is why, I’m taking you out to lunch.”
As soon as the two returned home, he found Louis and Liam eating in the kitchen.
“Where’s Chase?” he asked.
“She’s fine, Danielle’s changing her.” Louis said. “She’s the most indecisive child I know, and she’s not even two weeks old yet, Niall.”
“I know. She’s something else.” Niall told Louis. Danielle came down a few minutes later with the small baby in her arms. Niall willing took her and then handed her to his mom.
“She looks like Rachel” She said.
“She does. It’s kind of scary” he said. He and his mom talked for a while longer while Chase napped. So far her first day home had been pretty laid back, but Niall knew that the worst was to come that night, but she hardly cried anyway. Soon, Liam was taking Niall’s mom to her hotel and Niall was changing Chase for bed. After laying her down, Niall crawled into bed himself ready for the night, knowing it was going to be a long one.
12:00, 2:30, 3:00, 5:30.
Those were all the times Chase woke Niall up during the night. 12:00 changing, 2:30 feeding, 3:00 changing, 5:30 fussing. He was exhausted. He was almost ready to pass out. 5:45, Louis came in.
“I’ll take her. Go to sleep.. You’re going to need it” he told Niall. Niall didn’t have time to object before the older boy was lifting Chase out of Niall’s arms, grabbing the owl blanket out of the bassinet and making his way to the nursery. After about ten minutes, Chase’s cries stopped and Niall fell asleep.