Fix You

liam.

I let out a long groan and dropped my head on the café table. Another thirty apartments and no one believed a word we said. Aimee was right, for all we know we’d already passed it and just weren’t allowed in.

“It’ll be alright mate.” Lou said, patting me on the back. But it wasn’t me I was worried about, Aimee had gotten quieter and quieter with each apartment that hadn’t been hers and now all she was able to do it seemed was sigh. Niall was having none of that of course as he, Louis, and Zayn kept trying to cheer her up, but it was useless. I looked across the table at her and her eyes caught mine. Both of us blushed and looked back down at the table.

“Hey, there will be no gloominess in this café.” Niall said, pulling my lips up into a smile and making Aimee chuckle. “Smile dammit!” He said, pulling even harder. I started laughing.

“Alright alright, let go before you ruin the money maker.” I said, pulling his hands away.

“As if. Everyone knows I’m the pretty one.” Zayn said, smirking at me.

“No, you’re the bad boy. I’m obviously the best looking.” Louis said. “I mean, look at these eyes.”

“Stop it all of ya. We all know that ladies love me the most.” Niall said.

“So that’s why you’re still single.” Zayn teased.

“Ah shove off.” He said, throwing a piece of baguette at him. “I say we ask Aimee. She’s a girl.”

“Yeah, but she’s going to just say Liam. He’s got a bit of an advantage, especially if she’s seen the Payneaconda.” Aimee and I flushed and Zayn’s eyes got huge. “Did she?” She and I both chuckled, looking at opposite ends of the café trying desperately to avoid eye contact.

“Actually, in all honesty, I think Harry is the cutest.” She said finally. Haz, who’d been zoning out a little bit looking at his phone, pressed his lips together, not even looking up at her as her smile dropped. I chuckled, I knew Haz, and if he wasn’t flirting with her after that comment it only meant that he was trying with all his heart and soul not to get attached to her. But the fact that he was trying at all meant he already was.

“Aimeeeee!” Niall whined. “You were supposed to say Liam! Or me! Not Haz.”

“Thanks a lot Aimee.” I teased, poking her with a piece of bread as the waitress came by and took our orders. As we quickly ate lunch I looked over at her as she just quietly ate her soup, surrounded by the guys laughing around her. I bit my lip and slowly moved my foot to hers. She immediately looked up at me casually, trying not to draw suspicion as I ran my foot up the inside of her leg. She giggled and turned pink, pretending it was at some joke Niall made as I smiled at her.

“Hey, can you two stop playing footsie for ten seconds?” Zayn teased, biting into his sandwich. “I’m trying to keep this food down.” We both blushed as Niall looked under the table and glared at me.

“Payne you sneaky bastard.” He muttered.

“Niall, Liam did see her first.” Louis said.

“But I claimed her. And you know us fighting Irish.” He pulled Aimee into his chest again and glared me down. “I’ll kill ya Payne.” He teased, playing up his brogue even more as he slowly suffocated Aimee against his chest.

“Right.” I said, calling his bluff as Aimee let out a small groan about being trapped in Niall’s chest again as he held her to him.

“You wanna go Brit?” He challenged.

“Give me a time and place.” I said.

“Outside, ten minutes, winner gets Aimee.”

“Do I get a say in this?” She asked, pulling herself away from Niall and smiling.

“No, because we’re the men; we know what’s best for you.” I said, pointing my fork at her. “Your job is to just sit there and look concerned.” She rolled her eyes and chuckled. “I said concerned.” I growled. She chuckled and gave me her best concerned face and we all laughed.

“Damn, you’ve got her trained well. Beat her into submission with the Payneaconda?” Zayn commented.

“Shut up.” I said, trying to hide the blush snaking up to my cheeks.

“Yeah, you guys kind of changed subjects when we asked if she’d seen it. Did she?” Lou asked. I swallowed nervously and looked at Aimee, both of us bright red.

“No.” We both said.

“Ah, but your red faces say differently.” Louis said with a huge smirk on his face.

“Liam…” Niall press his tongue into his cheek. “I’ll kill ya in your sleep mate. I really will.” Then he turned to Aimee with a coy little smiled and whispered something into her ear. Her eyes got huge as she turned even redder, looking at him. He wiggled his eyebrows up and down at her, a grin taking up his face.

“Here goes Niall again, hide your women.” Zayn teased, messing up his hair.

“OY!” He glared at Zayn as he fixed his blonde hair back into place. “Yer killing me game.”

“Like you had a game to begin with.” Louis joked. I chuckled as the three of them got caught up in their small battle and Aimee looked back over at me, smiling for real for the first time all day. When her brilliant eyes met mine I just wanted to kiss her again. I didn’t care if the boys or the press saw anymore.

“Hey Liam, can I talk to you?” My thoughts of Aimee’s lips on mine were broken by Haz’s voice. I looked over at him.

“Yeah.” I looked at Louis and Zayn. “Please put him on a leash until I get back.” I joked, pointing to Niall. Louis saluted me as Niall pouted. I smiled at Aimee as Haz and I walked outside to the back of the restaurant. He leaned against the wall and looked at the sky, shoving his hands in his pockets. “So, what’s up?”

“I didn’t want to come.” He admitted.

“What?”

“I didn’t want to come, I didn’t want to bring the guys or suspend the tour. I wanted you two to be able to have whatever time you have left together.”

“Harry… Thank you.” He chuckled sadly.

“Trust me; I also knew that if we came all the guys would love her instantly. Especially Niall.”

“No kidding.” I muttered, wanting to know what he’d whispered to make Aimee turn to red.

“I didn’t want us to become attached.” He admitted. “Not when I knew we were all going to have to leave her behind.”

“I know.” I whispered. I shoved my hands into my pocket as tiny white snowflakes started to fall from the grey sky.

“You love her, don’t you?” He looked at me, waiting for my answer. I let out a long sigh.

“Yes, I do.” I admitted.

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt again.” Harry said.

“Me neither. I don’t want any of us to get hurt when we have to leave her.”

“Which we will have to do eventually.” He reminded. “It’s just not going to work Liam, I’m sorry.”

“Trust me; you don’t have to tell me.”

“It’s not you I’m worried about.” He said. “Well, not entirely.” I couldn’t help but smile.

“I knew she’d get you with that ‘you’re the cutest comment’.” She smiled weakly.

“It wasn’t that. I was there when Lou called you… after Dani left. I heard how broken you were. And then, just a few days ago when we Skyped you I saw how happy you were. She’s saved you in more ways than one.”

“Who would have taken you for a philosopher Haz?”

“Not me, that’s for sure.” But then his smile fell as he sighed. “You need to stop leading her on.”

“I’m not-”

“Yes you are. The closer you two get the more it’s going to hurt when we have to leave.”

“Haz I-”

“LIAM!!” I snapped my head back to the restaurant when I heard Louis’ voice. Haz and I ran inside to see him, Zayn, and Niall frantically shaking Aimee. I could see by the look in her eyes that she was remembering something.

“Don’t touch her!” I shouted. They all stopped, backing up. Zayn moved so I could sit next to her. “Aimee.” I whispered, cradling her face in my hands. I had to admit, it was a little creepy when you were looking right into her eyes but you knew she couldn’t see you.

“Is she okay?” Louis asked.

“She did this before, it means she’s remembering something.”

“Good, maybe she’ll remember her name.” Haz said hollowly. Finally she blinked a few times and looked at me, her brilliant eyes glowing.

“I remembered when I was little again.” She said. “Me, my mom and my two brothers went to Mount Rainer. I saw the snow and I think that’s why I remembered. I tried to look up at their faces but…” She sighed. “They were just blank. There was nothing there.” We all sighed. “I’m sorry it wasn’t something more useful.” She whispered. I wrapped my arms around her in a giant hug.

“It’s alright, it’ll come in time.” I promised, stroking her hair. “It’s all going to be alright Aimee.”

“Come on.” Harry said after a short silence. “Let’s go home.”

That night team morale was at an all time low. Even Niall wasn’t joking as we all sat on the couch, watching some French soap opera which Aimee half heartedly translated.

“And that guy Pierre, he’s sleeping with his twin brother, Louie’s wife Eloise.”

“Alright, that’s it.” Haz interrupted, standing up and turning off the telly. “I’m sick of you lot moping around. Let’s go do something fun.”

“I thought you didn’t want us to-” I stopped as I realized Aimee was sitting right next to me. She looked over questioningly, but I dismissed my remark with a wave of my hand. “Never mind.”

“What did you have in mind Haz?” Zayn asked.

“Well Aimee, are there any good pubs in Paris?”

“Pub?”

“You go there to dance and get drunk and hook up with random strangers.” Niall said, leaning even closer to explain to her. She nodded slowly.

“Oooh Okay. It’d probably be in the guest book.” Niall jumped up and grabbed it off the counter, quickly plopping down right next to Aimee and handing it to her since it was all in French. She quickly flipped through it and skimmed over one page. “Most of these are just bars, only one has real dancing-”

“Let’s go!” Zayn said. “I need to dance or I may just go mad.” I chuckled as Aimee quickly circled the address and handed the book to Haz.

“Panic Room?” He asked. “Like the movie?”

“It’s got two dance floors with a giant bar. And all the walls are lined with mirrors so you can watch yourself dancing.”

“Kinky.” Lou teased.

“Sounds like fun!” Niall said. “I’ll steal you from Liam the second I start dancing!” He began to sway his hips and stood up so he could shake his ass as we all busted out laughing at how big of an idiot he was. He just smiled as he pulled Aimee to her feet and started slow dancing with her, his arm getting dangerously close to her ass. I leapt up, quickly pulling them apart and Aimee back into my arms.

“Save it for the club.” I teased weakly.

“Ooh, Liam’s getting territorial.” Zayn joked. I rolled my eyes as I quickly dropped my hands from Aimee.

“Let’s just get ready, shall we?” I said. We all went to our rooms and as I quickly pulled on my jacket Haz looked at me. “Look I know what you’re going to say.” I grumbled. “I just… I don’t know.”

“You need to get a grip Payne.” He warned. “Because the more and more you fall in love with her, the more horrid this is going to be.”

“Maybe it can work out Haz! Maybe we can-”

“Please, trust me on this.”

“Haz…” I looked at him for a long time. How did he know so well that this wouldn’t work? Then somehow I finally figured it out, something like this must have happened to him. “What was her name?” I asked.

“Nicole.” He whispered. “I met her on the tour, when we were in Seattle. I invited her to the after party and I fell mate, I fell hard. But then we had to leave and I had to say goodbye. We both wanted it to work, but we had to accept that when I lived an entire world away from her it wasn’t going to happen.” He sighed. “I still wonder what would have happened if I had stayed.”

“Harry, I had no idea.”

“I made sure none of you did. Because I didn’t want everyone to get attached just for us all to have to abandon her.”

“Seattle’s not that far.” I tried.

“Yes, it is.” He said. “We both figured it was better if we both just moved on, forgot about each other.”

“Are you two snogging in there or what?” Zayn asked, knocking on the door. Haz just sighed, standing up.

“Let’s go.” He said.

“Harry-”

“Look, just… remember what I said, okay? Be careful.” I sighed as he opened the door and we both walked out. I knew I had to distance myself from Aimee, not get too close, but I just couldn’t. It was like we were magnets; all I ever wanted to do was be around her. Speaking of which, she was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s Aimee?”

“I’m coming!” She hollered from her room. I looked back at Haz, but he was carrying on a halfhearted conversation with Louis. Finally Aimee’s door opened and my jaw hit the floor. She had on this little dress that hugged her curves so perfectly all I wanted to do was rip it off over her head. I saw similar looks of shock on the other guy’s faces as she pulled her blazer tighter around herself. “Well, let’s go.” She said, blushing. I quickly walked over and offered her my arm. She chuckled and took it, smiling at me. Niall quickly mimicked me on the other side, giving her his coy little smirk as she took his arm too and we made our way downstairs and to the club.



As we walked inside a look of awe overtook Aimee’s face. I smiled as I saw the bodies moving shamelessly in the dark to the pounding music. I was going to ask Aimee to dance, but Niall beat me to it, grabbing her hand and pulling her out into the ocean of people.

“Bollocks.” I muttered.

“Niall steal your woman Payne?” Lou joked, nudging me.

“She’s not really my woman.” I said.

“Nice try. I see the way you two look at each other.” He said, dragging me over to the bar and both of us sitting down. “Come on Liam, you can tell me.”

“I… I think I might love her Louis.” I admitted. His eyes got huge. He had been the one who’d heard how broken I was after Dani dumped me. I think he was more than a little shocked that I’d moved on so quickly. But Aimee, she was different. I couldn’t describe it. When I looked into her eyes it was like Dani had never existed to break my heart in the first place. But his shock soon turned into a smirk.

“Have you two shagged yet?”

“Louis.”

“What? We all know she’s seen the Payneaconda, so I’m just making assumptions here.”

“No, we snogged once or twice, but she can’t really do anything without her stitched hurting her.”

“That sucks mate, so did she just give you a handie then?”

“LOUIS!” He put his hands up in defense.

“I’m just trying to figure out how she saw your trouser snake.” I blushed, remembering Aimee walking in on me. I ran one of my hands through my hair.

“I might have had a bit of a… steamy dream about her… and she walked in.” I decided not to tell him that I’d also fallen naked on top of her, maybe save that one for another day. Or you know, never. Louis just busted out laughing.

“No way, and she didn’t just leap on your manhood right then and there?”

“Jesus Christ.” I muttered, pressing my face into my hands. “This is why I don’t tell you things.”

“God, I think I’d die if El did that, and she’s seen it. That’s rough mate.”

“Tell me about it.” I muttered into my hands. I knew Lou probably wanted to keep bugging me, but luckily Aimee saved me.

“Liam.” She said, poking my shoulder. “Come dance with me, Niall’s getting a bit too friendly.”

“I am not.” He objected. I looked up to see Niall come over and sling his arm over Aimee’s shoulder. “It’s not my fault that Liam saw you first. Besides, he obviously doesn’t want to dance with you love.” I rolled my eyes and stood up, grabbing Aimee around her waist and leading her down to the dance floor. I saw Niall pouting, but I didn’t really care, I knew he was just being Niall, but I didn’t want anyone that close to Aimee but me. I pulled her into the middle of the thrall of bodies and pulled her hips to mine, being careful of her stitches. She blushed as she looked up at me, her eyes locking on mine. We both moved to the music and I couldn’t help but bite my lip, trying to ignore how perfectly we fit together, like we were two matching puzzle pieces or something.

Aimee looked at me and bit her lip, motioning for me to wait one second. I watched as she disappeared into the dancers. I Just sort of stood there, wondering what she’d come back with… or without. I swallowed nervously as I finally saw her brown hair bobbing through the crowd. When I saw she’d taken off her blazer I felt the front of my pants start getting tight as she smiled at me. I ran my fingers over her shoulders and down to her wrists, which I used to pull her back, even closer than before. I grabbed her hips as she slid her hands up around my neck, both of us unable to take our eyes off each other. I smirked at her, biting my lips as my hands slowly started to move towards her voluptuous backside. She blushed, but smiled at me as she started twirling the hair at the base of my neck around her finger, driving me mad.

I wanted to kiss her so badly my lips were throbbing at the mere thought. But it wasn’t just that, I wanted to hold her when she cried, cuddled like we had the other night, I wanted to sing to her, hug her, pull her out of the rain and into my arms. I wanted Aimee, and I wanted all of her, forever and always. I couldn’t hold myself back anymore as I leaned down and gave her a small peck. She was a little stunned, but kissed me back before we both pulled away to cheers from the guys and one loud groan, which I assumed belonged to Niall. We looked up to see Lou and Zayn clapping, Niall pouting, and Haz with a blank expression. I knew that he told me not to fall in love with her, but I had

And there was no turning back now.