Troublemakers

I could feel myself physically pale at Louis's sudden revelation. My eyes widened with everyone else's did, but I definitely wasn't prepared for what came next. Niall reared his fist back and nailed Louis square in the jaw. Liam grabbed Niall and pulled him back as the blonde spit venom towards his band mate.

"You son of a bitch!" he hollered.

Louis looked stunned, but my sadness and panic turned into anger and suddenly I wanted to be the one who was punching Louis as well. I didn't want to take it all out on just him either, Niall was on the receiving end of this too. I stomped my foot down onto the cement and clenched my fist together, shrugging Harry's arm off my shoulder in the process.

"My father could be dying, and you two fuckheads are sitting here having a pissing contest over me. Maybe if you two would grow some balls and just decide the both of you are going, or hell even step down so I could just get on the god damn plane, this would be different. As of now, I am going alone. You two can stay here and fight over me without so much as asking me who I fucking care for. I'm done with this bullshit. You two are best fucking friends, act like it!" the two looked at me shocked, before glancing at each other with guilt-ridden eyes.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm getting on this damn jet and going to hold my father's hand while I still have the chance." I snapped, before turning on my heel and boarding the jet.

The tears began shortly after I plopped down into a seat, my body shaking viciously as my paranoia set in once more. This negative voice in the back of my head just kept telling me that I would never make in time and that I was going to lose my father. Then there was the fact that Louis wanted to add onto the drama by confessing his undying love. I was in a state of sheer panic, my breathing becoming labored as I began to gasp for air. How could you love someone you had spent months hating? Then my mind seemed to flick a switch and go back to my mother's phone call. Back and forth, back and forth. My mind just wouldn't slow down.

I couldn't lose my father. My parents have held me together for so long that I don't think I would be able to go on without them, even if I still had my mom. Things would never be that same. Losing my papa would kill me.

Louis and Niall were fighting over me, when neither one really knew a damn thing about me. I had single-handedly ruined Louis relationship with Eleanor, and just so happened to throw Niall in for kicks. I let out a sob, covering my mouth my hands, before pulling my knees up to my chest. Things were going to hell in a hand basket.

"Shh, V, come here." Next thing I knew I was being cradled in his arms, the smell of sweet summer's grass and beer enveloping my senses. I clung onto him tighter than I had clung to Harry and sobbed uncontrollably into his chest. He ran his fingers through my hair and rocked me back and forth. "I've got you, everything is going to be fine."

I just shook my head and sobbed harder as he tried to calm me down. Thousands of pictures were flashing through my mind. All I saw was a series of memories I shared with my father and it only made my heart ache even more. There was nothing anyone could do, there was nothing I could. I just kept yelling at myself for being such an idiot. I should've never left my family to come here. I should have never left his side.

My cheek started to vibrate causing my eyebrows to furrow with confusion. A few seconds later I realized Niall was singing to me. I recognized the song almost immediately, my heart warming slightly. I would recognize and Irish lullaby from a mile away, but especially the one my mother had sung to me as a child.

"I see the moon, the moon sees me,
shining through the leaves of the old oak tree.
Oh, let the light that shines on me,
shine on the one I love" He sung softly.

I let my eyes flutter closed as I listened to the familiar tune. Slowly my breathing calmed down and my tears dispersed. I didn't feel better, but I felt calmer and it was nice. The crazed fog that had seeped into my brain began to slowly lift, and my guilt creeped in. Even though I had hurt him, Niall was here comforting me. He was always so pure, and I owed him an explanation.

"Louis and I met in a club the day before you guys came into the office," I began.

Niall shifted uncomfortably, pulling himself out from under me, but still holding onto my hand. "You don't have to tell me this right now, V."

I gave him a sad smile and shook my head, "Yes I do."

"He cheated on Eleanor then, which is why he was so cold towards me that day. That's why we've never really been on good terms. I guess he just couldn't come to terms with his actions, so he put all the blame on me. The first time it happened I had no clue he had a girlfriend, but after that I was well aware and I did nothing to stop it." I quivered, my eyes refusing to face him.

"When Eleanor came into town she told me that she knew about Louis and I. That night we called it quits, but I guess that wasn't enough for her because she wanted to go after you," I sighed.

"Louis and I weren't involved while you and I were, Niall. I may have done somethings that I'm not proud of, but I didn't betray you. I have real feelings for you, and I realize I was selfish for keeping everything a secret, but I didn't want to ruin what we had." I looked up at him then, "I can't help, but to feel like you make me a better person, and I knew you wouldn't ever look at me the same if you knew."

The cabin got quiet as I ran out of words to say. Niall had let go of my hand somewhere along the way, so I was pushing it uncomfortably between my thighs as I waited for him to say something. His eyes had this blank look about them that let me know I could say practically anything in that moment and he wouldn't hear me. I don't know what I expected him to do, or to say, but I felt a little better knowing that no matter how he felt, I had given him an explanation.

"Do you love him?" he mumbled, shocking me with his choice of words.

I watched as he blinked a few times, before he seemed to really be looking into my eyes. I let the word flow around in the air that encircled us. I really thought about how I felt. I knew if I said the wrong thing, if I so much as used the wrong words, Niall and I's relationship would be irreparable. I pulled my bottom lip in between my teeth and looked away from his face. I took in a large breath before turning to look at him again.

"No," I exhaled, "I don't."

And it was the truth.

Niall nodded his head up and down, but I could tell he was still thinking deeply. I wanted to reach out and smooth the crinkle in his brow, but held myself back for fear of how he would react. I didn't want to overstep my boundaries, especially not now.

"That night we played laser tag, you remember what you told me?" he asked while fiddling with the shoe string on his Supras. I shot him a funny look, but nodded my head none the less.

"We spent the whole night laughing our asses off, really having a good time, and you stopped in the middle of all the madness," A small smile played across his lips as he spoke.

"There were kids running around everywhere, everyone fully wrapped up in the game, and you just stopped. You grabbed my hand with this face-splitting smile on your face, and pulled me down into the floor. I told you that you were being crazy, but you insisted, so I laid down next you while all of this craziness was going on around us. Do you remember what you said when I asked you what the hell we were doing?" He looked up at me then, to see my response.

I opened my mouth before closing it and opening again. "I told you to listen to the insanity around you. Everyone was so wrapped up in having fun, but no one ever really takes the time to appreciate it."

"What did you say after that?" He whispered.

"Insanity is a beautiful thing," I mumbled, unsure of where he was going with this.

He chuckled and nodded his head to signal that I remembered correctly. He leaned over and captured my lips with his own, before pulling away and pouring his emotions into my eyes.

"You are a beautiful thing," he smiled.