London Calling

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Zayn asked her as they walked hand in hand into the BBC Radio studios together. It was Jen’s last day in London. One Direction’s tour was due to start in a week and the boys were busy doing press before the start, so instead of spending the day doing something relaxing, Jen decided to accompany Zayn on the job in order to spend time with him. She and Zayn had spent the day before relaxing in bed and talking over their agitation from the Danielle debacle. Zayn understood that it was hard for Jen to get to know his friends when they were all in such a spotlight that she was trying to stay out of and she understood that if he was going to be in her life, the guys and their girlfriends were part of that deal.

“Yes I’m sure I want to do this.”

He nodded and squeezed her hand comfortingly. The receptionist led them to the room where the interview was going to take place. Zayn immediately sat down in the chair that he was directed to. There wasn’t one for Jen, so he simply pulled her down into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. They waited quietly as one of the band’s songs played in the background as the interviewer, Nick Grimshaw, sat down in front of them. He greeted them both with a nod. When the music stopped Nick started talking into the microphone that was in the middle of the trio. “Hello, I’m here with One Direction’s Zayn Malik and since it’s rude not to announce that she’s here, who is this lovely lady you’ve brought with you?”

“This is my girlfriend Jen Toews,” Zayn replied while giving her waist a light squeeze.

“Hello,” she said softly.

“Hello love, how are you fairing following Zayn around all day?”

Jen shrugged and replied, “It’s my last day here before I go home, so I’d rather spend it with Zayn than be alone.”

“Where is home for you?” Nick asked her with a small smile.

“I live in America with my brother nine months out of the year and for the three in the summer we spend in our hometown of Winnipeg.”

“How did you two meet?”

“I walked into the art room she was writing in at the university we attended for the semester and got to talking. It’s kind of hard for us to be quiet with each other,” Zayn said with a content smile.

“Which is quite a feat for you I understand because you maintain that you’re the shy one of the group, are you not?”

“Yes, but I think that’s why we get along so well because Jen’s not that big of a talker either. We mesh well I suppose.”

“How did you ask her out? I’m assuming that Zayn was the one to make the move?”

“I was but it was a bit of disaster really,” Zayn said sheepishly.

“I don’t take hints well and we ended up getting into a fight before he asked me again and I said yes,” Jen explained vaguely.

“So you two basically had your first fight before you were even together?” Nick joked.

“Well that was our first fight but as a couple we had our first fight a couple days ago.”

“Trouble in paradise already, what could possibly go wrong because if I do say so myself you two are disgustingly cute at the moment. Ladies Zayn Malik is off the market and looking quite comfy being the chair we didn’t get for his lovely bird. Gentlemen, be jealous of Mr. Malik because his bird is beautiful truly, truly a stunning woman.”

Jen felt heat come to her cheeks as a goofy grin plastered itself on to her face. She moved her legs off to the side of Zayn’s so she could wrap her arms around his neck and hide her face. She felt him shake with laughter as he put some of her hair behind her ear before replacing his hand around her waist. “Oh dear, she really is a shy one,” Nick chuckled.

“We fought about her getting on with the lads’ girlfriends that’s all,” Zayn said trying to get attention away from Jen to spare her, but she knew he was mentally slapping himself for giving the impression that she didn’t get along with his friends.

“I hope there aren’t any cat fights happening between the 1D WAGs.”

Jen sat up and spoke to clean up the situation, “It’s nothing that massive. We just had a bit of a miscommunication, it happens to everyone eh?” she asked nervously.

Nick chuckled again, “You really are the stereotypical Canadian with the ‘eh.’”

“Yes we say it, but we don’t say it nearly as much as people think we do,” she said with an eye roll.

“Zayn, with the upcoming tour, how are you going to deal with not even being in the same country as Jen?”

“It’s going to be difficult, but I’m sure we can work it out. She’s used to being away from her family when she’s in America and Jon’s on a road trip, she’ll probably be better at it than I will be,” Zayn told Nick. “The girls are planning to visit us for some of the tour as well so Jen will probably come with them.”

“Is that your way of getting the girls to get on?”

Zayn shrugged, “No, if that happens great, but it’s my way of being selfish and getting her to visit me.”

“Are you going to visit him Jen or just leave him in the dust?”

“I don’t know yet. If he has his way, I’d be there for the whole tour,” she said as she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out while Nick was asking Zayn something. She saw she had a text from an unknown number. Her heart skipped a beat as she considered who would have an unknown number that would know her new one. She had given her number only to the absolute necessary people so that it didn’t get out. Deep down she knew who it was though, and she didn’t want to open it. The temptation was just too much though as she quickly opened and read the message.

I know you’re not in Canada and you’ll pay extra for
Each second I waste looking for you. Make it easy on yourself
And just come to me or else that boyfriend of yours will pay the
Price. I’ll be doing all his fans a favor.

She couldn’t control the sharp intake of breath that rushed into her chest. He knew. He knew about Zayn and that she wasn’t in Canada. The jig was up and the trap that the Toews family had set was ruined. The more she fucked around with setting another one, the angrier Doran got and that could be Zayn’s life. He was a public figure that wasn’t hard to find and she doubted the bodyguards expected some crazy killer to come after the band. The body guards were ill prepared for the situation she had just put Zayn in. She could break up with him, but she knew it would be in vain. Doran knew even if she hated his guts, Zayn’s death would shake her to the core and break her knowing that it was because of her that it happened.

The best option for her was trying to contact Doran to make some kind of deal to protect Zayn. She was thankful she would be leaving London tomorrow so that she could get away from Zayn so he wouldn’t be in immediate danger and Jen could distract Doran somewhere away from him. She had to fool Zayn into thinking that everything was fine and she wasn’t about to negotiate the terms of her death. She couldn’t let him know that she was scared shitless because if she cracked even a little bit she would have to tell him. She had to put to the test the strong woman she had become in London. To protect the ones she loved and to end this once and for all she would go to Doran. She didn’t think she could over power him outright, but she hoped she had enough time to leak his location to the police so they could catch him even if it resulted in her death. This had to end. Doran was a psycho and once his attention was off her, Jen knew he would have a new girl to torture after her. She had to be brave and stop this herself so no one else suffered.

It was like fate was giving her a second chance at her past. She would be walking into the same situation as an older and stronger woman. She would not be vulnerable this time, she would know what was coming and she would have more experience on how to shut Doran down. She could do this, and if she couldn’t she would die trying to stop him than willingly let him hurt someone else before or after her. This fight that started out as anger towards her brother was now fully hers and Doran’s now and she’d be damned if she let it end with him the victor.

Zayn poked her cheek and she immediately snapped out of her thoughts. She quickly looked to see if he had saw the message, but he simply stared back at her expectantly, “Well?” he asked and waited for an answer once more.

“What?” she asked confused.

“Are you going to publish a book one of these days or not. I told Nick how great of a writer you were,” he responded patiently.

“Oh, I plan to publish one eventually, but I don’t have a time table or anything. I’m waiting to publish one that I am really proud of, but I’m too much of a perfectionist to think any of them are good enough,” she responded.

******

Zayn had seen the text and he knew by Jen’s rigid stance in his arms that it was a serious threat. He was immediately put on edge by the text message. He knew Jen and he knew she would try to keep the problem to herself, but this involved him now. Someone had threatened his life as well as the girl he loved and he would be damned if they ever put their hands on her. He couldn’t bear the thought of her being in any pain.

He would do anything to keep her safe and in his arms, so even if she wouldn’t tell him what was going on with this situation, he would stealthily help in whatever way he could so he could ensure that they caught whoever was doing this to her and keep her out of harm’s way at the same time. First he needed to know what he was up against and to do that he had to talk to Jonathan. The only question would be when he could take Jen’s phone to get his number from it. No doubt she would be guarding it with her life so no one would find out about this. That meant he had to take it on the fly.

********

When the interview was over, Zayn and Jen went out to lunch. Jen took the opportunity to excuse herself to the bathroom. She went inside the bathroom and checked the stalls to make sure that she was alone. She then locked the door to the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, she pulled her phone out of her jeans back pocket and unlocked it. She looked at the unknown number for a few seconds before gathering the nerve to hit the call button. It rang only once before she heard the voice that sent chills down her spine, “Why Jennifer, did you finally decide to give in?”

“If you mean I’m willing to meet you to beat the shit out of you and drag you to the police station then yes,” she replied smartly. She wouldn’t dare let him know how she was literally shaking from fear. She needed to sound confident so he wouldn’t take advantage of her terror. She wouldn’t let him have the element of surprise like last time and she would fight even if he had a knife or a gun. She had to be cool and calculated from the beginning.

Doran let out a bark of laughter, “I’ve wasted too many years of my life in prison because of you, do you honestly think I’d let a puny brat like you put me back there? I’ll be damned if you do. I want to finish this, meet me in the alley where it all started. I would like some poetic justice for when I shut that pretty mouth of yours for the last time.”

“Fine but I need a window of time to get there. As you’re well aware I’m not in Canada and need some travel time.”

“I expect you there at 5:00 a.m. Thursday morning. If you don’t come or you send the police for me, I’ll make you wish I’d just kill you. Don’t piss me off.”

“I highly doubt that you could hate my family any more than you do now, so go fuck yourself I’ll get there when I damn well please.”

“Then it will be Mr. Malik who pays for that attitude,” he said so nonchalantly that Jen could feel the goose bumps rise on her skin.

“Fine, if you leave him out of this I’ll meet you Thursday at 5 a.m. where it all started. If you kill me he gets left alone as well as my family, got it? Call it my dying wish.”

“You have my word as a gentleman.”

Jen had to roll her eyes at that one, “That’s not the right word to describe you at all. Are we done here?”

“See you soon Jennifer.” And with those parting words the line went dead. She let out a sigh of relief. Putting her phone back into her pocket, she pulled at her hair roughly. She placed her hands on each side of one of the white sinks. Looking into the mirror with a grimace she patted her cheeks roughly to make some color appear on her deathly pale face. Just one phone call with Doran had taken its toll on her.

She exited the bathroom and tried to get through the lunch as normally as possible. She was in great physical shape because she worked out with her brothers for most of her life in order to spend more time with them during their busy seasons, but she still needed her technique in order to have a chance against Doran. She spent most of her lunch moving her salad around and going over fighting strategies as Zayn talked about his upcoming tour.

*******

Zayn got his chance at her phone when they walked into the club that Jen’s going away party was being held. The boys had rented the VIP section to have some privacy while they dance and drank the night away in Jen’s honor. She simply handed it over to him, a clear hint that she had deleted the text message and he knew she had contacted Doran because he had eavesdropped by the ladies room door.

He had earned some pretty odd looks from random customers and workers, but it was worth it. He now had the time and location of Jen and Doran’s meeting place. Granted he didn’t know where the place where it all started was, but he was positive that Jonathan would. He needed to call Jon ASAP so he could come and back Zayn up. It was true that Zayn was a toned man, but he wasn’t a professional hockey player and he was smart so he knew not to refuse Jonathan’s help.

While Jen offered to get them drinks, Zayn told her to put it on their tab and let her walk away from him. He hurriedly took out her phone and sent Jonathan’s contact information from her iPhone to his. Slipping hers back into his pocket, he began to compose a text to the eldest Toews brother.

Jon, this is Zayn. Jen’s planning to meet Doran at 5 a.m.
At the ‘place where it all started.’ I need you to come with me when
I follow her there to make sure she has back up if she needs it.

He was sliding his phone into his other back pocket as Jen was making her way back to him with two pints in her hands. She handed one to him as Harry came behind her and lifted her off her feet, being careful not to make her mid thigh pink layered dress creep too high. When he had finished, he set her back down on her black pumps. The other boys gave her hugs as well. She hugged Eleanor with just as much vigor as the boys, but Danielle’s was less enthusiastic. She shot him a look that told him she was trying to be civil to her for him, but she really wanted to tell her to fuck off.

His phone buzzed and he immediately pulled it out of his pocket to see what Jon had told him, though it vibrated again signaling that Jon was messing around with texting, he was calling to get straight to the point. He snapped his fingers behind Jen’s head to get someone’s attention. Niall looked up at him and Zayn pointed to Jen and mouthed ‘watch her.’ As Niall nodded, he accepted the call and walked away so Niall could take his place and chat Jen up. Hopefully Jen wouldn’t notice that he was gone.

“Hello?” Zayn asked for lack of something else to say.

“Why the fuck haven’t you talked her out of this?” Jon’s angry voice came through the line.

“I’m not even supposed to know! She doesn’t know that I know and she’s not going to listen if I tell her to get the police to handle it,” he explained as calmly as possible to Jon, but on the inside he was ready to pull his hair out. He hadn’t had much time to think about the whole situation. Talking with Jon now made it all the more real and he wasn’t completely sure he could handle this anymore. He would do anything for Jen, but he wasn’t certain that it would be enough.

“Put her on the phone, I’ll tell her.”

“She won’t do it even if you ask her.”

“And why not?” Jon asked his tone indicating that he was slightly offended.

“He threatened my life and your family. She’s going to want to handle it by herself which is why we have to follow her and back her up so she won’t know until we get there,” Zayn explained.

Jon let out a heavy sigh and Zayn could just imagine him running a hand over his face in a very frustrated manner. Jon was the eldest Toews sibling and he saw it as his job to help his younger siblings when he was needed. With David, Jen had explained, Jonathan didn’t interfere unless it was totally necessary because David needed to find his own way to earn his stripes in the hockey world. With Jen he didn’t have any regard for embarrassing her. He didn’t give a shit so long as she was taken care of an in perfect health. She didn’t have to be a man and suck things up, it was expected for her to receive help from her older brothers because she was the baby sister and it was in an older brother’s manual to protect her. At least that was what Zayn thought about his own sisters and Jonathan and David seemed to agree. “I have never been happier to play in my hometown than I am right now. She’s still coming back tomorrow right?”

“Yeah she is. When do you play there?”

“Saturday but I planned to blow off the Friday practice to get an extra day there to see my family. I’m getting the earliest flight there tomorrow, fuck practice. I’ll meet you in the airport and we will bunk at our house and hope to God that my sister is staying at my parents’ place.”

“What if she stays at your place?”

“My parents will make her stay with them. They won’t see the need for her to be in an empty house, I’m positive so we’ll be fine. If not we get the hell out of there before she sees us.”

“Right, I’ll text you my flight information and I’ll see you there.”

“Thanks for looking out for her Zayn. You have no idea how much I appreciate it,” Jonathan told him whole heartedly.

“She means more to me than either of you know. I would do anything for her. Bye Jon.” Without waiting for a good bye, Zayn hung up and went out to rejoin the party.