Reunion

Niall had let the thin envelopes be pushed into his hand as Danielle sat stiffly beside him. She had called the day before and had asked to meet him in the park,her soft voice still shaky as she had spoken to him. Liam's funeral had only been the week before and her face still seemed to still be set in the same forced expression he had seen then. And it still looked completely non-genuine. In front of them played Peter and Oliver, the two year old twins who would never remember the father that had loved so dearly. They smiled and laughed in the bright sun that Niall thought of as Liam smiling down on them, unaware of the seismic shift that had happened in their young lives.

"They started asking for him last night," she said as they continued to stare ahead at the two boys. "I didn't know what to say. I lied and told them he was working and would be back next week. What do I say then?"

Niall didn't know how to respond, how to comfort her. He and Liam had stayed close after One Direction had left both of their lives and many times that had included Danielle and the twins by extension. But they had never moved beyond casual friends despite the many years of intermingled lives. And without him to bridge the gap, the feeling between them was awkward and strange. Niall stayed quiet, waiting for her to tell him just why she had asked him to come and sit through this, the envelopes just as much a mystery as they had been a few moments earlier.

"He made me promise to give these to you." Niall looked down at the envelopes again and saw Liam's neat handwriting across each one, the names on them like a shock to his already tired system. "He's been writing them for the last month. Since ..."

She stopped talking then and Niall knew what she had been going to say. Since the doctors had told Liam there was nothing they could do anymore. The cancer that had invaded his body so angrily only four months before had spread too deeply into his body and the treatments would do no more good except weaken his already battered system. The cancer was going to slowly stake claim to his life as hard as he tried to fight it.

"I had better go." Danielle stood up, her mission done, and waved to the two boys. Niall knew that she must struggle to see him. He was a reminder of just how much life her husband had lost, how alive he should be. For her to be here today to fulfill Liam's wish took a strength that Niall could only marvel at. She finally turned to look at him then, her firm veneer finally showing a hint of cracking. "Look Niall, please don't be a stranger. Peter and Oliver need their Uncle Niley. They need to hear about him from you, from his most faithful and cherished friend. So they don't forget who their father was." Her voice broke slightly and Niall nodded but still avoided her gaze.

The twins had come to her side now and gave them each a tight hug goodbye, making sure to smile at them as they pulled away. The eyes looking back at him were exactly like his lost friend's and he had to swallow hard to not wrap the small bundles in his arms again. Instead, he pinched each of their chubby cheeks and told them he would see them soon before Danielle took their little hands and walked them away.

Niall watched them leave and finally let his tears fall. They fell harsh and quick and made the blue ink on the envelopes run. He sat on the hard bench for another half an hour, his chest heaving with the angry sobs that ripped from his body. Thoughts of the image being splashed in papers and on websites were far from his mind as his only thought was his lost friend and his too short life. He finally felt the emotions begin to ebb, the sobs come under control and he wiped the remaining streaks off of his face with the sleeve of his shirt.

After trying to make himself look somewhat presentable, he remembered why he had been called there. The evelopes were slightly crinkled but remained firmly in his hand. He slowly read the name on each one, the names so familiar not so long ago and some now distant and hazy.

Louis. He had seen him at the funeral, the two of them seeming to glue themselves to each other as if it was the only way they could stand under the sadness. They had grown apart after the band had broken up with phone calls between them happening enough to maintain a place in each other's lives but in person visits rare enough that there was much that went on that the other didn't know about. But he had immediately come to Liam's side when the call had been placed. Niall knew about the divorce that had been in the rags almost every week and had wanted to talk to Louis about it, his memories of the couple from when he had been around them being ones of a couple who was happy and eagerly planning the future. But Louis had quickly made it clear that there was to be no discussion of private matters. He was here for Liam and that was all. Niall had appreciated the return of his friend and had left it at that, both of them focused on Liam's recovery at first and then his death.

Harry. Happy, no care in the world Harry. Louis and he had remained close after the breakup, not surprising to anyone who knew them. He and Niall had seen each other at different industry events but they had been satellites in each other's lives with Louis being the only tenuous link. He had talked to Liam a few times during his sickness but the youngest member of the former band was in the middle of a world tour to support his album and just couldn't come back to England to see his old friend. Inwardly, Niall had been frustrated but Louis had told him that Harry just couldn't deal with it. The two had argued a few times over the whole thing but eventually, Niall had been too tired to care. If Harry came, if he didn't wouldn't change the rate of Liam's decline. He had called after the end had finally come, given his condolences to Niall, Louis and Danielle but he sounded like someone they had worked together with once or twice instead of spending nine years together.

Zayn. The mystery man. He had shunned the spotlight since he had come out and that had included contact with his former friends. Niall seemed to understand that it was easier for him, that contact with them brought pain from the past. Liam and he had stayed in regular contact but the rest of them had been shut out. Nial had tried to contact him after Liam had gotten sick but he had only gotten voicemails and unanswered emails. He had heard a few conversations between he and Liam but that was all. He had seen the reports of his absence from the funeral but knew it was bollocks. Niall had seen him sneak in just after it had started and out during the last hymn but his presence had been so under the radar and everyone so focused on he and Louis that he had been completely missed. It had made Niall feel better that he had come, that the friendship still meant enough for him to be there and for him to chance being pushed back into the spotlight he had built such guards against.

Niall. Himself. His friendship with Liam had been a treasured part of the last four years. Many times, he had gone to him to try to figure out just what he was supposed to do with himself now that he was no longer a boyband member. Liam had always listened patiently, offered calm advice and then told him to just get on with it then. Liam was the first one he had gone to in a panic when Lisa had told him she was pregnant and even though he was already sick, he had taken the time to convince Niall that he would be an awesome father and that everything happens in it's own order. They had talked about raising their children together as close as siblings. And now it was gone. Liam was gone.

Another envelope. Niall, Harry, Zayn, Louis. All four names in the same space. It had been so long since Niall had seen them like that. And yet it wasn't complete because it was only four and not five. Because it should be five.

The last envelope had his name again but this time it simply said 'Open Now. Please.'. The handwriting was shaky and measured unlike his usually smooth script and had to have been done close to when Liam had died. Niall slowly tore the edge of the envelope and pulled the stark white sheets out. It was folded in half and when he unfolded it, he saw that the letter was only two pages. Knowing Liam's energy levels near the end, he was sure it would have taken great effort for him to write even such a small amount. Niall took a deep breath and started to read.

Niall,

First, let me say thank you. Thank you for thirteen years of amazing friendship that turned into brotherhood. Thank you for bringing a sense of laughter into a life that was much too serious sometimes. Thank you for being by my side as I face the fact that I won't be able to watch my wonderful boys grow up or grow old with my wife. Thank you for not showing pity but showing compassion as I face my last days physically with you. What you have done is not the true defintion of friendship. It is the true definition of honor and loyalty. Thank you for that gift.

Secondly, I know that this will sound cheesy but I hope you know that I will never be more than a whisper away. When your baby won't let you sleep, when you and Lisa don't think you can take another day, when you think you are the crappiest parent and partner in the world, know that I believe in you. I have seen you go from being the goofy kid who always liked a laugh and a pint to an amazing man who treasures the people in his life like gold. The transformation has been inspirational to watch and I am looking forward to continuing to see the show.

The last thing I have is a favor to ask. As you can see, this letter did not come alone. It came with others and those others have some strings. The last few months have given me time to reflect on the state of my life and relationships. The good, the bad, the missed. And I miss them. I miss the fun we had, the times we shared that only we understood and the brotherhood that we formed. I know that you do too.

And that is what this favor is about. I don't have the time or the energy to repair them. And to be honest, my focus is on those in my life now. But I need to know that an attempt will be made. An attempt to reattach those the bonds that lay in tatters around us. I am sorry I am leaving this to you but I don't think that any of the other lads will be able to do this.

I want you to get the boys together for me. Use the guilt of the long lost friend kicking the bucket if you have to but get all of you in one room for two weeks. You can give the letters out on the first day and they can read them whenever they want. And then drink, play cards, write songs, sit in silence, just be together in the same space. On the last night, I want each of you to read the last letter out loud. This will make sense once you open it. Think of it as Daddy Direction talking to all of you one last time. There are things that need to be said and dealt with before another one of us leaves each other permanently. After that time, all of you can all walk away and never talk again. I hope that that is not what happens but if it does, at least you will know that you have tried.

Take care of my boys, take care of my wife, take care of my friends, take care of your children (there will be more), take care of your partner (should be wife), take care of yourself.

Liam

Niall read the letter several more times, not believing that Liam was asking him to do this. Get the guys together? Play cards and write songs? The last time they had all been in the same room was the day they had decided that it was the end of the band. The anger and frustration that boiled between everyone that day had tainted many of the relationships since. How would he convince them to do it again?

Under the letter was the contact information for each of the men. Liam had provided him with everything he needed and made it so he had no excuse not to try. He had even given him the excuse to use. Guilt of a long lost friend kicking the bucket. He had no reason not to try.

He heard his phone chirp in his pocket and pulled it out to see a text from Lisa. They had an appointment with the doctor later in the afternoon and he needed to get home to pick her up. As he stood up and tucked the letters in his pocket, he decided that he owed Liam the effort at least. His friend had given him so much that he could hardly tell him no, even if he wasn't around to hear it. He just hoped that the others could be guilted into feeling the same way.