Collide, Ignite

"Happy birthday, Reilly!" Maisie started shouting before she'd even made it down the hallway to the living room. She rounded the corner at lightning speed, dragging out the end of her sister's name, that Reilly was shocked and impressed she didn't lose her balance and go head first into the wall.

Reilly easily caught her and little arms immediately circled around her neck, hugging her tightly. "Thank you, Little One," she said, planting a big kiss on her sister's cheek. "I'm so happy you're here to celebrate it with me this year. Are you excited to see Nan and Poppy today?" she asked, referring to Liam's parents who were coming down to take them, Owen, Liam, and Aimee to dinner for Reilly's birthday that night.

Maisie's face lit up and she nodded enthusiastically. "I can't wait to show them what we learned at dance class yesterday," she said. "They're gonna be so proud of me."

"I'm sure they will be, even more proud than they already are," Reilly said. Maisie beamed at her. "Okay," Reilly went on. "What should we make for breakfast?" she asked, putting the little girl down and starting toward the kitchen.

"No wait!" Maisie exclaimed. Reilly stopped dead in her tracks and turned to face her sister. "There's a surprise. We have to go get ready," she said. There was a mischievous look in her eyes accompanying the excitement that covered her face.

Reilly eyed her curiously. "Get ready for what?" she asked.

"For the surprise!" the child repeated.

"What surprise?" Reilly asked. The confusion was setting in even further.

The little girl scoffed at her older sister. "If I tell you it won't be a surprise," she said matter-of-factly. "Come on, Reilly, let's go get ready. We have to get ready."

She wanted to argue. She wanted to know what Maisie had planned and who she had planned it with and mostly how she had done it when they had hardly been apart since Niall had brought her home on Saturday. But she didn't. She let Maisie grab onto her hand and drag her down the hallway and up the stairs.

"What am I supposed to wear?" Reilly asked when they reached the doors to their bedrooms.

Maisie just shrugged at her. "Anything you want," she said but then suddenly thought better of it. "No, wait!" she exclaimed. "Wear the long red sweater. The dark one. With black pants. And I'll wear mine too. So we can match. Okay?" she said, twisting the knob and pushing her bedroom door open.

"Alright," Reilly said, barely getting the word out before Maisie's door shut.

She went into her own room and let out a long sigh as she sank down onto her bed. This wasn't how she would have ever imagined her twenty fourth birthday. She was still trying to rack her brain for the reason behind her meltdown Friday night. Still trying to remember what she'd been thinking when she sent those texts to Niall. The texts she still hadn't deleted. She knew she should, but it was something she just couldn't bring herself to do yet. Like maybe they held the answer to even just one thing she was questioning.

She was still thinking of all the ways things could be different. If she had gone to a different bar that night five years ago, she never would have met the boys. If she hadn't gone to Ireland with Niall, maybe they wouldn't have slept together and their friendship would have remained. If she hadn't slept with him on the two other occasions maybe they wouldn't be in the precarious state they were now. If she'd waited another year to study in Italy, or hadn't asked to pick his brain, maybe she wouldn't be with Owen. Maybe if she'd just tried harder to understand everything that went on inside of her she would have been free to explore the possibilities that Niall presented.

A tear slipped from her eye and trickled slowly down her cheek. Crying on her birthday was something she'd once been very familiar with, but hadn't done since the first birthday she'd had in London. Now she was feeling the weight of every decision she'd made. Her fight or flight instinct was kicking in, and flight was looking like a viable option.

It wasn't though, and deep down she knew that she had to stay and fight. For Louis, Harry, Liam, and Zayn, who had gone far above and beyond for her. For herself because she'd been fighting for too long to give up now. For Niall, who had seen past the all the worst parts of her and straight into her heart. And for Maisie, because more than anyone else, she owed it to that little girl to be strong, to be a person she could be proud of.

She sighed again and crossed the room to her closet, where she pulled out the sweater Maisie said to wear, and a pair of fleece lined leggings. She dressed quickly and headed for the bathroom. The girl in the mirror staring back at her as she pulled a comb through her long hair looked torn. There was a slight discoloration underneath her eyes. Her skin had a dullness to it. Even her thick, healthy hair seemed a bit on the limp side. Reilly eyed the minimal makeup she owned and occasionally used, but quickly decided it wasn't worth the effort, and finished getting ready for Maisie's big surprise.

When she emerged from her room, Maisie was in the hall bathroom brushing her teeth. Reilly started to comb the little girl's hair. It was a mess from having been slept on, and she tried her hardest not to pull too hard as she used the teeth of the comb to untangle the massive knots.

"How do you want your hair, Little One?" Reilly asked once Maisie had rinsed her mouth.

The little girl eyed her sister in the mirror for a moment. "Can I have a ponytail like you?" she inquired.

A smile tugged at Reilly's mouth. "Of course you can," she said, sweeping the child's thick hair toward the back of her head. After making sure it was free of bumps, she twisted a hairband the same color as the sweaters they were wearing around it to secure it in place.

They were walking down the stairs when there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it!" Maisie yelled and took off, practically flying down the stairs.

Reilly ran to catch up with her, catching her arm just before she got to the door. "You can't just answer the door, Mais," she said sternly. "It could be anyone, and I don't want anything to happen to you."

Maisie huffed. "But I know who it is," she said.

By the way Reilly's heart was pounding against her rib cage, she did too. But still, she shook her head and let go of the little girl, moving to answer the door. It was barely open when Maisie darted past her. "Niall!" she squealed excitedly as she flung herself at him and wrapped her arms around his legs, nearly knocking him over in the process.

"Mornin', Little One," he said, rubbing her back with his free hand. The other was holding two wrapped gifts. When Maisie finally let go, he handed the smaller one to her and stepped inside.

He was wearing black jeans and a dark red zip up hooded sweatshirt. Reilly shook her head and looked at Maisie, and then back at Niall, a smile cracking her lips. "Did she tell you to wear that?" Reilly asked.

Niall took in the girls' matching outfits and let out a hearty laugh. "No, this wasn't planned at all. Just what I fancied when I woke up this mornin'," he told her, leaning in to give her a one armed hug and kiss on the cheek. The action surprised Reilly, given what happened 5 days prior, but she tried not to let it show. "Happy birthday," he said, handing her gift he was holding.

Her smile widened as she took it from her and her cheeks tinted pink. "You didn't have to get me anything, you know," she said.

He nodded. "I know. Wanted to, though," he told her.

"Should I open it now?" she asked.

"Sure," he said with a shrug. He looked down at Maisie and winked at her and then looked back at Reilly. "If you want."

Niall closed the front door and followed Reilly into the living room. Maisie walked with Niall, handing him back the present he gave her and latching onto his free hand. Reilly took a seat on the couch and Niall sat on the love seat. Maisie wasted no time climbing onto his lap and snuggling against his chest as they both watched Reilly carefully unwrap the paper around the gift.

Niall mumbled something to Maisie. Reilly glanced up at him, having heard that he said something, but not being able to understand what. He only winked at her and then kissed the top of Maisie's head. Reilly pulled the top off the box on her lap and pulled out a long, thick, cable knit sweater. It was beige and hooded and had four large buttons down the front. Reilly's jaw went slack as she stared at it.

"I love it," she said immediately. "This is really nice, Niall. I, you didn't have to," she said again.

He gave a chuckle and grinned at her. "That's a Celtic jacket with an Irish Cable pattern. Quite warm. Cozy," he said. "Thought of you when I saw it. You're always so cold," he observed.

Her heart jumped in her chest and she smiled at him. "Thank you. I really love it," she reiterated.

Maisie jumped down from Niall's lap and walked over to Reilly, holding the smaller gift out to her. "This is from me," she said. "Niall helped me."

Reilly raised her eyebrows at Niall as she began to unwrap the gift. This box was a little heavier and she was quite curious about what could be inside. Still, she undid the paper carefully and then opened the box and opened the tissue paper. Underneath was a silver frame with a beautiful design that held a sweet picture of her and Maisie. Maisie was sitting on her lap, arms were around her neck, and Reilly's wrapped around the girl's middle, faces were pressed cheek to cheek. Both of them had their eyes closed and content smiles on their faces.

Tears immediately filled Reilly's eyes and she put her hand over her mouth. "Maisie," she said softly. "Baby," she said, but couldn't continue. Tears spilled from her eyes as she gathered the little girl in her arms and held her to her chest.

"Don't be sad," Maisie said, hugging her sister tightly.

Reilly let out a small laugh. "I'm not sad," she said, wiping her eyes before kissing the top of Maisie's head. "It's beautiful. I'm so happy. These are happy tears. Thank you so much, Little One," she said, taking Maisie's face in her hands and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You are the best little sister anyone could ever ask for," Reilly told her.

Maisie's arms, which had gone slack, tightened around Reilly's middle. "You're the best big sister ever. I wish I could always live here with you," she said. Reilly's breath caught in her throat and she wrapped her arms tightly around her sister.

She didn't know what to say, and that moment, with Niall sitting a few feet away didn't seem like the right to have a conversation about whatever was going on in Boston. "I love you, Little One," she finally settled on. "I love you so much," she said.

"Love you more," came Maisie's response. It was muffled because her face was pressed against Reilly's chest. Maisie still clung to her even when she lifted her head so she could breathe better, and Reilly didn't seem inclined to let go of her little sister either. They both looked over at Niall, who lowered his phone as they did so.

"Took a picture," he said. "Hope you don't mind. That was just a really precious moment," he told them.

Reilly smiled and gave Maisie a little squeeze. "Can you send it to me?" she asked.

"Absolutely," Niall replied without missing a beat. He tapped his phone's screen a few times and then slid the device into his pocket. "So, are we all ready to go?" he asked. Reilly quirked at eyebrow at him. "Maisie didn't tell you?" he asked, shooting a look at the little girl, who only giggled and snuggled closer to Reilly.

"The only thing Maisie told me was that we had to get ready for a surprise. I thought the gifts were the surprise, but it seems like there's more?" she said, but it came out more like a question than a statement.

Niall looked at Maisie. "You want this to be a surprise?" he asked and she nodded. "You know your sister doesn't like surprises, right?" he inquired. Maisie nodded again, giggling this time. Niall gave an exaggerated shrug. "Alright then." He shifted his gaze up to Reilly. "As a disclaimer, there is nothing dangerous or scary to come, I'll give you my word on that," he said.

That was good enough for Reilly and she stood, still holding Maisie in her arms. She was of the belief that the little girl was too old to be carried, but they were still sharing a moment and neither was ready to let go. They followed Niall to the front door where Reilly handed her car keys over to him.

They didn't drive far. If it hadn't been such a cold January morning they could have walked, their destination was that close. "You asked Niall to bring us to my favorite breakfast place?" Reilly asked as she was getting Maisie out of her car seat. The little girl nodded proudly. "How did you even remember that?" she asked. Things had been so busy that they hadn't gotten the chance to eat there since Maisie had arrived.

"I always remember stuff you say," Maisie told her, and for the second time that morning Reilly nearly burst into tears. She managed to keep them at bay, however, and finally freed her sister from the car seat.

Inside the restaurant, Maisie insisted that Niall and Reilly sit together so she could have an entire side of the table to herself. They obliged without argument. The air between them was much less tense than Reilly had thought it would be considering it was the first time they'd seen each other since things blew up again. But then again, they had agreed that neither of them wanted Maisie to know exactly what was going on, and maybe that was because neither of them really knew what was going on.

After they ordered, Niall and Reilly watched as Maisie entertained herself, ignoring them for the most part but occasionally looking up at them with a huge smile painted across her face. "So," Niall dragged out the two letter word and Reilly's breath caught in her throat wondering what was going to come next. "How did this whole thing come about?" he asked, motioning between her and Maisie. He was referring to the very strained relationship Reilly had with her father.

"I told Kenneth," Niall's eyebrow quirked. "Maisie's dad," she clarified, but he still looked confused.

"You two have the same dad, don't you? Otherwise how is she your sister?" he questioned.

Reilly drew in a deep breath. There was so much to catch Niall up on that she had just assumed he somehow already knew. "When I added Payne to my name, it was the final step in removing myself from my father, stepmother, and Fallon. I guess it was mostly symbolic since Quinn is my mother's name anyway, but I decided I didn't want to to be tied to them anymore. So, yes, Maisie and I have the same biological father, but I don't acknowledge him as family anymore," she explained.

Niall gave a slight nod and she went to answering his previous question. "I told Kenneth before she was even born that I wanted a relationship with her. I wanted nothing to do with him even though I still didn't have a lot of choice in the matter at that time, but it was really important to me to be in Maisie's life. It was hard at first. I had to go there to see her. Do you remember when you guys were on the Take Me Home tour and you had three days between when you played Hamburg and Zurich, and Liam wasn't there?" Niall nodded at her and she continued. "He went to Boston with me because Maisie had just been born and I wanted to see her but I was terrified of going back alone. She was two the first time she came to London. Zachary brought her and they stayed for about a week," she told him. "This is her seventh time here. It gets harder to say goodbye to her every time but at least I know she wants to come back."

He nodded again. "She talked about you nonstop when she was with me Friday night. She came up with idea for her gift to you all on her own. This whole thing was her idea, matter of fact," he said. "Except my gift. Really did think of how cold you always are when I saw that jacket."

A tiny smile pulled at the corners of her lips as her cheeks tinted pink. "I'm only cold because your house is always freezing. You're out of your mind if you think it's not," she defended.

"Not true!" he argued, pointing to the way her hands were covered by the sleeves of the sweater she was wearing. "You're cold right now. You're always all bundled up unless you're dancing. Always got your arms across your chest to keep yourself warm."

The pink on her cheeks turned to red. It was amazing to her that he noticed things like that. She pushed her hands out of the sleeves and covered her face with them. Niall laughed and nudged her arm but she didn't look at him. He laughed again and turned his attention to Maisie and what she was drawing on the back of her menu.

"Who's that?" he asked her, pointing at the person she was drawing.

"That's me," Maisie said, not taking her eyes off what she was doing. When she had put the finishing touches on the shoes she'd been working on, she set down her crayon and began explaining the rest of her drawing. "That's Reilly," she said, "and that's our house," she said. Then, as Reilly finally lowered her hands from her face, Maisie pointed to another person, who Reilly assumed would be Owen. "That's you," she told Niall.

Before either Reilly or Niall could say anything, the waitress came with their food. Reilly cut Maisie's food before digging into her own breakfast. Occasionally Reilly and Niall would bump hands due to poor planning in regards to who sat on which side. And every time a shock of electricity shot up Reilly's arm. She tried to move over a little without being obvious, but it didn't seem to matter. Their hands continued to make contact as if some magnetic force was pulling them together.

When they finished eating, the waitress came to clear their plates. She looked at Maisie. "Okay, who gets to pay, Mom or Dad?" she asked.

Maisie didn't miss a beat, though. "That's not my mom and dad," she told the waitress. "That's my sister," she said, pointing at Reilly, "her name's Reilly, and that's my best friend Niall," she stated, motioning directly across the table from her.

Niall's face took on the tint that was usually on Reilly's cheeks at Maisie's declaration. "I'll take that," he told the waitress. She apologized for her assumption as she handed the receipt to him and he merely shrugged. "'S'alright," he said, reaching for his wallet.

On the way out of the restaurant, Reilly handed her keys to Niall again. She didn't really know why she kept doing it, except that it seemed natural for him to drive when the three of them were going somewhere. Maisie climbed into her seat when they got to the car and before Reilly could lean down to buckle her in the little girl lifted her arm and waved.

"Who are you waving to?" Reilly asked, leaning into car to secure Maisie in her car seat.

"The man with the camera," she said simply. A smile stretched across her face and she waved again. "He's taking my picture," she told Reilly.

Reilly's stomach dropped and her face drained of color. "He's... what?" she asked, turning around to see what Maisie was talking about. Sure enough, across the street was a man with a camera, a long lens attached to it, taking pictures of them. She quickly finished buckling Maisie in and closed the door. "Niall," she said, her voice cracking under the stress she suddenly felt.

"I see him," he said. "Just be calm. Get in the car," he told her.

But Reilly shook her head. "I don't want her being photographed. That's completely unacceptable," she said. Her tone was firm, but her voice was wavering.

"Nothin' you can do about it, Darlin'," he explained. "Just get in the car and we'll get outta here so they can't take more."

He was more calm than Reilly would have liked him to be. Certainly Louis or Liam or Zayn would have gotten just as upset as she was. Even Harry who was polite to everyone, including the paparazzi, would have taken some kind of action. But Niall was just telling her to be calm. Telling her not to worry about the fact that her sister, a child, was probably going to be plastered all over websites in a matter of hours and magazines within a day. It made her sick to her stomach.

She stared hard at him, not intending to move until he gave her a better response. "Reilly," he said firmly. "I'm tellin' you there's nothin' can be done at the moment. The longer you stand there starin' at me, the longer he has to take photos. So, get in the car or I'll drive away without you," he said.

With a heavy sigh, she obliged. The second her door shut, the car was moving. Neither of them said anything on the short drive back to Reilly's house. Maisie didn't stop talking about the man with the camera, however. She seemed more than happy to have her picture taken by a complete stranger being that she knew nothing of what was likely to come. They pulled up to the house and without a word, Reilly got out of the car and went to unbuckle Maisie.

"I'm sorry," Niall said as he handed Reilly's key's back to her once she'd finished letting Maisie out. The little girl ran to the front porch and waited by the door. "You were right, one hundred percent," he told her. "It's not okay for them to be takin' the little one's picture. Makes me sick that there'll be stuff about her. But gettin' angry and yellin' only gives 'em more to write about."

Reilly nodded. "I shouldn't have gotten so upset with you," she said. "It's not your fault. I just want to protect her."

"I know," Niall said, reaching out and wrapping an arm around Reilly's shoulders, pulling her to his chest. Her arms circled his waist and she hugged him tightly. "I want to protect her, also," he told her. "And you." The last part came out so quietly that Reilly probably wouldn't have heard it if her ear hadn't been against Niall's chest. But she did, and suddenly all the knots in her stomach loosened and the butterflies took flight. His heart was beating nearly as fast as hers was. Even being outside exposed to the elements and the possibility of someone having followed them, she felt warm and safe inside his arms.

Just as she was about to let go, she felt a small arm wrap around her leg. She looked down to see Maisie wrapped around both her's and Niall's legs, hugging them tightly. Instinctively, Reilly dropped one hand down to Maisie's back at the same time Niall did. Their hands collided and tingles danced up Reilly's arm once again.

"I love you guys," Maisie said as she let go of them. They each took a step back and beamed down at her. She looked up at Niall and grinned at him. "Thanks for helping me," she said to him. "We made Reilly smile really big. She almost never does that."

Niall chuckled at the pink tinting Reilly's cheeks before turning his attention to Maisie. "Happy to help, Little One. Your sister is a very special lady, and you're a good sister for making sure she knows it," he told her, and then glanced up in time to see Reilly's face flush even deeper.

"Say goodbye to Niall," Reilly said, tapping Maisie on the back. "You promised me a movie marathon today since you fell asleep during the last one we tried to have," she said, referring to New Year's eve.

Maisie's face lit up. "Can Niall stay and watch movies with us?" she asked excitedly. It was her gut reaction to say no, but Niall spoke before she could even form the single syllable.

"You know what, Little One," he said. "I would love to spend the whole day with you two lovely ladies, but I have loads to do today. Maybe I can join you two another time," he told her. Though she wasn't thrilled, Maisie accepted his answer and he lifted her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "I'll see you soon, okay?" he said and she nodded, and then reached for Reilly. Niall leaned over and brushed a soft kiss against Reilly's cheek before saying goodbye and heading to his car.

The day sped by. They got halfway through the second movie before Maisie fell asleep. Reilly continued to watch the movies they'd picked out while the little girl slept curled up against her side. She looked so peaceful, and it felt right having her there. So much so that it was hard for Reilly to recall what it had been like just two weeks before. They had fallen into routine so quickly when Maisie had arrived, instead of having an adjustment period like they had previously.

The next thing they knew, they were walking into the restaurant where they were meeting everyone for dinner. Maisie squealed the moment she saw Liam's dad and let go of Reilly's hand to reach him more quickly. She jumped into his open arms and he kissed her face as her arms slid around his neck. It wasn't long before she was reaching for Liam's mom and snuggling happily into her.

Reilly greeted the people she now called parents warmly. She was ecstatic they'd come down, though she'd told them it was unnecessary. Of course they hadn't listened. In fact, they had insisted it was absolutely necessary, given that she had taken over Liam's spot as baby of family.

Liam and Aimee arrived shortly after. Maisie jumped from her Nan's lap, to Aimee's lap, to Liam's lap, to greet them before finally settling into her own seat between Liam's parents. She immediately started coloring on the back of the menu that had been set down for her, just like she had at breakfast. It was a natural thing for any small child to entertain themselves in such a manner, but Maisie always focused so intently when she would draw. She had that in common with Zayn.

"Isn't Owen coming?" Liam asked after they'd been there for nearly ten minutes.

Reilly nodded. "He's running a little bit late," she said. "He's working on a really big research project that's been taking up all of his time this week. But I can order for him if we want to get started. He should be here by the time the food comes, she told them, but they agreed to wait a few minutes. After sending the waiter away twice, they decided to order when he returned for the third time.

Almost as if he'd timed it, Owen showed up right after the waiter left to put their orders into the kitchen. "So sorry," he apologized, heading straight for Liam's mother. "Mrs. Payne," he said, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "Lovely to see you again." He turned. "Mr. Payne," he said, shaking Liam's dad's hand and then turned to Aimee and Liam. The last time he'd seen them was the huge blowout of their house, but he acted as though nothing had ever happened. "Aimee, you look lovely," he said and kissed her cheek and then shook Liam's hand.

Finally he took his seat between Reilly and Liam. He leaned over and kissed his fiance. "Happy birthday, Love," he said to her. A small smile pulled at her lips and she kissed him again. "Sorry I'm so late. Tried to leave five times before I finally got out of there," he told her as he reached for her hand underneath the table and interlocked their fingers.

"It's alright. You're here now, that's what matters," she paused. "I did just order for you," she said, and told him what she'd chosen. "If you want something else we can let the waiter know."

Owen shook his head. "That won't be necessary. What you chose for me is perfect." He gave her hand a squeeze and she smiled at him, trying to ignore the fact that there was no tingling where his skin touched hers. He looked happy to see her, content to be there with her, and that was what she wanted to focus on.

Not long after Owen got there, Maisie asked the waiter for a new menu to color on, as she had no space left of the first one to draw anything else. He was happy to oblige, bringing her several when he returned moments later. All throughout the evening, Reilly noticed Maisie's eyes scanning faces, watching everyone around her while she kept herself busy with her paper and crayons.

Dinner was enjoyable. They all chatted pleasantly, the Paynes catching each other up on what had happened since they'd been together at Christmas. Mr. and Mrs. Payne insisted Owen come to the next family event, which he agreed to, though Reilly knew he was just being polite. Her relationship to Liam and his family had always been a point of contention between her and Owen.

They had just ordered dessert when Mrs. Payne asked the question the entire family had been badgering Reilly about at Christmas. "So, Owen," she began. "Our dear, sweet daughter is being quite tight lipped about your future plans," she said.

Owen raised his eyebrows and gave a small laugh. "That's likely because we haven't discussed a wedding much yet. I think we're both just happy to be engaged for a bit. Reilly is going to be busy in the coming months, starting her new position after Maisie goes back home to Boston. There's no need to rush anything," he said. "I'm just thrilled she said yes," he told them, leaning over and pressing a kiss to Reilly's cheek.

Reilly smiled at him and nodded. "That's exactly what I told them," she said, turning her attention back on her parents. "That's exactly what I told you at Christmas. We're not in a hurry," she reiterated.

"But you must be excited," Mrs. Payne said. She seemed to be searching for something, but it was unclear what.

"Of course we are," Reilly said immediately. "But it's like Owen said, I'm going to have a lot going on in a few weeks. He's always so busy with his work. We just want to wait until things settle down a little bit before we make any big plans so we don't end up biting off more than we can chew," she explained.

That seemed to be enough for Mrs. Payne to not push the subject any further, though she still seemed far from satisfied with the answer. Dessert came shortly after, and before they knew it they were all heading to their cars. Maisie said goodbye to everyone and got reassurance from Mr. and Mrs. Payne that they would be seeing her the next day. Owen walked the girls to their car and waited patiently for Reilly buckle Maisie in.

"Do you mind if I just head home, Love?" he asked her once she'd closed Maisie's door.

Reilly shook her head. "That's fine. I know you've had a long day," she told him. "You look like you could sleep for about a week," she said.

He chucked and gently pulled her toward him by the elbow. "I most definitely could," he said. "But there's too much to be done. I'll be glad when this project is over," he admitted, sliding his arm around her waist.

"Maybe you could take some time off. You know, after Maisie leaves and before I go back to work. We could take a trip somewhere for a few days. Get away from everything. No phones. No other people. Just us," she suggested.

Owen drew in a deep breath before letting out a quiet groan. Reilly felt his entire body tense and had a pretty good idea of what was coming before he even said anything. "I wish I could. But I'll have to catch up on other things once this is done," he told her.

She sighed softly, but tried to hide that she was feeling slightly like she was coming in second to his work. "Yeah, I know," she said, pulling out of his embrace. "I guess I just hoped..." but she trailed off, unsure how to finish her thought. "Nevermind," she sighed. She didn't want to start a fight, and standing in a parking lot in the dark with Maisie waiting in the car wasn't the right time to have that discussion anyway. "It's fine," she said, forcing a smile at him.

Lexie's car was in the driveway when they got home, and Harry's was parked at the curb. Maisie ran to the living room to find them and jumped on their laps excitedly. In her hands were all the menus she'd drawn on at dinner. Harry took them from her and began asking her questions about them. When they got to the last one, he paused. Reilly looked over their shoulders at the picture she'd drawn at dinner that was so similar to the one she'd drawn that morning.

"Who's that?" Harry asked, pointing at the smallest person in the drawing.

"That's me," she said. "And that's Reilly," she said, pointing at the person next to her. "That's my puppy Reilly got me," she said. Then she pointed at the third person in the picture. "That's Niall," she said. In this picture, he was standing right next to Reilly, where in the picture that morning he had been further away. "We all live in that house," she said, showing him the house she'd drawn.

Reilly's curiosity got the better of her. "What about Owen?" she asked. She had been so sure Maisie liked him and understood what it meant that she and Owen were getting married. It confused her that the little girl was drawing Niall with them.

"He's not there. He didn't want to live with me and you," she said, staring at her picture. "Niall wanted to live with us."

Lexie and Harry both glanced over at Reilly but neither said anything to her. Reilly just shrugged at them with her eyebrows raised high. Harry turned his attention back to Maisie. "Why is Reilly's belly so big?" he asked, pointing at the huge circle she'd drawn at Reilly's middle.

"Because she and Niall are having a baby, and we're all gonna be a real family," she told them.