Chapter One - Part Two.

*Liam*


“Mum! We’re here!” Liam called out, stepping into his home in Wolverhampton. He dropped his bags down at the bottom of the stairs, pulled the sunglasses off his face, and deeply inhaled the aroma of his mum’s fresh baking. It felt so, so good to be back.

Harry, Zayn, Louis and Niall crowded in behind him, also dropping their bags and stretching, Harry already kicking off his shoes. “I need the loo.” He said, pushing past Liam and dashing up the stairs.

“No way, I called it from the car mate.” Zayn argued, following Harry up the stairs two at a time.

Louis shook his head. “We were only in the car for two and a half hours.” He said.

Liam chuckled to himself and walked through to the kitchen, Louis and Niall close behind. He couldn’t wait to see his mum and taste some of her incredible home cooked food after what felt like forever. He was over the moon when he had heard that the pre-tour party was going to be held in his home town, especially with some of the boys’ friends and family being able to come down for it as well. The fact that Liam was getting to spend a four day weekend at home on top was just an amazing bonus.

“Mum!” Liam yelled again.

“I’m in here, babe.”

The boys moved through the kitchen to the conservatory, and found Liam’s mum, Karen, decorating a tray full of cupcakes. She rested the icing tube down as they walked in and a huge smile swept on to her face.

“Hello, love,” She gushed, walking up to Liam and embracing him lovingly. Liam sunk into her, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close, soaking in her motherly scent.

“Aw, we’ve missed ya' too Karen!” Niall exclaimed before throwing his arms around the two of them, Louis too joining in with the group hug by resting his head on Liam’s shoulder.

“Ok, ok, that’s enough.” Liam said, shaking the two boys off him and leaning out to look down at her. “How are you?”

“I’m fine,” Karen raised her hands to cup Liam’s grinning face, her heart full of love for her only son. “You look really happy.” She said. The word ‘proud’ wasn’t even close to expressing how she felt when it came to her boy.

“Oh, he’s very happy,” Niall teased, strolling over to the cupcakes. “And I’m sure ye can guess why...”

“Don’t even think about touching those cupcakes, Horan.” Karen said without turning her head, causing Niall’s hovering hand to jolt back to his side. “Lunch is in twenty minutes.”

“Ha!” Louis laughed, following Niall, who was now hanging his head in a pretend sulk, back through to the kitchen. Harry and Zayn had recently reappeared and were also enquiring about the cupcakes, leaving Louis to break the news that they were sadly, off limits.

“I'd better go and sort them out, you all must be famished.” Karen said under her breath to Liam, reaching up to kiss his cheek before stepping away from him. She remembered a time when Liam would’ve done anything for a brother, and Karen felt incredibly blessed because now, he had four. “Before you come back in, have a wonder in the garden. Someone’s been waiting for you.”

Liam’s stomach lurched and his face instantly fell, unsure whether it was nerves or nausea. He watched his mum smile at him one more time and then she headed back into the kitchen, but he didn’t move. He had been looking forward to seeing Tamina ever since he had invited her down a few weeks ago, but he wasn’t fully sure he was ready. What if she thought he’d changed? What if the bond had loosened because of how long it had been? When you go from seeing your best friend every day for fifteen years, to seeing them practically never, however much you don't want it to, it changes things.

After taking a deep breath, Liam walked over to the conservatory doors, looking out past the patio to the pond on the grass area. Tam was sitting beside the pond, her hand trailing the water, her long and fiercely curly hair covering the side of her face. He ignored his heart thumping violently against his chest, and in that moment, Liam made a promise to himself. Yes, he had a ton load of money, and yes, he had millions of fans, but he would only ever have one Tam, and as long as it was in his power, he would always have her in his life. Always.

Finally, feeling Liam’s eyes on her, Tam looked up and their eyes locked. Automatically she stood up, walking towards him but stopping a few feet away, like she always did. Their usual routine would be for Liam to meet her in the middle, so she could pull him in by the waist for a cuddle, but Liam didn’t move and he didn’t speak. He didn’t need to, and neither did she. Everything she was thinking he could read in her eyes, as if she was talking to him. I’m so happy to see you, they were saying. I’m so angry you left me but I’m so proud of you. I’m so angry you left me but I’m still here. I’m still your Tammy.

“Don’t act like you know what I’m about to say,” Tam snapped playfully. “You know I hate when you do that."

Liam laughed loudly, the sound of her voice causing childhood memories to stir. He couldn't wait to make new memories this weekend. “I know exactly what you’re about to say, Lady Cockbeard.”

It was now Tam’s turn to laugh, her face lighting up as she rolled her eyes. “Would you get over here?”

Without taking his eyes off hers, Liam stepped forward to close the space between them. His chin stopped just above her head, and when Tam lifted her face to look up at him, his gaze dropped to her lips.

“Miss me?” Tam said.

Liam didn’t reply. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her curvy frame, and held her against his body. Tam laid her cheek on his chest, one arm sliding up behind him to grip on his back, the other reaching up past her face to cup his neck.

There was only one thought in Liam’s head at that point.

I’m home.

*

“Loser has to go get refills!” Harry chanted, pulling the Wii controller out of Zayn’s defeated hands and squeezing himself next to Louis and Eleanor on the sofa. Liam had never seen his room so packed, and it still looked exactly how he'd left it. His mum had done absolutely nothing to it when he had moved out.

“Obviously going to be you, Harry.” Louis said.

“Nah. I’m the man at Mario Kart. No one can – Hey!” Harry stopped, mid protest, to glare across at his God-Sister. “I wanted to be Peaches!”

“It’s Peach, not Peaches. Ya twit.” Niall corrected him.

“Brey Brey!” Harry squealed.

“Alright, alright.” Said ten year old Aubrey between giggles, using her controller to de-select Peach and choose Luigi instead. “You're such a baby…”

Harry cheesed and selected the pink princess, his dimple sinking so deeply into his cheek, it made Louis want to poke it. Which he did. Twice. Harry flinched and swatted Louis' hand away from his face, eager to get involved in the race that was beginning.

“How about I go and get the refills?” Liam piped up, having been sat on his bed in the corner, simply enjoying the scene. It was surreal having his old family and friends from earlier in life, meshed with his new family and friends from what you could say was his new life. Along with great music pumping through the floor from downstairs, and of course great food and drink, Liam was having a great night, and this wasn't even the pre-tour party yet. The party would be in a rented hall, with lots of people from the label as well, the night after next. Everyone was really proud of what they'd all achieved, and it was a celebration for all of them.

“Does everyone want the same as before, yeah?” Liam asked.

“Awww, typical Daddy Direction.” Zayn joked, uncrossing his legs and rising from the floor. "It's cool, I'll go get them. Need to stretch me legs."

Liam nodded and as Zayn went around the room collecting glasses and plastic cups, Tam came to sit beside him, her shoulder leant against his.

"You're loving this aren't you?"

Liam nodded again, a whiff of her perfume floating up into his nose, and as he turned to kiss Tam's forehead, he noticed Perrie walk in to the room with a girl he'd never seen before. They both stopped at the door and Liam noticed the girl's really bright eyes, which were now darting nervously from person to person scattered all over the place, but before he could stand up to go and greet them, Tam had grabbed his arm.

"Wait," Tam whispered. "Watch."

Looking towards the general area Tam was now staring in, Liam saw Zayn standing with his back facing them, gathering the last of the plastic cups from the furthest window on the other side of the room. Liam glanced back at Perrie and could see small frown lines forming above her eyes as they scanned the bedroom, searching automatically... moving over face, to face, until they finally stopped, and Perrie's face transformed instantly. Liam now smiled and looked across at Zayn, who had been heading back across the room but had stopped dead, as if someone had called his name. Zayn's head shot up and he saw Perrie, plastic cups, almost empty glasses and a couple of plates from the cupcakes, still cradled in his arms. His face lit up and Liam saw what Tam was talking about. True love. It had happened in seconds.

"OH MY GOD ZAYN, MOVE!" Harry shouted, his fingers pressing rapidly at the controller buttons as he squirmed about on the sofa to try and see the TV around Zayn's body.

"YES! I'm in first!" Aubrey shrieked, the rest of the room falling about with laughter.

"That's not fair!" Harry used his foot to nudge Zayne out of the way, who headed straight for the door, in a world of his own. "I'm second now. Rematch!"

"I don't think so Styles," Stated Aubrey. "Next!"

Louis was still holding his stomach laughing and Niall was shaking his head in disbelief, when Perrie and the girl eventually came over to Liam and Tam. After they both stood to hug her, Perrie said, "This is Lynndra, we went to school together and I wanted her to finally come and meet you guys."

Liam smiled down at Lynndra and held out his hand, and after she took it, pulled her in for a hug. "Nice to meet you Lynndra." He said.

Lynndra held his gaze for a second and smiled back, but then looked down at her feet, causing Perrie to giggle and bump her with her shoulder. "Don't be shy 'lass, it's only Liam!" All of them laughed and Lynndra said hi to Tam.

"You two took your time." Tam said playfully.

"Yeah, we had to wait for Lynndra to finish work before we drove down," Perrie explained, before asking, rather timidly, "Guys, do ya' mind if I go help Zayn out with the drinks and that?"

"Nah, it's fine," Liam said. "Go, I'll introduce Lynndra to everybody."

Perrie squeezed Lynndra's arm and gave her a reassuring wink, and then proceeded to glide around the room, giving each person quick high-five greetings, before heading downstairs.

They all smiled after her, filled with the warm glow Perrie always left wherever she went, and then Liam, with Tamina, guided Lynndra over to what used to have been his computer desk. It now had his laptop sitting on it with three boys sitting on chairs around it. He introduced Lynndra to them, the old friends he grew up with and went to school with, along with Tam, and then went on to introduce her to Zayn's sisters, and a couple of their friends. Eleanor's friends were sharing a futon with one of Liam's cousins, a few of his other cousins being downstairs. After that came Aubrey, reigning Mario Kart champion, who was making her way over to sit on Liam's bed now that it was free. And then finally, Liam took Lynndra over to the sofa, to meet the boys.

"Boys, as you've probably heard, 'cause I've said it about five times now, this is Lynndra, Perrie's friend from back home."

Harry stood up and even though he had been throwing a strop just minutes ago, he beamed at Lynndra and gave her a huge hug. "Y'alright?" He said.

"Better then Peach, apparently." Lynndra said, indicating to the TV, which still had Luigi's first place flashing on the screen with Peach's second trailing behind.

The whole room shook with laughter again, Louis raising from the sofa to come and shake Lynndra's hand, appreciatively.

"I like her, Lynndra is it?" Niall, who had been laying on the floor sifting through Liam's Wii games, stood up with his hand out between him and Lynndra. After a second she took it, nodding, and Niall leaned forward to peck her cheek. "Nice to meet you Lynndra."

"You too." Lynndra said, and she looked away almost as quickly as she had looked away from Liam. Not quite as quickly though. There was a definite linger for Niall there. It was again Liam noticed how bright Lynndra's eyes were.

"Come on, new game." said Harry, rounded up the introductions, determined to win at something before the night was up.

"I saw Guitar Hero, let's do that." Niall suggested.

"No!" Came from Harry.

"Can I be drums!" Eleanor's hand was in the air. "Liam, have you got the drums?"

"Yeah, I've got all the instruments." Liam said.

"That's grand! So we can play then." Niall clapped his hands together.

"No!" Harry half shouted, half laughed, his hair flopping in front of his eyes. "The only reason he wants to play that game is because he can play guitar and he knows I'm shit at it."

Niall laughed, hard and loud, pushing Harry and mumbling something along the lines of 'feckin' eejit'.

"No, I don't care," Harry continued, pushing Niall away from him, grinning and shaking his head. "We're not playing that. It's not equal-"

"I can play guitar."

Everyone looked round at the voice and Liam noticed Niall's eyebrows raise as he stared at Lynndra. "You can play guitar?" he asked.

"Yeah, since I was about six. I have two at home," Lynndra gave a half shrug and looked between Niall and Harry. "We could do teams, and then with one of us on each team, it will be equal."

There was silence for a few moments, and then Harry and Niall both agreed, already moving on to who they want on their teams.

"I'm on Harry's team!" Aubrey called from Liam's bed in the corner.

"Obviously!" Harry called back, sounding almost insulted that she even had to mention it.

"I'm on Niall's team." Liam jumped in. "I'll be on the mic using my vocal instrument, obviously." Tam mocked him and rolled her eyes and Liam poked her in the side.

Just then, Perrie and Zayn returned, hands full of refreshments.

"What's this?" Zayn exclaimed suddenly, seeing the game Niall was now gripping in his hand. "Are we playing guitar hero? I want the microphone!"

"Yes Malik, you're with me!" Harry shouted enthuisastically.

"I don't care whose team I'm on, as long as I'm drums." Eleanor said finally, her arm now draped around Louis' neck.

Liam was so busy watching everyone pile over to help Perrie and Zayn out and grab their drinks, Harry and Aubrey now having a dance off in the corner to the 'Guitar Hero' theme tune, Niall handing out the instruments from under Liam's bed, everyone else mingling around chatting together, that he didn't realise Tam had been staring at him.

He looked at her and she looked back at him, and there was so much he wanted to say in that moment. How happy he was to be here, with all of the people he loved the most. How mind-blowing it was, that after this weekend he was going to do a couple more weeks of rehearsal and then he'd be travelling the world, singing every night, to thousands of people who love, appreciate and support him in everything he's ever wanted to do. How crazy it was that this was actually his life. How he was so afraid that he'd lose it all one day. How he'd do anything to not let that happen. How he'd do anything for her.

But he didn't say anything. Instead of saying anything, he just gulped, and reached out for her hand. And instead of saying anything, she just leaned up, kissed his cheek, and said, "I know Payner."

Notes