You Gave Me Love

The room was dark, blindingly dark. The only light was intermittent and dull, I blinked slowly at the darkness above me and realised that the short bursts of light must have woken me up. Harry’s body was warm against mine, and his face squashed up against my collarbone, my left arm was hidden underneath his body and horribly numb. I wiggled and tried to move out from under Harry when I realised the light was coming from his nightstand where his phone sat.

Before I even succeeded on pulling my arm out, Harry’s phone had stopped and mine started up, the buzzing loud in the silent room and my light sharper. Groaning, I shoved at Harry harder, rolling him off and hoping to wake him up as well.

The screen flashed an unknown number and I didn’t hesitate to answer.

“Skye, Skye are you there?” Zayn’s voice came panicked through the phone and I sat up abruptly, worry settling low in my stomach.

“Is something wrong Zayn? What happened?” I asked urgently and Harry’s body went stiff next to mine, he sat up and reached to turn on his bedside lamp, illuminating our gold coloured sheets and us. “Is Lacey okay? Zayn breathe.” There was a quick gasp through the phone.

“We’re at the hospital, she’s in labor, I called, called our parents but… I need… you need… I just…” I let out a surprised laugh at Zayn’s obvious confused and panicked state.

“Oh my God you idiot. Go back and hold her hand, I’ll start calling everyone and we’ll be there soon.” Zayn made odd confirming sounds over the phone and I shot Harry a fond look. “Zayn just don’t forget to breathe as well. Don’t panic.” I had a feeling it was too late to suggest that.

“Lacey?” Harry asked.

“Lacey.” I confirmed, pulling the warm blanket off my legs and heading straight for the closet. Noting it was three in the morning when I glanced at the clock. Of course Lacey would have to have it at such an inconvenient time.

“I hope this is quick, I have three dance classes today and I need more sleep before I teach.” I called out to Harry sliding on a pair of jeans and the closest jumper to go over the tank top I wore to bed.

“You start texting, I’ll get the twins.” Harry left the room, fully dressed and I grabbed my phone, deciding it would be easier to send out a mass text to everyone.

[i]Lacey’s I labor, Zayn freaking out. Haz and I heading to hospital with kids now.[/i]

I typed quickly and sent it, deciding I would call anyone who didn’t answer while we were in the car.

Harry was in Elizabeth’s room, packing a bag while a sleeping Elizabeth sat on the end of her bed, rubbing her eyes. I smiled fondly when I walked into Edward’s room, he was lying on his stomach, his left cheek squished against his pillow and mouth wide open. Oreo the black Labrador was sprawled out across whatever part of the bed the small boy wasn’t occupying.

Ruffling his hair I bent down next to the bed and softly whispered his name, stroking his cheek and nudging his shoulder until his eyes flickered open.

“Hey sweetie, I know it’s early but Aunty Lacey and Uncle Zayn are about to have their baby, you want to go see?” His eyes blinked lazily at me before bring his small fists to rub against his eyes, rising into a sitting position. I smiled and dropped a kiss to his forehead before grabbing one of the small bags stashed in his room and began to fill it with toys, clothes and toiletries for him.

Letting him stay in his pajamas I added an extra coat over and slipped his camouflage gum boots up onto his feet. Pulling the bag over one shoulder I bent down and lifted him up onto my hip, his cold nose pressed against the collar bone that his father had not long been pushed against.

Harry and Elizabeth were gone from her room when I walked past so I headed down the stairs to see them both in the kitchen, Harry filling another bag full of food and drinks. I smiled gratefully and kept my hand resting on Elizabeth’s back hoping she didn’t roll off the counter that she was dozing on.

“Got everything?” I asked Harry softly, I could feel my phone vibrating in my pocket but my hands were too pre-occupied to answer it. We made our way into the garage and loaded everything in, both kids almost instantly falling back to sleep while Harry and I climbed in and backed out onto the eerily quiet street.

We barely met another car along the way, a few taxis flying past but that was all, the ground was wet and only a slight drizzle of water was covering the city around us, the streetlights lighting the droplets as they fell.

I almost fell back asleep. My eyes opening and closing, mind slowly moving from one thought to the next, everything becoming slower and hazier until the car stopped and there was a brighter light shining into my eyes. The hospital car park.

We rushed inside with everything, Elizabeth insisting on walking while Edward stayed fast asleep in Harry’s arms. I had a short talk with the man at the desk before we were heading up to the waiting room where we would have to wait.

I was shocked to see Niall, Tate, Liam and Danielle already sitting in the area, as well as Lacey and Zayn’s family. I turned an accusing eye on Harry.

“How slow did you drive?” I inquired, he smiled innocently while hoisting Edward further up his shoulder. Elizabeth let go of my hand in favour of running and joining Niall and Tate’s six-year-old son Conor on the floor where he was stacking his toys. “You’re so old.” I teased him, causing his smile to fall while I laughed and headed towards the group of people tiredly waiting.

I greeted Lacey’s parents first, they weren’t as hostile as they used to be but they still weren’t as open or friendly as all the other parents in our family had become. They were sitting awkwardly next to Zayn’s much larger and louder family with all the girls. Despite Zayn and Lacey now married and about to be with a kid both families hadn’t quite figured out how to get along successfully. I had sat through many of Lacey’s breakdowns about it the last nine months. She wanted her baby to have a perfect family. I knew for a fact that a perfect family didn’t exist, but that was the point, it wasn’t supposed to be perfect.

Lacey’s sister Lucy seemed to be the only member of the William’s family that got along with Zayn’s, she sat among his sisters, all showing signs of excitement but at the same time looking like they were about to sleep standing up.

I fell down into a seat next to Danielle after greeting everyone, her small barely one year old daughter was asleep in her arms. I smiled down at her peaceful face covered by brown curls. Bella was the quietest baby I had ever met with the sweetest nature. She was happy to sit with anyone and very rarely threw a fit or faked tears.

Danielle however liked to disagree, insisting that when no one else was around Bella screamed, loudly and horribly until Liam paid attention to her. She was most definitely Daddy’s little girl.

“Calling out of work today?” Danielle eye’s were bloodshot and droopy, I smiled at her pityingly, her and Liam were still trying to get Bella’s sleep schedule set up. I certainly didn’t miss those times.

“I was kind of hoping that this would go pretty quick to get home, have a nap and then head in.” I told her optimistically, Tate snorted as she fell into the seat on the other side of me.

“I wouldn’t expect that.” I looked at Tate curiously. “I think our family has bad luck with short labour, I thought you took ages because twins but Danielle’s was ten hours, mine eight and poor Eleanor went for twelve. I really hope this isn’t a twenty-four hour one.” I shuddered, horrified at the thought of a twenty-four long labour. It went much quicker when you were the one doing the actual pushing, the idea of time not being a concept that you could fully handle, but I had a feeling that after twenty-four hours I would most definitely notice.

“Do not jinx her.” I looked up as Eleanor rushed in, Abel rugged up in her arms, I couldn’t see any skin and he just looked like a large pile of blankets. Louis was not far behind her, holding a sleeping William in his arms as well.

I looked around at the waiting room, with most of the kids asleep and only Elizabeth and Conor awake and playing on the floor we weren’t too loud, but once all the kids woke up that would probably change. As it was we basically took up most of the chairs in the room but I couldn’t help but feel warmth and love for my exceptionally large family.

My smile was still wide when Zayn came flying into the room after we had been sitting around for an hour. I jumped up with a few others, worry sinking when I noticed Zayn’s wide blood shot eyes but he only did a quick spin of the room before seeing his parents.

“Mum.” He said quickly, gesturing to the door. “She wants you too.” Zayn gestured at Lacey’s Mum who hurried forward to follow Zayn and his Mum through the door. Everyone sighed and fell back into their respective seats. Zayn and Lacey’s Dad’s sitting closer together this time, sharing looks of nervousness and excitement.

Harry walked towards me, rubbing his eyes tiredly while his other arm held onto Edward securely. “I’m going to get some coffee.” I held my hands out obediently at Harry’s word and took the sleeping Edward into my arms, he didn’t wake only turned lightly so his face was tucked above my right boob, one of his hands coming up to curl around my top. He was getting heavier, I tried not to think of the implications that he wasn’t really my baby anymore.

“Calling in sick to work today.” Danielle announced firmly from next to me, I sighed but nodded letting my eyes blink slowly and tiredly. Edward shifted and a small hand tapped my knee. Looking down Elizabeth stood in front of me, her hands rubbing her blood shot eyes.

“M’tired Mummy,” Her voice was soft and ended in a yawn. I glanced up fro Harry but he still wasn’t back.

“Come here sweetie. You can curl up in my lap.” I smiled at Tate gratefully as she picked up Elizabeth and let her lean back, her eyes drooped and blinked before her head fell to the side, one hand hanging limp off the chair. I laughed softly and reached over to brush a curl out of her face. She must have been trying to stay awake as long as possible.

“If this takes much longer we might have to go home.” I suggested to the girls, staring between the twins. They were going to be grumpy all afternoon because of their lack of sleep.

Harry, Louis and Liam arrived back, plenty of coffee for everyone. I grabbed mine of Harry gratefully while he crouched down in front of me, his hands balancing on my knees, his eyes softening staring at his son asleep in my lap. Elizabeth mumbled something and shifted. She often talked in her sleep.

“Give it a couple more hours.” I suggested to Harry who looked up at me tiredly before nodding. He sat on the ground properly and turned, leaning his back against my knees; I leant forward to run my fingers through his hair gently.

It felt like hours before Zayn burst through the door again, a large smile spread across his face and everyone scrambled to their feet, kids being woken from the quick movements.

“It’s a girl!” He yelled excitedly, being met by all four of his brothers, I smiled fondly as Harry lifted Zayn up, they were loud and obnoxious but no one had the heart to tell them to quiet down. Zayn’s own family all rushed forward, his sisters pushing their way through four excited boys to their overjoyed and exhausted brother.

“Another girl.” Eleanor laughed, her two boys holding onto her tightly.

“Looks like our families still growing larger,” I grinned at Danielle’s words and slid a hand down to lightly touch my stomach. Definitely growing.

Notes

So I think I'm taking longer to update, but I am at Uni guys so sorry but I did warn that these updates won't be very often since I have other priorities! But enjoy and catch the hint at the end! :D