2033

‘What Makes You Beautiful’ bleared shrilly from the speakers of the phone, shaking Niall awake. When he groggily opened his eyes, his vision was blurry. He could only see a vague shape where his phone was.

“Siri, alarm off,” he mumbled. Thank God he could do this on voice control.

Niall didn’t usually wake up this early. But Bonnie was waking up in an hour and he wanted to make her breakfast. He should probably get out of bed.

He let out a groan as he sat up. He pressed his fingers against his eyelids. Lights danced before his eyes. The sun was much too bright this early. This was one of the reasons why he never moved to L.A. Give him a cloudy Irish morning any day.

But if Bonnie asked to move here, he would have. He’d do anything for her. Including getting his arse out if bed.

Sheets rustled as he stood up. They sounded as fresh as they felt. Bonnie didn’t get many visitors apparently. Maybe this self-inflicted isolation has been lasting longer than Harry let on.

After Niall had gotten dressed, he made his way to the kitchen through the silent house. The only sound were the birds outside the glass coffin. His socked feet were silent on the cold tiles.

Not before too long, the house was filled with the sound of Niall preparing breakfast. Pans clinking together, knifes scraping the kitchen counter and spoons scratching bowls as Niall made, toast, eggs and pancakes. Thankfully, Bonnie slept through it.

Niall didn’t feel her eyes on him until 9 o’clock. When he turned to look at her she was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, like she said the night before she would.

She still looked a bit sleepy. Her eyes were not all the way open, her hair was a mess and there was a red imprint from where she had pressed her face into her pillow. She was as breathtaking as she was last night.

“Did you sleep alright?” Niall was a bit mortified that he sounded breathless. He just hoped that Bonnie didn’t notice.

“I slept alright,” Bonnie replied. She ran a hand through her messy hair, but then it got stuck. A blush bloomed onto her cheeks and she quickly lowered her hand. “I should probably brush my hair first.”

“If you want to. I don’t mind,” Niall assured her. He waved his had dismissively. “Don’t think of me as your guest. Just think of me like your butler.”

“Well, if I should think of you as my butler, I don’t have to ask you if you slept alright. Don’t expect the same curtesy tomorrow,” Bonnie joked. Suddenly, there was a glint in her eyes that Niall hadn’t seen in years. It made his heart leap.

“Okay, maybe not your butler,” Niall admitted. He crossed his arms and leant against the countertop. “How about a good friend. One you can feel comfortable being around when you’re dressed in pajamas and have bed hair.”

The mischievous look disappeared from Bonnie’s face. Instead, there was now something soft, fond.

Niall could felt his cheeks heat up. He quickly turned around, not wanting Bonnie to see that she was effecting him. “The timing is perfect by the way. I just finished preparing breakfast.”

“Like you aren’t the one with perfect timing.” Bonnie’s voice sounded just behind him. It stopped his heart for just a minute. “Let me help you.”

Bonnie’s hand was suddenly on Niall’s back. It burned, where she was touching him. His heart seemed to want to jump out of his chest and his lunges were suddenly being difficult. He could feel her breath on his neck as she leant past him.

Her hands were delicate and her fingers long as she picked up the plate with scrambled egg. His skin was tan, even though she probably hadn’t been outside for days. Glass walls were enough. It took everything in Niall not to stroke the naked stretch of her arm.

And then it was gone.

“You’re going to bring the rest?”

Bonnie was already halfway to the kitchen door when Niall turned around, the other plates filled with food in his hands. She turned around and smiled at him. He almost dropped the plates.

She must know. There’s no way she didn’t notice him making a fool of himself. He really needed to get a hold of himself. He couldn’t help her if she knew he had feelings for her.

He smiled back at her and she turned around again. A few seconds later, she was out of the kitchen. Niall followed.

Niall managed to get through breakfast without chocking or blushing because Bonnie paid him a compliment about the food, which Niall counted as a big win. Maybe he could manage to act normal around her after all.

After they’d finished eating all the food, Niall proposed a walk. Bonnie agreed as long as it wasn’t a walk around the neighborhood. She didn’t feel like meeting any nosy neighbors.
That’s why Niall and Bonnie found themselves outside LA two hours later. They were surrounded by trees, bird and mosquitoes.

“We should probably have taken some bug spray with us,” Bonnie snickered as she killed her tenth mosquito. She’s an easy target with her hot pants and sleeveless shirt.

Niall wasn’t any better off. He had decided that shorts and a singlet was enough for the hot LA weather.

“We can go back. Get the spray.” Niall didn’t really want to. It had been a nightmare, getting out of the city. One traffic jam after another.

“No. it’s alright,” Bonnie replied, much to Niall’s relief. She smiled at him before slapping her arm to kill yet another bloodsucker. “Mosquitos have children to feed. I’m willing to sacrifice my skin to feed the young ones.”

Niall knows Bonnie was only half joking.

“ If you’re sure…” Niall trailed of.

“Do you really want to get back into the car and drive all the way back?”

Niall nodded his head, shaking a bug from where it was perched on his cheek. He could hear the crickets chirp as he smiled at her. “I don’t want you to feel as comfortable as possible. If that means I have to get back into hellish traffic, than I will.”

“That’s sweet.” Bonnie’s eyes were soft and she took a step closer. Her touch was soft as she laid her tan hand on his pale arm. “You’re really wonderful, you know that? The best friend anyone could ever want.”

“Well thank you Bonnie dear,” Niall jokes. He wiggles his eyebrows playfully. “I’m just glad I can help.”

“You are that, helping,” Bonnie told Niall as she smiled at him. It set off a storm of butterflies in Niall’s stomach.

And then she winked at him. “Let’s go. We’re only easy targets when we stand still.”

Their pace was slow as Niall and Bonnie walked under the softly rustling leaves. The greenery provided Niall with all the shadow he needed. But he still sweated a little. Bonnie didn’t at all.

She kept three paces ahead of him and Niall wasn’t complaining. It was a nice sight, seeing Bonnie revel in the fresh outside air. Once in a while she would turn around and smile him.
Everything appeared to be going great but when they’d been walking for about an hour Bonnie suddenly froze.

Niall walked up to Bonnie and laid a hand on her back. He could feel her tremble. ”What’s the matter?”

“I know that woman.” Bonnie’s voice was fragile, soft. Her hand trembled as she pointed at a red-haired woman walking towards them. Her skin was sprayed with a fake tan and her lips didn’t quite look naturally either. “She’s a colleague. She always thought I was a bad mother.”

“She what!” Niall can’t keep the anger out of his voice. He may have known Bonnie and Harry’s daughter only for a year but Niall knew that she adored her mother and her mother her. Bonnie had been a terrific mother.

“Before Harry and I were divorced, she only hinted at it but when Harry left me, she didn’t bother to hide it anymore.” The hurt was clear in Bonnie’s voice. And she seemed close to tears. “ She said some really hurtful things.
”
The awful woman had reached them by now. Bonnie quickly turned her back to her and pressed her face into Niall’s shoulder. She was taller than him, so it was probably really uncomfortable. Niall pulled her into his arms.

She must feel his heart beating out of his chest. Or maybe she was too busy praying that the woman would walk on.

No such luck.

“So, you’ve decided to join the world of the living?” Even her voice was grating. She looked at Bonnie with what Niall might have mistaken for pity if he hadn’t known better. She jogged where she was standing, clearly aiming for a conversation. “You must have really loved Estelle.”

Bonnie didn’t say anything. She just cried, drenching Niall’s shirt in her tears. And Niall tightened his arms around her. He just wanted to take her away, protect her from her colleague’s hostility.

“If you don’t mind, we’d like some privacy,” Niall announced. He looked at the woman with cold eyes. This was probably come to bite him in the arse. She was probably going to contact a tabloid, about how Niall Horan was seducing his ex-band mates ex-wife out of revenge. He didn’t care. He just wanted Bonnie to feel safe.

“No need to be so rude.” The woman narrowed her eyes at him. “Just because you’re a washed-up popstar doesn’t mean you can talk to me like that.”

Niall had to use all his control not to let his anger take over. He might hurt Bonnie by accident. Instead, he took a deep breath and said in an icy calm voice. “We would appreciate it if you could give us some privacy.”

“Was that so hard?” the woman asked with pursed lips. Apparently, Niall had managed to fool her. “I just wanted to say hi. But I’ll go, if you want me to.”

She turned to Bonnie with a fake smile, even though Bonnie’s back was still turned towards her. “ I hope to see you back at work soon.”

Bonnie didn’t uncurl herself from Niall’s embrace until there was a safe distance between them and her colleague. Her eyes were red and her nose was running as she put distance between her and Niall.

He missed the feel of her immediately. It’d been nice to feel her pressed against him.

“Is it okay of we go home?” Bonnie’s voice was hoarse as she asked Niall. She turned to him and gave him a watery smile. It didn’t reach her eyes.

“Of course.” Niall couldn’t bring himself to smile at her. Instead, he put his hands in his pockets and shifted from one foot to another. “Let’s watch some Netflix. You’re up for an The Good Place rewatch?” It’d been Bonnie’s favorite show back when.

“Sounds great,” Bonnie agreed.

So, that is what they did. Thankfully, traffic was smoother on the way back. They’d made it back at 2 o’clock.

Niall didn’t immediately go to the entertainment room. Instead, he made a stop in the kitchen first. You need snacks when you do series marathon. He did some chips and M&M’s in bowls and then he made his way to the entertainment room.

It was at the back of the house. And the walls and door had been made soundproof, that’s why Niall didn’t know that something was wrong at first but then he opened the door and saw Bonnie lying on the couch, sobbing. A stuffed animal was clutched in her hands.

Niall quickly rushed to her side. Metal clattered on glass as Niall dumped the bowl on the table. With a rapidly beating heart, he fell to his knees next to the couch and with trembling hands he touched her arm softly, letting her know that he was there for her.

“I didn’t know…” Bonnie tried to breath but didn’t seem able to. It broke Niall’s heart. He could feel tears gather at the corners of his own eyes. “I didn’t know this was still here. I haven’t been in here since…”

Bonnie couldn’t finish the sentence. Sobs wrecked her whole body and she curled even closer into herself.

“It’s okay,” Niall murmured hoarsely even though he know it was not. It’ll never be again. For Bonnie or for Harry. “Just breath, yeah. Just breath.”

Bonnie shook her head. Niall wasn’t sure she was saying that she couldn’t or didn’t want to. It made fear burn even brighter inside Niall. This was much worse than he thought.

“Look at me.” Niall’s voice is soft but stern.

It didn’t help. Bonnie shook her head again, pressing her eyes even tighter closed and then a wave of sobs washed over her again. Fear was like ice in Niall’s chest.

“Please, look at me. Breath.” Niall was pleading now. If he couldn’t get her to calm down, she was going to faint.

Bonnie tried. She turned her tear-filled eyes towards Niall and he could hear her trying to breathe normally. But she was still hyperventilating.

“I can’t…”

She sounded panicked. Like she was afraid she’d lost control over her body. Thankfully, Niall was all too used to hyperventilating due to his claustrophobia.

“I’m going to get a bag.”

Niall moved to get to his feet but Bonnie grabbed his arm and he stilled. Her fingers were clammy and strong as they clutched at him.

“Please, don’t leave me.” She sounded close to a panic attack.

Within seconds Niall was kneeling next to the couch again. Both of his hands found her arms and his eyes hers. His voice was careful, soothing as he asked, “Can you sit up?”

Bonnie nodded her head and did just that. Her under lip trembled as she planted her feet on the floor, between Niall’s legs. Niall smiled encouragingly at her.

“Now, pay attention to my breathing. Try to emulate it.” Bonnie’s breathing seemed to have slowed down already.

It took what must have been fifteen minutes but felt like an hour for Bonnie to calm down.
Niall didn’t mind, even though his knees might not agree. They protested loudly as he stood back up.

“Thank you.” Bonnie smiled at Niall.

Niall sat down next to her and smiled back at her. “No problem. I know what it feels like, losing control of your body. I’m glad I could help.”

“You’re amazing.”

Blood rushed to Niall’s face a mere second later. Thankfully, the lights were low in this room, seeing as this was the movie room of the house.

“This is the second time you’ve complimented me today. Do you want something from me or something?” Niall joked. Or pretended to joke.

“I just want you to keep doing what you’re doing. It helps.” Her voice was so sincere. And her brown eyes were so soft and filled with appreciation.

Niall wanted to kiss her desperately. But he couldn’t. Not now that she was so vulnerable. And she wasn’t leaning in either. He didn’t want to kiss her if she didn’t want him to.

“Then that’s what I’ll do,” Niall promised with a hoarse voice. “You should take a nap. Get some rest.”

“Your probably right,” Bonnie agreed. She stifled a yawn behind a trembling hand. “I do feel exhausted.”

Bonnie moved to get off of the couch. Niall in turn moved to help her but she shook her head and he stilled. She smiled at him. “I’m not made of porcelain. I can get to my bedroom on my own. But thank you.”

“Are you sure?” Niall’s eyebrows were furrowed as he looked at her. She looked so fragile.
She nodded her head again. “Yes, I’m sure.”

Niall watched her as she walked towards the door, ready to jump up if she needed his help after all. He didn’t relax until she closed the door behind her.

He didn’t see her again until dinner time. She announced her presence by wrapping softly against the doorframe of the door leading towards the terrace.

“There you are.” Her voice was creaky with sleep and her hair was once again a mess. But she was smiling. The urge to kiss her crept up on Niall again at the sight. “Been looking everywhere for you.”

“Are you hungry?” Niall had to shield his eyes to look at her. His hand felt weird against the slightly burned skin of his forehead. “There is still some food from yesterday. I can reheat it for you.”

Something flickered in Bonnie’s eyes. “I feel like fast-food. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course not.” Niall grinned at her and jumped out of his chair. “Let’s order some fast-food.”

They did end up watching The Good Place. And with a steaming plate of Chinese food on
her lap and her eyes glued to the screen Bonnie had looked contented. And Niall had been the happiest he had ever been.

Notes

So, what do you guys think of the new chapter? Please, let me know.