Zayn

I was six years old when my parents died. I remember how they showed me their dead bodies then showed me the soldiers responsible for their deaths. They were from Hazard while we were from Vortex.

They told me I'd get a chance to avenge them, I'd get a chance to destroy the enemy slowly, from the inside. Being only a small kid, I didn't have much choice, besides I wasn't fully aware what it meant. I was shy and barely spoke, so I was the perfect target. They trained me for a year then left me where they knew Hazard soldiers would find me, which was exactly what happened.

I remember how they would tell me all Hazard soldiers are monsters, so I was surprised when David approached me with the kindest smile I had ever seen, picking me up in his arms and giving me home in his base. He gave me what I had lost, he gave me a family, he and Anne took great care of me and accepted me as their own. But Harry was the one who loved me the most, from the very first day the small, green eyed five year old would do nothing but ask me questions and spend time with me, telling me I'm his brother.

He was annoying, constantly chasing me around and never shutting his mouth, but as the time went by, I got used to him and his clingy self, I liked the idea of having a brother. I never forgot about the reason they sent me to the base, knowing what was I supposed to do, but I was a child who just wanted to have friends and a family, so it was natural I'd got close to the people in Hazard.

I had been a spy for Vortex for years, that being the reason they sent me there. From ages seven to twelve, I'd given out a lot of crucial information since David basically became my father and I had access to that kind of stuff. But then I realised I don't want to do that anymore, I don't want to keep betraying my family. I started to give false information, refusing to give them a chance to hurt them. I may have lost my real one, but I'd found it with the people that were supposed to be my enemies.

However, before I was sent out on that mission, I was told I would have to return to Vortex at one point and they'd let me know when is the time. That was always somewhere in the back of my mind and even though there was a slim chance they would just come and take me away by force, they could still find a way to let David know why did he find me that day and who I really was, and I was completely dreading that day. So I found a solution that would save me the pain I would surely feel when they find out about my betrayal and decided to just leave and go back to Vortex.

Harry was always impulsive, so when he decided to attack Vortex after they had occupied some of Hazard's territory, I saw that as my chance. I felt sick that day, the last thing I wanted was to leave my dad and brother, especially since mum did just that a few years ago, but I saw no other solution. I could tell Harry knew something was going on with me even though I was trying to cover it up.

I gave him my ring as my silent unspoken goodbye before doing the hardest thing I ever did in my life. And that was faking my death and leaving him, leaving dad, leaving my friends, leaving Hazard while I came back to the base I had grown to hate over the years.

My life had been hell from that day even though they gave me a good position in Vortex, without too many dangers for me, only taking care of the order in the cell building. It was the most boring job in the history until the day I found out about the existence of one special girl, one girl who would get in trouble almost every single day and would spend hours locked away in a solitary confinement. I knew I had to meet her. And that's exactly what I did. I still remember the first time I met the troublemaker, immediately taking a liking to her.

"Hey," I said quietly as I knocked on the metal door a few times, feeling nervous for some reason, awkwardly clearing my throat. "Need some company?"

Smooth. Not creepy at all.

There were a few moments of silence before a small scoff was heard. "Yeah, hilarious, I guess my new punishment is someone boring me to death."

"Uh, this isn't a joke. I work here and I see you getting dragged in here every day. I'm sure it gets lonely, so I just wanted to offer you some company. I could use some too," I told her.

"Look, I suck at making friends and I'm rude because I absolutely hate this place and most of the people in it, so if you're sensitive, I don't recommend staying here. Are you sensitive?"

"I don't think so, no. . . well unless you're being really really mean-"

"Are you one of Seth's watch dogs?"

"No."

"Have a dying wish since this is actually dangerous for you?"

"No, I'm just a rebel." I smirked.

"Are you smirking right now?"

"Yes- wait how did you know?"

"Intuition." I laughed at her words, sitting down on the ground.

"I guess you can stick around for a while, I've just checked my calendar and I have no business for the next few hours," she added, making me smile. "Would be great if your company came with the key and my freedom, though. Or at least a piece of cake. Man, do I want cake."

We hadn't spoken much that day, but I knew having company meant a lot to Elena, everything was better than being alone in a dark cell. To make her open up to me a bit, I brought her cake the very next day.

"Promise me you won't try to gauge my eyes out or something, I heard there was this one guard who opened the window and you scratched his face like a cat, almost leaving him blind."

She snorted then laughed. "Ah yes, that was a fun day, the idiot fell for the trick of me taking my shirt off. I got punished for it, but it was so worth it."

"Sounds nice, but I appreciate my face a lot, like I'm not even joking when I say I'm hot as fuck, so. . . can you not? I promise you'll like my surprise." I bit my lip, looking down at the chocolate cake on the plate in my hand. It was a risk sneaking it in here, but I wanted to make her stay in the cell easier.

"It depends of the surprise, pretty boy, I can be persuasive," she said in a sultry tone, making me smile widely.

"Alright here goes nothing." I opened the small window and stepped as far away as I could, pushing the plate through the small hole, waiting for her to take it while my heart started to beat faster.

When I felt her take the cake, I immediately pulled my hand away and closed the window. "Are you single? Do you want to get married? It doesn't matter, we're getting married."

I laughed. "You're gonna have to take me to dinner first."

"Hey, pretty boy?" She said and I somehow knew she was smiling. "I'm taking my shirt off."

"Oh no no, none of that before the wedding, nice try." I laughed and sat down, leaning on the brick wall beside the door, having yet another conversation with her.

And that's how almost every single time when she was locked away was spent from that point onward. We'd talk for hours and neither of us would get bored. I knew I found a friend in her, but I never told her my name or revealed myself, thinking I'd protect us both that way considering I was risking too much by talking to her already.

I look at Harry's sad green eyes, seeing pain and tears he's so desperately trying to keep from falling. I'm battling my own emotions as well, not believing I'm actually seeing my brother after so long, nothing but pain and sadness consuming me. I somehow know he won't ever fully forgive me for what I did, but I would be satisfied with just being near him.

As I finish my story, the sadness in his expression gets replaced by nothing but pure rage. He suddenly pushes himself up into a sitting position, the movement causing him pain. I take a step toward him, not knowing how to talk to him after my revelation.

"You bastard," Harry says. "Fucking bastard. How could you?"

"I- I was a kid-"

"I'm not talking about that, I don't care! We loved you Zayn, dad and I loved you so much, do you think we would've cared about you being from Vortex?" He looks at me in disbelief, shaking his head. "How could you put us through the pain of thinking you're dead, it absolutely ruined me! You have no fucking idea how it felt to live with the guilt every single day, you. . ."

"I'm so sorry, Harry." I clench my jaw and look up at the ceiling, trying not to cry. Fuck.

"You're sor- oh wow, that makes it better, thank you so much! Your sorry wipes away all the pain you caused us, it's all good now." He says sarcastically. "A part of me died that day when I lost you, a huge part of me. I couldn't stand people using my name, so I changed it because of it, I became a completely different person. Fuck you, Zayn. Fuck you for doing that to me, to dad."

His fingers grip the sheet covering him tightly, his knuckles turning white. It takes me by surprise when he suddenly swings his fist and punches me in the face, the spot throbbing with pain. I skim my fingers over the area and hiss, knowing I very well deserved it.

"I know it means nothing and your grief could never compare with mine, but I've missed you so much, Harry. I've been missing you every single day, wishing I could get back to you and dad, but. . . I was afraid, so afraid." I wipe away my tears with the back of my hand as soon as they fall.

Harry is staring at the wall ahead of him, saying nothing, his eyebrows drawn in a deep frown, so I continue, "I don't deserve your forgiveness and I won't ask for it, I don't even know if I would have the guts to come to talk to you today if it weren't for David. What I know for sure is that I wouldn't dare to escape Vortex by myself if it weren't for Elena and Alex. What gave me that extra push was when I found out she loves you out of all people, so I know I had to help her get back to you."

At that, he looks up, bright green eyes slightly widening before his expression turns blank. He suddenly grabs my wrist and pulls me down, wrapping his arms around me impossibly tight. I suck in a breath in surprise and widen my eyes before warmth spreads through my chest, my arms winding around his torso.

"I've missed you too," Harry says quietly, his voice strained. "You have no idea how much. I can't believe you're alive and well."

His words bring a smile to my face and I pull away, looking at him with teary eyes for a few moments before hugging him again, sitting beside him on the bed. We just stay embraced for a while, letting the fact we're close to each other after so long sink in. I feel nothing but happiness, unable to keep a smile off my face.

"You're so stupid, Zayn, so god damn stupid," he tells me, shaking his head once he pulls away. "I may be thrilled to see you here and I'm most certainly not planning to let you leave me again, but I have no idea how long is it going to take me to forgive you. I don't know if I ever will, to be honest. We were once brothers, but I believe both of us have changed so we can't go back to that stage, not yet."

I feel my chest ache, but I nod, completely understanding him. "I know what you mean, but you're still my little brother. You always will be, Harry."

He looks down, fumbling with his fingers. My eyes trail over his visible inked skin. "No new tattoos?"

His eyes snap up and he shakes his head. "As if I would let anyone but you to do it. All of your stuff is still in your room, no one was allowed in."

I manage a sad smile, feeling strong guilt crashing onto me, avoiding eye contact with him. This is something I'll never forgive myself for. I may have had good intentions when I left them, but I ruined everything, I ruined Harry. I ruined myself. "So, uh. . . when you say we've changed. . . I've become even hotter, have I not?"

"Nah still ugly, but I accept that," Harry replies, surprising me when the corners of his lips tilt up in a smile.

"Your hair looks different. It suits you, you kind of look older, no more curly little baby," I say jokingly, making him roll his eyes. "My little brother all grown up, even has a girl and all now." I place my palm over my chest.

His smile suddenly fades. "Do you know where is she? Or at least her brother? You were with him when you decided to follow me, right?"

I let out a sigh. "I don't know, I'm sorry. Alex is like a cat, in one moment he's there and in the next he's not. Literally, I turned around to fight the enemy for a few moments and he was gone. I should've seen it coming with him gagging at the sight of blood all around him, poor lad."

Harry's shoulders slump in defeat. "They should be here, I hate myself. I always make wrong decisions and end up feeling guilty because of them, fuck!"

"Hey it's all good, we'll find them. I wouldn't worry about Elena too much, I saw that girl in action and I saw what she can do with one tiny knife, she's okay, I'm sure."

He smiles faintly. "Did you know she threw her knife at me when we first met, man I remember thinking she's crazy as fuck. I totally fell for her that day."

I smile at the sight of his elated face, noticing he really seems to love her. "Man, you're so whipped."

"Tell me how are little munchkins, hm? How are Thomas and his son? Oh and Alice? How tall is Little Dove now?" I ask, but when I notice Harry's expression turning sad, my grin fades, a lump forming in my throat. "What's wrong?"

"Thomas died in the attack on the day we lost you," Harry says quietly. "And Alice. . . she died a few weeks ago when Wildfire attacked Vortex."

A strong wave of pain courses through me, a new set of tears collecting in my eyes as I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees as I cover my face with my palms, hiding my tears. I sniffle, letting myself take a few moments to calm down before turning my head, looking at Harry. "I'm sorry. . . I'm so fucking sorry. God, I can't believe this."

"It still hurts, both deaths do. But I'm better now, we all are. I guess seeing you die made me stronger and more resistant to pain, I learnt to not let it control me, but I had to go through hell and back to reach that stage."

"There's nothing I can say and do, I know that." I turn toward him again. "But just know I'm here for you from now on, I always will be. I promise you, Harry, I won't ever leave you again."

The door of the room suddenly opens, Tori and Louis face planting on the ground with Liam and Niall behind them, their eyes widened. "Told you no one was screaming in here gosh Niall, you're so stupid," Liam says with a nervous smile.

"Yeah that's why we're here," Niall says flatly. "Because I'm stupid. Because it was my stupid idea to stand in front of the door and listen to possible screams while leaning on the door handle!" He punches the side of Liam's arm, making him pout and rub the area.

"I don't know what they're talking about, Tori and I wanted to hear the conversation," Louis says bluntly. "But not the whole thing, just these last few lines, you know to make sure no one is dying in here."

I laugh loudly, shaking my head in amusement. "I really missed you guys."

"We missed you too," Tori, Louis, and Liam say in unison, walking toward me and pulling me in a tight group hug, making me happy.

My grin falters when I see Niall simply staring at me with a frown, arms crossed over his chest as he walks past us, standing beside Harry. "You're all forgiving as fuck, he literally faked his death and caused us so much pain only to return almost three years later alive and well. What a bitch move."

"Yes, but we've got our friend back, I think that's what counts the most here. Why not show our happiness and celebrate it? Sure, he made mistakes and we'll have to talk about this later, but for now, let's just be all cute and happy because Zayn is back," Tori says, making me smile.

"Niall?" I open my arms wide for him, looking at him pleadingly, his stoic expression not fading.

"One moment, I'm choking you in my head," he tells me in a serious tone and knowing Niall, he's speaking the truth. He glares at me for a few more seconds before his psychotic expression fades.

"Alright, let's hug, you bastard." Niall approaches me and wraps his arms around me tightly, making me grin as I pat his back, hugging him back. "Is it true that out of all names you could've chosen, you chose Jon as your new identity? Seriously?"

"I'm not very creative," I reply, watching as he pulls away and rolls his eyes playfully, walking toward Harry and throwing his arm over his shoulders.

"Here, so you can feel some positive energy," Niall tells him as Harry hugs him, his cheek pressed against his stomach, making Niall smile and pat his head.

We all join in, some of us unable to hide tears in our eyes as we hug. And as I look at the people I care about most in this world, I realise this is where I truly belong.