Chapter Text
Niall stood, leaning against the doorpost , and smiled at his friends. Harry was sprawled on the floor, tapping his pen against his head in a rhythmic beat as he studied his notes. Having been captive for years, he had missed vital schooling and was now working with a private tutor in order to catch up. Patience was curled up in a nearby armchair, her nose buried in a nursing book as she refreshed her knowledge, having made up her mind to return to nursing, which had been her profession before she had forcibly been regressed to a toddler. Niall's grin grew wider as he thought just how lucky he was to have these two people as friends.
"Oi!" Niall yelled. "You guys want to decorate the Christmas trees?". The answer was the slamming of books, Harry scrambling to his feet as Patience helped pull him up. Both eagerly made their way over to Niall.
"First things first" Patience announced and rummaged through Niall's CD collection. "Christmas music!" She held up a CD case in triumph and hurried to make it play,softly in the background. Soon the trio were laughing and joking, randomly singing along to the songs, as they hung decorations on the tree. "I always liked the look of wonder in the babies eyes when we decorated the hospital at Christmas. They loved the bright lights. I.........sorry, I don't know what made me say that." Patience sank down crossed legged on the floor, embarrassed. The other two exchanged glances then sat themselves.
"Patience, it's ok. Maybe we need to talk about this, yeah? No holding back?" Harry said quietly. "We've been through so much together yet there are still things we don't know about each other. Maybe now is the time." The others nodded in silent agreement. They'd talked about their shared past , yet somehow always managed to skirt around some things. Harry was right, they needed to talk more openly.
"OK, Maybe we should. Guys, you know I was actually born in the Community?" Both men nodded. "Well, my mom is Doctor Andrews, Dad, well, he's the one who created the regression drugs. I never thought about how strange it was, having adult babies. It was kinda normal to me. It was only when I got to my teens that I started to question why they were turning adults into babies. Mom said that the babies were rescued from terrible lives, often they were living on the streets or had abusive home lives. Mom said this way they were allowed to grow up again in a secure and loving home. It made sense and, when I left for college, to train as a nurse, I saw so many young kids sleeping rough, and it made sense. I began to think the people of the community were some kind of angels. It never really registered that the people that were kidnapped were all vey young, physically very tiny. Nobody that was old or physically big was ever brought into the community." Patience paused to collect her thoughts. " I used to work in the adult section of the hospital but often saw the babies when they decorated the hospital for Christmas. I loved the expressions on their faces. Well, one time, there was this terrible flu going through the hospital and the staff were badly affected. I got transferred to the baby clinic. I loved it at first but then I started to feel uneasy about it." Patience stopped, suddenly lost in her own thoughts.
"Patience?" Niall said after the silence had continued for some minutes.
"Sorry, sorry" Patience smiled at them. "Actually that was when I first saw you, Harry. You had tried to escape and they'd brought you in, screaming and cursing. Mom examined you then said you'd be chemically regressed again. They'd done it before but that batch was fault and so you were able to return to your adult mind. When you realised what they were going to do, you screamed louder and louder and they had you strapped down so they could administer the drug. They left me to look after you and that's when I knew I couldn't do it any more. I clamped my hand over your mouth to shut you up. Do you remember?" Harry shrugged. "I whispered in your ear to just let it happen, not to fight it. I promised then that I'd get you out somehow. You must have believed me because you stopped struggling. After your regression I snuck in to see you every chance I could but that old cow, Nurse Collins, got on my case so I had to find another way to get to you. Then you got so sick, Niall, they needed a nurse to 'special' you and I was given the task. I'd always adored you as a singer and when you disappeared, I never once thought you'd be in the community. You can imagine my shock when I saw the sick baby was you. Now I had two babies to rescue." Patience paused again, her face distraught as she remembered those days.
"Look, let's have some hot chocolate" Niall suggested , seeing Patience was becoming very distressed. He hurried to make the drinks then returned, placing the tray in middle of their little circle. Patience quickly took a few sips to collect her thoughts then began to speak again.
"Your Baba and Daddy, Niall.....sorry, force of habit" Patience blushed ." Zayn and Liam. I could see they loved you in their own twisted way but I knew you had a family...and a brother who was charged with murdering you. I had to get you both out. I made sure I kept 'accidentally' bumping in to them, made it clear I'd love to babysit. It took some time to get long enough access to you but I used the time searching for the best escape routes. I even went through Zayn's office. I nearly got caught!" Patience smiled ruefully. "I got out of the room just in time, but he saw me outside the door. Fortunately your giraffe stuffy was on the floor and I was able to pretend that I'd been looking for it as you were upset. I think he believed me, but the door was always locked after that." Patience shrugged.
"Well, one day I had my chance. Zayn,Liam, Louis and Serena planned a date night.I was asked to babysit and I knew I had to take the chance. As soon as I could, after they'd left, I got you into my car and drove out of the town. Unfortunately Josh Devine must have seen me and he text Zayn. They soon caught up and I had to abandon you both. I didn't want to, but I knew that if I made it out, then I could get help. Zayn chased me on foot and I jumped onto the highway and flagged down a car. Unfortunately it was the new paramedic and I was forced back into the community. I still can't believe that my mom agreed to regress me, I pleaded with her but she ignored me. Mark Jarvis, he'd fallen in love with me and when he found out I was going to be regressed, he tampered with the drugs. He took quite a risk. It was weird, because I was in a toddler mind but then it started to wear off and adult thoughts kept coming. Then I'd be a toddler again. Mark managed to keep me under enough to fool the Tomlinsons and my mom, but not enough for the drug to completely take over. He tried to escape with me but it went wrong. Zayn got me back but Mark made it out, thank g*d. And again,thankfully,that detective, Joe Marks, didn't think he was crazy and so here we are. You know the rest." Patience swiped her fingers across her cheeks to wipe away her tears.
"You did your best" Niall said and both he and Harry wrapped their arms around Patience in a comforting hug. They stayed that way for some time, absorbing strength and support from each other.
"My turn now, I guess" Harry put his mug back down on the tray and looked between the two others. "I was one of those abused kids. Mom died when I was ten. Dad was great until then, but he changed, got drunk every night. There was never any food and he'd beat me just for being alive. When I was thirteen , I decided I couldn't take it any more and I ran away, I spent three years on the streets, living rough, begging or stealing food when I could. I was so poorly nourished that I literally stopped growing. One day I woke up in a crib, wearing a diaper. I went mental! They tried every way they could to turn me into a toddler. I fought, screamed, cursed. One day I tried to run away. Josh Devine caught me too!" Harry exchanged a glance with Patience. "They even put me in f.cking leg braces to stop me. One day they arranged a play date for me with Nialler here. Mommy...I mean Serena , had accidentally left the TV on an adult station and I'd seen about his disappearance on the news. I just never connected the dots that it was the same Niall who had become the Malik-Payne baby. I tried to help him escape before they regressed us but Niall fell when we attempted to get out of the window onto the tree. He was really sick for a time. After that, well I got regressed. Lucky me that first batch was faulty. Unlucky me, my escape attempt also failed and I got given the new drug which wasn't. Now here we are."
"It was a bit different for me." Niall admitted." It seems like I was targeted and they used a big and very public twitter fight between and my brother to trick me. The car accident was, for them, a happy bonus, because then I had amnesia and literally didn't know who I was . I guess you both know more about it all than me?" They nodded assent. "Well, you know how it all panned out." Niall concluded. "We owe Mark big time."
"Speaking of Mark." Patience blushed ." You know they gave him a short sentence for giving all the evidence against the others? He's being put into the WPP when he's released." Patience told them "Actually, I might be joining him.....as his wife." She confessed. The others, though shocked, were hearty in their congratulations. They also owed their freedom to Mark. "I will find a way to keep in touch though" she promised.
"You'd better" Niall grinned. "But about the others? They didn't get everyone, did they?"
"No" Patience said soberly "But they're looking." Niall shivered at her words. He knew they'd never feel safe until the missing men were under lock and key. "Zayn, Liam, Louis have vanished without trace. Apparently so has the community leader, Simon Cowell, is also on the loose. I never saw him in the community so maybe he was never there the day they raided."
"Since we're talking about this all" Niall looked at the others nervously. "Do you guys ever have weird dreams about them?" Harry and Patience looked at him, puzzled. "I don't mean nightmares, I know we all get those but.......sort of weird dreams." Niall stopped and looked at his fingers which he was twisting together nervously.
"How do you mean, Nialler?" Harry asked gently, a soft hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Well, we were doing that show in Vegas. The one with that great stage? Well, I took a nap before sound check. I couldn't settle so I got my giraffe out of my bag." Niall looked sheepish until Harry pulled out a blue rabbit stuffy from his pocket and smiled at his friend ruefully, as he cradled the stuffy in his lap. Niall smiled back, relieved. "Well, once I had her, I fell asleep. Then I dreamed that Baba..I mean Zayn...was tucking it into my arms and telling me to go back to sleep and that he and Daddy..I mean Liam, would see me soon.. Isn't that crazy? Am I crazy? Since then I've had a few more dreams and last night I swear I heard Bab----Zayn…singing that lullaby he always sang to me". Niall felt his face redden with embarrassment as he spoke. Hearing himself say these things out loud made him realise just how crazy he sounded. But he had to know. Did it happen to the others?
"No, no, Niall" Patience said soothingly. " It was just a dream. You are not crazy. Just you reliving a past memory. You're bound to. Maybe it hash't happened to us yet but I expect it will at some point. Maybe you had something that triggered it? Do you recall anything?" Niall shook his head. "Just a flashback dream, then".
"Actually" Harry said very quietly "I keep feeling that I'm being watched sometimes. I turn around, expecting Louis or Serena to be there but I'm alone. It gives me the creeps."
"Guys, you both had a terrible time, far worse than me, because at least I knew what was happening. Harry, Serena died in the car accident she had when she tried to escape with you. She'll not be near you again. You're both safe now ." She hugged Harry gently then continued. "Come on, let's try and forget about this now and decorate the tree. It's nearly Christmas and we should celebrate!"
Liam hung over Louis shoulder as they watched the three young people decorating the tree, laughing and joking as they hung the shiny baubles, totally unaware that hidden cameras recorded their activities. Liam sighed as he watched and Louis turned towards him. "All in good time, Li" he said quietly." We're still buried in their baby memories."