This chapter is partly from Niall's view, hope you enjoy it:)  Please vote and COMMENT, I need to get better<3

I woke up groggy and disoriented on the couch, with Netflix asking me if I was still watching. The room felt cold and I grabbed the nearest blanket to wrap around me. I needed something to drink, my throat was dry as hell, and I waggled into the kitchen. My brain flashed an image of Niall and I, sitting there just two days ago. The last week felt like a month, so much had happened. I downed a glass of ice-cold water and it was heaven in my mouth. I checked my phone and saw I had been asleep for some time; it was half past twelve. I also saw I had more messages. A shiver run down my back with the memory of the one I erased earlier, and I took a round in the apartment just to help myself feel better.

Nialler; Landed, I hate flying, I always feel trapped in that thing. Hope you're doing well. Sorry if I'm bothering you with my texts... The boys were talking about you on the plane, they send their best.

Carolin; Good, you made it, I hate flying myself. Or so I would think, I've never tried😉 No bother, I just fell asleep on the couch, didn't get much sleep last night. As you know, you were there. No bad-mouthing, I hope? Good luck on the promo thing.

I tossed the phone away, didn't want to turn into one of those sitting and waiting for a text back. Instead, I made myself a sandwich and turned on Riverdale again. Ah, the glamourous life of a high-end stripper. "One that gets text messages from Niall Fucking Horan," my inner voice whispered, and I couldn't help myself from smiling.

NIALL

When we got on the plane, I found me a seat a bit away from the others, I hate flying. Of course, they all knew that, we know each other better than anybody. Or at least we did, maybe we had changed a bit in the years apart. Although we'd needed the break, it was good to be back together for a short while. I'd tried to keep in touch with them all during our hiatus, but it was hard.

With my eyes closed during take-off, I had to smile at Zayn telling the others about the VIP show he had gotten earlier. "And then she made me rip her top, that was sick. I've never gotten a lapdance sober, makes me appreciate their skills." I frowned when Liam started his story about his lapdance from Carolin. I don't know why it bothered me, I just met her, but there was something about her. Strong on the outside, so fragile on the inside. I had dated famous models, singers, actresses, but they all seemed so obsessed with what the world around saw. Carolin was real and handled the transmission between stripper at night and normal person at day with bravado. My mind flashed back to last night, I don't know what that had been about, but it seemed something bad had happened to her at some point. Louis said she had been real cool about it in the morning.

Harry came and sat beside me. "You alright, mate?" "Yeah, I'll reckon I survive this time as well", I smiled at him, thankful for the support. He looked over at the others with a smile in his eyes.

"Happy to be back together again?" I asked.

"I missed you, but we did need that break. It feels like everybody has grown into themselves instead of someone we were told to be. I know this is a short time arrangement, but I feel good about it."
Harrys slow voice dragged the words, but I saw that he meant them. Liam came over as well and I had to forget about my plans for getting some sleep on the plane. Most of the night had been spent watching Carolin's unrestful sleep and worrying about this stalker. "Oi, mate, you ok? We need to talk about the plans for Friday, if all those fine women are coming."

None of us were in a relationship, nothing serious anyway, and that suited us fine now we were stacked in a house together for some time.

"You always have fine women around you, Liam, what's different now?" I teased him.

"The opportunity for a professional lap dance", he laughed. I gave him a stern look; "Now listen, I invited them as friends, not as strippers, you can't expect them to give you private dances."

He held up his hands, "Just kidding, Nialler, relax. I like Carolin, don't want to mess with her."
I didn't say anything more, but the fact that he said he liked her nagged me a bit. I couldn't say anything about it, how could I? "Hey guys, the stripper we met last week, I like her a lot." No, I don't think so. They had all made fun of me in the past for falling for girls too fast, I just had to keep my mouth shut. Thankfully, I had a reason to keep in touch with her, since I had to know she was safe from the psycho. And I WAS in some of the pictures, so I felt like I had the right to know how it was going. We talked about the upcoming record and the promo thing we were doing now, for the rest of the plane ride. It was nice to see everybody eager and at ease with each other, it wasn't the way last time we had been on the same plane.

When we got off the plane, a car was waiting for us and once I got inside, I shot Carolin a message. It was late, but I didn't care. Ten minutes later I got a reply and I saw Louis raise an eyebrow in response to my smile. I turned slightly away and typed out an answer.

We kept messaging the next days, she was so much more open on texts. Luckily, nothing else had happened, or so she said anyway. The days dragged by, doing promo was always boring, you got the same questions over and over and had to keep pretending you were ecstatic every time. Louis was great at this; "Oh, what an exceptional great question!" he said the fourth time we'd gotten the same question on that day. Liam snickered, hearing the sarcasm, but the lady with too much make- up on holding the microphone beamed. I sent a message to Carolin, getting dirty looks from our manager.

N: Ah, this is so boring... Can't wait to get back and work on the music. I got a great idea for a song yesterday, I have almost all the lyrics already. What about our 'friend', has he been quiet?

C: Boring? I saw you flirting with the interviewer last night on youtube 😉 Oh yeah? Wanna share some lines? I thought writing a song took ages. He's been quiet, I don't know if that's good or bad, makes me jump every time I hear a sound.

N: I was not flirting; I was laughing on the inside of the slightly stupid questions... If you wanna know how I feel now, go on youtube and search One D leopard print dress,

N: And it might be he has stopped? Fingers crossed

C: I don't know if I wanna google that, I don't wanna see you in anything leopard... My eyes, my eyes=)

C: Oh my god... hahhahaha. What was she thinking? How did you guys hold out so long?

N: I don't know, we were young. This isn't that bad, but close. I use the time to put songs together, if you see me drumming or playing airguitar, I'm writing songs in my head.

C: Just remember you are doing it for the music. When I'm talking with people I don't like, I imaging the ground opening and a balrog is waiting for them at the bottom. Let me hear when you come back? I must run, work awaits, those clothes don't undress themselves 😊

N: Hope you are home safe, one more day of this. We had to run from a crowd today, some fans are crazy. Do you maybe wanna do lunch on Friday?

C: Home safe, Lewis is staying with me tonight. He wants to see Gilmore Girls, but its my TV so its Teen Wolf again. We did the Magic Mike tonight, it was so cool, I'm sure it will be a regular. Rick even gave me a bonus for coming up with the idea. Aww, I should have been there to protect you x)

N: I could totally see you kick some ass. And I figured, it was an awesome routine, I'm still thinking about it. I bet Zayn are too. Soo, lunch at one?

C: It's a date.

The tone of the messages had gone more and more flirty, but she was funny and laidback. A fling couldn't hurt, right? I knew that mum would whip my ass if I came home with a stripper. The panic attack worried me; it was obvious she had a past. I hoped the stalker was done, that it was just a crazy person having a moment. She was intriguing, from the first sight as a blond sex-kitten moving her body in a hypnotizing way in front of us, and then as a hot temptress from the 40's when she danced for me in private. When she poured the vodka in my mouth I almost went off, she knew what she was doing. Although she wore a mask, I knew I would recognize those lips and eyes anywhere. So, when she ran into me at that coffee shop, I had to take it as a sign. I was a bit surprised about the almost black hair, but it suited her fine. Girls usually just giggle or shower me with compliments when they meet me, but she almost looked like she wanted me to disappear from the earth. Refreshing. I made her share a coffee with me and I had the best time I'd had for some time. And let's face it, a girl in need of a protector drums up something inside us men.

The last day of the mini-promo tour went by fast, it tends to be a bit chaotic. I didn't have the time to text Carolin as much since we were doing TV shows. No phones allowed. I did get one during a radio-interview asking about what to wear at the party. "Women" I thought, while shaking my head. Liam saw me and raised an eyebrow, always curious. I showed him the text discreetly and while he read the text, I felt my phone vibrate, Liam drew in his breath and started coughing and laughing. Everybody else turned and looked at us. Liam raised a hand; "I'm fine, just got something stuck. Carry on." The other could tell he was lying; he was almost giggling. He gave me a wide smile and nodded to the phone. I cast a quick glance at the screen, a picture of Carolin bent over a chair in full stripper gear, if you could call it that, with the text; "Something like this maybe?" I wiped my forehead and put the phone away.

"You were really quiet on the interview, Nialler mate, what's with that?" Louis asked me afterwards. I didn't answer, still too shocked. Liam started laughing and almost cried. "He just got a surprising text, that's all." Liam wiped away his tears; "If you're not going to show them I at least get to tell them, please." I didn't say a word, what would Carolin say if she knew Liam had seen her picture? She probably wouldn't care, I thought, she does this for a living. They had all seen her in less. I rolled my eyes; "I got a picture of Carolin." They all hollered, and Liam continued: "She asked about what to wear on Friday and let me tell you that if that's what she's wearing I'm dead." They all laughed and had a good time on my expense, but it was so nice being back together like this that I let it slide.

By the time we got back late Thursday night, I was exhausted, I had forgotten how busy these things could be. I fell asleep on my bed in my clothes, dreaming about snakes and naked women. Or naked woman, more like it.