"F.ck you, Malik" Niall's voice was quiet but was still heard by everyone as it filled in a sudden quiet gap in the general buzz of conversation that surrounded him. He pushed himself up to his feet and headed back into the house, shoulders held stiffly. Jacey started to follow him, worry etched on her face but Louis put out a restraining hand and nodded at Zayn who had hurried after Niall.

"Leave him, Jacey. Let Zayn deal with whatever the problem is" Louis whispered then yelled loudly "Food is ready folks come and grab a plate." Even though he was kept busy serving out hamburgers and hot dogs, Louis kept glancing up at the house, wondering why his mate was suddenly so upset.

Niall flung himself on the bed and folded his hands behind his head, glaring up at the ceiling. Zayn stood in the open doorway then wrapped lightly. He didn't know what to say. 

"F.ck off, Malik" Niall snarled. Zayn ignored him and came and sat on the edge of the bed right next to Niall but remained silent. Niall continued to ignore him making Zayn sigh heavily but he didn't speak. "Why, Zayn? Why not tell me?" Niall finally sat up and looked at Zayn, a hurt expression on his face. "Why the clock and dagger stuff? The whole Mr. X bit? Why?" Zayn shook his head and looked down. Niall grabbed his shoulders and shook him "You helped give me my life back but you couldn't tell me, Zee? I don't understand. Help me understand, " Niall's voice was laced with tears that he was vainly trying to suppress.

"I...I...You weren't meant to know but how did you......? " Zayn was confused as to how Niall had suddenly realized he was the anonymous cell donor

"The scar on your hip. Aoife has one, from where they took the bone marrow from you both."Niall sighed loudly. "Zee, why couldn't you just have told me. I've been desperate to be able to thank the person who gave me a second chance"

"I don't want your thanks, don't you get it?" Zayn shouted suddenly furious. Furious with himself and furious with Niall for finding out it had been him. "Don't you f.cking see, Ni. I nearly killed you when I left the band, I nearly killed you by letting you think I didn't care about you. I didn't even have the guts to stay around you. All I could do was watch you from a distance. Every day, all I could think about was what I could do to make you well and happy again. And I got the chance so I took it". Tears were falling down Zayn's cheeks now.

Niall shifted himself onto his knees and pulled Zayn into a hug, ignoring the hot salty tears that were dripping down onto his shoulder."Zee, you have to let it go. It's the past, leave it there. You're back with me and the boys now. You've helped me beat MS. I want to thank you" Niall spoke quietly now, calmer, though still hurt that Zayn had kept something so important from him.

"But I nearly destroyed you" Zayn whimpered.

"And you helped put me back together again so thank you" Niall put two fingers under Zayn's chin and lifted it so he could look into brown eyes swimming with tears.

"I just wanted to pay something back. To...I don't know...make up for everything I put you through...I didn't plan on it hurting you, Ni, I just didn't want your thanks or your gratitude for doing something that didn't deserve it." Zayn sounded so broken that Niall's own hurt just ebbed away.

"Does anyone else know?" Niall asked cautiously "Jacey?"

"No, just the doctors. I insisted on anonymity. Please don't tell anyone, Niall, please" Zayn begged

"If that's what you want, Zayn but" Niall just hugged Zayn tighter. 'Come on, let's go join the party."

"Everything all right, mate?" Louis asked Zayn a few minutes later.

"Yeah, Ni and I had a sort of disagreement. We're good now" Zayn said quietly.

"Cool. Now come to eat" the Donny lad gestured to the barbecue.." I've grilled some chicken for you". Zayn grinned.

Solar lights lit the patio as the shy darkened. Jacey and Aoife had tucked to two little ones into their bed and the adults were all grouped around, drinking and talking. Niall and Freddie grabbed guitars and soon everyone was singing along. Eventually Niall shifted into playing the old One D songs of their youth and all five men sang their own parts then harmonised together as if they had sung those same songs just yesterday. Zayn felt a strange sensation wash over him. He couldn't describe it, even if asked, but it felt like the tiny cracks in his soul were suddenly being pulled together and glued firmly shut. He pondered this as Freddie and Taylor started to sing a duet together and suddenly he knew how he was feeling..healed. He felt healed. He looked across at Niall who was cuddling with Jacey then met Louis blue eyes. Louis smiled and stood up to walk over and sit beside Zayn, an arm thrown casually over Zayn's shoulders. Like they had sat so many times in the distant past before Zayn had left the band and his 'brothers'

"I guess, Nialler found out" Louis smiled ruefully as he spoke. "I'm glad he did, Zee"

"I don't know what you're...." Zayn stuttered but Louis interrupted him

"Yeah, you do. And I'm glad he did." Louis said firmly

"But, you? How did you.....?"

"Doctor Morrison left Niall's file on the bottom of his bed one day...I peaked" Louis smile was sheepish. "Always was nosey"

"But you never let on" Zayn's tone was a mix of relief and confusion.

"Nah, knew Ni would figure it out one day. I mean, it was obvious really. You'd donated blood for him several times, so you had to be a close match even if you weren't an exact one.  Come on. let's have another beer. Hey guys, let's sing "You and I" Louis called out and Niall played the opening chords then sang the first lines

"I figured it out, I figured it out from Black and white...." Louis turned to Zayn and winked whispering "yeah, he did" then smiled.