Moments

Word count: 7.2k

this was it. this was the moment of truth. seven months had gone by since the incident. seven months since their last concert. seven months since any of them had stepped out of their flats. seven months since they had had proper sleep or a proper meal. seven months since five became four. seven months since one fatal accident took Niall horan.
the boys had gotten together for their tribute to their mate, brother and most of all a part of their family. word had gotten out, thanks to the overhanging papz about their last performance as one direction. because that band could certainly not continue. not without a certain Irish member who and been ripped apart from their hold.
It had been completely unpredictable, a Fate nobody could have ever foreseen the way Niall had lost his life. A terrible accident, in simpler words. A simple coincidence. A tragedy that Niall would be crossing the road when a car had performed a hit and run, as it was being chased for robbery. But if this was not painful enough, the circumstances leading to Niall crossing the road were. At least to the boys.
The lads had, not even a mere fifteen minutes before, gotten into a full blown fight with Niall over his lack of enthusiasm and appreciation over their upcoming tour. They had called him ungrateful and an attention seeking person, over which he had fled, too hurt to be able to take any more hurtful abuse. the lads had realized their mistake only minutes later and had rushed after their Irish lad. But to no avail. They had arrived just to see Niall standing stock still, fozen as the car rushed towards him , even when they let out a despaired yell, they knew, it was a lost battle, because as the lad's body was flung upwards and fell on the ground with a resounding crack, they heard something break in each of them, a part of their hearts unleashing grief they had never comprehended.
Now, they stood backstage, surrounded by their families, and Niall's as they all waited for the concert where they would do Niall's memory justice. Maura was hunched over in a sobbing mess as she was tended by a whimpering Anne and a weeping Bobby. Greg stood a little distance away, his arms around his sobbing fiance as silent tears streamed down his cheeks.

The boys however, stood alone, maintaining a distance from their respected families huddled together as they mourned the loss of their brother. They looked past their weeping families onto the huge banner of Niall which decorated the wall behind them, recurring a deep ache in each of them as they stood should to shoulder yet felt his absence immensely.
The time came, the signal was given, the four boys nodded at each other and side by side stepped up to the stage. The audience which had been buzzing a few minutes before, fell in a hushed silence as they looked upon their broken idols, as they stood before them clothed in black and got ready to pay their tribute to their friend who deserved it whole heartedly.
"Hello guys," said Liam.at last, as he took control as he usually had done, "I hope you're doing well."
He waited, but as he heard no response, he gulped, his eyes already shining with tears and looked at Louis in desperation. He could not do this. But as he received broken, encouraging nods from his mates, he started speaking again.
"I'm sure you all know why we've gathered here today. It is first and foremost Niall's birthday"-a muffled sob from Harry and a sharp intake of breath form Zayn which almost stopped him from going on-" it has also been seven months from his death."
He stopped, as he once again felt the twisting ache in his belly, felt the tars wet in his eyes moistening his face as they dripped as he turned towards Louis and whispered brokenly "I can't, I can't."
Louis took over. "As I'm sure most of you have heard, this is our last concert as one direction, because as we have often said before, there is no I in one direction, there is only we. And without Niall thee is no we. so without Niall there is no one direction. We will, the four of us, be called 'never closer' as it was music which brought us together and music will hold us close."
Louis stopped,as the weight of what he had just proclaimed, well harshly upon the fanss shoulders, as well as his as all of them abruptly broke out into wails.
"This is our tribute to our mate, our brother and a part of who we are today, he will live through is because we will carry him with us wherever we go. Because without Niall there is no one direction, and without one direction, there is no us"
Louis's voice trembled and faltered, unable to deliver their last message, so Zayn stepped forward, continuing where he had left off.
"We request you all to not sing along in Niall's solos, and I hope you guys don't, as it will be very special for us."
From the corner of their eyes, they saw Greg appear on the sidelines, some kind of remote in his hands. His appearance shocked the boys, because they had imagined him to be backstage mourning his brother, and in his place, perhaps one of their families egging them on.
The familiar intro for moments started, a personal favourite of niall's so the boys took their places next to each other.
Liam started off, his voice weak at first but slowly gaining power as he remembered the boy he had loved like family. He stood, secure in the boy's embrace as his solo continued.
Shut the door
Turn the light off
I wanna be with you
I wanna feel your love
I wanna lay beside you
-the screams from the crowd suddenly escalated pointing behind them, and the boys turned confused, and saw the entire screen filled up with Niall 's shots, him laughing, grinning, eating and fooling around. Liam quickly spun around and spotted Greg who had the remote aimed at them as he stood, shaking silently as he watched the life his brother had lived.
I cannot hide this
Even though I try

Heart beats harder
Time escapes me
Trembling hands
Touch skin
It makes this harder
And the tears stream down my face


[Harry]
If we could only have this life
For one more day
If we could only turn back time

You know I’ll be
Your life
Your voice
Your reason to be
My love
My heart
Is breathing for this
Moment
In time
I’ll find the words to say
Before you leave me today
The boys huddled together, as planned, as they awaited the silence as the chorus ended, they had decide against singing Niall's part, insisting that nobody could ever fill it.
But to their utter surprise, they heard the very voice singing it and snapped their heads together towards the screen as Niall came onscreen in a stream of one of their previous concert came on, him singing his solo In moments.

[Niall]
Close the door
Throw the key
Don’t wanna be reminded
Don’t wanna be seen
Don’t wanna be without you
My judgements clouded like tonights sky
Louis was probably the most shocked because Niall's appearance startled him the most. He had for the most part of the past seven months blamed himself for Niall's death, not just because of the fight, but because he was the oldest he was supposed to have looked after him. He was supposed to protect him.
So he faltered, he knew it was his turn but at that moment a laughing shot of Niall took the screen and he choked. Who wouldn't have, to know that this happy, laughing boy who had once lightened up everyone's life now lay six feet under the earth.
But he owed it to him. Louis did. He owed it to his mate, this one last tribute.
Hands are silent
Voice is numb
Try to scream out my lungs
It makes this harder
And the tears stream down my face

Harry couldn't. He had lost his brother. He was singing it for his brother. But he couldn't. Niall had written this song for them ages ago, of was Niall's, they couldn't. They shouldn't. But they had to.
The boys noticed Harry's distress through their dazed, hazy and teary vision and together as one they sang with him.
If we could only have this life
For one more day
If we could only turn back time

You know I’ll be
Your life
Your voice
Your reason to be
My love
My heart
Is breathing for this
Moment
In time
I’ll find the words to say
Before you leave me today
Zayn broke apart from the others. His turn had come. He was going to justify himself for Niall. He was going to sing this one alone because Niall had often said that only Zayn could sing this solo, and anyone else ruined it. So he was ready and prepared. The lads seemed to understand what was going through his mind and slipped away, giving him a little distance.
Flashing lights in my mind
Going back to the time
Playing games in the street
Kicking balls with my feet

There’s a numb in my toes
Standing close to the edge

There’s a pile of my clothes
At the end of your bed

As I feel myself fall
Make a joke of it all
They drew together again as a life source, a magnet. This one last time. This one last song. For Niall. For all of them.

You know I’ll be
Your life
Your voice
Your reason to be
My love
My heart
Is breathing for this
Moment
In time
I’ll find the words to say
Before you leave me today

You know I’ll be
Your life
Your voice
Your reason to be
My love
My heart
Is breathing for this
Moment
In time
I’ll find the words to say
-One last look at the screen as the song drew to the end. One the screen the boys stood crying side by side Niall's picture, laughing and crying at the same time.-
Before you leave me today