~_~_~ (Lani) ~_~_~

The producers weren't thrilled with Lani's idea since it would require a ton of work on their part, but it's all come together nicely. Lani prays that Niall likes her idea and doesn't think it's weird in anyway.

She waits outside her bedroom for Niall. He walks down the hall, freshly showered. His hair is still damp, clinging to his forehead in reddish-brown clumps. The color reminds Lani of her old friend, Ashley, and her heart breaks. She misses her loads already.

"So, what do you have planned," Niall asks. Lani smirks and eyes the door teasingly.

"Why don't you have a look and see," Lani replies innocently. Niall narrows his eyes at her suspiciously before hesitatingly turning the doorknob. He pushes the door open to reveal a room filled with kittens and puppies of various breeds.

Niall turns to her, "Animals? Really?" The puppies all swarm his ankles, leaping up on their back paws to try and get Niall's attention. Niall bends down and scratches a few of the pups behind their ears.

"Yeah! I figured it would be fun to hang out with a bunch of puppies and kittens," Lani explains.

Niall smiles, sitting down and letting a black and white puppy jump on his legs. He laughs loudly as the pup licks his chin happily. Lani sits down next to him and gathers an orange kitten in her lap. The kitten nuzzles her way into Lani's thighs while the kitten's siblings start to wobble over.

They talk about random things while they pet the animals. The kittens mostly cuddle themselves around Lani while the puppies find Niall. A rebellious kitten, however, has perched itself right on top of Niall's ankles.

The puppies have calmed and their conversation has died down when Lani starts, "Niall, how do you really feel about Becca," She asks. Niall's quiet for a bit.

"How do you feel about Becca," He questions, turning her own question back at her. Lani bites her bottom lip, not knowing quite how to answer the question without offending Niall or lying.

"I have... mixed feelings. I feel like our friendship is one-sided. I've decided not to go out of my way to talk to her, but if she talks to me then I'll engage. I've heard that she's taken a disliking to a few other contestants though," Lani explains. She stares intently at the kitten in her lap, unable to look at Niall.

"I don't know how I feel about her. Sometimes I think she's really cool, but... I hear things. Honestly, I don't think I'm going to keep her much longer. I don't think it was a great idea to introduce her so late into the game. It's not fair to either of us, or any of you. Why should she stay when I've already built relationships with everyone else, you know? Besides, the competition is getting stiff now," Niall says. They sit in silence for a while, letting the new information soak in before saying anything else.

Niall glances down at his watch and sighs loudly. "It's getting close to noon and I think I'm going to have to dust all this fur off of me," Niall jokes. They both stand, making sure to carefully lift the animals off of them.

"That's fine. I've had a great time," Lani says. Niall smiles at her. Lani leans forward and connects their lips sweetly before Niall departs for his next date.

~_~_~ (Ambrose) ~_~_~

Ambrose pulls on the sleeves of his sweater as he waits for Niall by the door. He bellows over to Ambrose with a huge smile and the smell of... dog wafting around him.

"Sorry if I smell a little. I sprayed some cologne. Lani brought kittens and puppies to play with," Niall explains. Ambrose smiles and leads Niall out. They step into a car that takes them to a cafe Ambrose found not far from their house.

"We never really get to talk, so I'm excited for our date," Niall explains. Ambrose grins.

"For sure, I was starting to think that I would never get any alone time with you," Ambrose sighs. Niall laughs quietly.

It doesn't take long to get to the cafe. They walk side by side inside. The bitter smell of coffee fills Ambrose' nose as they enter. A man stands at the front of the store wearing a dark blue apron.

"What can I get you two gentlemen today," He questions. They both order. Ambrose going with a sandwich and Niall deciding on a chicken salad.

"So, I don't think I ever asked you about your work. Are you in school," Niall asks. They walk over to a table in the back of the cafe and sit down before Ambrose explains.

"I inherited my mother's bookstore after she died," Ambrose sighs. Niall's eyebrows furrow.

"I'm so sorry."

Ambrose shrugs, "I'm okay now. My dad remarried and I have a couple step siblings now. My step-mom's alright. I don't talk to her much, but she's not bad company."

They talk while they eat about random things. Ambrose suggests that they walk to the park after their meal. When they get there they talk more about their interests and hobbies while walking the perimeter of the park.

~_~_~ (Megan) ~_~_~

"Ready," Megan asks. Instead of losing some of her time and meeting Niall at the house, she decided to meet Niall and Ambrose at the park so Niall and her could leave as soon as possible.

"I'm ready," Niall hums. He gives Ambrose a hug before entering the car the producers provided her with. She made sure that they filled up the tank all the way so they wouldn't have to make any mid-journey stops.

"So, what fun adventures do you have planned," Niall questions. Megan rolls her window down a little as they hit the back roads. Farms and open fields pass them as they fly down the road.

"Not everything is about the destination. Sometimes, it's about the journey," Megan answers. She looks out of the corner of her eye to see Niall roll his eyes playfully. "I figured you've been doing so much already it'd be nice to just have a drive," Megan explains.

They spend the first couple of minutes just enjoying the company of each other as they drive. The wind blows in from Megan's rolled down window. She turns the radio up and a song she doesn't know the name of plays loudly through the speakers. Niall seems to know the song and sings it loudly at the top of his lungs.

When the song ends, he turns the radio down and turns to her. "Tell me about your family. We've never really got to talk about them before," Niall asks. Megan thinks for a moment, trying to come up with something interesting to say.

"There's not much really. We're a middle class family from Minnesota. I have a younger sister named Ashley. She's like my best friend in the whole world. My mom is a librarian and my dad's a parole officer," She explains. "I know that I know some stuff already about you, but tell me something I wouldn't know."

"Well, I'm sure you know that I'm an uncle. Theo is the coolest little kid I've ever met. When he was a kid he'd always call me Uncle Stinky. I think Greg got him to do that just to be an ass, but now that he's a little older he calls me Uncle Niall. From time to time, he still calls me Uncle Stinky though. Gets a good laugh out of all of us," Niall says. Megan laughs loudly at the idea of little Irish Theo calling Niall 'Uncle Stinky'.

They tell innocent stories they remember from their childhood and teenage years. Megan shares stories about her high school and 'The Prom Incident'. She thought for years that she knew some much about him from being a fan, but the little stories of him when he was younger show her a completely different side of him.

Finally, about a 45-minutes later they pull up to a familiar cliff. The restaurant sits closed for the afternoon for reasons Megan has no clue. She puts the car into park and climbs out. The sun still sits high in the sky, unlike it was the first time they came.

"Is this... the place I brought you on our first date," Niall asks. Megan smiles.

"I was able to find a backroad that went out of the way a little bit to give us some time to talk, but yeah it's the same place," Megan explains. She walks to the trunk of the car and pulls out a blanket.

"figured we could sit here for a bit and enjoy the view." Niall smiles wide and brings her into a hug. He kisses the side of her head before following her to the same spot they were at one their first date. Megan lays the blanket out and lays down. Niall lays next to her and she snuggles into his side.

Most of their time is spent in silence. They enjoy each other's company and the sides of nature and the sunshine on their face. Not everything has to be about the talking and the conversation. Megan cherishes this time almost as much as she does the time they spent driving here.

~_~_~ (Abby) ~_~_~

Abby found a note early that morning that informed her that she should wear something formal for her date with Niall tonight. So, she decided on picking her sparkling golden dress from a two rose ceremonies ago. She styles her hair simply, pinning a portion back so it's out of her face.

"Ready," Niall questions. He wears a full tuxedo with his hair slicked back. Where ever they're going must be high-class. She loops her arm in Niall's and they head out the door together.

Abby's glowing and happily kisses Niall on his cheek before getting into the black SUV. As soon as Niall closes the door he turns to her.

"Now, normally I like to keep the dates a secret, but I need some background for this one. I remember on your application that when you were asked who inspired you the most you talked about your brother with down syndrome. Well, let's just say that I was inspired and found a charity that's hosting the 'Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show' in Hollywood tonight. I pulled some strings and got us two tickets," Niall explains. Abby's jaw drops. Niall places a hand on her shoulder and brings her in for a hug.

"That's... amazing," Abby breathes. She melts in Niall's embrace, giving him another squeeze before pulling herself together. Abby can't believe Niall's done this.

When they pull up the building, Abby has to remind herself to breathe. She pulls on a happy smile as they exit the car at the back of a building. A lady runs up to them with a clipboard and waves at them.

"Niall Horan and... Abby Rose? Perfect! This way. We're so happy that such a well known celebrity like yourself would come and take some pictures and donate. We're honored to have you," She smiles. Niall tangles his hand in Abby's as they follow the lady through the doors.

-

They're sitting at a table with a few other people. Abby doesn't know their names, but they seem wealthy enough in pressed suits and designer dresses. They sit towards the back of the ballroom, but she doesn't dare complain. Being here is amazing enough as it is.

Abby watches and cheers as models with down syndrome strut down the runway, striking poses with the celebrities who helped sponsor the events. A woman stands at a microphone nears the front of the runway and introduces each model cheerfully.

The meal is amazing. Chicken breast and green beans with a side of mashed potatoes. Niall explains that it's simple catering food, but it tastes heavily on Abby's tongue.

By the end of the night, Abby's lungs burn from cheering so loudly and her feet ache from her heels, but she's so happy she doesn't care. Niall escorts her out a little early so they had some time to talk a little bit in the car.

Abby tells Niall the full story of her brother and how much he's shown her as a person. She explains how hard it was to watch him go through his schooling and be bullied for something he couldn't change and how she's determined to adopt a child with down syndrome when she's older because of it all.

After she pours her heart out, they're both crying. Niall cries for a boy he's never met and Abby who seems so touched by it all. Abby cries for her brother and how kind Niall is about it all. They hug each other and wipe their tears away, laughing.

Abby couldn't think of a better way to spend the night.

~_~_~ (Pim) ~_~_~

Pim's been working all day. Abby helped early that morning, but he's been doing a lot of the heavy lifting in the last hour or so. A couple crew members helped him move some of the bigger equipment from the greenhouse and move the mattress in. Abby and Pim both cleaned the place up.

The last half-hour Pim's walked back and forth between the greenhouse and his room to move pillows, blankets, and cushions of all kinds. He's not the best at designing, but he's pleased with what he's been able to put together. Pim just hopes Niall likes it.

He's watched the sun set already and the stars start to slowly appear in the night sky. For a few minutes before Niall was due to arrive, Pim lays on the mattress and gazes up through the glass roof at the stars, already knowing that this date is going to be perfect.

Pim makes sure to leave a couple minutes early to catch Niall. He's dressed in a simple white shirt and plaid pajama pants. He beams as he walks into Pim's embrace.

"You ready," Pim asks. Niall nods. Pim leads him to the greenhouse.

"We're spending the night in a greenhouse," Niall questions. Pim silences him and drags him inside to the mattress sitting in the middle of the room covered in blankets and pillows. Dim lights surround the outside of the building so they can see, but not enough that it could be considered lit.

"Pim... you did all this," Niall gasps. He turns to Pim and kisses his cheek tenderly. Pim shrugs.

"It's fine. Look, I brought my guitar down so we can finally have that guitar jam we've been talking about." Pim races to the side of the room and shows Niall his guitar he brought from home. Niall walks over to him and plucks a few chords on it before handing it back to Pim.

"This is amazing."

-

Stolen kisses and songs later. They lay on the makeshift bed, tangled in each other's arms. They gaze up at the sky together, soaking this moment in.

"Niall, I feel like I owe it to you to tell you the full story. My full story," Pim explains. Niall turns to face Pim, his eyebrows furrowed.

"You don't have to."

"I want to," Pim starts. "I guess it all started with a crush I had when I was 8. I liked this guy and I told my parents. My dad wasn't too happy about it and put me on the local soccer team and he teased me a lot for it. When I was 11 I got my first girlfriend because my dad wasn't showing any signs of stopping. The relationship only lasted a month or so, but he didn't bother me as much anymore. When I got to year 12 I got my first boyfriend. My dad found after we were together for two months and freaked. He started verbally and physically abusing me. This went on for... 3 years. My mum found out, finally, and we moved to England to escape him. I try not to let it bother me too much, but it still gets me sometimes, you know? That's what my scar is from... the one on my back you saw."

Niall reaches out and touches Pim's cheek, wiping a stray tear away. Pim sniffles lightly, cursing himself quietly for crying. "What about you? Any stories to tell," Pim asks. Niall thinks for a moment before he starts.

"My childhood was average. I guess things got a little crazy when I got put in the band. Everything was good for a couple of years, but 2013 was rough. Harry was protesting Simon because he wanted to come out as LGBT and be an advocate, but Simon wouldn't let him. Louis and Zayn were struggling with their eating disorders and Liam was trying to keep them all together. I was suffering quietly. My anxiety was getting pretty bad, but I kept a happy face for everyone else. I didn't really want cause any more troubles or worry anyone more than they already were. No one really knows how rough of a year I had. It was hard, but we bounced back. Then Zayn talked about leaving and it destroyed us all again. You never really appreciate someone enough until they're gone. Of course, then he had his issues with Harry and Louis. Liam and him talked a little, but not enough. I should've talked to him more and I regret not talking to him, but I can't change the past. We have to just keep pushing through," Niall explains.

They share a few other happier stories about their adulthood lives. Pim was in the middle of telling a story about his best friend, Catherine, when he heard the soft snores coming from Niall. Pims looks up from his spot on Niall's chest to see Niall fast asleep.

Content, Pim slowly drifts to sleep to the soft purr of Niall's breathing.

~_~_~

Hey guys! This is a little shorter than the other day updates, but we are shrinking. I hope I made up for not updating last Monday! I feel horrible! I didn't write a date for Becca because I figured you guys didn't really care to read it. In case you didn't see: The Bachlorette is running now! You have a week to send in answers to the questions and friendships. I hope you guys enjoyed! ~B

GCQ: How do you think your date went? How high do you think you'll place in the rose ceremony? What will you wear?

Jury: Who will you boost (SUBMISSIONS ONLY TAKEN UNTIL FRIDAY!)