A new Reality

The silence in the cabin was suffocating.

The slip of paper with the words One more time rested in Harry's palm, mocking them. They had finished the song. They had done everything the recording had told them to do. So why were they back?

Liam clenched his jaw. "This can't be happening."

Zayn rubbed his temples. "I don't think we have a choice. If the message is right, we have to try again."

Harry stood, gripping the CD case tightly. He looked at the others. "If we're going back... let's get this right."

The cabin door swung open before anyone could respond.

A blinding light swallowed them whole.

***

When Harry's vision cleared, they were back in the beautiful recording studio.

Everything was just as it had been—the polished wood, the gleaming instruments, the soft hum of the equipment waiting for them. But something felt... different.

Before anyone could speak, the door to the studio burst open.

"Liam! What the hell, man? You were supposed to be at the firehouse an hour ago!"

A tall man in a firefighter's uniform stood in the doorway, arms crossed, looking at Liam like he'd just committed a serious offense.

Liam blinked. "What?"

The man frowned. "Don't 'what' me. You're on shift today. Chief is pissed. Get your gear and let's go."

Liam's mouth opened and closed as if trying to form words. "I... I don't work at a firehouse."

The man scoffed. "Yeah, tell that to the last four years of your life. Come on, dude, we got calls stacking up."

The group exchanged alarmed looks.

"Wait," Niall said slowly. "Where exactly are we?"

The firefighter raised an eyebrow. "Uh, London? Earth? What kind of question is that?"

Louis let out a nervous laugh. "What year is it?"

The firefighter took a step back. "Alright, did you hit your head or something?"

Harry turned, his eyes scanning the studio for anything familiar. But this wasn't just a recording studio—on the far wall, a display shelf held framed photos of him. Not as a musician, but standing in front of a bakery, wearing a white apron, flour dusted on his hands.

He stumbled toward the shelf, staring at the sign on the photo: Styles & Sweets - Established 2018.

"What... the hell?"

Zayn moved to a different part of the room, his hands shaking as he flipped through a portfolio of paintings. His signature was on every single one.

"I'm an artist?"

Louis, still trying to process everything, glanced toward a desk where a bright yellow uniform hung. The badge read Toys 'R' Us - Manager.

He let out an incredulous laugh. "Are you kidding me?!"

Niall's eyes landed on a framed diploma hanging on the wall. It had his name on it—Dr. Niall Horan, D.D.S.

He groaned. "I'm a bloody dentist?!"

The firefighter looked at them like they were insane. "What is wrong with you guys?"

Harry turned to Liam. "Liam... I think we're in a different universe."

Liam's hands trembled. "No. This can't be real."

The firefighter sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Look, whatever existential crisis you're having, have it on your own time. We have fires to fight."

Before Liam could respond, the firefighter grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the door.

"Wait!" Harry called. "We need to figure this out—"

But Liam hesitated this time. He pulled his arm free and stepped back into the studio, shaking his head.

"No," he said firmly. "I don't know what's happening, but I'm not walking through that door again. We need to figure this out first."

The firefighter huffed. "Mate, you're acting weird as hell. Fine. But if you're skipping work, don't expect an easy time from the chief." He shot Liam a final confused look before disappearing back into the hallway.

As the door shut, the tension in the room thickened.

"Okay," Louis exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "So, we're here. And apparently, we're not who we thought we were."

Harry nodded slowly. "But this time... we're staying."

Zayn crossed his arms. "You're saying we should live these lives?"

"No," Harry said carefully. "But if we keep running, we'll just end up somewhere else. We need to stop and figure out why this is happening. This might not be our world, but it's a world. And maybe the answers are here."

Liam exhaled sharply. "So, what, I'm just supposed to be a firefighter now?"

Niall groaned. "And I have to be a bloody dentist?"

Louis smirked. "At least you've got a respectable job. I'm out here running a toy store."

Zayn shook his head, looking at his paintings. "If I'm actually an artist here... maybe I can find something. Something that connects back to us."

Harry stared at the bakery photo. This wasn't his life. But something deep inside him told him that maybe—just maybe—the pieces were hidden here.

He turned to the others. "We play along. We figure out what's going on. And when the time is right... we find our way back."

A heavy silence fell over the group.

Then, finally, Liam nodded.

"Alright," he said. "Let's find out who we are in this world."

And for the first time, instead of running... they stayed.