When Kelsey was younger, she used to dream about what it would be like to be a pop star. To have an arena full of people gather just to hear your voice or get a glimpse of your face from the balcony seating. She'd imagined you'd feel like you were on top of the world, that no one could bring you down from the clouds.

Niall had told her being on stage was a mix of two things: euphoria and an intense amount of pressure. You had to live up to others expectations, but at the same time you had to revel in the fact that you were living the dreams of so many other people. Niall said when he'd first started out, the pressure had overwhelmed the enjoyment, but as time went on the nerves lessened.

He didn't look nervous now, standing at his dressing room mirror at the Forum, adjusting the collar of his navy blue button down, tufts of his chest hair peeking out of the top buttons. Kelsey smiled to herself as she watched him, totally in his element.

"What?" Niall asked, catching Kelsey's gaze in the mirror.

"Nothing," Kelsey mused, wrapping her arms around Niall from behind and resting her head against his shoulder as she gazed at their reflection in the mirror. "You just look so cute when you're focused."

"You mean I look fucking sexy," Niall teased, grabbing Kelsey's hand from around his waist and planting a kiss on the back.

"Right. That's what I meant," Kelsey laughed, her eyes twinkling. "Nervous?"

"Nah," Niall shrugged. "Just excited. Glad you could make it."

"Me too."

The past six months had been a whirlwind for Niall and Kelsey. Niall's video about Capitol had went viral (as expected) and luckily his fans were quick to jump to his defense. There were several #CapitolIsOver parties on Twitter, numerous articles questioning the promotional methods of the entertainment industry and even other celebrities expressing their experiences with PR teams. The reception was better than Niall could have possibly imagined.

Niall and Kelsey were still going strong. It wasn't always easy, especially with Kelsey being at Stanford and Niall being in LA. Niall spent his free weekends visiting her, the pair spending their Saturday mornings with breakfast in bed and their evenings wrapped in each other's arms. They still kept their relationship out of the private eye, but there was something so powerful about being able to walk down the street with their fingers interlocked without fearing what would happen if there were paparazzi hiding around the corner.

Now, Niall was about to be on the road again. Touring the world was arguably one of his favorite parts of his job and this tour felt even more special, because six months ago, he wasn't sure it would even happen. Having Kelsey here tonight, at the kickstart of his world tour, after everything that had happened- well, it already made it one of his favorite nights of all time.

There was a knock at the door, shifting Niall's attention to the door. "Five minutes," the voice behind the door booms.

"Ready?" Kelsey asked. Niall nodded.

Niall's hand gripped Kelsey's smaller one as they walk slowly from his dressing room, the calluses of his fingertips rough against Kelsey's skin. As they near the stage, Kelsey began to hear the murmurs of the crowd. There's something electrifying about it- the soft chants of Niall's name mixed with the low music.

When they reach the side of the stage, the crowd just visible out of the corner of his eye, Niall paused.

"Ready boss?" Jake asked from beside him, his guitar already in hand.

"Been waiting for this day for months," Niall exclaimed. He squeezed Kelsey's hand slightly.

The music in the crowd stopped and the crowd began to roar as the lights dimmed. Niall leaned over to plant one delicate kiss on Kelsey's lips before stepping onto the stage.

She watched him closely as he made his way to the center, picking up his guitar and slinging the strap over his shoulder before shouting a "How are we doing Los Angeles?" into the microphone. The crowd responded in incomprehensible screams. The grin on Niall's face as he began to strum the guitar tells her everything about how much he loves his job, and she began to realize just how much he had been willing to give up for her.

The thought made her heart warm. She never had thought she'd allow herself to receive that kind of love. A love so deep that nothing else in the world mattered. But here she was, looking out at the man to whom her heart belonged, without fear of what could go wrong. It's clear to Kelsey now that everything that happened to her over the past few years has led her to this very moment. This perfect moment.

Niall turned to look at Kelsey on the side of the stage, her body softly swaying to the beat. Their eyes met and Niall's smile widened. There were thousands of people in this arena yet he only wanted to stare at the face of one person, the person who against all odds was his. He thought about the past year and a half, the fears he'd had, the sacrifices he'd made, the career he'd put on the line. But looking in her eyes as he slowly begins to sing the opening line of Black and White, he can't help but think that he would do it all over again. Every lie, every contract, every forbidden kiss, every risk-it was worth it. This love was worth risking it all.

A/N: Just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who has read, reblogged, commented or liked this story. I’m so so grateful for your support! This was the first full story I’d published on Tumblr and I am so thankful for anyone who gave it a chance (and put up with my terribly inconsistent updates). If you have any last thoughts, comments or feedback, I would absolutely love to hear them! 

As for what’s next...I’ve got a Harry ballet minific in the works (I think I’ll post the story page for that soon) as well as a Niall weatherman AU in the early stages that will likely resemble the shorter snapshot structure of All The Love, H if you’ve read that. Definitely still in the early stages of those, but think I will try to finish them up before posting :)

Also a special birthday shoutout to the man behind it all- Mr. Niall James Horan. I'm sure in some alternate reality, he and Kelsey are celebrating accordingly :)

THANK YOU AGAIN!!!