In Front Of A Camera

• chapter thirty eight •

"She's so cute when she sleeps..." Louis whispered, running his thumb back and forth on a sleeping Everleigh's cheek. They were all in the same bed and it was getting close to midnight.

They had been soaking up these moments lately and all three of them were cuddling, Everleigh in the middle. "She's so cute all the time..." Louis whispered again before yawning sleepily. He hadn't been to sleep yet, he had such a bad headache that he couldn't bring himself to fall asleep.

"Baby why don't you try and fall asleep? It's getting late and I know you're sleepy..." Harry told him gently, reaching over to touch his face. He could see how sleepy Louis was and knew he would be exhausted in the morning if he didn't try and rest.

"I feel like I can't..." Louis whispered, his eyes so heavy but he wouldn't close them. He was to the point that the pain was constant, it used to come in spasms but now it was all the time and it made his mind fuzzy and it was nearly impossible for him to sleep.

"I know lovely... but you're gonna be exhausted tomorrow if you don't try" Harry told him, Louis' family was coming to visit him tomorrow and he knew Louis would want to be awake and with it while they were there.

Harry had never actually met Louis' family and this wasn't how he pictured it either. They were basically there because Louis didn't have long left and he was getting worse by the day. Louis was more than excited to see them, but being so sick was devastating to him because now they had to witness this as well.

Louis sighed softly, reaching over Everleigh to hold Harry's hand and whimpering a little. "It just hurts so bad..." Louis told Harry, his voice starting to waver.

This was a nightly thing now, Louis had such bad pain that he cried practically every night. Harry would hold him until he drifted off and he could already tell that was needed. "Let me take Ev to her own bed okay?" Harry told him, he could tell that Louis kind of just needed him and he didn't want his crying to wake Everleigh.

Harry picked Everleigh up gently and carried her to her crib and laid her down. After that he walked back to Louis who was already starting to cry. "I'm so sorry love..." Harry whispered, getting back in bed and pulling Louis in close.

He pressed a kiss into Louis' cheek and cuddled Louis so close. He was trying to soothe him but tonight was just one of those nights that he wouldn't fall asleep until he cried himself to sleep.

That's what Louis did too, he cried and cried until he couldn't hold his eyes open any longer and he was forced to shut them.

•

Harry was up early the next morning, despite being up late with Louis. He really wanted to get their house perfect for Louis' family. So he was vacuuming and cleaning everything that he saw even a speck of dust on.

Louis was still in bed however, he was beyond exhausted from the night before. So Harry let him sleep, getting himself ready and everything until he heard the doorbell ring. He was a little nervous. He and Louis had been dating for a while but they had not met each other's parents, so he couldn't help but be nervous.

He went to the door and opened it with a smile. "Hello...I'm Harry" Harry smiled, extending his hand to Louis' mum. "We've all heard of you, your modeling is incredible!" Jay smiled and shook his hand. "I'm Jay"

"Aww, thank you so much. Well it's nice to meet all of you. Come on in okay? Louis is still in bed but you guys can make yourselves at home while I get him out of bed" Harry smiled, letting them all in and then walking upstairs.

Surprisingly, Louis was already awake and sitting up in bed. "Hey my love, how are you doing?" Harry asked sweetly, sitting on Louis' side of the bed and rubbing the top of his bare feet.

"I threw up..." Louis whispered as he leaned over to be touching Harry, leaning himself on Harry's chest. Harry immediately wrapped both arms around him and rubbed his back.

"I'm sorry lovey...did you make it in the bathroom?" Harry asked him quietly, noticing how Louis was squinting at the light coming into the room and figured his head was really bothering him.

Louis nodded, shutting his eyes with a sigh. "Everybody's here, do you wanna go downstairs and see them?" Harry asked, not wanting him to fall back asleep. Harry moved some of the hair from Louis' forehead and kissed it, waiting for his answer.

"Yeah...but I don't wanna get up...wish you could carry me..." Louis mumbled, sounding so tired and cranky.

"I wish I could too, but let's go see them. They miss you so much. Plus you don't even have to take off your pjs" Harry told him, trying to get him to get out of bed. Louis finally agreed and opened his eyes, getting up to go with Harry while holding his hand.

Harry took him down the steps and into the living room where all of his family was. "Louis!" Daisy said loudly, going up to hug him but quickly stopped when she saw Louis bring a hand up to cover his head and groan.

"S'too loud..." Louis slurred, his ears ringing from how bad his head was hurting and his hands were shaking.

"I'm so sorry...I didn't know..." Daisy apologized, in more of a quieter voice. Louis felt so awful, his head was pounding so bad that he felt lightheaded and unsteady on his feet.

"S'okay...Harry...need..." Louis mumbled, his legs starting to shake as he grabbed onto Harry's hand.

"What do you need baby? Need to sit?" Harry asked him, rubbing his back and Jay quickly grabbed a chair so he could sit easier. It was obvious to all of them that sitting down is what he needed to do.

Harry helped him sit slowly in the chair and then knelt down next to it. "Want me to get you some water or something? Tell me how to help you.." Harry told him gently, trying to help him so that he could feel better.

Louis shook his head, looking around at everyone and trying to become a little more with it. Right now wasn't one of his good moments, he was feeling very fuzzy in the head. "I don't think he's all with it right now, sometimes he gets like this where he can't think very well..." Harry explained to his family. He was just there to hold Louis' hand and wait for him to feel better.

"I didn't know it was already this bad..." Jay whispered, tearing up as she watched her son be in such awful pain.

"Yeah...umm it kind of came up quick...but we can make the best of today yeah? We just have to do things slow..." Harry told them, trying not to cry himself.

With that they all sat and waited for Louis to feel a bit better and be coherent enough to talk to them.

•

The day had gone by pretty smoothly, everyone had gotten to know Harry and Everleigh and they were catching up with Louis as well.

They were trying to soak up as much time with Louis as possible, he was not really his normal self right now even though he tried so hard to be. Because of that, they could all tell he didn't have much time and they tried so hard to hide the grief they were already feeling.

"I love you guys..." Louis whispered as he was laying against Harry, wrapped in blankets and surrounded by his family. He hadn't said much all day but this warmed all of their hearts.

"We love you too babe...so much" Harry teared up, everyone else saying the same.

Harry knew the worst was coming and he didn't know how to prepare for the end...

Hey guys! Sorry it's taken so long for updates but it's finally here! We're getting close to the end, but nevertheless I hope you enjoyed this story! Thank you so much for reading
💜Violet