Changed [stylinson]

IM Scared

hi there.

these first few chapters are probably gonna be short but they'll get longer as we go.

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"Is she dead?" Paisley asks. 

"No, bug. She's just... asleep." She seems unsatisfied with the answer, though, furrowing her brow and poking Jay's arm. "Paisley."

Harry is asleep across the room. A part of Louis wishes Harry and Paisley had stayed back, because the entire incident is too sensitive for a child to be a part of. A larger part of him swats the thought away, and he reminds himself that without Harry as his rock, he'd be nowhere. So, he ignores the fatigue and the anxiety and forces himself to keep his eyes open, as promised, and watch his daughter.

His young sisters are due any moment, under the care of Lottie, and he couldn't be more grateful. Watching his mum lay motionless for hours has left a heavy dead weight in his stomach. He thinks back to losing Eve and how it had all happened so suddenly, so unexpectedly- he cringes. 

The clock ticks loudly on the wall, and the sound is slowly driving him mad. He checks his phone just for something to do, even though it's still early and no one is awake anyway, and sends Niall a picture of Paisley from the previous week. His phone is cluttered with them from a brief visit to the aquarium; mostly because Harry's phone had died and "we need to take pictures, Louis." He knows that Niall has a strange fascination with their daughter and with all other children, actually, and adds on a 'maybe you should have one of your own soon' to the image. When he allows himself to glance at the clock again, he's - not surprisingly - disappointed. It's only been two minutes.

His stomach makes an ugly noise. He looks at Harry almost instinctively, but the noise hasn't roused him in the slightest. So he deems it safe to take Paisley by the hand and lead her out the door and to a lift. She's still partially dress in pajamas, he notes, and her hair is in desperate need of brushing. 

"A stop by the shops too, yeah?" he asks, running a hand through her tangled curls. He feels and sees her nod eagerly, and it brings a smile to his face. "Just for a few things."

Despite everything that's lead him to this point, he really loves this little girl. 

In the cafeteria, Louis quickly realizes that the only thing being served at this hour is oatmeal (that looks more like a lumpy puree) and small, sad excuses for muffins. Paisley runs into him, her short legs barely able to keep up, as he turns around and immediately exits. 

"Dad?" she looks up at him, bottom lip jutting out, "I'm hungry, though."

"We'll get something while we're out, love." 

"But what about Daddy?"

"We'll get something for him, too. Come on." Their hands clasp together once again, and Louis feels like he's taking part of Harry with him. Which, biologically speaking, he supposes he is. 

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They arrive at a small, local Indian grocery store that looks like it's about to collapse on itself, honestly. Louis decides that there isn't time to look for an alternative, and he drags a very reluctant Paisley in with him. 

There are aisles upon aisles of boxed foods and a long line of doors to freezers along the wall. It's small and painted a very unfortunately ugly shade of green, but Louis sees a few racks of fabric in the back. He looks to Paisley and decides that bringing her back to Harry in traditional Indian wear might rise some questions. It could be an early Halloween costume.