Yes, Boss

one hundered and three.

Flora. 

"A chat.." I ask, my voice barely a whisper, sitting up and flicking the lamp on. He hovers by the door. 

"Yeah, can I come in?" He asks. I frown. 

"No Edward" I say bravely, he pauses, coming in anyway. I give a sigh of disgust, sitting up against the headboard a little more defensively. He shuts the door and I flick the bedside lamp on quickly so as I'm not in the dark with him.

"Can I sit down?" He asks. I don't answer, knowing he'll do it anyway. He does, perching on the end of the bed, too close for my liking. I stare at the white covers, crumpled where I'm tucked up underneath them. 

"Flora.." He says quietly, no hint of malice in his voice. 

"Edward what just spit it out" I say snappily, fists holding the cold cotton of the quilt in frustration. 

"I don't want you to be scared of me anymore" He says, I look up. 

"And you expect me to just flip a switch, you're fucking crazy Edward" I say, my voice an aggressive whisper, unwilling to wake Gemma or Douglas up.

"I'm in therapy, I've realised some things" He says sadly, staring at the wall. 

"What that you're a fucking moron?" I hiss, knowing that I might be provoking him but I can't help myself. 

"Yeah" He says with a hint of a smile, he suddenly looks at me making me nervous. 

"Don't look so scared.. please.." He says, I flinch as he moves. 

"Edward I can't accept your apology" I whisper, shaking my head. He looks at me sadly and I can't help but pick out the parts of him that remind me of Harry.. although slight the similarities are there in his features. 

"I'd never have sold Harry out to anybody.." He whispers. 

"It's too late" I say. 

"I have a son.." He says. 

"You what..?" I say. 

"I have a son and he's 6, and I love him so much and I know exactly how Harry is going to feel about your kids and I could never ever take a child's father away" He shakes his head, placing his head in his hands. 

My head snaps up as I hear voices down the corridor. 

"Edward.. just.. get the fuck out" I say my breath caught in my throat, he gets up heading for the door. Luckily the voices fade, must have stayed downstairs. 

"I've no idea what you're on about but now is not the time" I say, getting up to urge him from the room, slamming the door behind me. What does he mean.. what could he possibly mean? I wait for what feels like ages, but probably less than a minute before heading downstairs. If that's Harry home I'd rather be down there with him than thinking about Eddie's cryptic clues. 

I head downstairs slowly into the dark hallway, light floods out from the kitchen and I can hear Niall talking loudly, slurring his words. I prepare myself with a small giggle as I enter the kitchen, putting my head round the door. 

Harry and Niall are sitting at the table, Niall is eating chips, an open bottle of beer in front of him, Harry looks up. 

"Did we wake you?" He asks, voice slightly slurred, shirt much more creased than when he put it on earlier this evening, hair falling out of style.

"No, it's okay I wasn't asleep" I go over to him, running a hand through his unruly hair to part it on the side where he likes it, he wraps an arm around my waist. 

"Niall's wasted" Harry gestures to the guy across the table, who I can't deny looks thoroughly wasted.

"I'm not!" Niall denies, eating the cold looking chips.

"And you aren't?" I chuckle, looking at his slightly sloppy grin. Hand grasping at my hip tightly. 

"A little bit" He says burying his face in my side where he's sitting down, placing a kiss to my ribs. 

"Happy new year" I say kissing the top of his head. Happy to have him near me when Edward is around. 

"Lets get Niall to bed" I say, gesturing to the guy across the table. Harry nods letting go of me to help his friend up.

"You did well to get him home" I say, grabbing two bottles of water for them and helping Harry take him upstairs where he crawls into bed fully clothed with a mumble of happy new year.