Little Cub

Part 23

Louis wakes from a nightmare, someone calling his name, he sits up straight in bed, panting hard. He realises he's sweating. Harry is nowhere to be seen, Louis feels like utter shit and he tries to calm his breathing. He goes to get out of bed when he sees a drip in his hand and feels something in his nose. He pulls both things out completely and winces.

His dream is was so vivid and he remembers downstairs at dinner, his name being called, he has to go and see who it was, has to find out.

He gets off the bed slowly, his body is so shaky and weak, he must have passed out before, he doesn't remember, doesn't even think about the fact he had a drip in his arm, he is so focused on his dream and who's in the basement. Louis makes his way to the bedroom door, his socked feet glide across the carpet. He reaches the door and slips out, he passes Harry's office, he sees the light on from under the door, he doesn't stop though, knowing Harry won't want him going to the basement, Harry will be mad Louis is even out of bed.

Louis makes his way through the quiet house, until he's standing at the door of the basement. He utterly hates this room, his breathing picks up at the thought of going in there, so many bad memories flood through his mind. He takes a deep breath and opens the door, he's met with darkness but he can hear breathing.

Louis walks further into the room and reaches for the light and switches it on, what he comes face to face with he didn't expect, should have, but didn't. His dad is in the corner of the room, stripped to his underwear, chained to the wall. His gag has slipped down to his neck and he has a smirk on his face. He's covered in dirt and blood and has clearly been tortured, there are whip marks all over his body and Louis wasn't prepared to see his dad like this.

"I knew you'd come" Troy rasps to Louis.

Louis doesn't answer, still taking everything in, obviously Troy has been chained up for weeks, Louis forgot he was captured by Harry, he hasn't really thought about what happened to his dad.

"Aren't you going to let your old dad go Louis?" Troy asks

Louis gasps.

"Wha?" Louis rasps.

It's a wonder Louis is still standing, he's so weak, sore and sick, he wonders if this is a dream or an hallucination.

"I know you won't let them keep torturing me Louis, you won't let them kill me, please son.....let me go, release me please" Troy begs Louis.

Louis is stunned, his dad is begging him to let him go, it's true, Louis doesn't want to see him tortured or killed but if he lets his dad go, he will try to kill him, like he wouldn't have hesitated to do before Harry saved him. Not to mention Harry would be livid if he found out Louis let his dad go.

"I....I." Louis chokes, he feels his body is sweating, yet he's so cold.

"Harry doesn't love you Louis, he is using you, once Ive been killed, Harry will do the same to you" Troy chuckles dryly.

"No, he won't, Harry loves me and I love him" Louis says.

"You're delusional, Harry can't love anyone, he isn't capable, especially not you" Troy spits.

Louis chest hurts at his dad's words, doubt creeps in his mind at Harry's intentions but then he remembers everything him and Harry have been through, he won't let his dad get into his head.

"I might not be worthy of Harry's love, but I know he loves me and I know he would never hurt me, I know it's hard for you to understand, you're the one who's incapable of love" Louis says.

"Oh god, he has you trapped, he has you right where he wants you, he's using you, can't you see that?" Troy says.

Louis is silent he doesn't want these things Troy is saying to be true.

"Let me go Louis, let me out, we can take Harry down together, we can take over the underground, together. You can't trust Harry Louis, everything he says is a lie" Troy says.

Louis contemplates his dad's words, he looks at his dad, he's pathetic, begging his son like this, trying to brainwash him, Louis isn't stupid.

"Harry is the only person I trust with my life, he would do anything for me and so would the boys, I trust them all with everything I have. Harry means everything to me, I love him to death and if it's true that he's using me, if it's true that he doesn't love me and is going to kill me. Then, at least I'll die knowing what it felt like to be in love and to be loved by someone. My own father couldn't love me, wouldn't have hesitated to kill me, I don't trust a single word that's come out of your mouth and if you think I'll go behind Harry's back, then you're the stupid one" Louis says, his voice raspy as tears threaten to spill.

Troy gasps and then turns his head towards the door, Louis follows his eyesight and sees Harry standing against the doorframe, leaning on it with his arms crossed and signature smirk on his face. Drew, Scott and Edward are behind him. They all heard the entire exchange between Louis and his dad.

Harry's heart has swollen at his cubs words, Harry is in utter awe of Louis. Even though Louis is out of bed and in the basement when he's sick as a dog and knows he isn't allowed in here, Harry can't help the fond and will let this incident slide after hearing his boy confess his feelings.

"You shouldn't be out of bed little cub" Harry says breaking the silence.

Louis looks at Harry intently.

"I think Louis has made his feelings pretty clear Troy, he's mine and will forever be mine, I will do every single thing possible to protect him and that includes killing your pathetic ass" Harry says heatedly.

"Haaarryy" Louis sways.

Harry is quick to Louis side, he picks him up like a child and Louis latches on to him.

"Shhhhhh, it's okay darling, I've got you" Harry says.

"I'm scared" Louis whispers.

He's scared of watching his dad die, knowing his dad's going to die and knowing he could have stopped it but didn't.

"I know, you need to go back to bed cub, you're very sick" Harry tells him gently.

Louis looks over Harry's shoulder to his dad.

"Please Louis, don't let them do this please" Troy begs as Drew and Edward move towards the room, guns in hand.

"It will be quick and painless Troy, you should be thanking Louis for finding you, we weren't planning on killing you for weeks" Scott says.

Louis buries his head in Harry's neck and places his hands over his ears.

"Cub, look at me" Harry says seriously.

Louis hesitates but looks Harry straight in the eyes.

"I won't kill him if you don't want me too, I can't let him go because he's going to hurt you again but I won't kill him if you say no" Harry tells him sincerely.

Louis is shocked at Harry's words, he'd let him choose? Louis doesn't know what to do, he hates his dad and is scared of him but does he deserve to die.

"I don't want to make that decision, I don't want to know, I don't want him near me, I hate him, I can't" Louis says as his breathing gets quicker.

"Okay darling, it's okay, lets go back to bed hey, come on" Harry says and Louis grip on Harry tightens dramatically.

Harry and Louis leave the basement and the boys to do what they please to a begging, pathetic Troy.