Precious (Harry Styles)

FIFTY FIVE 😥

Harry was in surgery for hours. To his family, it felt like days.

He was back in his room.

Louis was sat beside him, holding his hand. He was on a ventilator helping him to breathe.

Louis was trying to be strong, to not cry, but it was incredibly difficult.

Harry's legs had been amputated from just below his knees.  Louis worried how Harry would cope, how they all would cope. He had never been so scared.

How would Harry react when he wakes up? When he's told about his legs? Louis dreaded the thought.

Doctor Smith came in his room, while the nurses were rushing around, doing their checks, and making Harry comfortable.

"Louis?" The doctor said. Louis looked up, he hadn't noticed that he was standing in front of him.

"The operation went well. He's still fighting the infection." Louis nodded.

"When will he wake up?"

"Not for a while. He's still very sick. He'll stay on the ventilator for a while yet."

Louis thanked the Doctor, as he checked his vitals.

*****

The days went by. Harry was improving slowly. He was off of the critical list now.

After three days, he was finally taken off of the ventilator, being closely monitored.

The next day was the day Louis was dreading, but also looking forward to,  if that makes sense.

Harry started to wake up. Louis had been told not to jump straight in and tell him about his operation.

Louis had never looked at Harry as much as he had done while he'd been in that bed. He had memorized every single freckle, every eyelash, every spot on his body, which were slowly fading.

Louis wasn't religious at all, but he had found himself praying a lot. It couldn't hurt.

Louis spent another day, staring at his son, praying, memorizing.

He held his hand. He mopped his brow. He talked to him. He sang to him.

He was praying one time, when he felt an ever so faint movement in his hand. Harry moved.

He waited a while, not sure if it was his imagination. He felt it again.

"Harry? Harry love? It's Daddy. Can you hear me?" He whispered.

Harry's hand moved again.

"That's it, you gonna stop being a lazy bones and wake up now?"

A nurse came in.

"He's moving his hand. Look." He said to the nurse as she stood by his bed.

"Harry. Can you squeeze Daddy's hand again?" He asked.

After a few seconds Harry squeezed his hand again.

"This is good. Keep talking to him." The nurse said, writing on Harry's chart.

"Harry...Kitty can't wait for you to come home. He's going mad without you there. Niall said that he caught a mouse the other day and took it into the living room. Gran nearly had a heart attack." He laughed.

"Gemma has bought you a big teddy bear, like you don't have enough already eh? You need to give it a name. Preferably something a bit better than Teddy."

Harry's hand moved more, and his eyes started flickering.

"That's it love. Open those eyes. Let Daddy see those beautiful green eyes of yours. I've missed them so much."

Harry's mouth opened slightly. "D..Da." he said  barely loud enough for Louis to hear.

Louis stroked Harry's cheek gently. Harry was on a high dose of painkillers, so Louis knew he'd be on another planet when he woke up.

Harry's eyes were barely opened, but he smiled at Louis' touch.

"What time do you call this eh? Been asleep a while." He said.

Harry's eyes closed again, falling back to sleep. His tiny body was too tired to stay awake for long.

*****

The next day, Harry woke with his Daddy laying on a makeshift bed that had been set up for him. He felt so tired and weak still, but managed to talk, even though his throat was dry and very sore.

"Da-Daddy." He whispered.

Louis heard him, though, as he was a light sleeper. He got up off of the bed and sat next to Harry,  taking his small hand and stroking it gently.

"Morning my lovely." He smiled at his son.

"Where...?"

"You're in the hospital.  You've been poorly. But you're getting better now." He answered, a tinge of sadness in his voice.

"Feel...funny."

"That's your medicine. It's making you better."

Doctor Smith came in. "Morning Louis. Morning Harry. How are you feeling?" He asked, checking his charts.

"Funny."

"What do you mean by funny?"

"Sleepy. Dizzy. My legs ache."

Louis looked at the Doctor.

"Harry..." the Doctor started to speak, but Louis butted in.

"Can I tell him?"

The Doctor nodded and stepped aside.

Louis held Harry's hand tighter. "Listen my darling. You...you had a very bad illness, and the Doctors had to do something to make you better..." he took a deep breath  trying desperately not to cry. "Baby...they had to...to amputate your legs."

He stared at Harry for a reaction.

"That means..." Harry said, confused.

"I'm so sorry. Your legs are gone from below your knees." Louis sniffed.

Harry squeezes Louis' hand, as he started to gag. Louis grabbed a bowl and held it under Harry's chin, as he threw up.

It was breaking Louis' heart.

Louis cleaned Harry up. His face was pale and sweaty, there were tears in his eyes.

"I'll leave you alone for a bit. We'll need to discuss the future, but that can wait til tomorrow. " the doctor said, patting Louis' shoulder. Louis nodded, as the doctor left.

That's when Harry broke down in Louis' arms.

God this was so hard to write. Just had complete writers block. But I hope it's ok.

All the love 💖💖💖