Where I Am Without You [L.S]

Chapter Six

April Sun in Cuba is playing through his Range Rover speakers when he finally pulls up in front of the building, somewhere near Knightsbridge, where he'd been instructed to arrive for the meeting. He'd been far longer with Mitch than he'd planned for so he was very grateful to find a parking space near enough to the building that it wouldn't make him later than he already was. He grabbed for the warmer coat he'd thrown in the back, just in case the weather turned for the worst, and headed towards the nondescript building.

Making his way inside, a middle aged woman sat behind a desk directed him to the elevator and told him to head up to the fourth floor.

With a distinct ding, the elevator doors pulled open and the first thing he was greeted with as he stepped into a large room, sectioned off only by a meeting room to his left, was being engulfed into someone's arms.

"Bout time you arrived!" Niall said as he pulled away, his hands remaining clasped around Harry's forearms, "Good to see ya!"

He smiled at the Irishman's antics, "You too man." His eyes searched around Niall and it took a moment for him to recognize the other man stood behind Niall with a knowing look on his face.

"Been a while H." Zayn said as he flashed him a small smile as Niall stepped back.

"Glad you're here Zayn, it really wouldn't be the same without you for this one." He replied, wiping all of the pent-up thoughts he'd had of Zayn leaving the band, despite fully understanding the reasoning why, as he stepped forward and embraced him.

"Yeah well, s'gonna be different this time round aye?" Zayn eventual offers when they pull apart.

"Can't believe Louis had to be the one to tell me you were coming back though, thought I at least deserved a text or somethn'."

"Wait you've spoken to Louis?" Niall interjects.

"Went and saw him this morning."

"Fuck man, how'd it go?"

"Fine, it went fine."

Something in his voice obviously registered with both of them as they seemed to drop the topic, realising it wasn't something he wanted to expand on.

"Yeah well anyway," Zayn begins again, shuffling slightly to draw their attention, "I wasn't sure for a while whether I was gonna come back or not. I mean, of course I wanted to but I needed to be sure of how this was all going to run, what restrictions we'd have and how things would be different from before."

"As you should have done. I think we all know how shit we were treated under Modest! Hell, even the fans divulged much of what we went through. If it was that clear, then it speaks volumes about how bad things were." Niall said, tone rarely serious and lacking his often lighthearted humour and carefree personality.

"I thought being serious was my role in the band?" A new voice called from behind them and they all turned to find Liam walking towards them. Each of them pulled him in for an embrace, the four of them sporting wide smiles as they stood huddled together outside the meeting room.

"You know I'm really not surprised that Louis is the last one to arrive I've gotta say!" Niall said once they'd all settled in a misshaped circle. As unconventional as they've ever been.

"It wouldn't be One Direction if Louis wasn't fashionably late to a meeting." Liam said with a knowing glint in his eye.

It was going to take Harry some time before he was used to the casual manner in which people addressed Louis in conversation around him.