BY ACCIDENT [L.S]

🚲 TWENTY-SIX 🚲

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
- Edited -

[ Louis' POV ]

It was a sleepless night.
After Harry fell asleep, I tried to remain calm, keep him company, and eventually try to sleep too. But I simply had too many things running on my mind.

First, the worry of not knowing where Austin was, then, the guilt that now the entire hospital and the police were involved in this, and Harry still didn't know. Then, the fact that even if Harry was the main priority here, I couldn't help but think how all of this was going to affect my current case.

So, knowing my restlessness would only end up waking Harry, I finally decided to get out of the room for fresh air -making sure Harry was being watched and safe by the night nurses- and searched for Liam.
Not long after, I found him watching the news in the waiting room with a horrified look on his face.

"What hap..."

"Shut up and watch." - He said.

I sat next to him and focused on the TV.
There was a news reporter speaking, it looked urgent. And I understood what Liam meant when I saw that they were showing pictures of me and Harry together on the screen.

"Ultimate news, the famous singer, Louis Tomlinson had been spotted at the Hollywood Care Hospital with a boy named Harry Styles. The boy was severely injured, and we don't discard the theory that Tomlinson was the one who hurt the boy in first place.
The paramedics said in his report that Tomlinson's PA was the one calling the emergency number and that both of them were at the scene.
The police found Harry's phone on the floor of his department, showing that his last call was to the very same Louis Tomlinson. Everything indicates that he could be the one who did this to that poor innocent boy.
Harry Styles was known earlier today when we saw pictures of him with Louis Tomlinson in public, and it wasn't a surprise when we found out that Harry was indeed one of Louis' fans.
As Jamie Hunt, Tomlinson's ex-boyfriend, said during Tomlinson's trial, he has a bit of fetishism for his own fans.
It doesn't look good for the singer's future, and it doesn't help either to the open cause against Charles Kellian. 
We are now waiting for an update on the young Styles' health. And of course, his statement to the police.
But I'm sure that Kellian's Lawyer isn't going to let this slip away.
It's now clearer that Louis Tomlinson is abusive and violent, and he has taken one more victim with him."

"What is she saying?! For God's sake. I didn't do that to Harry. To anyone! Damn! It was that fucking Austin! Liam, we need to do something!"

"Louis, you need to calm down." - He sighed. - "Harry is going to talk to the police in the morning. He'll clarify everything then."

"I can't calm down. I should call Richard."

"Calling your lawyer now isn't going to fix anything."

"I can't sit and do nothing either." - I groaned in frustration.

"You should go and take care of Harry now. Let this for me to handle. You have a perfectly capable team, Louis. Remember that." - He patted my shoulder. - "You're not alone. But for what I've gathered, Harry in there, is." - He pointed back to the room.

I stared at him, and I knew he was right. Harry was the only one who needed my full attention right now.
So I told Liam to call my phone if he had any news, and I made my way to an expending machine to grab something to eat.
Then, I returned to Harry's room.

He was still sleeping, and he looked like an angel.
I knew I should get some sleep as well. 

But the hospital room wasn't very comfortable for those who stay with the patients.
I didn't want to bother Harry on his bed, but I didn't want to sleep sitting in a chair either.
That's why I took three chairs and put them in a row, by the side of Harry's bed, and I laid down there.
I took Harry's hand between mine to keep him close, to give him comfort. I brushed my thumbs on his palm, closing my eyes as I brought it up to my lips, softly kissing his knuckles.

I tried to convince myself he was going to be alright.
His head was stitched again, and he hadn't had major injuries. Physically, he was alright.

But still, I feared.
I feared because his attacker could be back any moment.

Harry yawned and stretched in bed, his hand slipping from my grip. His eyes blinked opened until he focused them on me.

"Lou, what are you trying to do?" - He asked in his sleepy voice.

"Sleep here."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want to leave your side."

"Then you should be up here with me, don't you think?" - He chuckled.

When he saw that I wasn't going to climb on bed with him, he sat up and looked at me, wondering what was wrong.

"Don't you want to sleep here with me?" - He said while pouting, and I have to confess that I almost died from his cuteness.

"Yes."

"So? What's wrong? Why are you laying on chairs?"

"Because I don't want to bother you while you sleep."

"Nonsense."

"Harry, go back to sleep. Please. It's been a long day." - I said, trying to close my eyes.

"I'm not going to let you sleep there. Come here." - He said.

"Baby, please."

"No, Lou."

"It's best for you to sleep there on your own, so you recover. Let me stay here."

"You clearly don't know what is best for me." - I sat up on the chairs and looked at him with an inquiry look. - "I want to sleep next to you. Is it too much to ask?" - He said, and I could tell he was exhausted.

I doubted for a bit, but then I denied with my head. I couldn't say no to him.
I sighed and stood up, climbing on the bed by Harry's side and getting inside the blankets just like him.
He turned to his side, facing the wall, and took my arm so I could surround him from his back and be the big spoon.

Even with everything that had gone down that day, feeling Harry in my arm was the most anchoring feeling in the world. Anchoring me to the what could be, to the wish of more nights of warm cuddles, to hoping safer days, better days. 

Having him in my arms again only made me realize I needed Harry. I needed him.
And he needed me.

"Dream of me." - I whispered into his ear.

"I always do." - He mumbled lightly.

His breathing stabilized after a bit, and my arm was moving up and down with the rhythm of his abdomen.
I was finally concealing sleep when people started yelling in the hallways, running footsteps sounding closer put me in high alert.

And then, there was a woman slamming the door of Harry's room open, and she wasn't happy.

"Mom?" - Harry asked while lifting himself in his elbows.

And then I understood. I froze.
That woman was Harry's mother.
And what a way to meet her.