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Louis' POV: Chapter 23

Louis looks down at the boy in his arms, and his heart stops. His eyes are closed.

He's still breathing. He's fine. He's been down here for almost 2 days, he's just tired. Louis reasons, but his steps move faster.

"Liam!" he calls, and he hears Liam yell something back from down a hallway somewhere. They had found Harry in a storage closet in the basement of the parking garage that Liam had traced the number to.

"Liam! Zayn! I found him, let's go!" Louis starts heading back the way they came, and he can hear the pounding of feet behind him.

"Louis, give him to me." Liam says, coming up and holding out his arms, but Louis just tightens his grip around the boy.

"Not happening." Louis growls and Liam and Zayn both nod in understanding, all of them rushing out of the building.

Once in the car, Liam drives with Zayn up front next to him. Louis sits in the back with the sleeping Harry, making sure he doesn't get hurt.

It is less than a 10 minute drive to the nearest hospital. As they drive, Louis absentmindedly cards his hands through Harry's curls. He feels as Harry unconsciously presses into the touch, and Louis glances down at him.

The cuts cover his upper body. They are all dried, some have started to heal themselves. Louis runs a hand over the seemingly newest ones, and he starts to murmur into Harry's ear.

"I'm so sorry, my love. I was so selfish. I shouldn't have pulled you into this. I should have left that coffee shop the day I met you, but I was selfish. I selfishly wanted to love someone, and I knew you were the only one I could love. You finally taught me to love, and I didn't want to let you go. This is my fault, my darling. I'm so sorry. I should have let you go."

Just then, they pull into the parking lot of the hospital. Louis picks Harry back up into his arms and climbs out of the car, following Liam and Zayn into the hospital.

"I called. They're waiting." Liam says. Doctors rush towards them, placing Harry on a bed and rolling him away. Louis attempts to follow, but Liam grabs his arm.

Louis spins around, about to tell him off, but Liam has a hand held up to shut him up. "Just listen to me, Louis please. I need to talk to you." Liam says, and Louis nods, sitting down.

He's doing his best to hold in his tears, but the day had been too overwhelming. "Louis, he's going to be ok." Liam says, his hand landing on Louis' shoulder, but Louis shakes him off, standing up, tears streaming down his face.

"He would be ok right now if he wasn't for me. If I hadn't been so selfish, he would be at home with Niall, watching a goddamn movie or studying for a goddamn test, like a normal fucking college kid. I should have just left him alone." Louis says, pacing around the waiting room.

"I don't think that's true, Louis." Zayn says, going to sit beside Liam.

Louis scoffs. "Yeah right. He's in the hospital now because of me." Louis says, but Zayn just smiles sadly.

"Yes, it kind of is your fault." He laughs, and Louis laughs along as well, the day too overwhelming to hold back his emotions. "But, Louis, that boy is so in love with you. You've changed his life, and I think it's for the better. He seems so happy whenever he's around you, and he seems comfortable."

Louis sits down across from them, dropping his head in his hands.

"And," Zayn continues, making Louis look up. "You are the happiest I've seen you in years, Louis. That boy brings out the best in you, and I think you bring out the best in him. He's taught you to love. That's a feat, considering it's you."

Louis laughs at that. "So, I shouldn't leave?" Louis asks, and both of the men in front of him shake their heads.

Then, a doctor walks up to them, and Louis stands up.

"Are you Louis?" The man asks, and Louis nods, wringing his wrists nervously behind his back.

"Is Harry ok?" Louis asks, scared of the answer.

"Yes, he's just fine. The cuts are deep, but they've been bandaged, and he's hooked up to an IV which will help him recover from the blood loss. He's awake though, and he's asking for you." The doctor says, and Louis lets out a huge breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Can I go see him?" Louis asks quickly, and the doctor nods, motioning for Louis to follow him.

Louis follows the doctor down a series of hallways. Once they reach the room, the doctor allows Louis to go in alone. When he walks in, he sees Harry on the bed.

He has on one of those hospital gowns, and the cuts on his arms are bandaged. He's surrounded by equipment and his face looks pale, sullen. So different from the boy he'd come to know and love.

But, then Harry looks up at the noise of Louis entering, and his face lights up, looking just like it had every time he had seen Louis. Louis' heart swells.

Maybe Zayn is right. Louis thinks to himself.

He runs over to the side of Harry's bed, throwing himself, carefully, at the boy. Harry wraps his arms tightly around Louis, pressing his face into the side of Louis' neck. Louis can feel his breath as Harry whispers softly into his ear.

"Please don't let me go. You're not selfish, at all, you're the love of my life. Please don't let me go." Louis pulls away, his heart soaring after hearing those words.

"I'm...the love of your life?" He asks, and Harry nods, tears spilling over his cheeks.

"I love you so much, Louis. I never want to be without you." Louis wraps Harry up in a hug again, carding a hand through his curls.

"I never want to let you go, my love. But I'm dangerous. When you're with me, you're in danger." Harry shakes his head against Louis' shoulder.

"No, no, when I'm not with you I'm in danger. You make me feel safe. You keep me safe." Louis' breathing becomes ragged and shaky as Harry keeps talking.

"You need to understand this, Louis. After Luke, I never felt safe. Niall did his best, but I never felt safe, I always felt like I wasn't good enough. I felt like I deserved what happened."

Louis pulls away, staring down at his boy, but Harry continues. "But, since that first day I spilled coffee on you, you helped change that. You made me feel safe. Since the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew where I belonged. You are my home, Louis, you feel like home."

Tears prick at Louis' eyes. "I love you so much, Hazza. You deserve the world, and I will do my best to give that to you." Harry shakes his head.

"You are my world. You're giving me the world right now." Tears spill over, falling down Louis' cheeks.

He leans down and presses a kiss softly to Harry's forehead, his nose, his cheeks, and finally his lips. There is only one thought in both of their minds as they kiss.

I'm home.

A/N Thank you all so much for 2.2K reads!!! That is amazing, I never imagined this would actually get that many reads. I have another book started here called Falling For You, it's a Ziam story. Please go give that a read❤️