Together (Sequel to Slipping Away)

Chapter Six

It was Friday, the day of the funeral. Harry sat on his and Louis' bed and stared blankly at the wall. Louis walked in from the bathroom and sighed heavily, seeing his lover's pale and emotionless face.

"Harry, you have to get ready. We have to leave in an hour." Louis said softly as he started to pull on his black suit. As he did his hair he glanced back in the mirror and noticed that Harry still hadn't moved. He turned around and walked over, kneeling in front of Harry. "Harry." He said in a stern voice and Harry looked up, looking at Louis with emotionless eyes.

"Yes?" Harry asked, voice sounding weird to himself. Louis took a deep breath.

"You need to get ready. I'll set your suit out but please get up off the bed." Louis begged and pulled at Harry's arms. Eventually he got the man up and laid the suit out. As he walked out of the room he looked back to see Harry shuffling around the room like a zombie and he shook his head slightly, making his way to Adaley's room. He knocked softly on the door.

"Come in." the little girl called softly from the other side of the door and he opened it up, seeing her in the same position Harry was in. He moved to her closet and got the black dress and matching sandals he'd gotten earlier that week. He laid the clothes next to the little girl and sat next to her.

"C'mon sunshine. We need to get you ready." Louis said softly and gently touched the curlers that he'd put into her hair the night before. Adaley looked up at him and shook her head.

"I don't want to." She said stubbornly and swatted at his hand. Hurt flashed across his face but he shook it off and sighed softly.

"C'mon. We don't want to be late. Please just get dressed." He begged and finally Adaley gave in, stripping and quickly pulling the dress on. Louis kneeled down and buckled her shoes. He picked her up, sat her at her vanity, and started to take out the curlers. Adaley looked at him through the mirror.

"Papa, can you sing the beautiful song to me?" Adaley whispered and Louis nodded, smiling slightly at her. He started to sing 'What Makes You Beautiful' softly as he worked gently on her hair. Neither one of them heard Harry walking into the room and they both jumped when they heard his voice harmonizing with Louis'. Louis smiled at him and continued to sing. Harry's arms encircled Louis' waist as he sang softly in his ear, making Louis blush. Louis gently ran the comb through Adaley's hair and nodded when he was content with the way it looked.

"I'm done. Are we ready to go?" he asked as he handed Adaley her lavender colored sweater. He turned back to the mirror and straightened out his lavender as Harry straightened his lavender bowtie. When Louis raised an eyebrow at the bowtie Harry shrugged, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Bowties are cool." He insisted and Louis laughed, shaking his head in disagreement. He shooed everyone out of the house. The ride to the funeral home was silent as all of them were deep in thought. Harry was going over his speech in his mind as they drove down the road. When they finally arrived they could see the parking lot was overflowing with cars and Harry looked at in shock. He turned to look over at Louis who was trying to navigate through all the cars.

"There's a lot of people here. I thought you said she didn't know many people." Louis murmured, putting the car in park. Harry shook his head and ran a hand through his hair repeatedly.

"She said she didn't." He mumbled and climbed out of the car, helping Adaley out and setting her on his hip. As they walked into the building Harry was overwhelmed at how many people were sitting in the chairs and standing along the wall in the back. Terrance walked up to him and hugged them both gently.

"Katie would want you guys up there with me. The other boys are up there as well." Terrance said in a low voice and Harry looked up by the casket, amazed at how the other three boys in their band were standing there.