17BLACK

Chapter 70

Louis' POV:

"Isn't she beautiful?" Will presses his face to the clear glass, his nose scrunching up in protest and his chest firmly against the window. His voice is thick with wonder.

I follow his eyes through the glass and into the room full of tiny bodies in clear beds. I scan the tags at the foot of the beds until I see it.

Adelaide Gray

She's sleeping, as she always is these past few days, her little head nestled against the soft bed. Her arms bend at her waist and her tiny feet twitch with the dreams she's having. The nurses put the onesie Will brought in yesterday on her this morning. It's purple, with black letterings that read:

TEAM WILL

"She can't even walk and you've turned her against me," I had said while sipping the cup of coffee Aaron bought me from the café.

"She's halfway related to me, of course she's beautiful. Hard not to be with the Tomlinson genes." This earns me a playful shove. I push him back before remembering that he's still recovering.

"Are you ok-"

"I'm fine Louis. I wish you'd stop treating me like a broken toy." He looks at me with those eyes of his, and it pulls a smile out of me. I nod and tap him with my shoulder as a peace offering.

"Toys. I call buying her toys. You get clothes, I get toys." Will raises his eyebrow. My eyes are fixed on Adelaide's huddled figure.

"You want to be in her life?" From anyone else I would have taken this as offensive, but I understand it coming from Will. I've made it clear that I don't want our mom in my life, but my little sister? That's a different story.

"She's done nothing wrong," I shrug. It took two of us to escape our childhood, and even then we barely got away. She'll need all the help she can get. I'm not going to leave her alone.

"And," I begin. "I'm the elder Tommo. I've got to watch out for you children." I ruffle his hair and pinch his side.

Will laughs and struggles to get away from me, looking very young and very innocent. I wasn't entirely joking. I do feel a sense of responsibility for him. For both of them.

"You know you don't need to watch out for me anymore. I can take care of myself now that I'm not a child." I notice little patches of stubble on his chin and his prominent cheekbone that's getting harder and harder each day, and know that he's right. It's just a habit of mine.

I nod, looking back to Adelaide. Will must see something in my eyes because his tone gets softer and quieter. We're the only viewers looking at the babies right now, but there's a few nurses that walk by occasionally.

"And Louis..." I refuse to look at him. I won't give anymore away. My eyes betray me.

Will puts his shoulder on the glass right next to me and leans in.

"It's okay if you're not okay too. You don't have to be so strong all the time." I scoff. I'm the weakest person I know. 

I brush his words off by rolling my eyes.

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" We both know exactly why but I've decided that playing stupid is my best option here.

There's concern in Will's facial features.

"Harry hasn't allowed visitors in nearly a week." I try playing off an obnoxious smirk but an able to do so. His words make the situation real.

It's been nearly a week since Harry has been checked into the hospital, and although he's in stable condition he's requested that no one should be let in to visit. I spent two entire days not leaving the end of his hallway, not believing the doctors when they told me that he wanted to be alone. I tried sitting by his door, even knocking and asking for him, but I was kicked out for the disturbance. A nice nurse understood my situation somehow and allowed me to sit in the hallway nine doors down.