D.A.S.T

Epilogue: Wrap Up

Title: DAST: Wrap Up (Epilogue)

Pairings: Harry/Louis

Rating: R (for slash themes and violence)

Word Count: 5,970

Summary: The Dog and Armed Swat Team unite to bust open one of the most active and dangerous terrorism rings in Britain. Harry finds himself uneasy at the end of the night. AU

Disclaimer: This story is complete fiction - i.e. it had never happened. All real people in this story own themselves and I am in no way affiliated with them. Nor do I make any money from writing about them.

"Where's Harry?" Niall asked as he walked into the small office, shutting the door carefully and blocking out the loud chatter. Almost instinctively he reached up to check his tie was straight in the mirror on the opposite wall. 

Zayn chuckled as he looked up from his Blackberry, "In the toilet through there, throwing up the last of his breakfast." 

Niall snorted, "Again?! Is he really that nervous?" 

"Yep!" Zayn seemed quite delighted by the fact. "Our boy can play bullet-tag with world's deadliest terrorists and barely blink an eye but make him stand in front of a crowd and say something personal and he starts shitting bricks." 

Niall shook his head in amazement, "Well we'll be ready to go in five minutes - everyone's in their seats. He better be ready. Just... remind him to brush his teeth before he comes out." 

Niall left the room again to go take his place as Harry emerged from the toilet, looking pale and very slightly sweaty. Zayn looked up at him and smirked, "Five minutes to go and Niall says to brush your teeth."

~*~

Harry's insides were wriggling. His palms were sweating, his hands were shaking and there was a good chance he was either going to pass-out or throw-up on the beige carpet. He could do this. He could... He knew he could... but why the fuck did he wait this long to say it in the first place. If he had said it before then he would know the reaction he'd get - he would know if the sentiment was appreciated. He also wouldn't have to explain himself either. But like the fool and coward he was, he had waited until the very last minute to do it. 

"... both Harry and Louis have decided to write their own vows for this occasion," the Registrar continued, snapping Harry out of his nervous thoughts. "Harry, would you like to go first?" 

Harry's heart leapt into his throat, pounding hard and making him feel like he was going to truly pass out this time. Behind him he could hear the shuffling and muted coughs of about 150 guests. They were all staring at him, waiting for him to speak. Harry took in a shaky breath and turned, finally looking at Louis properly. Louis just smiled back at him; honest, open, affectionate, reassuring and completely drop dead gorgeous. It eased Harry's nerves just enough to speak - although his voice was intimately quiet and hoarse. 

"Louis, we've been together for nine years and I've never had the courage to tell you how much I care about you - not even when we got engaged. The one time I did have the courage; you were unconscious on a life support machine and couldn't hear me." 

Louis smiled at that and Harry felt his heart miss a beat. "But," he gently took Louis' hand and tried to forget there was fifty-odd SWAT soldiers watching him, "I made a promise that day that, if you woke up, then I would tell you to your face everything that I had said. Of course you woke up, busted out of hospital, saved my arse and I still let courage get the better of me and, once again, I put off telling you. I've run out of time to tell you without an audience. Now I don't only have to find the courage to tell you but I also have to say it in front of the 150 people behind us. Who said I couldn't have moments of complete idiocy."