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Chapter 3: Louis

He slammed his first down on the counter, hard. The staff around him flinched and gave him sympathetic looks, but none of them knew what was really going on. He had been so excited this morning, sure that he would remember this day for the rest of his life. He wasn't wrong, but this was the opposite of what he expected.

The lack of texts this morning had seemed odd and his heart had dropped a bit, but then he'd thought of Harry curled up and sleeping, his face scrunched up against his pillows in that cute way he always slept. The thoughts had washed his uncertain feelings away. That was his first warning that something was off. The second happened when he had been halfway through the shoot and phone had buzzed. He'd almost considered letting it ring, and he blanched now as he imagined what could have happened if he hadn't picked up.

"Louis?" asked the photographer. "Can you-"

"NO!" he yelled, making the poor woman flinch. He ran his hands through his hair, cursing. Everyone was silent. He knew he was making a scene, but he couldn't help it. Some psychopath had his boyfriend and was probably hurting him right this second-

He stormed out, despite the protests of the crew around him. "We'll finish another time!" he yelled behind him. He didn't want to waste any more time, even if it was just a couple seconds, but he didn't want to be stopped either.

He practically jumped in his car, probably breaking a dozen traffic laws as he sped to Harry's mom's house. His sister Gemma had decided to stay with her this week after Louis had told them his plan. Now he was grateful that she was there so that he could tell the whole family in one go. He couldn't bear to have to do it twice. Hell, he didn't know if he could bear to do it once, but he had no choice in the matter.

He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment as a vision of Harry, his face bruised and scratched, swam behind his eyes. The way he had looked terrified to even talk to him. His heart broke thinking about it. Please, please be okay. Please don't let him be hurting you.

What should have been a thirty minute drive only lasted fifteen. He sped into Anne's driveway, hopping out of his car as if it was about to explode. He didn't pause to knock and used the key they had given him to barge inside. He opened the door with such force that it crashed into the wall and came bouncing back, not quite closing behind him. He hardly noticed.

They were all at the kitchen table playing cards when he stumbled into the room. Anne was about to play her winning hand and their were cups of still hot tea placed carefully on their saucers. It was so normal that he felt sick.

"Anne-Gemma-" he stopped, taking a moment to calm his breathing even though every instinct inside him told him to run and tear down the entire city of London until he found his boyfriend. 

Anne jumped up and grabbed his elbow.

"Louis? What's going on? Are you okay?"

A few tears leaked from his eyes, but he couldn't stop them from falling. He couldn't remember the last time he'd cried in front of someone, but he pushed the embarrassment down. He gazed at her, his eyes empty as he finally answered her question.

"They took Harry."

Everyone in the room froze. Gemma's hands rose over her open mouth and Anne stared at him, shocked.

"Who took him? What are you talking about?"

He finally broke down, smashing his hand as hard as he could into his thigh. It didn't help him focus, didn't stop the worry that felt alive in his heart. "I don't know! The bastard called me. He-he punched Harry and said he'd keep hurting him until I got him three million in ransom!"

The room went dead silent, then Gemma whispered, white as a ghost, "Three million?"

He nodded, shattering her hopes. She sobbed, turning her head away. Louis slouched, unconsciously tearing his hands through his hair again.

"I have to open my account. It will take days to  move that much money without anyone getting too suspicious, but I don't have a-"

"Why don't you call the police?" Gemma asked, looking back at him. Her eyes were pink around the edges.

"I can't. I don't know what they'll do to him if..." he trailed off, remembering the blood and scratches with a shiver. "We can't risk it. The safest thing to do is to just pay the ransom."

Anne had been quiet throughout the entire conversation, but now she placed a comforting arm around his shoulder. He fell into the hug, fighting down the waves of panic rushing through him. She whispered in his ear, promising that everything would be alright over and over again. It barely calmed the fear eating away at him, but it hardened the resolve in his gut. There was no way they were going to take Harry from him. He had been so close to his perfect life, and he wasn't about to let some fucking bastard take that away.

"I'll help with the withdrawals." Anne said, but Louis was already shaking his head.

"You don't have access to Harry's account-"

"I know."

"But that means-"

"I know."

"But you don't have-"

"Louis. I know. But I'm not going to let you do this alone. He's my son." She crossed her arms over her chest, but she didn't have to worry. He relented, imagining how angry he would have been if she had been the one they had called and she wouldn't let him contribute.

Her eyes softened. "I know you love him Louis, but we're going to get him out of there, okay?" He nodded, making a promise of his own.

He was going to get his boyfriend out of there, no matter how much it cost him.

We're coming for you Harry. Just hang on.