Some things change. | l.s.

6

"I know..." Louis choked out. "I'm sorry."

"Lou..." Mallory's face softened and she rounded the table to step in front of him. He turned on his chair and dropped his head against her chest and she held him close with unshed tears burning in her eyes as she ran her fingertips through his hair. "Whatever it is that's haunting you right now, it'll be fine, yeah? We will get through this as always. You're so strong and perfect. It will be fine." She whispered.

Louis just shook his head unable to say anything, otherwise he'd break down and he didn't have the energy to do so. So he kept quiet and sorted his emotions, letting her caress his head and listened to her heartbeat. Eventually, when he was sure he wouldn't break down he slightly lifted his head and searched for her eyes as she looked down at him.

"I love you. I love you so much." He croaked out with a slight desperation in his voice.

"I love you too, baby." Mallory whispered with a small smile on her face. "I need to run now, yeah?" She said softly after a short while of just looking at each other. "Please call me if you're not feeling good or you want to talk." She added and he nodded.

"Are we okay?" He asked with a glimmer of fear in his eyes.

"Of course we are." Mallory smiled and leaned down to kiss him. "We always are."

"Okay." Louis breathed out.

With a final kiss he let go of her and shortly after he heard the front door when she left the house to go to work. Louis slumped back in his chair staring at the empty plate on his table and just as he wanted to get up ignoring the empty feeling in his stomach Madison came downstairs and stopped in the doorway looking at him questioningly.

"What?" Louis asked.

"Are you not hungry?" She asked.

"No, I'm not. I have coffee though." Louis held up his mug, but Madison just grimaced.

"You can't compare coffee to breakfast." She noted.

"Yes, I can. It's an adult thing." Louis contradicted.

"I don't think so." Madison shrugged. "Can I choose what we eat later?" She wondered.

"Sure. I'll order whatever you want when you get to the office." Louis said nonchalantly as he downed the rest of his coffee and got up.

"And then I can play video games, right?" Madison checked excitedly, but Louis' eyes widened when he realised what that would mean.

"Uh, well about that..." He said slowly and Madison stopped when they were about to leave the table to look at him suspiciously.

"What?" She pressed.

"You see, uncle Ni has a lot to do lately and they're behind with the testing and stuff so I'm afraid you can't go up to them and play." Louis found a quick excuse.

A cold shiver ran down his spine just at the thought of Madison meeting Harry and possibly becoming a target or worse, getting along with him just to get used by him because he wanted to inflict Louis maximum pain. He knew Harry and Zayn weren't done with him yet and if they'd know about Maddie they had it easy to ruin his life even more- he was sure of it- but all he could do was keeping her from actually meeting them in the office when he couldn't ban her to get there at all, having no other opportunity when Mallory had to work longer and they didn't want Madison to stay home alone.

"But I won't disturb them, I promise dad!" Madison pleaded with big eyes.

"I said no, Maddie." Louis said with a quirked eyebrow and suppressed sighing out relieved when Madison pouted but nodded in understanding.