Together (Sequel to Slipping Away)

Chapter Twenty-Six

After the couple had gotten cleaned up and dressed Harry was back at the desk in their office and Louis was washing their bedsheets. Harry was typing up a wedding party list when he heard a soft knock on his office door.

"Come in!" He called and the door slowly opened to reveal Adaley with a small smile.

"Hi Daddy." She said softly and Harry pushed away from the desk, holding his arms open. Adaley ran over and leaped into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"How were your lessons, baby?" he asked as she snuggled into his chest.

"They were good. I've got homework though." Adaley said with a pout and Harry chuckled, kissing her cheek gently.

"Go get started on it while I work on dinner, okay?" He suggested and Adaley shook her head slightly, making Harry frown. "Why not?" he asked and Adaley sheepishly smiled.

"Aunt Ali is watching Miss Tayler's daughter Emery and I was wondering if I could go over to Aunt Ali's and have a sleep over with Emery?" Adaley asked, sticking her bottom lip out in a pout. Harry thought for a moment before he responded.

"Go work on your homework and do your chores while I talk to Papa." Harry ordered gently and Adaley nodded, jumping down and running out of the room. Harry sighed and shook his head, leaning back in the chair. "Babe!" he called out and Louis appeared in the doorway moments later.

"Yeah?" Louis asked as he walked over to the desk, plopping down in the chair in front of it.

"Ada wants to know if she can go over to Ali's for a sleepover. Apparently Tayler, Ali's friend, has a daughter that Ali is watching for the night. What do you think?" Harry asked, leaning back in his plush leather chair. Louis thought for a moment before answering.

"I think that's fine but we should talk to her and ask her to give us a legitimate reason for going." Louis suggested and Harry nodded, liking Louis' idea. He called Adaley back in and the little girl peeked around the corner.

"Yes my most handsome Daddy and Papa?" She asked, a look of pure innocence plastered on her young face. Harry playfully rolled his eyes and gestured for her to sit in the chair next to the one Louis occupied. After she had sat down Harry looked at her with a very serious expression.

"Please give us one legitimate reason why we should allow you to spend the night with Emery at Ali's house." Harry requested and Adaley nodded, thinking hard for a few minutes.

"Because while I love being around the two of you and my uncles I also need interaction with children my age. It's a positive necessity in my growth as a healthy and interactive child and stimulation with my fellow peers will make the transition from homeschooling to public school even easier if we choose to move to Bayville." Adaley said proudly and Harry's jaw dropped, stunned by the small speech that had left his daughter's mouth. He slowly nodded his head.

"Y-you can go. Papa and I will drive you." Harry mumbled and Adaley squealed, running out of the room. He looked over at Louis who was laughing softly.

"How much do you want to bet Ali told her to say all that?" Louis asked and Harry nodded, positive that Ali had planted that speech into his daughter. There was no way a six year old child, even a genius like Adaley, could come up with such a well thought out argument as what Adaley had said. Harry shook his head and stood up, closing his laptop.

"C'mon. Let's get ready to take Ada over to Ali's. On the way home I wanna grab some pizza and a movie. Tonight I just want to be about us, our wedding, and our love." Harry said softly and pressed a gentle kiss to Louis' neglected lips, making Louis giggled softly. Within a half hour Adaley was packed and the small family was on their way to Ali's house. After an excruciating twenty minute drive through the tumultuous LA traffic they finally pulled into the parking lot of Ali's small apartment complex. Harry knocked swiftly on the door and Ali pulled it open, smiling widely.

"Well hello!" She said with a huge smile and Harry chuckled, walking into the apartment after Ali had gestured for them to walk in. Adaley squealed when she saw Emery playing on the floor.

"Emery!" She giggled and ran up, hugging her small friend tightly. Emery giggled and walked over to Harry and Louis, hand tightly holding Adaley's. "Papa! Daddy! I want you to meet my best friend Emery. Em, this is my daddy and my papa!" She introduced and Harry chuckled, kneeling down.

"It's nice to meet you, Emery. You can call me Harry. This is my husband and you can call him Louis." Harry explained and Emery nodded knowingly.

"My mommy has talked about you guys a lot. She said that you're one of the best bands out there." Emery said and giggled softly, pulling Adaley back towards her toys. "C'mon Ada! I'm playing barbies and you can be the teacher again since you're so smart!" She giggled and Harry watched after them with a fond smile. He stood back up and looked back at Ali who was leaning happily into Zayn's strong chest.

"Your apartment seems like its always a hub of children." Harry teased and Ali nodded with a small smile.

"Nieces and nephews will be the closest I'll ever have." Ali murmured and Zayn frowned, hugging her tightly to his chest. Harry cocked an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked with a small frown. Ali looked up at him with a sad smile.

"I can't have children, Harry. I'm physically unable." Ali murmured and Harry and Louis gasped collectively, Harry hugging Ali and Zayn tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Ali. I had no idea." Harry whispered and Ali shook her head.

"How could you? It's not like I talk about it." Ali joked and took a deep breath, smiling slightly at Harry. "Now go. You two enjoy a date night like Tayler." She said with a smirk and Harry raised an eyebrow.

"And who is Miss Tayler on a date with?" Harry asked with a grin and Ali laughed, winking at Harry.

"A Mr. Michael Clifford. Apparently they've been talking since your birthday party." Ali said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively and Harry laughed loudly. They started to say their goodbyes before Louis interrupted.

"Did you tell Adaley to say that speech when we asked her to give us a reason on why we should let her come over tonight?" Louis asked with eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Ali cocked an eyebrow and frowned.

"No? Why? What did she say?" Ali asked and Harry's eyebrow shot up in shock.

"She said, and I quote, 'It's a positive necessity in my growth as a healthy and interactive child and stimulation with my fellow peers will make the transition from homeschooling to public school even easier if we choose to move to Bayville.' We thought you taught it to her to blow our minds." Harry said with a light chuckle. He was still convinced that Ali had instructed Adaley to say that. Ali thought for a moment.

"So that's why she asked me that question." She mumbled to herself and looked back at Harry. "During lessons today Adaley was reading a book during quiet time. She came up to me and asked how interaction with peers affected a child's psyche and the effect it had on a child's social development skills. I explained to her that children need to be around their peers or else they'll never really be able to interact with their own age group. I thought she was just being curious again." She mumbled and Harry looked at her in shock.

"What the hell was she reading!?" Harry sputtered.

"I think it was 'The Developing Mind' by Daniel J. Siegel." Ali recalled and Harry's jaw dropped.

"That's a book for college students! It's well over five hundred pages!" Harry nearly yelled. "How the hell can she understand what the books says!? She's six!" He ranted and Ali smiled softly.

"Remember Harry. You and Louis are raising a genius." Ali reminded him and Harry nodded slowly, staring at Adaley in shock. Adaley sensed eyes on her and she looked back, smiling at Harry. She jumped up and ran over, hugging him tightly around his legs.

"I love you Daddy." She whispered and looked up at Louis. "And I love you as well Papa." She said softly before running back to her best friend. Harry's look of shock slowly morphed into a fond smile.

"She may be a genius to everyone else but she'll always be my baby girl." Harry whispered and looked at Louis with a small smile. "Our baby girl."