Together (Sequel to Slipping Away)

Chapter Forty

Liam had dropped Adaley off hours ago before he took off again for his date with Adaley's teacher. Adaley had locked herself in her room as soon as she had gotten home. Louis looked worriedly at Harry as his fiancé chopped the carrots for the salad that would be accompanying their dinner.

"Keep frowning like that and you're going to have wrinkles." Harry teased without looking up and Louis rolled his eyes.

"Shut up Harry." Louis grumbled and Harry sighed heavily, laying the knife down and looking at Louis.

"What's on your mind baby?" Harry asked, leaning against the counter. Louis shrugged slightly and glanced back at the stairs.

"Adaley has been locked in her room since Liam dropped her off and I'm worried about her being locked up in her room for so long. You know that's a sign of depression, right?" Louis asked worriedly as he nervously played with his fingers. Harry sighed heavily and walked around the island to stand in front of Louis. He gently lifted his fiancé's chin and gently kissed his forehead.

"Our daughter is not depressed, Louis. Our daughter wants to work on the school work that her teacher gave her to give her an idea of where they are." Harry said gently and Louis groaned, dropping his head onto Harry's chest.

"I don't understand how a child can be so deeply enthralled with their homework. It's weird." Louis whined and Harry chuckled. A small voice made both of the men jump.

"I'd rather be weird than illiterate, Papa." Adaley said simply as she walked into the kitchen. Harry gave her a bewildered look before he spoke up.

"Did you finish all the work?" Harry asked as he walked back over to flip the chicken breasts that he was searing in a pan. Adaley nodded and sat down at the kitchen table.

"It was all very easy honestly." Adaley said nonchalantly and Louis chuckled softly.

"Are you ready for tomorrow though?" Louis asked and Adaley gave him a funny look.

"What's tomorrow?" she asked and Louis cocked an eyebrow.

"Tomorrow is the awards assembly at your school and they're introducing you to the school at it." Louis explained slowly and Adaley's face paled. She looked like she was about to throw up and faint. Harry dropped his spoon and rushed over, sitting down next to her. He pulled the little girl into his lap and she laid her head on his chest as her breathing started to become shallow. Louis looked at Harry in worry as he watched the little girl begin to shake.

"Princess?" Harry called her nickname softly but she didn't respond. Her eyes were glazed over and she looked miles away. Harry started to worry as well and looked up at Louis. "Call Liam. He's a trained EMT." He said quickly and Louis nodded, dialing Liam's number quickly and putting it on speaker.

"Louis, this better be important. I'm in the middle of dinner with Alice." Liam grumbled and Louis' hands started to shake as he spoke.

"Liam. This is an emergency. It's Adaley." Louis rushed out and he could hear some shuffling on Liam's end of the phone.

"What's going on with her? What kind of emergency?" Liam asked in a professional voice and Louis could tell that Liam had switched over to EMT mode.

"I reminded Adaley that tomorrow she would be introduced to her entire school at their awards ceremony and she became really pale and looked like she was about to pass out. Harry pulled her into his lap and her breathing became really shallow." Louis explained and he looked at the little girl. She was shaking like a leaf and hyperventilating. "Now she's shaking really bad and her breathing is really fast." The other end of the line was silent for about thirty seconds before Liam responded.