Goner

Prologue

Louis almost knew what was coming as his four band mates walked into the room. He could tell by each of their faces that something was up, that something had happened. Niall's face was red, eyes big and shiny with the tears that were rolling down his face. Liam was biting his lip harshly, his hands shaking as he cried. Harry was trembling, wounded sobs escaping his lips as he followed in behind his friends. Zayn was the only one not crying, although he looked incredibly pale and washed out.

"What's going on lads? Are you alright?" Louis asked as his door opened, jumping off his bed and going to Niall who immediately grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug, "Ni? What's the matter lad, you know you can tell me!" his voice seemed so soft held the blond boy in his arms.

Niall begun to let out badly concealed sobs into Louis' shoulder, tightening his grip around his friend.

"Lou?" came Liam's voice as he reached out to touch his arm.

Louis turned slightly, still keeping one arm around Niall to see the rest of the boys, taking in each of their distraught faces.

"Come on lads, what's going on? Talk to me," he urged, taking Liam's hand.

"Louis there's something I need to tell you," Zayn begun, his voice nervous as he caught the older boys attention.

"What's the matter Z?"

"I'm leaving," he whispered, causing more sobs to come from Harry who had his head buried in Liam's neck.

"You're-you're leaving? You're leaving the band? You're leaving us?" Louis asked, increasing his hold on Niall.

"Yes."

"When?" Louis asked the question that the others were yet to speak.

"Tonight. After the concert," Zayn replied, avoiding his best friends eyes.

"Well you'd best get packing then," Louis replied simply yet not unkindly, reaching for Zayn's hand and giving it a squeeze before opening his arms to Liam and Harry who were holding onto each other desperately.

Louis had one arm around both Niall and Liam whilst Harry was in the middle of them all, his arms around Louis' waist, head buried into his chest, "we're going to be alright boys, I promise!" he reassured them, kissing each of their heads as the cried into his neck.

"Lou, what are we going to do without him?" Niall sobbed, causing Louis' heart to shatter.

"I don't know but we'll make it work, we'll all be okay, I swear! I'm going to make sure we are."

At some point Louis managed to untangle himself from the taller boys to get them to lie down. He lay on his back, Niall curled into his side and Harry rested his head upon his chest, Liam lay behind the long haired man spooning him. The slept like that. All of them accept Louis anyway who stayed awake staring at the ceiling. His entire world had come crashing down and he hasn't even allowed himself to process it for trying to protect his friends. He'd always been that way. He was the oldest and felt an overwhelming need to take care of the others. It was his duty, his responsibility to ensure that they were okay.

The concert that night was the most difficult of their careers. Despite wanting to run away from it all, Louis put on a brave face and did his best to act like he didn't want to run off the roof of the closest building. When Liam gave him a look that told him that he was struggling, he wrapped an arm around him as they sung, keeping him going. When he followed Niall off stage to go to the toilet he'd found the lad sat with Lou in tears. He'd immediately grabbed hold of the lad and comforted him to the best of his ability, hugging him tightly. When Harry had begun to sob as they sat in the van on the way back to the hotel after the show, he'd forced the car to stop and climbed into the back seat, despite all three of them already being occupied and had given the boys a loving talking to.

It didn't matter that he was breaking over Zayn not reciprocating the group hug and ignoring him after they left the stage. He had to be strong for his boys. He was the leader of the group and there was no way that he was going to let them down.