The Artist

Chapter 40

A/N: Good luck. That's all I'm saying...

A sky full of stars hangs over us like a veil. The endless blue-black curtain is breathtaking when it isn't being disrupted by skyscrapers and buildings. We're in Harrys second house now in the suburbs, laying out in his garden staring at the stars. The sun isn't visible anymore, but the bottom of the horizon is a lighter blue than the heavy navy of the top skyline.

His hand finds mine as he exhales deeply, turning his head over to look at me. "You really fucked me up, you know that right?" He grins.

"I wake up every morning and tell myself that, just to get me through the day." I tease and he hauls me onto his lap. The grass is cool and almost damp against my bare knees.

"You're getting cheeky aren't you kiddo," he pulls me down to give me a soft and gentle kiss on the lips. I smile widely down at him, which makes him smile up at me.

"I learn from the best,"

"That you do my love, that you do." He sighs, "aren't you cold?" He asks, running his hands up my thighs and down again quickly, I shake my head no.

"Wanna play a game?" I ask and he raises a questioning eyebrow.

"I don't like games Ellen." He says with a slight edge that worries me, but his giddy eyes and big smile ease my mind. "But for you I'd play anything."

"Alright Romeo, twenty questions sound good?" I giggle when he squeezes my thigh gently.

"I'm going first then," he sticks his tongue out, "what are the chances of garden sex?" He winks and I thwart his chest.

"Impossible." I say sternly, apparently bedroom sex wasn't sufficient for him earlier. "What part of England are you from?"

"I already told you, Holmes Chapel in Cheshire, I'll take you there someday." His lips twitch slightly into a little happy face.

"Why do you never talk about your dad?" He asks and watches my face fall.

"He's a great dad, he just was never around. He travels for work, and when him and my mom divorced, I saw less and less of him." I shrug. No need to get emotional, I tell myself. At least you have a dad.

Harry kisses my hand gently and I smile, giving him the 'I'm fine' look.

"What were your parents like?" I ask nervously, expecting him to lash out or something, but he doesn't.

"My dad was brilliant. Really smart, really popular, he loved the bones off my mum and when we moved here, he seemed to love her more. He was really handsome too, which as you can see, is a trait I've gotten from him." He gestures to his long, lean body and I chuckle light heartedly.

"And your mom?" I ask. He sighs, staring up at the sky now and not at me. A pained smile passes his lips as he begins talking.

"She was amazing. She was really talented, am artist and a writer and a mum and wife all in one. She was beautiful too, long dark hair and fair skin, big green eyes. She took no shit from anyone, dad especially." He laughs, shaking his head. I can tell he's remembering something. "You remind me of her a bit you know, you're both headstrong and beautiful." He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. All my life I've wanted someone to do that.

I look down, spotting something I wish I hadn't. A small tear escapes his glossy eyes and rolls down his cheek, trickling slowly across his high cheekbones.

"Oh Harry," I sigh, throwing myself down on him and hugging him. He was too young to be orphaned, and I find myself angry at  the world for letting this happen to him.

"I'm alright babe," his laughing send vibrations through me. "I'm alright."

Louis POV

"I know Sir, I thought I had her. If it hadn't have been for-"

"I don't want excuse Tomlinson. This is your mission. I expect progress, I appreciate you're putting yourself in a risky position-"

"Risky position?!" I cry out, he's got to be fucking joking. "I'm in the middle of a goddamn-"

A series of knocks come to the door. "Gotta go." I say casually and walk over to the door.

I grab the gun taped to the underside of the coffee table and look through the peephole. It's Zayn.

Quickly disgarding the weapon into the drawer, I open the door with a smile.

"Hey mate! Sorry I took so long, I was in bed." I smile, but he doesn't return it. There's a look on his face, a remorseful look that scares me.

"On the phone to your boss?" A tall figure appears from the hallway. I recognize him as Calvin.

He pulls a gun and I step back, putting my hands up. "Zayn mate, what's going on?"

"Oh cut the shit Louis!" Calvin snaps as two men appear from behind him, the step into my apartment as I back up. Get to the gun.

"We know. We know you're DEA. We know who you are, what you do and where your kid is right at this very moment. We know when you eat, sleep and shit, so we've got you. And you've been infiltrating our system long enough to know what we do to people like you..." The more bulky man grins, showing yellow teeth.

"You've got the wrong man, I have no idea what you're talking about." I try reasoning with them. If I can just get to that gun... I think of Freddie, I can't back down. I won't let my son grow up without a father.

"I said cut the shit Tomlinson! Or ilk blow your goddamn brains out!" He cocks the gun, shoving me into the wall while the other two hold me down.

"You're a fucking coward Zayn! I hope you get what you fucking deserve you bastarf!" I shout as I feel fists come in contact with my gut.

They beat me senseless, to the point I can barely feel the steel toed boots when they break my ribs. I'm determined to hold on. For my boy. I have to hold on. My blurred vision sees the men step away from me.

"That'll do boys." He says, laughing. Enjoying every second of it.

They begin to step away, as I spit out a mouthful of blood. Then Calvin turns around, bending down to my level. He pulls me by the head up, and I groan in pain.

"You know what, I might just blow your brains out anyway."

And to the sound of a bullet being released through the barrel of a gun, a son is left fatherless and a man has betrayed his best friend...