Love Lock

New Ways

"With all of his anxiety, it's at least twice as bad for him," Liam sighed.

"Anxiety?" Louis furrowed his eyebrows but was quickly cut off by footsteps in the hallway.

A sleepy looking 21 year old stumbled into the kitchen with a lilac blanket wrapped around him.

"Speak of the devil," Liam smiled at the boy.

"You were talking about me Liam?" Harry laughed with a sleepy voice that made Louis' breath hitch. He walked past the boys and picked up an orange, hopping onto the kitchen counter easily.

"I was just telling Louis how we were going to have to wake you and the blonde one up if you didn't get up soon," Liam shot Louis a knowing look.

" 'm up, you want me to get Ni?" Harry asked.

"I've got it H," Liam put his cup in the sink and walked towards the bedroom.

Harry looked up, accidentally making eye contact with Louis. Seeming embarrassed, he jumped off the counter and left the room without another glance.

Louis frowned at his muffin. He really has missed a lot, hasn't he?

~

In the blink of an eye, they were on stage at rehearsal. Most of the setlist was going fine, but they were approaching the songs that were harder to perform and everyone was getting stressed.

Ready to run was coming to a close and Harry had a continuous part that was difficult to do without a pause. All the boys held their breath and watched him.

"This time I'm ready to run," he sang beautifully.

"I'd give everything that I got for your love," he held the note but ran out of breath for the next lyric.

Liam and Louis jumped in immediately .

"This time I'm ready to run," they both sang .

"Escape from the city and follow the sun," Harry jumped back in. They finished the song and Liam ran up to Harry.

"Sorry, I'll get it once we're live," Harry smiled apologetically.

"It's fine, are you sure you don't want me to just pick up there tonight?"

"Liam! I could do it too," Louis cut in.

"It's okay, really," Harry assured.

"What's wrong," Niall walked over with his guitar hanging from his neck.

"I don't want you to be overwhelmed with all your new parts, I can do it Haz," Liam insisted.

"I've done it before, I can do it again, just cover me in case."

"Liam, let me, you have to be ready for the chorus," Louis rubbed his head frustratedly.

"Want to run it again?" Niall suggested.

The band started Ready To Run for a second time and the tension was getting worse .

"There's a lightening in your eyes I..." Harry began with a deep breath but no sound came out.

"Guys, the mic's not working," Harry sighed, tossing it to a tech guy who jogged out on stage.

Liam, Niall, and Louis sat down on the stage steps seemingly giving up. What else could possibly go wrong this week, Niall thought.

"It's okay guys, please don't give up just yet," Harry murmured sitting down with them.

Harry was just as stressed as his mates, but when things were tense he always tried to be the glimmer of hope, even when he just wanted to cry.

"I can lend you broken parts," Harry sang softly, looking at his boys, hoping they would join in.

"That might fit," Niall smiled at Harry and sang.

"Like this," Liam continued with thankful eyes at the youngest.

"And I will give you all my heart," Louis sang quietly.

"So we can..." Harry prompted.

"Start it all over again," all four boys finished and stood up for a group hug.

"I know this is hard for all of us. We've never been a four piece, but we just have to put our hearts into it and begin fresh," Harry said into the hug.

"Let's start it all over again," Liam grinned and for the first time it didn't feel like the end, it felt like the beginning.