Louis and Harry stood in the corner of the hospital room, where Abigail’s parents were crammed in the other corner, the entire room silent as Abigail held her baby for the last time.
Luke was sitting quietly next to her, a hand on her shoulder in comfort as they both gazed down at their sleeping son, who was about to be handed over to the Bixlers.
“We love you,” Abigail whispered, and Luke rubbed her back gently, as he words caught in her throat, “We love you so much. And don’t even doubt that, if we’d just been older, we-“ Abigail’s voice cut off with a throat sob and she shook her hand, pulling Alfie even closer to her chest, “I love you so much.”
“Me too, buddy,” Luke whispered, lowering his head and brushing his lips on Alfie’s forehead, “I know your Mummy and Daddy will tell you how much we loved you. And we’ll be around to remind you of it, whenever you get old enough to ask about us. We’ll be there.”
Aflie squirmed slightly in Abigail’s arms and Luke bent down, gently pulling the child into his own arms and walking over to where his dads were sitting. He held out Alfie slightly and Harry glanced at Louis before carefully taking his baby grandson in his hands.
“I thought, maybe, you’d like a goodbye,” Luke whisper, voice cracking and Harry was thankful that Louis took over in comforting Luke, pulling him into a side hug, while Harry continued to stare down at the baby.
Luke’s mistake had become another family’s blessing.
Just like Luke had been a blessing in disguise.
The same mistakes had come full circle.
“Hey kiddo,” Harry whispered, and Alfie yawned, only a few seconds later, slowly blinking up at Harry, flashing his bright eyes, before his eyes closed again, face scrunching back up in sleep. “I know you won’t remember this, but I won’t forget holding you in my arms. This will probably be the only time. And I gotta say, you’re pretty heavy for a newborn-“
“Harry!” Louis hissed, but he smiled at his husband, still holding Luke close to his side.
“That’s your other grandfather, Louis. He’s the real old man here,” Harry bounced Alfie slightly in his arms, rocking the baby back and forth, “I told Luke I was too young to be a grandfather, but Louis would’ve fit right in-“
“Dad,” Luke rolled his eyes and Harry smirked, shaking his head as he continued to stare down at the tiny bundle in his arms.
“But honestly Alfie. You are going to have a great life and family, and they are so excited to take you home. Just know, so many people love you, and know you’ve been given all you need to live your life to the fullest. So live it.”
Harry watched as Abigail’s Mum slowly walked over to where they were huddled and reached for the baby, and Luke kissed the wispy infant hair one last time, before stepping back into Louis’ side grip, watching Abigail’s mum take the baby over to the Bixlers.
Almost immediately, Abigail broke down crying and Harry sighed in relief as her father took to console her, leaving Luke out of it. From the looks of it, Luke didn’t need to be doing any consoling at the moment.
His face was pale and hands shook slightly, as if the emotions from the past couple of days hit him all at once, and Louis caught his eye as Luke sunk further into his grip.
“I gotcha,” Louis whispered, slowly leading Luke out of the room, where Abigail continued to wail, and down the empty hallway, Harry following behind. AS they continued down the hallway, tears began to fall from Luke’s eyes, and they’d only barely managed to make it to the chairs in the hallway, when Luke collapsed, landing on the hard plastic chair.
He buried his face in his hands, and Louis and took a seat on either side of him, Harry patting his son’s back as he watched his sixteen-year-old boy crumble again.
If the baby situation had taught Harry anything, it was how to handle Luke’s tears.
“We’re so proud,” Harry, muttered, biting his lip as Luke took a shaky breath, “So very proud of what you chose to do Luke.”
“You’re doing the right thing,” Louis assured, tossling Luke’s hair, “And your dad and I couldn’t be more thankful and proud of you.
You know that?”
Luke nodded slowly, lifting his head and wiping at the stray tears as he stared down at his shoes.
“I’ll just miss him.”
Harry sighed, clearing his throat, “I think we all will.”
-o-
The next night, Zayn all but forced the boys out of their respective homes, for a drink at the club that was down the street from his flat.
Harry and Louis arrived, a few minutes late, having had to wake up Luke from the fourteen hours of sleep he’d gotten, to babysit the twins, which may not have been their smartest parenting mood, as one glimpse at his baby siblings got Luke choked up again from his recent loss of Alfie.
So neither of the two were in great spirits, feeling like absolute dicks for leaving their son so early in his time of need.
Then again, it’d been a few days since they’d had a proper drink, and with everything that had gone on, they deserved one.
The two were escorted to a private room in the back, where Zayn, Liam and Niall were already drinking, laughing loudly at a memory from the years past.
“There they are, the granddads!” Zayn cheered, raising his glass in mock cheer and Harry rolled his eyes, reaching for Louis’ hand and gripping it, as Louis tugged him along to the booth.
“S’not funny,” Louis muttered, rubbing at his eyes tiredly, and reaching for Zayn’s drink, talking a long sip from it, “Besides. We’re not the grandparents. The Bixlers’ parents are. We’re just normal parents, nothing grand about us, except my car maybe.”
“I see what you did there. That was clever,” Niall declared, waving the waitress over and ordering two drinks for Harry and Louis.
Harry turned to Liam, who had dark circles under his own eyes, “You look almost as awful as Louis and I,” He noted and Liam groaned, nodding in agreement.
“Yeah, the baby hasn’t been sleeping-“
“Riley went through that stage,” Louis noted, “Remember? A few months old, and would never sleep. But Rebecca slept like a perfect child. Course now the rolls are reversed, and Riley’s perfect while Rebecca is the spawn of Satan. I know you’re not supposed to have favourites-“
“And you don’t,” Harry interrupted, glaring at Louis who paused and nodded slowly, squeezing Harry’s knee under the table.
“Well, yeah, but if I did-“
“You don’t,” Harry snapped and Louis shrugged, before smiling slightly and leaning in, catching Harry in a kiss.
“All this talk of kids reminds me,” Niall suddenly said, and the attention of the table shifted to him, all eyes wide, “Amanda and I are getting married.”
The group broke out into wide grins and Louis leaned forward, slapping Niall’s shoulder, “Congratulations mate!” Louis laughed, raising his new drink at Niall, “To Niall and Amanda!”
“Niall and Amanda,” The rest of the boys chorused, clanking their own drinks together and Harry sighed contently, as the alcohol burned down his throat, leaning against Louis’s shoulder.
“So when is the date?” He asked Niall and Niall shifted uncomfortable.
“Well, uh, next month-“
“So early?” Liam asked and Niall bit his lip, blush creeping up his neck. Liam groaned, “Oh no, Niall-“
“She’s due in five months,” He muttered and Harry and Louis’ eyes widened, glancing at each other.
Well. Huh.
“Uh,” Zayn cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, “Well, that’s fine. I mean. You two would’ve probably married anyways, so, well-“
“Congratulations!” Harry interrupted and the boys chorused again, earning a small grin from Niall. “Who’d have though we’d end up here boys? Hm? Married with kids-“
“Speak for yourself,” Zayn interrupted and Harry laughed, rolling his eyes.
“Zayn, mate, I think everyone knew you’d end up where you are right now. Rich, hot as hell, and the biggest player to walk these streets.”