Where I Am Without You [L.S]

Epilogue

There's something intoxicating about playing the O2. Harry's never quite been able to determine whether it's because London feels so much like a place he truly belongs in, or it's because to him it feels like the main chapters of his life began.

Either way, the crowd before them is unlike any other he's ever performed in front of before. It's far from the biggest crowd, nor the largest arena but it's One Direction's last concert for 2020, for all the fans know it's their last concert ever, and after everything he's faced, not only over the past year but every year before now, standing in front of an audience packed to the rafters, audience thrumming with everything alive, he feels at home.

Halfway through the set as If I Could Fly had been queued in he'd finally, for the first time all tour, let his eyes cloud over, missing the entirety of his opening lines. The audience had collectively joined him in his anguish, seemingly joining him in his moment of realization of just what his life had become. It was far from the first time he'd had this feeling, far from the hundredth time too, but the thought didn't make it any less emotional to deal with. Instead he'd sat, Niall pressed to his side in the carved out section of the slanted stage, with tears brimming in his eyes as he'd looked out over a sea of lights and knowingly smiling faces.

Liam had closed with Remember. He'd sat in their final meeting as a touring band last week proclaiming it to be the only song in his discography that was fitting of the final act. Zayn had left the entire audience stunned when he performed a new, unreleased song he'd finished writing just last week with his production team. Their own band had worked tirelessly with him throughout the week to work their own magic on the song. But the tiresome effort from all of them had been so very worth it to watch as the crowd had been left silent as Zayn sung River Road. Louis' choice had surprised them all. Harry had sat with him late the previous Monday night, curled together on their sofa as Louis and he had chosen their songs, but as Louis and Mitch had stepped forth for only the second time ever to play through Only The Brave, every person in the vicinity knew instantly, that there was no better song he could have picked. For his own choice, he'd gone with Fine Line. He'd thrown several ideas into the mix, including, like Zayn, songs he'd never played or released before, but the song felt like closing a part of his life he never thought he'd have the chance to leave. So he'd taken it.

We'll be alright.

The simple lyric he'd sung over and over again to the crowd as they'd screamed it back at him, only to collectively fall silent as the music swelled to its climax and then bloomed into new life.

Magical. The whole show, had been magical.

All of them are endlessly grateful they managed to squeeze in playing this show. From everything that's to come afterwards and after everything they've gone through together. This final send of feels like closure. The entire set a goodbye to songs which helped shaped them into the people they've become. A story of maturing, of heartbreak and loss, of love and fortune and learning just what it takes to make it in this world. A narrative of being human.

It's more than that also for him. More than the crowd, the crew and even the other boys. It's the end of a journey he's spent ten years of his life having been forced to oppress within himself. For the moment the final chord of History rings out, he's free. They're both free. And the rest of his life can finally begin.

Harry grips Louis to him like a vice. Stood on the far right he's the last in line as the five boys who went from the bottom of the stairs to the top of the world, take their final bow.

He goes to turn, tears falling in free fall down his checks, eyes stained red when Louis' hand trails down his arm, then grips unforgiving. Faltering he turns half back around, the crowd deafening around them, lights blinding, but still he narrows in on the smile in Louis' eyes.