Time

November 3, 2018 (Prologue)

This one is for you anonymous (you know who you are) ❤

"Harry and I are getting a divorce."

"WHAT? WHY? NOOO!" Niall screamed.

Louis removed the phone from his ear so he wouldn't go deaf. He waited until Niall stopped screaming before he answered.
"It's not working. We hardly see each other. We fight a lot, and honestly, I think that we both have fallen out of love with each other. We were so young when we met."

"Bollocks!" Niall said.

"I just wanted to let you know. Harry is moving out of the house as we speak." Louis said, sounding sad.

"No. Not on my watch! I'll be there in five." Niall said.

"We've made our decision. There's nothing you... hello? Niall?" Louis looked at his phone. Niall had hung up on him. He was hiding in his study. He didn't want to witness Harry packing his things.

Five minutes later, Niall was banging on the front door. Louis sighed. He shouldn't have told him. Niall would make a scene, and there was nothing he could do to fix him and Harry. He got out of the study just to find Harry already opening the door.
"Alright, you two, come with me." Niall said and pointed at them.

"I'm in the middle of packing." Harry protested.

"You'll have time to destroy your life later. Chop chop. I won't take no for an answer." Niall said and clapped his hands to hurry them up.

Louis just shrugged his shoulders. He knew by now that it was pointless to argue with Niall when he had set his mind on something. He was a little curious to find out what he was up to. Harry sighed but put on his shoes and coat. Niall had his car on their driveway, and they got in. Niall drove them to another part of the town.
"Where are we going?" Harry wondered.

"You'll see." Niall said.

Louis just stared out the window. He was sad. Getting a divorce was excruciating, but he didn't see another solution.

Niall drove them to the suburbs and stopped at a small house. He turned to the divorcee.
"So, we're gonna meet my friend Russel, who I'm financing for a very special project."

"He's not some kind of couples therapist, huh?" Louis questioned.

Niall cackled loudly.
"No!"

He got out of the car, and Harry and Louis followed him. Niall rang the doorbell, and a lady in her sixties opened it.
"Niall! Lovely to see you, dear."

"Mary! Long time no see. We're here to see Russel. Is he down in the basement?" Niall grinned.

Harry and Louis exchanged a confused look.
"If this turns out to be a Norman Bates situation we'll sacrifice Niall and run for the fucking hills." Louis mumbled sarcastically to Harry.

Harry let out a small giggle and the sound cut right through Louis like a knife. If humor had made them fall in love with each other again he would have told jokes non-stop.

Mary let them inside and they followed Niall down to the basement. They both stopped and stared as soon as they entered. The place looked like a crazy scientist's lab.
"Russel! Is the prototype ready?" Niall asked the lanky young man.

"Yes. I finished it last night. I think I have it all figured out now." Russel grinned.

"Figured what out? What are we doing here, Niall?" Louis questioned.

"You two are gonna time travel!" Niall grinned excitedly.

"Time... Yeah right. What the hell Niall?" Louis snorted and rolled his eyes, feeling pissed that Niall lured them to some creepy basement.