Restore (Sequel to Purge: Larry au)

Chapter 25

Three days later

"Darcy baby, can you wake up please?" Harry murmurs softly, sitting down on Darcy's bed and rubbing her back gently. 

"No Papa..." Darcy grumbles, always just as reluctant as Louis to wake up. It's rare that she sleeps later than Harry, though, so he doesn't deal with this often.

Harry chuckles a little, reaching out to stroke her hair. "Did you sleep well, baby?"

"Yes," Darcy says, blinking her blue eyes open to look at Harry. 

"Good, because do you know what we're doing today?" he asks. Darcy shakes her head no. "We're going back home."

"Really?" Darcy asks, sitting straight up with an excited expression.

"Yes, we're going home today," Harry tells her. 

"Yay!" Darcy cheers. "And we see Daddy?"

Harry nods, "Yes, we'll see Daddy. He misses you so much, darling."

"Miss him too, Papa," Darcy tells him.

"I know sweetheart, and I'm sorry you had to be away from him so long," Harry says. "But Daddy's feeling better now, so we get to go back home with him."

Harry and Louis had decided to tell Darcy that they had to stay with the Horans because Louis was sick and they didn't want her, Harry, or the baby to get sick too. It wasn't entirely a lie, as Louis's been struggling with a mental illness, but they didn't want to have to explain to a three-year-old about his trauma and how bad it's gotten.

Harry helps Darcy get dressed and ready for the day, although she ends up having to do most of it herself, since it's so hard for Harry to bend over nowadays. He's eight months pregnant and his belly has gotten big enough he looks full term. Niall's joked that he must be having twins many times in the last two weeks, which always ends up sending Harry's hormonal brain into a panic because what if Zayn did the ultrasound wrong and he's actually carrying two babies? Ella's always scolded her husband for freaking Harry out, but he's glad to be leaving Niall today. Although he loves his best friend, he's not sure how much more of him he can handle.

Harry and Darcy eat a quick cereal breakfast at Niall and Ella's before Niall helps to get all their stuff in the car. 

"Thank you so much for letting us stay with you," Harry tells him and Ella before they leave. "You have no idea how grateful I am to you."

Ella pulls him into a hug. "You know you can always come to us when you need help, honey. I'm proud of you for making the choice to leave. I think it shocked him into doing the right thing."

Harry nods. "It was the right thing to do, but it was so damn hard."

Ella smiles sympathetically. "I know, Haz, but he's getting better now."

"And hey," Niall adds, hugging Harry himself, "you're always welcome to come back for however long you need. Doesn't matter why, we'll always be here if you need us."

Harry sniffs, fighting back tears. God, he hates pregnancy hormones. "Thank you. You're the best friends ever."

"We love ya, mate," Niall grins, embracing Harry once more. 

It's then that Darcy runs out of the washroom and tackles Niall's legs in a hug. "Bye bye Uncle Niall!" she exclaims. 

Niall grins and bends down to pick her up, swinging her around. "Bye bye little troublemaker," he says, tickling her belly and making her squeal. "I'll miss you kiddo."

"Miss you too," Darcy tells him. Niall kisses the top of her head and passes her off to Ella who takes her and hugs her tight. 

"Thanks for hanging out with us, sweetie," Ella says. "You're so fun to play with. We'll have to have you over more often."