We Made It

24.

**picture needed for later in the chapter**

---------‐--

"Pretentious. Overly kind. Two faced."

"Lottie." I interrupt her. "This is how adoption works. You meet different families and pick one."

"No shit Sherlock. None of them are right."

"Too hot. Too cold. Too soft. Too firm. Come on baby bear you will find one eventually." I smile and kiss her cheek as I walk to the kitchen.

This was the sixth family she's met with. She was 5 months along now and showing. She was getting worried about not finding good parents. She was practically a ball of stress everywhere she went. I've tried calming her down but nothing I did seemed to work. Mum had tried again to get her to move home but Lottie refused. She had a different reason every time. Mum had also tried guilting her into coming home saying Harry and I needed time alone since we were a young couple just starting out. Harry and I had laughed it off and pointed out we weren't a normal young couple. We didn't party. We had some drinks every now and then yeah but we always were responsible. We liked having alone time which is when Lottie would go stay over at Jackson and Gaby's.

"Louis."

I hand Lottie her glass of tea and sit down at the desk to write the song I had to come up with. We had a showcase coming up. I wasn't as nervous this time but it also wasn't time to perform yet so we'll cross that bridge when it comes. "Hmm?" I answer her quietly.

"Can I ask your opinion on a family?"

I nod. "Always. Give me a run down."

Out of the corner of my eye she flips through her magazine. "Young couple. Just starting out. Stable. Responsible. Down to earth."

"Where's the problem?"

She sighs. "Well one is a student and the other a new small business owner. They're nice. Good support system. Just not sure if theyre ready yet ya know?"

My pencil pauses. My eyes dart back and forth over the words I'd written down. I wasn't even writing an original song like I was supposed to. I swallow hard but don't turn around. Not going to lie that I had a feeling who she was hinting at. I run my finger over the words on the page.

Hush little baby. Daddy's going to buy you a mockingbird.

"Lou? Did you hear me?" She snaps her fingers.

"Huh?" I snap out of my head. "Um. No. What'd you say?"

"I asked if you would follow me to the guest room."

Now I turned to look at her. "Why?"

"Just come." She tugs my arm.

I follow behind her curious and confused. Had the idea floated around my brain...yeah but we weren't ready for that. I didn't even know if we'd be approved given that I was in school and Harry worked a lot. She opened her closet door and moved her clothes from the back. There was a bassinet that was still in the box it just needed to be assembled. There were a few baby clothes. I picked one up and read the words.

Daddy's #1 fan.

It had a guitar and music notes on it. It was green and the writing was blue. I smiled as I held it.

"You bought this stuff?" I whisper.

"No." She whispers back and I look at her. "I'm guessing Harry did by the look on your face. I thought it was you. I found it a few days ago. You're the impulsive one so I waited thinking you'd bring it up but you look too surprised."

"The couple you described." I whisper. My mind went back to the words I wrote.

"I'm sorry. I thought it was you that put this stuff here. I didn't mean to...I..."

"It's okay. I think I need to talk to Harry."

She nods. "I'll go hang with Gaby."

I sit there in the closet looking at everything. The front door opens and closes. Harry bought this. Why? We'd never once talked about a family before. Was this something we wanted? Was it just because it was Lottie? I think back over the past months. Had he dropped any clues? He didn't mind taking her to appointments. He was always willing to give into any weird cravings she had. He was actually being really protective of her. I pull the box out and open it up reading the instructions. It's not too hard, Phoebe and Daisy had something similar. I distract my mind as I start putting the pieces together. I run to the kitchen for a screwdriver and go back to the guest room. Once it's done I stand up and look at it. It's white with blue accents and lace. It's pretty. It rolls so it could easily be moved around the apartment. We do have an extra room that Lottie is in but she probably won't stay forever. I run my hands over my head and growl. This is...I don't even know if this is what we both want.

"Boo?" Harry calls as I hear the front door close. I open my mouth but nothing comes out. "Where..." The words cut out when he looks into the room.

"I put it together."

He nods. "I see. You found it."

"Lottie did. I...you...when...what..." I say the words. I can't form the questions so I hope he knows what I'm saying...or not saying.

"3 weeks ago. I was going to talk to you about it but I got nervous. Your mum mentioned us being young and I didn't want to ask you to...I mean...you're older than I am and...nevermind we're too young."

He goes to walk away but I jog the short distance and grab his hand.

"We are young. But...we've never been normal Haz. Let's talk about this yeah?"

We sit for hours in the room talking it all out. Turns out this time we both were on the same page. We both wanted this. He had felt it during the ultrasound when he saw the baby on the screen...it was the same feeling I described when I heard the heart beat. I grab his hand and lead him into the bedroom. If we're going to do this we're doing it right for damn sure. I sit him on the bed and start digging in the drawer like a madman.

"Lou. You want sex now? We just told each other we wanted to adopt your sisters baby and you want to celebrate now instead of tell her? We have all night babe."

I shake my head. "Shut it. No. It's just...AHA!!" I turn around with the box behind my back.

"Then what...?" His eyes widen. "Louis? Is...what do you have?"

I smile and go stand in front of him. "Harry. I've loved you my whole life. We've been through so much. We've literally grown up together and grown so much emotionally with each other too. I couldn't ever picture anyone else beside me. I've had this for a while and I had a whole thing planned but..." I get on one knee and open the box for him. "You have my life. My soul. My heart. Take my name too. Marry me." I swallow a lump in my throat as I watch his eyes. He's shocked. He's not saying anything. Is this...too much? "I...we can wait..." I stand up but he grabs the box from me.

"NO!" I step back. He said no. My eyes water but I turn around and take a deep breath.

"I knew it. It was too much too soon. It's..."

"Oh my God. Louis I meant no I don't want to wait." He interrupts me and turns my head to face him. "Put it on me. And yeah I'll marry you silly. Every fucking day I'd marry you!"

I smile and put the ring on his finger. He pulls me in for a kiss and I feel my heart expand. We're doing this. Marriage. Kid. Harry. Me. I'm scared but not as much knowing he'll be next to me.

Til death do us part.