Through the Dark

The Calm Before the Storm

Louis awoke to the soft beep of machines and the warm, golden light of late afternoon filtering through the hospital room. For a moment, he felt disoriented, his sleep-heavy mind struggling to remember where he was. But then he felt the weight of Harry's hand in his, the steady rise and fall of Harry's chest beneath the thin hospital blanket, and everything came rushing back.

Harry was alive. He was here. And they were together.

Louis gently squeezed Harry's hand, careful not to wake him. Harry was still asleep, his face relaxed and peaceful in a way that made Louis's heart ache. It was a stark contrast to the terror of the night before, the blood and the fear that had gripped them both. Now, in the quiet of the hospital room, it almost felt like a bad dream.

But Louis knew it wasn't over. They might have survived the night, but the dangers they faced were still very real. Whoever had shot Harry was still out there, and they wouldn't stop until they had what they wanted. Louis had no illusions about that.

As much as he wanted to stay in this moment, to let himself believe that they were safe, he knew they couldn't afford to let their guard down. They needed a plan-a way out that didn't end with more bloodshed or worse.

Harry stirred beside him, his eyelashes fluttering as he slowly woke up. Louis watched as Harry's eyes opened, his gaze unfocused for a moment before settling on Louis's face. A small, tired smile curved Harry's lips, and Louis felt his heart skip a beat.

"Hey," Harry murmured, his voice still raspy from sleep.

"Hey," Louis replied softly, his thumb brushing over the back of Harry's hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Harry said, though his voice betrayed how weak he still was. He shifted slightly in the bed, wincing as the movement pulled at the stitches in his side. "Well, as better as I can be after, you know, getting shot."

Louis's lips twitched into a brief smile, though the worry still lingered in his eyes. "Yeah, that tends to leave a mark."

Harry's smile faded slightly as he took in Louis's expression, the weight of everything they were facing settling over him. "Lou, what's going to happen now?"

Louis's heart clenched at the vulnerability in Harry's voice. He wished he had answers, something reassuring to say that would make all of this go away. But he didn't. All he could do was be honest with Harry, and that was the hardest part.

"I don't know," Louis admitted, his voice low. "But we'll figure it out, okay? We'll get through this. Together."

Harry's eyes searched Louis's, looking for the reassurance he desperately needed. "Do you really think we can?"

"I have to believe that," Louis said, his voice firm, even if doubt gnawed at the edges of his mind. "We've come this far, Haz. We can't give up now."

Harry nodded slowly, though Louis could see the uncertainty in his eyes. "I don't want to lose you," Harry whispered, his voice cracking. "Not after everything."

"You won't," Louis said, his grip on Harry's hand tightening. "I promise, Harry. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

Harry's eyes glistened with unshed tears, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. The weight of their situation hung heavy in the air, but beneath it was something stronger-the bond that had kept them together through every trial, every danger. It was that bond that Louis held onto now, that gave him the strength to keep fighting.

A soft knock on the door interrupted their moment, and Louis looked up to see Liam standing in the doorway, his expression a mix of relief and concern. He was holding a paper bag, presumably filled with food and the clean clothes he had promised to bring.

"Hey," Liam said quietly, stepping into the room. "How's he doing?"

"Better," Louis replied, glancing back at Harry. "But we're not out of the woods yet."

Liam nodded, understanding the unspoken worries. "I've made some calls," he said, his voice low. "We're setting up a secure location for when Harry's ready to leave the hospital. Somewhere safe, where we can regroup and figure out our next move."

Louis felt a surge of gratitude toward Liam. Despite everything they'd been through, Liam had always been there, the rock they could all rely on. "Thanks, Liam. We're going to need it."

Liam gave a small smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "We're in this together. You know that."

Harry's gaze flicked between the two of them, a hint of guilt in his eyes. "I'm sorry for dragging you both into this," he said quietly. "I never wanted any of this to happen."

"Don't," Louis said firmly, cutting him off. "This isn't your fault, Harry. None of it is. We're a team, and we're going to get through this together."

Harry looked like he wanted to argue, but he bit his lip and nodded instead. The tension in the room eased slightly, though it was still there, lurking beneath the surface.

Liam handed Louis the paper bag, his expression softening. "You should eat something, both of you. And get some rest if you can. I'll keep watch for now."

Louis took the bag with a grateful nod, though he wasn't sure he could stomach much food. The adrenaline from the night before had worn off, leaving him exhausted and emotionally drained. But he knew he needed to keep his strength up, if not for himself, then for Harry.

"I'll try," Louis said, though he wasn't entirely convinced he could rest until he knew for certain that Harry was safe.

Liam seemed to understand, his gaze lingering on Harry for a moment before he stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind him. The room fell into a comfortable silence, the weight of the world momentarily held at bay.

Louis pulled out the container of food from the bag, though his appetite was nowhere to be found. He opened it anyway, taking a few bites just to satisfy Liam's insistence. Harry watched him, a small smile playing on his lips despite the pain that still shadowed his eyes.

"Liam's right, you know," Harry said after a moment. "You need to take care of yourself, too."

Louis shrugged, though he knew Harry was right. "I'll be fine. I'm more worried about you."

"I'm not going anywhere," Harry said, his tone light, though there was a seriousness behind his words. "I'm sticking around, whether you like it or not."

Louis managed a small smile, the heaviness in his chest easing just a bit. "Good. I'd be lost without you."

They fell into a comfortable silence after that, the fear and uncertainty still there, but muted by the warmth of each other's presence. For now, they had each other, and that was enough.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the room, Louis leaned back in his chair, his hand still holding Harry's. He didn't know what the future held for them, but for the first time in what felt like forever, he allowed himself to hope.

Whatever was coming, they would face it together. And as long as they had that, Louis knew they could survive anything.