They sat across from us, wide-eyed and full of dreams, completely unaware of how much would change.
"You lot look older," young Harry grinned, his curls unruly, his voice lighter, untouched by time.
Louis smirked. "That's what fifteen years does to you."
Young Niall leaned forward, eyes shining with excitement. "So... did we make it?"
Harry gave a small smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, boys. We made it."
Young Zayn studied us, his expression shifting. "But... we're not together anymore, are we?"
Silence. The kind that settles in your chest like a weight. Then Louis exhaled. "No. We drifted apart."
Young Liam frowned. "All of us?"
Older Louis hesitated. His voice softened, fragile in a way it never used to be. "Liam... you didn't make it."
The younger Liam let out a breathy laugh, shaking his head. "What? No, that's not-"
Older Liam's smile was sad. "I'm gone, mate."
Young Niall's face paled. "No..." His voice was barely a whisper, like if he said it too loudly, it would make it real.
Harry swallowed hard. "Losing you changed everything."
Niall nodded, his voice thick. "It made us realize how short life is. We found our way back to each other."
Young Louis' face twisted in confusion. "But we promised-"
Older Louis looked at him, at himself, and there was something raw in his gaze. "We thought we had forever." His voice cracked. "But we wasted time. On fights, on distance, on things that didn't matter. And then one day, you were gone, Liam. And we lost more than just you-we lost us."
Young Liam stared at us, at the people he would become, his hands clenched into fists. "But... did we do something that mattered? Did we at least leave something behind?"
Older Harry nodded, his voice thick with emotion. "More than you'll ever know." His hands shook slightly as he ran them through his hair. "Five albums. Sold-out tours. And a whole generation, Liam. We don't just have fans. We changed lives. We are a home for people who need us. And even now, years later, they're still here. We're still here."
Older Niall let out a watery chuckle. "We never really left, mate."
"Is... is Mum proud of us? Of me?" Young Louis asked suddenly, his voice soft, the hesitation clear.
Older Louis looked at him, his heart clenching. He hadn't expected the question. It was a question he had asked himself countless times over the years. The silence stretched on, the boys looked at him.
"She would be proud of you, mate," Louis said, his voice trembling. "Even though... she's not here anymore. Mom and Fizzy-" He faltered, his words choked by emotion. "You're her legacy. She'd be proud of everything you've done. Everything you became."
Young Louis' eyes flickered, tears welling up. His gaze dropped to the table, and he seemed lost for a moment in the weight of the past. " But i am a mommy's boy... how can i be without her?"
Louis felt his heart tighten, a familiar ache in his chest. "Mom would've wanted you to go after it. And she would've been proud of you for not giving up, for keeping it going even when the world seemed against us. We never give up! Everyone will need you. I promise you that. And especially Freddie!"
Young Louis looks confused. "Who's Freddie?"
Louis laughs. "Freddie is our absolute double. He's our flesh and blood and he'll make you the happiest person in the whole world. You'll show him everything you know about music and you'll spend the best moments of your life together. Nothing can top that!"
