Already There (Nouis song-fic)

Louis Tomlinson lived in Doncaster with his husband Niall and his three newly adopted children Zayn, who was seven, Liam, who was seven as well, and Harry, who was six. At this point, Louis could find nothing wrong with his life. Every aspect of it was good and happy.

That was until he got the letter.

· · · · ·

Louis walked into his kitchen at home with the mail in his hand. He ripped open the first envelope and tossed it and its contents into the garbage after deciding it was just junk-mail. He opened the next envelope and took out the crisply folded letter. Louis set down the rest of the mail and unfolded the paper and began to read. Louis felt his heart begin to race as he read the words typed on the page in his hand. His eyes skimmed the words over and over again, not believing what they said. Why him? Why now? It wasn't long before there were also tears in his eyes.

"Louis?" asked Louis' husband, coming into the kitchen. "Louis? What's wrong?"

"I've been drafted in the military," Louis said.

Just six words and Niall felt his world come crashing down around him.

· · · · ·

"Daddy do you have to leave?" asked Harry, gripping to Louis' leg.

Louis bent down and pulled Harry into his arms, "I do, but I'll come back I promise. Two years will go by in a flash and I'll be back before you even know it!"

"Okay Daddy! I love you!" said Harry.

"I love you too, Harry. Zayn, Liam, come give me hugs before I leave," said Louis, letting go of Harry and letting a crying Liam and a sad Zayn run into his arms instead.

"I'm gonna miss you Daddy," whispered Liam.

"I'm going to miss you too Liam. You too Zayn," said Louis.

Zayn and Liam let go of Louis and stepped back to stand next to Harry, "I'm going to miss you three, stay out of trouble alright?" said Louis before smiling at them one last time and walking out the door with his luggage and putting it in the trunk of Niall's car. He stepped around the car and into the passenger seat.

"How'd it go?" asked Niall, taking Louis hand and gently rubbing the top of it with his thumb.

"Better than I'd thought, they'll be alright though," said Louis, trying more to convince himself of that than Niall.

"Good. You ready?"

"I guess," said Louis, leaning over and placing a gentle kiss on Niall's cheek.

· · · · ·

Louis and Niall sat together holding hands at the airport gate. Airport security had let them stay together so that they could say goodbye right before Louis got on the plane.

"Now boarding flight 672," said a voice over the speakers.

"That's my cue," said Louis, standing with Niall.

"I'm going to miss you. So much," said Niall, wrapping his arms tightly around Louis' neck. "I love you," he added, his voice cracking.

"Please don't cry, Niall, or I will too," said Louis, pulling out of the hug and weaving his and Niall's fingers together. "I love you," he whispered before bringing Niall in for one final kiss before he left.

"Last call for flight 672," said the voice again.

Niall pulled away first, "You better go. Don't wanna miss your flight."