Don't Let Me Go // h.s.

Epilogue

Because I have terrible patience and too much excitement, here's the epilogue. Please tell what you think!

I could see the tower peaking through the top of the tall buildings. I was close thankfully. I didn't know how much longer my legs could take.

As I walked no one paid attention to me. They were too busy on their hover boards or looking at their fancy watches and glasses.

I never let go.

Harry left. Then I went back to California. He came on Thanksgiving like he promised. He met my family and I wasn't scared anymore. I wasn't scared of losing him. He was mine. That goodbye was a little easier than before.

We spent Christmas with his mum and Gemma that year, which was just as great as the first time I visited.

Valentine's Day he surprised me by showing up to my dorm with a bouquet of flowers like the cliche cheeseball he is.

During the summer, I traveled with him. We went from country to country, the boys writing for the next album as I listened. Then in the fall I went back to school.

We had a lot of goodbyes, but thankfully we had a lot of hellos too. The boys and I became best friends. Even when Zayn left, he always called every once in a while. As hard as he tried, we were his friends and he couldn't let go completely. It was a hard time though, for everyone. Harry flew to me that night. He took it the hardest.

"It's not fair." He whispered laying his head on my chest.

"I know it's not. It must hurt watching everything you are walk away from you, but you have a few million fans counting on you. They'll fill that hole." I assured him.

"I can't even imagine what they're feeling."

"Exactly what you are feeling. Harry, you're all a family. You both have to bring each other up. Stick together through this." I played with his hair to help calm him down.

"I just didn't think he'd leave." He replied.

"You still have Louis, Liam, and Niall. You have fans that will never give up on you four. Zayn just left the band not your life. And you'll have me, if that makes you feel any better." I chuckled.

He looked up at me and smiled sadly.

"Thank you, and it does." He snuggled back to me and hugged me tightly.

The next few months went really well for the group. The fans were so supportive and that just made the boys work even harder.

For the longest time, we didn't see each other. For 5 months, I was stuck in school and work while the boys were on tour in Europe. All we had were long distance phone calls and text messages. With different time zones we never found a time to video chat.

That Christmas, things felt a little different since we weren't together. Neither of us had time to fly to each other. We decided to take a break and it was working for a few weeks until Harry showed up on my door step.

"I can't do this anymore. It's been weeks since I've heard your voice and I need you. I... Can I please hold you?"
He had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, his hair was messy probably due to the long flight, and he just looked lost. I was lonely and I wish things worked out better but I couldn't be without him.

"Come here." I opened my arms and he immediately crashed into me, holding me so close and tight.

"Never let me go." He pleaded.

"I won't." I shook my head and I meant it. We were happier together even if we were miles apart.

When the boys took their break from touring for 5 years. Harry and I decided to live together so we rented out an apartment in Los Angeles. That year I let him do whatever he wanted. Touring really took a toll on him so we had the best time terrorizing the city together, just like in Paris.

When the break was over, boys went back to the recording studio here in LA and as soon as that was finished, they went on tour. I was finished with school by then, but I wanted to stay and work. So as a way to convince me to go, the boys offered me a job as their own personal doctor. I'd get paid, so I took the job. To be fair, I couldn't say no anyways.

That's what life liked like for the first few years. Management took a back seat when it came to any of the boys relationships, especially ours. We were free to do what we wished, just like everyone else. Even the fans were supportive of us. We had everything going for us.

Then Harry proposed. We were alone in our hotel room, cuddling and watching a movie when he pulled out the ring. I was one of his t-shirts in just my underwear and he was in his pajama bottoms. We had junk food all around us and I couldn't have thought of a more perfect time. Everything froze, it felt unreal. He got down on one knee and asked me. I couldn't speak so I nodded before he slipped the ring on my finger. We got married a year later in Los Angeles and honeymooned in Paris. As if there was anywhere else we would go.

I was now Katrina Styles.

"Mrs. Styles." Harry would call me. I had to admit I liked it.

Then there were the children. Harry was ecstatic for each one basically because he was a child himself.

We had a boy and a girl. Parker and Emmie. Parker grew up to be a nerd like me and eventually went to Uni to study biology. He was saving lives. Emmie grew up an artist, more like her father. She had galleries and art shows and murals all around the world.

Anniversaries passed, so did birthdays, more weddings, albums, and tours until finally One Direction decided to stop making music. By now they were all old and some were even grandparents. It was time.

We were are still friends meeting up and doing things the elderly probably shouldn't do but we didn't care.

Now here I was, back in Paris. Just a little old lady walking around slowly. I finally got to the tower and sat down on a bench with the perfect view. Honestly you could sit anywhere in Paris and have a nice view but this bench was special. It was the bench were were sitting on when management called saying they signed the contract, where we met that old man who was kind enough to give us advice.

Here it almost felt like I wasn't alone. Like Harry wasn't so far away, like he never left. I came back hoping I would find this feeling and I did.

Harry passed away at age 87, and after his funeral I snuck on a plane and flew to Paris. I wanted to do this alone. Everyone back home was probably frantically looking for me but I didn't care.

I didn't cry at the funeral or at the hospital. I didn't feel like crying until now, overwhelmed that for the first time in days I didn't feel so alone. If I stayed in Paris, I was with Harry. I may have caused a lot of trouble back home by leaving but when it came to Harry, I just could never let go.

I don't know how to thank him for throwing my calendar into the river that day. I'm just glad he did.

Am I the only one crying? Can we cry together? 😭
I tried really hard not to make this sound rushed. I wanted it to sound nostalgic so I really hope you all enjoyed this story! I loved writing it. Thank you for all the reads, votes, and comments. Love you guys!