"I just can’t believe it,” Charlie repeated for the thousandth time, shakily swiping the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. As she did, her ensemble of silver bracelets jangled lightly together and glinted brightly in the sunlight streaming through the overhead skylight. There were a lot of bangles on her arm – maybe too many to be trendy for someone her age. However, that was a meaningless observation - as what might not be fashionable in Britain might be fashionable in Spain. “Fliss will never believe me in a million years. Oh god, I can’t believe this is actually happening.”
Louis smiled back at his sister; his expression devastatingly happy despite his red and sore eyes from crying. There was no mistaking that he shared the stunned sentiment completely. The wonder and disbelief in his face kept bringing fresh tears to Harry’s cheeks every time he looked.
“I can’t believe it either,” Louis croaked as he squeezed the hand of hers he was holding across the table – knowing they both needed the physical connection to truly believe this was real. “You look amazing Lottie – so grown up. Where did that little thirteen year old, I remember so clearly, go to?”
“She grew up and got married,” Charlie sobbed quietly.
Harry bit down on his nail and internally screamed at himself to hold himself together. He shouldn’t be crying more than the two people beside him and yet, here he was, blubbering his sentimental eyes out. Liam wasn’t much better, either - huddled in the far corner of the booth with his face half-hidden by trembling hands.
“You haven’t changed a bit,” Charlie sniffled, staring at her brother with a sense of wonder. “Maybe you’re a little older around the edges… but… you look almost exactly the same as you did thirteen years ago. Same smile, same eyes, same hair, same build… I… I… can’t believe it. Oh my god, you have no idea how much I’ve missed you!” Louis’ lips trembled and a few more tears slips silently down his cheeks as he gripped her hands harder. Charlie shuffled forward slightly, pulling one hand free, and reached out to brush her fingers lightly against Louis’ jaw. “How can you possibly be real?” she whispered, “I mean… you should be dead, I mean…” she winced and backtracked, “I’m so happy that you aren’t… you have no idea how much… my brother is back from the dead… my god, that is beyond incredible… but… I… I don’t understand… how could anyone have survived… that?” She shuddered violently and Harry could almost see the memory of the impact cross her mind. He didn’t envy her that vision one iota – his imagination made it traumatic enough.
“I nearly didn’t, I wouldn’t have if Liam hadn’t found me,” Louis admitted, just as quietly. “It was touch and go for a while… I…” he swallowed hard, “I was in a coma for a few days with a massive head injury and… uh… I now have epilepsy because of it.” He added in a shrug at the end as though it was no big deal. It was a big deal though; a very big deal. It was something that had nearly cost him his life two years ago and it still impacted his everyday life and choices.
“Oh god, Louis,” Charlie gasped, grabbing both of his hands back between hers. She looked both horrified and ashamed at hearing the extent of his injuries, “I am so sorry, so very sorry. You must hate us so much. Oh god. Epilepsy…”
“I don’t hate you. It wasn’t your fault,” Louis quickly soothed, changing their hand positions so that he was holding hers instead, “you weren’t driving the car. You didn’t do it.”
“But I should have found a way to stop Dad driving off!” Charlie cried softly, “I should have found a way to disengage the locks! Or at least have gotten an ambulance or the police! Mum had a mobile in the front, I should have…”
