Never Forget You {l.s. AU}

1.

Louis*

It was the last I ever saw of her.

Liam and I were transported to Germany in a cattle car. It was stuffed with boys our age, all healthy and fit, but the dread of death and punishment hanging in their eyes. As I looked around I found a pair of baby blues staring back at me, it was a small, pale boy with blonde hair and the most innocent looking face. I felt pathetic in that moment, pathetic.

I couldn't save Liam, I couldn't save my mother, I couldn't save Charlotte, Felicité, Daisy, Phoebe, Doris or Ernest. I had failed as a brother and son.

But in that moment as the pale boy looked at me with tears in his eyes and a silent plea from his mouth filled with crooked teeth, I had a strong urge to protect him while Liam cuddled into me sniffling in his sleep.

I motioned for him to move towards my left where there was enough space for him to cuddle into me. Temporary relief, so what, it is all that I can offer right now. I will offer my heart for him on a platter of that meant keeping them safe, Liam and this little boy.

As he moved from there to my side I could see his big curious eyes asking me, asking why I offered comfort. I whisper to him, "You see, this is my brother. His name is Liam and he is just like you. Scared. And if he can cuddle into me for comfort so can you. Tell me, what is your name?" I tried being as soft as I could, trying not to scare away this little boy.

"My name is Niall. What is yours?" He said in his little mellow voice, his broken voice brought tears to my eyes, he was so small and his innocence being put into harms' way like this. I whispered with a smile and offering him my hand, "I am Louis. Tomlinson. It was nice meeting you, Niall." I pulled him into my chest, allowing him to rest his head on my chest and my hand pulled around his shoulders as he mumbled about his brother who was supposed to be 20 and in the ranks, he mumbled about his friends back in the town and somewhere there he mumbled about someone always singing to him for him to sleep peacefully and thus Louis took it as a task and sang merry lullabies he heard his mother sing to all his siblings and like magic the little cattle car was filled with silent, soft snores and inaudible baby whimpers as every single boy-child on board slept peacefully, at least till they reached their destination, that wasn't due atleast for another few weeks.

The next morning.

Niall*

"Which one of you sings?" The driving official had asked when the boys had been given a little pit stop for food and washing before they were stuffed back into the back of the car. The boys had all pointed to the very much distractedly writing Louis, who was oblivious to everything except for his little diary and his charcoal pencil.

"Oi! You with the diary." He called out, he was still not back here. Liam pushed him and I kept moving him for attention, as I kept doing that Louis looked up with wide eyes and asked, "Are you talking to me?" The driving official laughed and said in his yet again rough German accent, "Yes, little man. You sing?" "Aye!" Louis said a little too enthusiastically as I chuckled against his shoulder. He ruffled my hair and Liam just glared at me, I laughed louder at that, if only he knew that Louis kept talking about him in his sleep.

"You sit infront and sing for us?" The driving official asks. My heart broke and my smile immediately wiped off as I waited for Louis, whose eyes had opened like huge tea saucers and his neat, heavenly blue-green eyes sparkled. But then he calmed and said, "Sir, with due respect. I can't. Meine Brüder werden allein zurückgelassen und die ältesten Ich habe bestimmte Pflichten." I didn't understand a word he said. I just kept looking at his sad features as the driver sighed and said, "Well, can you sing loudly for the journey during the day. So that we don't die of boredom."

Louis didn't hesitate once before saying, "Ofcourse sir. I wouldn't want that. Singing I can do if everyone joins along."

The driver said, " My name is not sir. You can call me Jarvis." "Aye, Jarvis." Everyone said, including me. He laughed in response before he pushed up the tailgate and rolling up the door curtain or the curtain that was the door.

Small talk was being made and all the boys were talking and now Liam was sitting next to the door and I was tempted to join him and talk to him as his brown eyes, that I found enticing, called out his internal sadness that was actually radiating off of him as he hummed along to the familiar tune Louis was singing and Jarvis opened the little window of the panel that divided the caravan and the drivers seat. I looked at Louis and he gave me an approving nod allowing me to move over to Liam's side and just look at him.

He shuffled closer to me as I sat down and he said, "I don't mean to be rude. I am just afraid. Louis says strangers can be dangerous. I didn't do anything rude knowingly. Forgive me, uh...?" "Niall." I reply, a small smile on my lips. He suddenly says, "Your eyes are pretty." I laugh and say, "Yours are simply orphic."

The smile that he gives me for that made my heart tug. In this time of peril too, his smile was as genuine as it could be. He was simply, purely innocent.

I like that about my new brother. Louis had officially made me his brother and I, Liam.