Through the Lens

One More Time

Hailey's POV

I stepped off the plane and went through customs, having to answer a few additional questions as to why I didn't have a bag with me, before they let me go and I headed out toward the pick up area. I had no idea where to go or who I was even looking for, so I turned on my phone to see if I had any messages from Niall with any kind of instruction. Before I could open my texts, I heard someone say my name to my right and looked up to see a large man standing next to me.

"Hailey Robertson?" He asked.

"Yes..." I said slowly.

"Do you have a bag?" He asked and I shook my head. "Come with me." He said as he led me toward the outside doors.

I immediately noticed paparazzi standing around, seemingly waiting for someone to arrive but not currently in their little mob they usually created. The man was very serious, and I gathered he might be someone from Niall's security or something by the way he protectively walked in front of me and kept scanning our surroundings. I noticed camera flashes starting to go off as we approached a black SUV, the man opening the door to reveal someone sitting in the back seat that I'd only recognized from pictures and interviews. I was relieved to see a somewhat familiar face as I hopped in next to him while the paparazzi did their best to get his attention before I slammed the door in their faces.

"Hello, love." He smiled as he pulled me in for a hug. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

"You too, Louis." I said, shooting him a soft smile.

I could only imagine what Harry's friends thought of me after everything, it was obvious Niall was a little annoyed with me and the way I'd seemingly ignored Harry, and he knew me. I could only imagine what his friends who didn't know me would think.

"Um, thanks for picking me up." I said awkwardly. "I hope it wasn't too much trouble for you."

"Not at all, babe." He smiled. "We're just gonna head to Niall's and I'll pick up my car. Take you straight to Harry."

"Thank you." I said sincerely. "I know you don't know me, and I'm sure you haven't heard great things about me lately...but I appreciate this."

He just nodded as we made our way away from the airport, and I looked out the window and realized for the first time that I was really not in Belize anymore. I'd been to London once before, only for a couple of days, but it was mid-afternoon and it was a beautiful spring day. I'd always loved the charm of England, how they didn't seem to tear old things down and build sky scrapers the way we did in North America. They seemed to value the tradition of things, and I loved that.

"You must be knackered." Louis said softly. "You can take a nap before we go if you'd like?"

"I'm okay, I just wanna get to Harry." I said, really just anxious to see with my own eyes that he was alright.

Which I knew he wouldn't be.

"Well, it's a bit of a drive. You can sleep in the car if you need." He said, shooting me a soft smile as we turned off the main road down onto what looked to be a residential street.

A few minutes later we drove through a gate and up to a house that I guessed to be Niall's. It was exactly what I would have pictured Niall's to be like, not too big, but nice and well taken care of. He had never struck me as someone who would buy a big over the top house, he lived nicely but not flashy.

"I'll just get your bag." Louis said as he hopped out of the SUV and went around to the back, looking confused when there was no bag to be found.

"I uh, I didn't bring one." I said as he looked over at me like I had two heads. "I was on a layover in Phoenix, on my way home to Vancouver, when I heard. I just got on the next flight. My bag went to Vancouver and I came here."