Moments

Prologue

Harry's POV:

The yard.  The cold and dead backyard.  It so well resembled exactly how I felt inside, cold and dead.  The trees rustled along with the bitter wind that stung at my cheeks.  The first snowfall of the winter was quickly rushing in.

Hearing the commotion inside, I was  glad that I was able to sneak away when I did.  I couldn't handle the condolences and the glances of sorrow anymore.  If I heard one more person say they were sorry or that she was in a better place, I was sure to lose it.

"Harry," I heard a familiar voice say softly. 

"Yeah," my voice cracked as I continued to look forward, watching the leaves skip across the grass, yellow and dead from the fall.

Louis sat down next to me, gently resting an arm across my back.  "Your dad and Zayn are shuffling everyone out the door.  Your mom and the rest of us are cleaning up.  She asked me to come check on you.  How're you holding up?"

"Alright," I sighed.  It was a lie, well half of one.  On the outside I was 'alright' on the inside, I was cold and broken.  The heart that once carried on to an even beat, was now lying in a pile of pieces inside my chest.  Infact, I was pretty sure that had happened when I felt the life slip from her body.

"I guess I should tell you that I packed a bag,"

I looked at my friend, confused.  "What?"

"Yup. An overnight bag," Louis forced out a half smile.  "You don't need to be alone just yet,"

"I'm fine,"

"Yeah, I know," Louis nodded, knowing that I could say the words as many times as I wanted, I still wouldn't believe him.  "But, I'd still like to crash on the couch for the night.  Just incase you do decide that you need someone to talk to,"

"Alright," I shrugged. 

"You should come inside," Louis shivered from the cold.  "You don't have a coat on.  You're going to get sick,"

...Sick...  

"I'm not worried," I replied.  "I'll be back inside in just a few minutes.  I need to make a phone call,"

Louis sighed and stood up, he went back inside and found Harry's mother standing by the glass door that looked out onto the patio. 

Louis' POV:

"Is he okay?"

"No," I shook my head, sadly.  "Give it time."

"I hate this," Anne gently swept the tears from her cheeks as I gently embraced her in a hug.

"He's nineteen, he shouldn't have to experience this kind of thing already!"

"We're all here for him," Niall spoke up from behind the kitchen counter where he and Liam were cleaning up the various catering trays that had been picked through.

"Give him some time to catch his breath," Liam added.  "He's gonna be okay,"

~*~*~*~*~

Meanwhile, outside Harry held his phone to his ear.  He pulled it away long enough to punch in the pin number for his voicemail.  

You have one saved messages.

First saved message:  Hey, Harry...I just wanted to remind you how much I love you.  There's no words to describe how truly thankful I am that God placed you in my life.  Thank you for all that you've done for me and continue to do every day. I love you.