Running Out Of Time - Completed.

Chapter 8

"Louis, please accept our sincere apology. We didn't realise he was sick. We didn't know he was having problems."

Louis raised his eyebrows.

Paul continued. "I want to assure you, we will make sure he gets everything he needs."

Louis wanted to remind him that it was management that was stopping Harry from going into the hospital where he would get better care, but he kept silent, knowing his time would come.

Paul cleared his throat. "Okay, we need to discuss how we're going to handle this. What are you going to tell the fans tonight about Harry being absent?"

Liam gasped. "Unfucking believable!"

Paul ignored Liam's comment. "We've scheduled the interviews for tomorrow now, so you have the rest of the day off." He smiled and puffed out his chest.

Zayne shook his head and tried to keep his voice from shaking with anger. "Are you saying that not only are we doing the show tonight our days off are cancelled as well?"

Paul shrugged. "Nothing that can be done. These things happen. We all have to make sacrifices?"

Niall sat with his mouth open not believing what he was hearing. He turned to Louis. "Are you listening to this bullshit?"

Louis remained silent. His head is down, while he's silently mouthing out numbers. Liam bends his head down towards Louis. "Hey, are you alright man?"

Louis nods his head and holds his glass out for a refill. He leaves his hand there until the glass is given back, then he takes a long gulp of the alcohol. He leans his head back on the couch before looking straight into Paul's face. Before Louis opens his mouth, every mobile phone in the room goes off, including Paul's beeper.

Louis looks to the band and shakes his head. "Don't answer it." So, the boys try to ignore the constant ringing and, in the end, switch off their phones.

Paul starts arguing with the other person on the line and looks at Louis and scowls. The rest of the management team are trying to get Paul's attention, but then realise their boss has already been informed about the situation and so they close their call, only for the phone to start ringing again. All eyes were on Louis who sat still and composed while pandemonium erupted in the room.

"Yes, Sir," Paul said. "I understand, Sir."

He closes the phone and his face pales as he glares at Louis. "What the hell have you done, boy?" Turning to his team he shouts at them to go and then points at Louis. "You stay here and don't move!"

Niall lets out a breath after the boys are left alone. "So, I guess the shit has hit the fan then – not our fan, I mean they are helping us out..." He shuts up.

"Did you see Paul's face? I thought he was going to explode." Liam laughs.

Louis smiles back. "I'm going to call, Anne. Harry would want his mum here."

The laughter stopped. Louis's statement sobered the boys up. All heads turned, and their eyes went to the closed bedroom door.

"Call me when I'm needed," Louis said as he walked towards the bedroom.

"Get some sleep," Liam called out. "You look wrecked."

Louis asked Ian to stay close by knowing he would have to leave Harry again soon. Then after the door closed he pulled out his mobile phone and dialled Harry's mum. He told her the truth, just left out what was said on the bus. He would fill her in with everything that happened once she was there. He didn't want to overwhelm her. She said she would be on the first flight out and he didn't even try to talk her out of coming. Harry had a close relationship with Anne and Louis knew she would be the best medicine for his recovery. But until then, it was just him and Harry.