Running Out Of Time - Completed.

Chapter 10

Louis waited until the door closed and then went over to the bed and gently caressed Harry's face. Harry's eyelids flickered and then he slowly opened them to see Louis looking down at him. Harry sighed closed his eyes again but quickly looked back at Louis and smiled.

That smile warmed Louis's heart and threw away any doubt that Harry wouldn't be himself when he woke up.

"Hey, love. How are you feeling?" Louis asked as he stroked Harry's face again.

"I fucked up, Lou." Harry tried to speak, but his throat was sore and so it came out as a hoarse whisper.

"No, sweetheart, They fooked up, not you. No, babe, don't cry. It's all going to be okay - sshh." He caresses Harry's face again and kissed his tears. "Love, I know you're tired, but you need to take this medicine."

Harry had no strength to lift himself up and so Louis put his arm around Harry's waist and pulled him up. Propping the pillows behind Harry's back, he then held a glass of water to Harry's lips. Swallowing the pill, Harry then guzzled the water down.

Louis then laid Harry's head back down and pulled the duvet around him. Already Harry's eyes had closed. Bending down, he brushed the hair off Harry's face and then leaned forward and kisses his forehead.

"Don't leave me." Harry's voice came out weak but urgent.

"I will never leave you, Hazza. And you have to promise me that you will never scare the crap out of me again."

"Sleep with me. I need to feel you close."

Louis stripped off and climbed into bed naked. They always slept naked together, wanting to feel skin on skin. Louis assumed Harry didn't realise he was wearing boxers and a t-shirt. He never even mentioned his bandaged hands and he was thankful that he never asked about the show they should have been performing. Wrapping an arm around Harry's waist, Louis snuggled close and breathed in Harry's scent until he fell asleep.

Anne arrived early hours the next morning. Ian sat guard at the door as Louis and Harry slept. Ian greeted her, opened the door to the suite and then pointed out where the bedroom was. She gently knocked on the door and when there was no answer, she opened it and peered inside. Not willing to wait, she walked inside and over towards the bed.

Harry was sleeping on his side holding onto Louis's arms which were still wrapped around him. Anne watched them sleeping thinking how peaceful and angelic they both looked. But being desperate to know what happened to her son, he stroked Louis's check.

His eyes fluttered open and quickly became alert once he saw Anne there. He tried to sit up, but she touched his arm.

"No, Lou. Stay where you are. I'm sorry for waking you. I just needed to see him."

Louis yawned. "When did you arrive? Have you slept?"

"Not yet. I came straight from the airport."

"I got a room booked for you, I couldn't get you on the same floor though. They are still fixing up Harry's room. He really trashed it, Anne. I've never seen him behave like that."

"That wasn't our Harry," she said. "That was anger, hurt and depression. But what sent him over like that? Oh, no. What happened to his hands?"

"It looked like he punched a door or mirror," Louis explained. "He has stitches to both hands and the Dr's put him on Antibiotics."

"Oh, my poor baby."

"Anne, I'm so sorry." Louis broke down crying. "I failed to protect him. I should have protected him from all this bullshit! I've let you down."

"Oh, no, honey. You've been his rock from the get-go. And don't think I don't know how much you have shouldered, so Harry didn't."

Reaching out she touched his arm. "You know how special you are to me, Louis, especially now that Jay is gone. I'm here for you. And it's the record company and your management team that are to blame for all this. They are responsible for your welfare."

"Don't worry about me, Anne. Dr has both of us on bed rest and we have a week off as well. Plenty of time to recover."

Anne stood up. "Okay, go back to sleep, hon. I'll wake you both up with a late breakfast and we can talk then."

"That sounds good. Neither of us has eaten today – I mean yesterday. I haven't had the stomach for food and Harry has been sedated most of the day."

"Oh, honey, no. How did it get so bad?"

"I will tell you everything later, but in private. Dr doesn't want Harry getting stressed or upset."

"I understand. I will keep it light. Thank you for calling me, Lou. I'm going to nurse you both back to health. Sleep now, sweetheart."

Anne bent down and kissed Louis's and Harry's head before leaving the room.