I Remember You Laughing [Larry Stylinson]

Chapter 16- To The Ranch

A/N: Hey everyone! The adventure is going to really take off from here. Writing this is so much fun! Please vote and comment! I love hearing your thoughts! Shoutout to my friend Kaylee! Your support means plenty.

Louis' pov

As they entered the town and passed the buildings that used to be familiar to his mother, and would soon be familiar to Louis and his sisters, Louis peered out the window and took in the scenery. The grocery store, a toy store, the gas station, a clothing store... He pictured his mom being there. Walking those streets, barely four feet tall, with her backpack to school...

They went past the town buildings and soon there were only pastures on either side of the road. They slowed around a corner and drove up a hill past a sign that read Twist Ranch, and a fairly sized farmhouse came into view. It was humble looking with a peak at the top where a little window was lodged in what had to be the attic. Louis quite liked the house and immediately pictured his mother running up the hill as a child with her brunette ponytail bouncing behind her.

As soon as he exited the car, a huge black dog jumped up on him and started barking and smelling him. The twins screamed in fear.

Harry called the dog and stooped down to pet it. "He's okay. He's just trying to get your scent. Come on! Let him sniff you a bit to get accustomed to you guys."

Louis bent down and petted the dog. Daisy clutched his hand and tried to pull it away, protectively.

"It's okay, Daise. What's his name?" Louis said as he encouraged the twins to come closer to the dog.

Mark and Fizzie pulled up behind them and got out.

"Clifford! We say Cliff for short." Harry said, kissing the animal's head and receiving licks in return. The girls giggled.

Louis slowly came upright and turned around and almost bumped into his father whose eyes were boring into his in a way Louis was sure was meant to reinforce their previous understanding. He gave him a tentative nod of agreement and hoped he would drop the whole thing until another time- or completely.

Gemma took Phoebe's hand and Fizzie nudged Louis to walk along.

Mark started pulling luggage out of his car while everyone else walked up to the house where a beaming Anne was waiting on the threshold; arms wide open. She hugged and kissed the girls while a broad young man who was on the porch waiting as well politely introduced himself as Cord, and enthusiastically shook hands with Louis.

"I'm so happy! Sweetheart, you have no idea! Are you okay? Come. Come inside!" Anne said, crying as she squeezed Louis with what felt like all her might.

While Gemma showed the girls to their room upstairs, and Anne gave a quick tour of the grounds to Mark; Harry helped Louis pull his luggage into a room downstairs. The room was adjacent to the kitchen, and the entrance was next to the stairs leading to the second floor. As the boys entered, Louis noticed it was a large room with a partition straight through the middle dividing a neat double sized bed and a dresser on one side, from shelves full of books; a stack of musical equipment; and a desk, on the other side. Louis smiled as his eyes glazed over the guitar Harry played at his home before.

"This used to be my Granddad's office. I hope it's okay because I was gonna move all my stuff to the garage but there's a leak. We're gonna fix that soon, so it'll be bigger for you..." Harry said as Louis dropped his bag in a corner. "I was supposed to clean the attic but there are bats. . ."

Louis laughed at Harry's mock-scared face. "I'm with you on that! Bats, birds...Throw anything that flies at me if you wanna hear me scream like a girl. . ."