Rough

Chapter 8

~Two Months Later~

Harry, Louis, Niall, Zayn and Liam met their choreographer, Paul Roberts, inside their rehearsal room. It had been a while since their last tour, but they were excited and pumped-except Louis. Louis wasn't "all there" this morning. He woke up feeling kind of faint, and didn't tell Harry. He knew if he told, Harry wouldn't have let him come to rehearsal. He didn't want that. He needed to get back into "the swing of things." He didn't want 'having a baby' to keep him back from work. He felt a little better once they arrived, but not by much. He hoped Harry wouldn't notice, which was highly unlikely.

Surprisingly, it was Niall who noticed first.

"You alright, mate?" he asked, rubbing Louis' shoulders.

"Yeah." Louis sighed, "My body has to get use to this again. It's had some dramatic changes. I just need to teach it 'the norm' again. That's all."

"Alright..." Niall answered, unsure, but leaving the subject alone for now.

"Alright, let's begin." Paul spoke up, positioning the boys, "Show me your routine from last tour. "

The boys danced. After a moment, Paul stopped them and showed a new routine. The boys liked to make up their own moves, but needed a base line. They memorized the routine Paul showed them and began to dance. A couple of moves into the dance, Louis started to loose his breath. Not wanting Harry to notice, he kept going. That didn't last long because seconds after, a powerful dizziness pushed Louis to his knees. He tired to catch his breath, but couldn't. He put his hands on top of his head, which seemed to help, but breathing just wasn't happening. Paul was the first-somehow-to notice Louis struggling.

"Louis?" Paul asked, stopping the music, "You alright?"

Louis shook his head 'no'- this time not caring if Harry saw, he just wanted to breath again. Harry slid on his knees next to Louis and rubbed his back.

"What's wrong, babe?" he asked, terrified.

"I...don't...know." Louis struggled, licking his lips.

Paul stood on the other side of Louis and helped him to his feet. The lads sat Louis on a bench and gave him his water. Louis drank a few sips and his breath returned to normal.

"Thanks, guys." Louis sighed, happy to be breathing again.

"What was that about?" Harry asked, relieved.

Louis leaned his head against the wall. "I don't know. I guess my body is just not ready for this yet."

"But you were fine the last two months."

"That was just two months." Louis answered, feeling whipped, "Think of the months prior to those. First I carried a baby, which males usually don't do, for nine months while on a tour. Then I had appendicitis. Next, we haden't slept well because of Darcy and had to do interviews all over. Then there was that accident, which kept me awake being with you. Two months ago I had pneumonia, which I just got over. All those together-I'm not surprised I was faint this mor-" he froze, realizing what he just uncovered.

"Faint?" Harry asked angrily, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to keep me from coming." Louis admitted, "I needed to get back to work. I thought two months was enough. Then, when I felt faint, I knew I needed more time, but there wasn't. Tour starts in a week. I can't go on stage without some rehearsal time. I really needed to come and I didn't want you to hold me back, or not come yourself."

"I could of missed it." Harry mumbled softly, "I would have stayed home with you."

"I didn't want you to. You needed this just as much as the rest of us."