Right By Your Side ~ Larry Stylinson

Chapter 20: Our new beginning

"I love you more with every breath
Truly, madly, deeply do
I will be strong I will be faithful
'cause I'm counting on
A new beginning
A reason for living"
Savage Garden

When Harry and Louis arrived back in Manchester on Sunday evening, they entered the house calling out a greeting and were met with a chorus of voices from the lounge room, and two small torpedos that launched themselves at them as they took off their coats.

Phoebe barrelled into Harry, who let out an "oof" before grinning and wrapping his arms around her, lifting her off the ground, much to her delight. Daisy, meanwhile, had thrown herself into Louis' arms.

While Phoebe was squealing as Harry twirled her, Daisy leaned forward and kissed Louis' cheek, her arms wrapped around his neck and legs wrapped around his torso like a monkey.

"We missed you Lou" she said quietly. "Both of you" she then added, including Harry, and Louis' heart melted. He squeezed her tightly, grinning.

"We missed you too Princess" he murmured.

Phoebe had cajoled Harry into giving her a piggy back by then, and she waved at Louis from her perch on Harry's back. "Hi Louis!" she beamed.

"Hi Pheebs" he answered. "Don't break Harry's back please." He walked past them carrying Daisy, but turned to whisper out of Phoebe's earshot. "Take Care there Haz, don't want any injuries now – I've got plans for you later."

"What plans?" asked Daisy, who was listening in.

Harry chuckled as Louis turned red, blushing adorably. "Yeah Lou, what plans?" he asked with a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Who has plans?" Phoebe asked, confused, but not wanting to be left out of the conversation.

"Never mind what plans I have" he replied to them, shooting Harry a glare which told him he'd be paying for that later. "Now let's go say hello to everybody, shall we?" He marched through to the lounge room, where Jay, Dan, Lottie and Fizzy were curled up watching TV. Lottie paused it and they all got up to hug the boys and welcome them back.

"Thank God!" Fizzy moaned. "Mum wouldn't let us eat dinner until you got here and I'm starving!"

"It's only six thirty" Lottie rolled her eyes. "And you polished of half a bag of Doritos while you waited, so I hardly think you're starving!" She turned to the boys, still holding Daisy and Phoebe. "Welcome back – were your family pleased to see you Harry?"

Before he could answer, Fizzy butted in. "Did they like Louis?"

Harry chuckled. "They loved him, of course! And they were really happy to see me, yeah."

"You can tell us all about it over dinner" Jay hustled them toward the kitchen. "I want to serve it up before it gets overcooked."

When they arrived at the table, Phoebe and Daisy argued over who would get to sit next to Harry, with Harry happily offering to sit between them. Louis took a seat on the other side of Daisy, pretending to pout about not sitting next to Harry, but secretly delighted his sisters had taken to Harry so well.

They chatted over dinner, everyone asking about their weekend. Louis' face was alight as he talked about how wonderful Harry's family were, and how welcome they'd made him feel. He was describing Anne, Robin and Gemma fondly, and Harry felt his chest swell to twice the size as Louis praised his family.

"I can't wait to meet Gemma" Lottie laughed. "She sounds awesome!"

"She is" Louis told her smiling. "She's lovely" he looked across at Harry, who was looking softly back at him. "Not as lovely as Harry though" he added quietly.