One Big Family

Paul Babysits

Simon has taken Louis away to the hospital, leaving Liam in charge until Paul could get there. Well, Simon didn't actually say anything, he was too busy aiding to Louis that he forgot about the rest of the boys. So Liam being the responsible one stepped in and took charge. He called Paul saying that Simon had an emergency and he should come as quickly as he can. Liam was still shaken up about his little brother's state. Confused about how this could all happen all the sudden.

Before the incident with the missing cat, Louis was just a regular kid. He didn't deserve this, no kid did.

"Zayn, go get Harry and Niall. I'll clean up here." He said meaning the still messy room Louis destroyed. He sighed when Zayn left and started on his work.

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Twenty minutes later Paul kicked on the door. As he has his own keys he wouldn't have needed someone to open the door, so that must mean he has food.

"Paul!" Niall yelled opening the door for his uncle.

"Hello" Paul greeted passing a large brown greasy bag to the 11-year-old.

"How are you my lovely?" The man asked watching Niall peek in the bag.

"Good, what you get us?" Niall asked, excited to eat as he was starving.

"I got hamburgers, fries, hash browns, shakes, ice cream and..." Paul acted too have forgotten and opened peering inside the bag Niall was holding.

"And this" Paul smirked attacking Niall's sides with tickles making the little boy squirm and giggle.

The two walked into the kitchen where Niall set down the bag and Paul set down the tray of shakes and put the ice creams in the freezer.

"Daddy never lets us eat this stuff, if he catches us we'll all be in trouble" Niall frowns but Paul rubs his hand in his hair playfully.

"Don't worry Nialler, Simon can never find out if we eat everything." And Niall couldn't agree more.

"Boys lunch!" Paul called everyone down to eat. One by one they greeted and hugged their smiley uncle.

"So..." he wanted to ask what the boys knew about this situation.

"Do you guys know about..." he asked awkwardly hoping the boys would catch on.

"I and Zayn do. Harry and Niall don't know what's going on" Liam replied out of earshot of the two youngest.

"Simon called me at the hospital after you called me Li and asked me to look after you."

"Did he say anything about Louis?" Zayn cut in.

"Only that he has to go to hospital from a panic attack. He wanted to know if you kids were okay."

"We're okay, just a little shaken up. Mostly we're worried about Louis" Liam said for both him and Zayn.

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Paul and the boys finished eating their greasy lunch and were currently sitting in the living room watching a scary movie and eating ice cream.

"Happy? boys" Paul asked receiving umm's from the kids who were all licking their ice cream cones.

"Remember don't tell your dad I let you have this, okay" Paul rolled his eyes and smiled when they "umm" again too busy enjoying their ice creams.

His phone began to ring, startling Paul a bit as it tied up with the jump scare in the movie. He already knew who it was.

"Hi Si, what's happened" Paul shook his head listening to what his brother was saying. This gathered the attention of the boys, all four of them listened in hope of gaining any information.

"Yeah. Uh huh. Well, that's good" Paul ramble on.

"So how long they want him to stay for?" He asked still nodding into the phone.

"So he'll be okay?" Paul smiled which gave some relief to the boys who were all worried about their little brother.

"Well, all good then. Hey tell him that I love him so much and give him a big slobbery kiss in front of all his friends, say it's from his uncle Pauly."

He giggled.

"Yeah the boys are just fine" Paul turns his view to the kids starring at him. "they're alive and no one is crying... yet" he laughed.

"Are you coming home tonight? Oh yeah, Kay, I'll see you soon." He hung up the phone and his gaze returned to the four boys who had questioning looks on their faces.

"Wrong number" he smiled. Liam rolled his eyes at his comment.

"What did he say about Louis?" He asked frustrated. Paul knew Simon wanted to explain it all to them but he just could keep them walking on eggshells.

"Louis is just fine, Simon is bringing him home later tonight" causing the boys to sigh in relief.

"Did they say what was wrong with him?" Asked Niall.

"Your father wants him to be the one to explain Louis' condition to you, not me." He announced.

"What are we going to have for dinner?" Asked Paul changing the subject.

"PIZZA" Niall cried.

"PIZZA AND GARLIC BREAD," Harry said Zayn and Liam agreed with their food choices.

"Alrighty, pizza it is" he concluded making the boys cheer.

"Just remember the rule boys."

"Don't tell Dad" they said in sync.

"Very good, very good" Paul praised.

***********************************

It was later that night and Paul is passed out on the couch with the four boys huddled around him. He awakens randomly, the TV still on and the light dimmed. There was some rustling at the door and Paul knowing and who it was quickly detached himself from the boys and threw the pizza boxes behind the couch. It was 1 AM and Simon has just made it home with little Lou. Paul helped him with the door knowing Louis would be asleep in his arms and he just couldn't unlock the door on his own.

"Hey Si" Paul greeted opening the door up wide enough for the father and sleeping child.

"Hey Paul, are the kids in bed?" He asked but he already knew the truth.

"Umm, define bed?" Simon stared at his younger brother completely done with his jokes.

"What did you feed them?" He asked carrying Louis to his bedroom.

"Oh, you know the healthy stuff-"

"So pizza and burgers" he interrupted.

"Yeah, that too" Paul opened Louis' door for Simon and proceeded to help him undress Louis and put him in a pair of cuddly warm PJs. Simon stared at his youngest once tucked in and every stuffed toy on his bed. Simon knew Louis wouldn't be happy if one toy was missing. Simon stroked the boy's hair, looking a little worried.

"They think he has schizophrenia, Paul. They want him to come back to the hospital tomorrow for a brain scan. For fuck sakes, he's nine, nine." He cried.

" it's going to be OK, Louis a little warrior. He's gonna learn to cope with this." Paul really did believe that Louis was capable of coping with this illness, maybe even owning it.

"I'm his father and he has a mental disorder, what did I do wrong" he cried. "you did nothing wrong, you can't help this type of stuff, you know that." Paul comforted his brother and helped him one by one putting the boys to bed. There wasn't a doubt in Paul's mind that this illness wouldn't destroy Louis' life.