MISSING

Nine

The day before the trial creeps up faster than Louis had hoped, he's been avoiding everyone and his feelings and just trying to pretend like it's not all happening. He knows he has to face Stanley tomorrow though and the boys will all be there. The trial is heavily covered by the media which means everything will be out in the open and he's not prepared.

Louis is standing in front of the mirror the next morning trying to adjust his tie, he already feels his palms sweating and his breathing get heavy. Drew walks in to Louis room.

"Here bud, let me help" Drew says smiling

He heads over towards Louis and turns him around, he begins straightening the tie and notices Louis is just not coping with this very well. He notices Louis hands are shaking.

"Listen, I want you to understand that the boys and I don't and never will think any differently of you after you tell your story. We are here to help you through this Louis. This is going to be so hard for you and we understand that. If you need to yell, scream, cry, hit something, whatever you need we will be here to help you" Drew says, Louis hasn't even cried since he's been home and the boys know it's a matter of time before he snaps.

"I don't want you to hear what happened to me" Louis confides.

"Why bud, for what reason" Drew asks.

"Because even though you say you won't look at me differently or treat me differently, I know you will. You will think I'm disgusting" Louis says looking down.

"We would never think that bud, nothing would ever make us think that. Trust us to look after you and be there. Did Harry and Charlie treat you any different?" Drew asks.

Louis shakes his head no

"Then why would we?" Drew asks

Louis shrugs.

"Come on boys we need to leave" Scott yells up the stairs interrupting their conversation.

Louis sighs.

"Everything is going to be fine bud, I promise" Drew says

He leads Louis downstairs and Louis tries to prepare himself for the shit show that's about to go down.

They meet Charlie and Harry at the court room, Louis lawyer George and the rest of the team. It's a complete blur of emotions and Louis just goes with it all, not talking just observing. He sits just behind his lawyers in the middle of Harry and Charlie. While the boys are behind them in the seats reserved for family and the public.

The media is everywhere and cameras are flashing and Louis is quiet and nervous, Harry places his hand on Louis knee in comfort.

The trial starts and when Stanley is brought in Louis nearly loses it completely. He thought he could do this but he can't. This man took his life away, took those boys lives away and he doesn't know how to feel anything other than anger. He can't look at Stanley at all and squeezes Harry's hand in comfort.

"I'm here darling. You're safe, just relax I'm here" Harry tells him and it means so much to Louis

The trial goes on for hours and Louis can feel Stanley's eyes on him the whole time, but he refuses to meet them. Harry and the boys try to comfort him but he just wants out. When the day ends he doesn't say a word to anyone. He's police escorted out of the court, through the media and this goes on for three weeks. Louis literally doesn't talk to anyone, not the boy's, not Harry and not Kimberly. He can't eat and he has horrid, vivid nightmares every single night.

Harry and Charlie take the stand and with ease give their testimonies and when its finally Louis turn, he nearly throws up. He has to do this to put Stanley away, to try to get on with his life, but the reasoning behind what Stanley did still sits heavy in Louis stomach and he hates it.