Hey everyone! So I have to give a huge thank you to highlou  because if it wasn't for her this chapter wouldn't have been finished. I'm going through some stuff and last night I almost gave up on this story but she offered to help me. Most of the chapter was written by me but she went in and edited and added a lot to help me. I cannot thank her enough! Y'all should really go check out her stories cause they are so good!

Anyways—I did warn a certain reader that I've got a lot of surprises up my sleeve and well...here you go!

**

Louis broke down in tears after Harry hung up the phone on him, but the tears weren't sad tears, they were happy tears. Harry basically just told him he supported him and Niall's relationship. Something that he didn't think he'd ever do.

Niall kissed the top of his head. "Would have never thought that he would ever say something like that."

Louis sniffled into Niall's chest. "It feels good to be free. I'm free from him." He looked up at Niall through glassy eyes.

"You've been free of him for a while now."

"I know, but hearing him say all of that just makes it all real." Niall couldn't argue with that.

A little whine coming from the other side of their bedroom door interrupted their cuddling session. A soft scratch reached them. It was Roxy trying to paw her way in. She had spent a couple of days with Anne and was suffering withdrawals from Louis and Niall.

Jay had Louis drop off some of the items with each baby's scent on them to make sure she knew their scent. And when they came to drop her off she instantly knew what she had to do.

Louis cooed when she sniffed them out and found the bedroom. He waited patiently as she nosed through each of them before introducing her to them one by one. She took more of a liking to Nate, cause he was tinier than the other two, she never leaves his side.

Louis chuckled and got up off the bed and let her in. "Come on sweetie," she jumped up into Louis arms and he scratched at her ears. She made herself comfortable on Niall's lap, earning a pout from Louis. "That's my spot."

Niall chuckled as he looked at Roxy who was just wagging her tail. "How can you say no to that face?"

Louis rolled his eyes. "Of course, but how can you say no to me?" He waggled his eyebrows and disappeared into the bathroom. He peeled off his boxers and threw them into the room.

Niall moved Roxy and was quick to join Louis into the bathroom. Nothing happened, but Louis enjoyed the fact that Niall was whipped. He loved to tease the man and vice versa.

It wouldn't be for a little bit longer for the two of them to have any sort of sex. They wanted to wait, but they also wanted to give themselves to each other.

Niall was getting a little bit frustrated having to deal with his morning wood in a shower or when he gets a little bit aroused watching Louis strut around the room nude. Louis did that quite often, as well as falling asleep in the bed naked, but Niall did too.

They loved the feeling of their bare skin touching, it gave them more of an intimate connection at night. It made Louis sleep longer and it made Niall love him even more as he would watch him sleep.

It was just a weird feeling that all of this was happening, was he dreaming? Because his reality feels like such a dream, but it's not.

**

Zayn walked into the house and sensed something up with the two men. They had asked him and Liam to come over, but didn't say why.

"Would you two just spit it out already?" He spoke bluntly, he hated not being told. Zayn eyed them with an irritated expression.

Louis didn't respond, all he did was intertwine his fingers with Niall's, who in response kissed his lips softly.

"FUCK YES FINALLY!" Liam screamed and was quick to engulf the two of them into a hug.

Louis frowned when Liam let them go and he saw Zayn disappear down the hall. He followed him. "Is there something wrong?"

Zayn shook his head. "I'm just speechless, I've been waiting for this to happen since highschool. Never thought this would happen."

Louis smiled and pulled Zayn into a hug. "I love you, Zee. Don't think Niall will replace you in any way."

"I'm not worried about that, I'm actually glad it's Niall. But don't stop coming to me with your problems, okay? I will always listen to you no matter what." Zayn looked at Louis like a brother and he would miss their conversations and shared secrets if he were to stop.

"Of course Zee," Louis smiled when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him from behind.

"Don't worry Zee, nothing will change," Niall was quick to add and then he kissed his cheek.

"Awwh, group hug!" Liam cooed at the three of them and they all piled into a big hug. It was definitely a good feeling that everyone in that room had only one thing in mind.

And that was to keep Louis safe, and to keep him smiling.

**

"Louis, I know this all of a sudden with everything that has happened but I think this is the right time to ask you a very important question." Niall had walked into the nursery after he got home and saw that Louis was trying to feed the babies.

Louis looked up at him, he looked exhausted, but happy. He puckered up his lips and Niall obliged, pecking his lips softly. He then kissed each of the babies heads.

Louis let out a soft yawn, "What's the question?" At this point Louis' wouldn't even be surprised if he got down on one knee and proposed to him.

"Will you be my boyfriend?" Niall smiled, he looked at Louis and gave him a look of love and admiration as he hoped he would say yes.

"I thought we already were? I mean we confessed our love to each other."

"Yeah, but I didn't properly ask you. So..." Niall gave him a big toothy grin, hoping the man would say yes.

Louis smiled back at him just as big and nodded. "Yes, of course I'll be your boyfriend." Even though the events of their relationship have happened out of order, as they said I love you even before they made it official.

But who cares, they were in love and they wanted the world to know it.

**

"Since you basically live here already, would you want to officially move in?" Louis asked, wrapping his arms around Niall's waist as he was busy making dinner.

Niall turned around and kissed his forehead. "Of course Lou. I was waiting for you to ask. But what about my apartment? I own it completely."

"Rent it out? Could use the extra money for stuff."

Niall nodded. "I'll make a listing for it tomorrow and take pictures." He leaned down and left a sweet but soft kiss against his lips.

Louis smiled against his mouth, he couldn't get enough of the way their lips fit together like puzzle pieces. He was the one to pull away, but quick to peck his lips once more. "I'm gonna check on the babies."

"Dinner will be done in like 10 minutes."

Louis went into the nursery and cooed at the three pairs of eyes looking up at him. "Come on babies, let's go see what daddy is doing," Louis paused for a second when he heard a voice behind him.

"Daddy?" Niall walks into the room, he needed to use the bathroom and he couldn't help but overhear Louis utter that word.

"I—um, it just slipped—I.." he kept stumbling over his words, his cheeks overheating from the blush that spread across them.

"Louis I'd be honored to be those children's father, but biologically I'm not. Harry is their other father." Niall didn't want to say it but he couldn't ignore the facts.

"Fuck biology! Who cares?! Harry isn't here, he's not going to be there like you are! You're more of a father figure than their own dad!" Louis sniffled, looking at Niall's face who just stared at him with wide eyes, he didn't respond at all. "I'm sorry—" he pushed Niall away and stormed out of the room.

Niall didn't run after him, he just stood there trying to process what Louis said to him. He knew he wasn't lying but hearing it from someone and not his own thoughts made everything real. He wanted to go after him, tell him that he was thinking the same, but he knew he needed to get him to calm down so he let him be while he decided to change the babies diapers.

He carried them to the bassinets that were in the living room while he waited for Louis to come out of the room. He sighed when a half hour went by and he didn't come out of the room. He didn't want to push Louis over the edge even more, but then again the man needed to eat.

He dished up a plate and decided to just bring it to him. He walked into the room that was still partially opened. He placed the plate on the table, didn't say a word and walked back out. He sat at the dining room table and waited, he knew Louis would be coming out of the room in a few minutes.

Like clockwork he heard soft footsteps coming towards him. What he didn't expect was Louis to plop on his lap and kiss him breathlessly.

"Woah, woah baby. Calm down, what's got you all worked up?" Niall moved away and saw Louis looking at him with red rimmed eyes that were puffy from crying. He wound his arms around Louis and held him close. "Tell me."

"I'm sorry, I know I've probably scared you away and you won't want to be with me." He pushed his glasses up as they started to slip down his nose.

"Louis, baby, where are you getting this from?"

"You didn't respond to me, you didn't say anything. I don't fucking care that Harry is their other father, I want you in my children's life too. If they want to call you dad or daddy or whatever I won't stop them. Harry can go fuck himself."

Niall frowned and thumbed away the tears that were trickling down his face. "Honey please take a breath for me, in and out." Niall watched as his eyes slipped closed and he took a few deep breaths to help calm down his rapid beating heart. "First of all I'm never leaving you, I haven't left you yet and it will never happen. I've waited years to have you in my arms. Second, I would be honored to be in the children's life but I think what they want to call me should be discussed when they are older. Third, Harry has all right to be in their life too and finally, please kiss me like that again because fuck."

Louis just rolled his eyes and did just as he was asked. They both kissed until their chests heaved from the lack of oxygen.

Niall whined when Louis pulled away. He wanted more but did take the chance to suck in a deep breath. "I'm sorry I didn't respond before. I was just shocked that I heard you say that..." he finally said after his chest had caught up to his lungs.

"It's okay, I honestly think we are both thinking it. Besides the bond you have with Abby is exactly like a father daughter one, I can't even get her to calm down." It didn't bother him, in fact, Louis adored the way his baby girl had taken to the blond. They were inseparable and there were times when he was sure her tiny hands wanted to grab Niall's fingers over his.

"I just don't want to get too attached and then Harry freaks. I'm still not 100 percent sold on his apology."

Hearing the name was enough to make him sigh again. "I know, I understand. I'm not sold on it either, but it was nice to finally hear him talk about what he did wrong. Acknowledging what he did is a big step for him, Niall. A big step in the right direction.And besides, I'm more of their parent than he is and if I want them to have you as a stepfather then it's my choice."

Niall considered what he said and looked away as a thoughtful expression clouded his eyes. "You really do see a future with me?" He looked back to Louis and watched the smile on his face grow wider.

"I screwed this up the first time." Louis waved a finger between the two of them. "And I'm not doing it again. I'm not losing you." The feelings he had in high school had never gone. They had always been there, smothered under the possessive hold Harry had over him. They were just as strong. Louis had waited too long for this. Niall had waited too long.

Louis wished he knew then what he knew now. Maybe he would have been spared Harry's betrayal and the emotional turmoil he had put him through. Maybe Niall wouldn't have been lonely all their years. But looking into those blue eyes, he knew things had happened like this for a reason. Louis had his babies, Harry had gotten a reality check, and now he was curled in the lap of the man who had and always would love him unconditionally.

"Good because I'm not giving you up any time soon, Lou."

**

Harry sighed as his paperwork was stamped with the red letters saying "cleared".

This should have been a wonderful time for him. They had declared him mentally capable, he wasn't broken- Harry had just gone through a tough time and had never gotten the closure he needed to move past it.

Micheal had helped him move past it. If it hadn't been for his therapist-turned-lover, Harry probably would have been in jail for the murder of Niall Horan and assault of his ex-husband. Worst case scenario, but in the state his mind had been, it wasn't completely off the table.

Harry took a cab to Louis' house. As far as he knew, his mother still had his car and the keys because they weren't at Micheal's, but the ride over had been quiet and nice.

He paid his fair and made his way up to the front door. It felt weird being back here, even weirder knocking on the door. This place had never felt like home but he had refused to see it before. This was just the house he had tried to conceive children in with Louis. It had never blossomed into their home.

"Harry!"

"Hey, Louis, Niall." He gave them both a weak, guarded smile. Niall was holding his little girl and as much as he wanted to reach for her, he kept his hands by his sides. Louis had the other two, one balanced in each arm.

"Come in. How are you?"

Harry shuffled in with a quiet thank you and looked around. Things were the same, aside from the baby things strewn all around. He spotted a few bottles on the counter, a basket of folded baby clothes on the couch and he swore he heard the pitter-patter of claws on the wood floor.

It felt like a home now. Now that he was gone. Harry wasn't upset about that.

"A lot better," he answered as they made their way to the table. Louis had prepared bottles for the babies and he watched as his former lover held both boys and balanced the bottles at the same time. It was impressive. "I... I just got out. They say I'm good." He would spare them the details. "I just... Louis, are you going to keep the kids away from me?" Harry could hear the pleading in his own voice.

Niall didn't say anything as he took the bottle for Abby. Louis smiled. "Harry, I would never do that. You're their father. You've got just as much to them as I do. We'll work out a plan, a schedule of some sort. I'm not a bitter baby daddy." He gave Harry a quiet laugh and looked at Niall. "However, I do want to make one thing very clear."

"Niall is going to be a part of their lives. And I don't mean an uncle like Zayn and Liam. There's a good chance he'll be their stepfather one day. He's been here for me since the beginning. He's been here since we came home. You know we're together, Harry, and you coming back will not affect that. If they call him dad or daddy, then so be it. Understand?"

**

Louis sighed, he loved having Harry here to help him but he was getting jealous that the kids didn't need him. He was so used to having them from sunrise to the sunrise that it was just weird that he had some free time.

Harry had been released about two weeks ago and he has been coming over every day since then, save for the days that he was working, but he was always there. He and Niall had even begun to get along.

Louis loved the company when Niall was at work, but he didn't expect the man to be there at 8am every morning before work and would come back after work for a few hours. Seeing Harry didn't make his heart race anymore and sometimes, while he minded the help, he found it tiresome.

Louis rubbed his hands over his face as he let out a loud yawn.

"Lou, go take a nap. It's okay, I'll keep an eye on the kids."

"Are you sure?" Louis peered at Harry. He was glad he had stepped up to he a father, but something still made him worry. Would Harry change them right? Would he make their bottles too hot and burn their toothless little mouths? It hadn't happened in two weeks, but still.

Harry nodded, "They just went to sleep and Niall will be home in two hours if anything happens. You can trust me with them, Louis."

"Okay, I'll be in the bedroom if you need me." Louis didn't give Harry an answer before he left the bedroom. He shouldn't have said yes so easily but he was so tired. Nate kept him up all night with a fever and he had finally fallen asleep around 5am. The babies woke him up at 8, he was a walking zombie at this point.

Once his head hit the pillow he was out for the count. Louis was able to sleep for about an hour when a baby crying came through the monitor. He completely forgot that Harry was there and he was quick to tend to the babies.

"Lou I told you to take a nap."

"Sorry I was in such a deep sleep that I heard the babies I immediately woke up." Louis walked in to see Harry snapping the buttons of their daughters onesie back into place. Their boys were sleeping soundly again.

Harry nodded. "It was just Abby, she had a dirty diaper so I changed all the others since she woke them up."

"Of course she did."

Harry placed Abby back in her crib and he turned back around to look at Louis. He was still just as beautiful as ever, he looked at him curiously and wondered if Louis would ever take him back. Things had gotten bad for a few months but was it enough to outweigh the years they had spent loving one another?

Harry had Micheal and was head over heels for him, but he wanted to know, he needed to know if Louis still had feelings for him. Harry still had feelings for Louis, but he was falling for Michael hard. He needed the closure that Louis was a hundred percent done with him.

"How was your nap?"

"It was alright. Can't wait to sleep tonight."

Harry frowned. In all the time they had spent together, he had never seen Louis look so tired and drained. The dark circles under his eyes looked chronic. "I thought you said you and Niall take turns."

"We do, but he's off tomorrow and he told me since I stayed up all night with Nate that he will take care of the kids tonight."

"Knowing you, you'd be up with him." Harry tried a smile.

Louis did his best to return it and nodded. "Probably but I have such a blinding headache right now that I'm hoping sleep comes easy for me."

"I hope so too." Harry walked over to Louis and looked at the man in front of him.

Louis looked up and he was confused as to what was happening. "Harry what are you doing?" Did he have something on his shirt or in his hair?

Do it Harry. Do it. You need to know. It's now or never.

Harry surged forward and grabbed Louis' face so he could plant a desperate, breathless kiss to his lips. Louis stiffened in his grip.

Louis' eyes shot wide open and he used both hands and pushed him off with what strength he had left. "WHAT THE FUCK HARRY?"

"I'm sorry, I just—I needed to know where you stood with your feelings!" Harry had taken a step back and held his hands up.

"But you don't go around kissing someone! What the fuck?!" Louis started to step back away from Harry who stood there looking at him. "I'm with Niall now, Harry. You know that."

"You know technically we are still married, so it's not cheating."

"Fuck you."

Harry rolled his eyes, he did get the closer he needed, but he probably didn't do it the best way.

"I can't believe yo- I thought... I think you need to leave."

"But—"

"Leave now before I do something I regret." Louis griped on the side of the crib he was standing by and waited for Harry to leave. He stood rooted to the spot until the front door opened and closed again. When he was sure Harry was gone, he collapsed into a sobbing heap on the floor.

Louis felt violated, he felt disgusting. He didn't understand why Harry would do something like that. Yes, he still loved him but he wasn't in love with him. He was with Niall. He loved Niall and he basically just cheated on him.

Louis was so distraught that he didn't hear Niall call out his name when he came home, but heard him come into the nursery.

Niall fell to his knees beside his sobbing boyfriend on the floor. Were the babies okay? He shot them each a panicked look before seeing they were fast asleep. But he didn't relax as he took Louis' small hand. "Baby, baby what's wrong?" He kissed each cold finger. "Talk to me."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry about? Where's Harry?" The curly haired bloke's presence couldn't go unnoticed and Niall was surprised to find him gone.

"He left."

"Left? What did he do?"

Louis sniffled and did his best to quiet his crying. "He kissed me. I—" Louis didn't get a chance to explain himself as Niall straightened up and backed away, dropping his hand while he did. His expression was unreadable and he bolted from the room without a word, leaving Louis to cry himself to sleep on the floor between his sleeping infant's cribs.

Just when he thought things were okay, something had to ruin it. When was he going to catch a break?