"I'm afraid there's not much more we can do" Edward says as they gather in James's office three weeks later.

"The guy hasn't even been in his life, he's a druggie for crying out loud" James says upset.

The past three weeks have been an ongoing court battle against Troy and it's not looking good.

"An ex-druggie.... apparently, and he's saying Jay kept Louis from him, which, even if it's a lie they can't disprove it" Edward says.

"There has to be something we can do" Harry pleads.

"We can offer him money. Give him a lump sum and maybe he will walk away?" Scott suggests.

"That's illegal" Edward tells his brother with a hint of sympathy.

"Why does he want Louis though? There's got to be some reason?" Harry says upset.

"Money, or maybe revenge, maybe he's mad at Jay and wants to take it out on Louis , there has to be a deeper reason and I won't stop until I find it" Edward says.

"If we were married this wouldn't even be an issue" James says sadly.

"We know dad, we're sorry" Drew tells him.

James sighs, he's so lucky to have his boys around him, helping him through this too.

"James" Louis says as he rushes inside the office.

"What's wrong" James worries.

"There's police at the door" Louis says anxiously.

"It's okay, relax, I'll deal with them" James reassures.

"Come here baby" Harry tells him and Louis rushes to his side. Harry brings Louis into his arms and holds him close.

A few minutes later James comes back into the room and Louis buries his face in Harry's chest. Louis knows what's about to happen and he latches on to Harry tightly.

"No, no, no" Louis chants into Harry's chest.

"Louis Tomlinson, we need you to come with us" he hears one of the police officers say.

"Can you just give him some time; he's just lost his mother" James tries.

"We're sorry James, but we have to take him, you have no legal rights" the officer says.

"Edward please" Harry pleads as he grips Louis.

"Haz, if I could do something you know I would" Edward says brokenly.

"I'm not going" Louis says determined.

The police officers then sigh in sympathy, they then come in to grab Louis out of Harry's arms. They both know Harry and James and wish there was something they could do, but there's nothing.

"Please don't do this please" Louis yells as he's taken from Harry, he tries to grip him.

"Baby, we will fight this, we will come and find you okay" Harry tells him.

But Louis isn't listening.

"James, please don't let them take me please" Louis screams as he's picked up around the waist and carried out of the office.

"Let me go, please let me go" Louis screams all the way to the car.

James and the boys lose it once again, Louis cries absolutely shattering their hearts. They will find Louis though and they will do all they can to stay in his life and get him back.

.....

The first few days with Troy are okay, he lives in a tiny apartment in London, it's not any better than the one his mum and he shared. It's clear Troy doesn't want him around though; he doesn't work and Louis isn't convinced he's clean off drugs.

"I expect you to get a job and pay your way" Troy tells him as they are eating dinner, disgusting microwave meals, Louis hasn't really eaten in three days.

"If you had left me with James, you wouldn't have needed me to pay my way" Louis says.

Troy smirks.

"You think I'm going to let you live the high life while I'm rotting here?" Troy scoffs.

"You rotting has nothing to do with me, it's not my fault you don't have your life together" Louis says.

He feels so alone, and his dad doesn't even want to try to get to know him, he doesn't care about him at all.

"You get your smart mouth from that bitch of a mother" Troy responds.

"Don't call her that" Louis says upset.

"Or what?" Troy snarls

"What do you even want me here for, you clearly hate me" Louis says as he wipes a tear.

"That bitch ran away in the middle of the night, said I abused her, I had a DVO out on me. I breached it once and I was sent to jail for 12 months. That was enough time for her to disappear and to take you with her" Troy tells him.

"Then how did you find us" Louis asks.

"On the tv, that rich arsehole is mare of that town, he's all over the TV. All of a sudden, she's next to him and they are getting married. The perfect couple. Pity it wasn't meant to be" Troy smirks out evilly.

"Well, I'm leaving, and you can't stop me, I don't want to be here" Louis says upset.

"I don't think you understand the law, Louis. You're mine for at least the next two years and when I say you're mine, I mean it. You won't be leaving anytime soon, and I'll make sure of it" Troy says darkly and in that moment, Louis is truly scared.

Louis thought things couldn't get any worse, but he was so wrong. The next three months are spent hiding the biggest secret of his life, trying to go to school while being covered in perfectly placed bruises. Spending his nights crying himself to sleep, the only thing he's thankful for is the fact the pain distracts him from the numbness, the loneliness.

James and the boys find him eventually, Troy threatens Louis with death threats against the family and especially Harry. It's so hard to see them and be happy, to hide things when he just wants to tell them all the truth, but Troy is always there with his threats.

Louis becomes a shell of himself, life gets busy, and the boys' lives move on. The ranch needs them and the five-hour drive to London to see Louis gets few and far between. When Harry breaks it off with him six months later, Louis doesn't think he has enough of his heart left to break. He knew it was coming, why would Harry even want to give him the time of day, he's worthless and pathetic.

Louis doesn't realise that Troy is the reason for it all, he threatens James and the boys, and the authorities can't do anything without concrete evidence. For Louis own safety Harry and the boys back off and it breaks their hearts.

Louis is left alone once again, this time with an alcoholic drunk of a dad who abuses him mentally and physically. His world has completely fallen apart in the space of a year, and he doesn't see a single way out.