Three nights later and Louis is lying in bed trying to sleep. The boys had a meeting with the university today and Louis has to take the next six months off, make it through the trial, recover physically and emotionally and then have his knee reassessed. He's devastated and can't help the anger inside him at Stanley for how he's ruined his life and how he took those other boys away from their families.

It's still all over the news, press conferences about the trial starting soon and Louis doesn't want to be part of any of it, he just wants his life back. He then feels guilty for his feelings because those other boys don't even get the chance to live. It's a vicious cycle in his head.

He's going over things in his head when his phone beeps, he picks it up and it's a message from Harry.

"Hey little one, I'm working late tonight, was thinking of you" Harry writes

Louis can't help the slight smile and butterfly's in his stomach, he can't lie that he's attracted to Harry nor can he lie that he's become attached. Harry always seems to know when he needs to talk.

"How do you always know when to message me" Louis responds

Harry receives the text with a smile

"I just do, wanna chat?" Harry says

He knows Louis has been having trouble sleeping after everything, the boy's are worried.

"I can't sleep" Louis admits

"What's going on inside that head of yours?" Harry asks

Charlie notices Harry smiling and looking at his phone and knows exactly who he's talking too and smiles.

"I just want to be normal Haz, and play football again. I want those boys alive again, I wish I had died too because I feel guilty I feel like this and they don't even get the chance too" Louis says and it breaks Harry's heart.

"That's called survivors guilt Lou and it's completely understandable to feel that way. I know it's slow going but you and Kimberly will work through this. You are a survivor and I want you to remember that every time you start to think like that" Harry says.

"What if I can't play football ever again" Louis asks.

"Then we find something else, you have your entire life ahead of you darling and we will figure it out" Harry says

The fact Harry said  'we' means more to Louis than anything.

"Thanks Harry" Louis says.

"Try to get some sleep okay, I'm off tomorrow and I'll come around, maybe we can do something together. If you'd like" Harry says.

"K, can you bring me gummies" Louis asks cheekily

"You bet, sleep tight x" Harry replies

Louis smiles and tries his best to fall asleep.

.....

Louis and Kimberly meet twice a week, she often comes to the house for their sessions and Louis is coming a long way. A month later he's had his cast removed, his bruising and physical injuries have mostly healed. He still has to be careful with his kidney and his knee  but for the most part he's healed physically. 

Charlie and Harry are both regulars at the apartment now and it's like their group is back together but they include Louis too, which has helped him with healing. Of course he's still coddled to no end and protected by them all, he's teased and is still considered their younger brother they love him to bits and are so glad Louis is coping with everything, that he's willing to talk things out and move through the process. Kimberly is working wonders. Louis however has not told any of the boys other than Harry and Charlie what happened to him and as the trial approaches Kimberly urges Louis to tell them, but Louis won't budge and seems to close up the closer the trial gets.

"Louis, please come down for dinner" Scott says from outside Louis bedroom

"I'm not hungry, please leave me alone Scott" Louis urges as he rolls over in bed

"Sweetheart, you need to eat, you're fading away, you haven't put any weight on since you've been home and I need you to eat" Scott says delicately as he walks into Louis room.

"I'm not hungry" Louis says

"Harry is downstairs" Scott tries.

Louis sighs, he does want to see Harry, but he's so tired

Scott walks towards Louis bed

"Come on bud, I'll help you" Scott says.

He grabs Louis hand and helps him walk downstairs, Louis knee still being a little stiff.

When he reaches the table downstairs all the boys including Charlie and Harry are sitting around the table laughing together after a long day at work. They all have a drink and there is takeout Chinese on the table. When the boys see Louis they all greet him happily.

Harry and Louis lock eyes and Louis walks over towards Harry and Harry instinctively opens his arms and Louis sits on his lap, Harry hugging him from behind.

"How's my boy?" Harry asks as he kisses the side of Louis head.

"Tired" Louis says quietly.

"Still not sleeping?" Harry asks

Louis looks down and shakes his head ashamed.

"Want me to stay?" Harry asks

Louis looks towards Harry and nods shy. Harry smiles wide and nods.

The boys aren't oblivious but act like they aren't watching the two. They love how close Louis and Harry are.

"You have your knee appointment tomorrow?" Harry then asks

"Yeah" Louis says getting slightly upset.

"Will you find out results tomorrow?" Harry asks.

Louis looks to Scott as do the other boys.

"Yeah, we will get them tomorrow, we will find out if Louis can play football again"Scott says

The boys all look around at each other as Louis sighs and looks down.

"Listen, we are all here for you darling, whatever happens okay" Harry says

Louis just sighs and doesn't answer. If he can't play football he doesn't know what he's going to do. He just feels so angry lately, so much built up anger that's directed at Stanley and he doesn't know how to express it or how to get it out, let it go. It's starting to consume him and make him really upset.

Louis eats a small amount of dinner and the boys all decide to watch a movie afterwards, Harry and Louis have seperate showers and change into pj's, Harry borrowing some of Scott's. Louis ends up falling asleep on Harry on the couch and Harry follows before the movie is over. The boys decide not to wake them and just put a blanket over them both to keep them warm.

Louis stays snug against Harry's body all night and he actually has one of the best sleeps he's had in months.

Harry is in absolute heaven having Louis curled up next to him, he too has an amazing sleep and seems to be at ease knowing Louis is safe next to him.

.....

"Another three months?" Louis asks as they enter the penthouse after Louis appointment

"I'm sorry Lou, but that's not all bad news" Scott tells his brother as they walk past the kitchen where Drew, Edward, Harry and Charlie are sitting having lunch. They look up at Louis and Scott

"It is bad news, my whole career and what I've worked for is fucked" Louis says angrily

The boys are surprised at Louis outburst, it really isn't like him, he hasn't shown this much emotion in months though so the boys are welcoming it, want to talk him through it. Especially before the trial.

"Okay let's just watch our language kiddo, what's happened" Edward encourages

Louis looks towards them all, he feels like crying and just losing it but he can't succumb to his emotions. He hasn't since he's been rescued and he won't give in now.

"Sorry, nothing. I just have to give my knee another three months before they will know anything" Louis says.

"Okay, well like Scott said that's not bad news, we just have to wait and see" Drew says.

"Everything is just wait and see, I'm sick of it, I just want my life back" Louis says

"The trial is in two weeks Lou, and once we get through that things will be easier, I promise" Harry says sympathetically.

Louis looks at Harry and Harry wishes he could just wrap him up and cuddle him close, kiss him all over and make his pain go away.

"I don't belive you" Louis says and then he leaves the room and the boys behind.

They sigh and look to Scott. Harry upset Louis didn't seek comfort from him.

"Is it bad news?" Drew asks.

Scott rubs his hands over his face and sits down at the table with the boys.

"It's not great and of course I wasn't going to tell him that but.....I'm pretty sure there is no way he will be able to play professional football again. His knee is going to be causing him problems for life and my gut tells me his captor did this on purpose, to ensure no matter what, Louis would never be able to play again" Scott says.

The boys just want to cry at the news,

"I found some things about Stanley out today" Harry says carefully

"What kind of things?" Scott asks

Harry sighs, he didn't want to tell the boys, he was hoping the news of Louis knee would be more positive.

"Stanley was a professional football player when he was in collage, he was sexually assaulted by his coach when he was 19. He made a complaint to the board and they ignored it but the coach found out. Broke Stanley's ankle and he never got his professional career. He's made sure the same thing happened to Louis and to the other boys" Harry says quietly.

The boys can't believe it, it's so unfair and just horrible what Louis and those boys had to go through. As much as their hearts are breaking for their little brother. None of them realised that Louis was listening behind the wall and has heard the entire conversation.