Chapter Text
It's three days later when Louis finally wakes up, he's surrounded by Scott, Drew and Edward.

Louis comes too in a tremendous amount of pain, he panics, thinking he's still in the disgusting house, chained to the wall.

"Hey Lou, it's okay sweetheart just relax" Louis hears Drew say.

He feels Scott's hands running through his hair and as he opens his eyes and comes face to face with his brothers he is so relieved. Everything comes back to him, about being rescued, he's so thankful the boy's are here and it's real this time.

"Relax for us kiddo, you're safe now" Scott says as he smiles slightly at Louis.

"Hurts" Louis croaks and it breaks the boys hearts.

"We know darling, it's okay" Edward says sympathetically

"I'm scared" Louis says

"You're safe. We won't let anything happen on you. We promise" Drew says as he grabs Louis hand.

"I'm sorry" Louis says quietly

"Oh god Louis, you have nothing to be sorry for sweetheart" Scott says

Andy then walks into the room.

"Hi there Louis" Andy says quietly, he doesn't want to overwhelm and scare Louis

Louis grips Drew's hand tightly

"It's okay Lou, this is Dr Andy, he's been looking after you" Drew says

Louis looks to Scott, wanting to know why Scott isn't looking after him. Scott understands Louis unsaid question.

"You're not at my hospital kiddo, so I can't have you under my care, but this is Andy and I went to medical school with him, he's the best and I would never let someone I didn't trust care for you. You know that" Scott says gently

Louis relaxes a little and nods slightly.

"I promise to look after you Louis, you have my word" Andy says.

Louis smiles slightly

"Now I know this is a bit of a general question, but I need to know how you're feeling, where your pain is" Andy says as he checks Louis vitals.

Louis loses himself to a memory for a few seconds, pain, something he has experienced immensely over the last few weeks.

The boys look at each other concerned

"I'm.....it just hurts....everywhere" Louis whispers as he retracts and tries to make himself as small as possible in the bed.

"Okay I'm going to give you some strong pain killers okay, you'll feel better soon" Andy says

He administers Louis some pain relief and Louis falls into another deep sleep.

Over the next week Louis is in and out of sleep, he's sore and isn't talking much at all. The boys understand how hard this all must be for Louis and are just reassuring him and making him feel as safe as possible.

Harry and Charlie have given Louis a week, they haven't been to see him and Harry has been calling daily checking in with the boys. They need Louis statement though and if Harry is honest he's aching to see Louis.

Scott warns Louis out and tells Harry and Charlie to come to the hospital on Friday afternoon, they turn up and Louis is a little out of sorts. Edward helped him shower and wash his hair and brush his teeth. It took a lot out of him though and he's tired and very sore, Louis hasn't been sleeping much unless he's on pain relief and doesn't dream.

Louis is sitting up slightly in bed with his black sweats and black pyjama sweater on, it falls off his collarbones and he looks so tiny. He's hooked up to a lot of machines still. Scott is folding some clothes in the corner, Edward is sitting on the bed next to Louis and Drew on the chair facing him.

When Harry and Charlie enter the room, Louis stares at Harry. Harry smiles widely as does Charlie, trying to make Louis at ease. They greet the boys and Louis watches, never taking his eyes off Harry.

"How are you feeling Louis?" Charlie asks.

Louis looks to Charlie

"I'm fine" he says half smiling

"We promise to make this as quick as possible okay" Charlie adds.

Louis nods. He just wants to get this over with. In all honestly he just wants to try to put this behind him and move on, he has football to get back to and university, the team. He just wants his normal life back.

"Can um, the boys leave?" Louis asks quietly. He doesn't want his brothers hearing this. He doesn't want to tell them what happened to him just yet. But he doesn't want them to be upset at him for asking either.

The boys look at each other, they completely understand and want Louis to be ready to open up to them not forced.

"Of course we can bud, we will be just outside okay, if you need us we aren't going anywhere okay" Edward says kindly

Louis nods as his palms begin to sweat. The boys leave and Harry and Charlie pull up a chair either side of Louis bed. Charlie takes out a tape recorder and puts it at the end of the bed.

"Don't even worry about it okay, just pretend it's not there you're only talking to Harry and I okay" Charlie says kindly.

"K" Louis says lowly.

"So how are you holding up? Keeping those brothers of your on their toes I hope" Harry says lightening the mood

Louis chuckles slightly

"Yeah, they are a little annoying" Louis half smiles.

Charlie and Harry chuckle

"Sounds like them" Charlie says smiling.

"I....I remember you both you know" Louis says quietly

"We remember you too, so much so that we brought you something" Charlie says

"Me?" Louis questions

"Yep. Here" Harry says smiling as he pulls a packet of red gummy bears from his pocket and passes them over to Louis.

"You remembered that about me? That I love red gummy bears?" Louis asks surprised.

"You bet we did kiddo" Charlie says.

"I didn't bring hair ties though, so unfortunately you can't do my hair, it's a bit short anyway" Harry says as he winks at Louis who smiles embarrassed.

"I'm sorry about that, you just had nice hair" Louis says shyly.

Harry and Charlie chuckle

"So we understand that this is going to be hard for you to re live Louis and we want you to go at your pace and in your own time. If you need a break let us know, we can come back tomorrow or another day of you need us too" Charlie says

"Okay, I'm okay I just.... I want to get it over with I just want to get back to normal and I just want him to get what he deserves ..I hate him" Louis says.

"We understand that and your statement will be a huge part of putting him away for life okay" Harry says.

"What's......what's his name!" Louis asks.

"His name?" Charlie wonders

Louis nods

"He never told you his name?" Harry asks

"No, he...noooo" Louis shakes his head

"His name is Stanley" Charlie says carefully

Louis nods

"Let's start with the day he took you. If you can tell us in your own words what happened" Harry says.

Harry sees the pain behind Louis eyes and his slight shaking of his hands, he wants to wrap him up and comfort him.

"Well, I had a free class from 12-1:20 and I went to get a tea from my favourite coffee shop just outside of campus, I only go there because they make the tea right" Louis slightly laughs shaking his head.

"I was walking back to my car and this guy called out to me, he was like 30 and cleanly shaven in a nice suit but he gave off a kind of creepy vibe, he asked me to help him lift something in his car. I remember looking around to see if anyone else could help, I just got this weird vibe and I should of said no and walked away but didn't. I went over there and he....he knocked me over the head and pushed me in the car and I blacked out" Louis says.

"You're doing great Lou" Harry says

"Do you remember what kind of car he was driving?" Charlie asks

"A blue Camry" Louis says

"Good job, that's great" Charlie says.

"I wasn't even going to go to the coffee shop....I was running late and I shouldn't have even gone" Louis says.

Louis doesn't let tears fall he won't, he won't cry he refuses to break. The other boys weren't as lucky as him to even be alive so Louis won't let himself feel to much, he stops himself.

Harry and Charlie don't tell Louis that Stanley would have taken Louis regardless, he was stalking Louis for weeks and if it didn't happen when it did it would have just been a matter of time.

"What happened when you woke up?" Charlie asks

"I was chained to the wall in the room that you rescued me from. I wasn't allowed out. He would take me to the bathroom once a day and feed me every three days. He would tell me no one was looking for me, made me watch some press conference with you both that said you had no leads and wanted the public's help. He laughed and said no one would ever find me" Louis says shakily

"Take a deep breath its okay," Harry says and he and Louis instinctually reach for each other's hand for comfort. Charlie notices and hides fond.

"He kept telling me he loved me, that I was his forever and I'd learn to love him back. He didn't rape me but he did other things...made me do things to him and......he... always.... finished on me and never let me wash. I don't think I showered in the whole time I was there" Louis says blankly.

Charlie and Harry's hearts break.

"I heard him bring the other boys back and torture them, he'd bring them in and show me, said I was supposed to be tortured too but that he loved me and he wanted to show me he wouldn't do it to me" Louis says as his breathing picks up.

"It's okay kiddo, just breathe. You're safe" Harry says as he squeezes Louis hand and Louis clings to it.

"He beat me, all the time, every day. There was no breaks, he said he loved me but he would beat me. It hurt so bad that I'd pass out from the pain but those other boys, he would torture them. I could hear them screaming and screaming in terror and then suddenly it would just stop" Louis says as he looks down.

"We are so sorry Louis" Harry says sincerely.

"I don't understand why he didn't kill me? It's almost like a worse punishment to be alive" Louis says quietly.

"Oh Louis, what you went through was extremely traumatic and you are so brave. We can't bring the other boys back and we know how hard that must be to think about, but you are a survivor and there are so many people who love you who will help you through this, please just know that" Charlie says.

Louis nods slightly as he plays with the threads on the blanket. Harry and Charlie really get a good look at Louis and his vulnerability. His injuries to his face are still so prominent and their heart aches for this kid. Harry is seriously in deep, Louis is just so precious.

"I think we have enough for now, we will let you rest" Charlie says and Louis takes a deep breath

"You did really well Louis" Harry says smiling.

Charlie reaches for the tape recorder and turns it off.

"I'm just going to be outside, I'll fill the boys in" Charlie says and he leaves the room.

Harry and Louis are left alone and they are still holding hands.

"Harry?" Louis asks.

"Yeah?" Harry replies.

Louis looks up and into Harry's eyes where they just stare at each other.

"Thanks for....saving me and for just being there" Louis says shyly.

"You don't need to thank me kiddo, I would have turned the entire country upside down if I'd had too" Harry says.

Louis blushes cutely.

"How...did you find me?" Louis wonders.

"Drew found a link to the car and the next door neighbour tipped us off" Harry says

Louis nods, he's so thankful for his brothers and everyone who didn't give up on him.

"Listen Louis, I'm here if you ever need to talk to anyone, If you ever need to just chat or just sit or anything. I know I'm leading this investigation but that doesn't mean I'm not your friend. That I can't be there for you. I care a lot about you and I just need you to know that" Harry says sincerely

Louis half smiles at Harry.

"Thanks Harry, that means a lot" Louis confesses

Harry smiles and swipes Louis fringe off his forehead.

"Get some rest little one" Harry says quietly and Louis relaxes back

"Can you stay" Louis asks before he can stop himself

"Of course, I'll hold your hand until you fall asleep" Harry says

And if he watches Louis for a few extra minutes after he's out to the world no one has to know.