Louis is woken up at exactly 3:27 AM to his phone ringing from the bedside table. Ozzy raises his head from where he's sleeping on the floor next to the bed, nudging Louis' hand where it's dangling.

Louis raises his head as well, looking at his phone to see Harry calling him. A pregnant person calling very early in the morning, that absolutely cannot be good. Louis quickly picks his mobile up and answers with a groggy "hello?"

"Hi, Lou," Harry's voice sounds thick, like he's crying. "Um, it really hurts. My stomach does. I think I'm going to drive myself to the hospital, just letting you know."

No, no, no. "Harry, no, it's okay, I-I'll come get you," Louis assures, stumbling out of bed and walking towards his closet to slip some shoes on. "Just breathe, love, it's okay."

"'M really scared, Lou. I-I don't know what's going on, she's kicking really hard, though."

"That's good," Louis assures, giving Ozzy a quick scratch behind the ears before rushing out of his bedroom and to the kitchen to find his keys. "I'll be there for you in just a bit, babe, okay? Breathe, H, I'm sure you and Bev are just fine."

Louis is out the door within minutes, staying on the phone with Harry as he goes just a bit over the speed limit (don't tell his mum). Harry sounds genuinely terrified, and Louis can feel his chest tighten every time he can hear Harry let out a whimper.

"I'm turning into your street, bub, is it okay if I hang up?" Louis asks sweetly.

"O-Okay. You can let yourself in."

"Okay, then, I'll see you in a mo."

Louis hangs up just as he's pulling into Harry's driveway. He speed-walks to the door, seeing Harry's unlocked it for him. He steps into the house, immediately hearing Harry shuffling around in the lounge.

"Hey, love," Louis greets softly, seeing Harry clutching onto a throw pillow on his sofa. Harry sniffles and smiles at Louis meekly, whole body practically trembling. "Feel any better?"

"No," Harry sniffles again. "I-I don't want anything to happen to Bev, Louis, I-"

"Okay, okay," Louis soothes, popping a squat in front of where Harry is sitting. "You could just be having Braxton Hicks, love."

"W-What's that?" Harry sniffles, wiping his eyes.

"It's like, practice contractions," Louis explains, bringing his hand up to Harry's belly and rubbing it in soothing circles. "Getting your body ready for labour. My Mum had them all the time."

"But labour's so far away," Harry says confusedly, tears still running down his cheeks. Louis smiles sympathetically.

"Only four months away, H," He reminds delicately, and Harry's eyes widen. He starts to cry harder. Louis' startled by the reaction, quick to get up and sit next to Harry on the couch.

"No, no, no, babe," Louis soothes, letting Harry lean into him. "I didn't mean to scare you, I'm sorry. Don't cry."

"'M not ready to be a parent, Louis," Harry weeps into Louis' shoulder, making Louis frown. "W-What're we gonna do? She's coming so soon, oh my God."

"Breathe," Louis reminds. "You're going to be a wonderful parent, Harry. I promise. You've been taking such good care of her for the past, what, five and a half months? She adores you already, I bet."

"You think so?" Harry sniffles, looking up at Louis through his long, wet eyelashes. Louis smiles, endeared.

"Of course," He replies. "Now, let me get you some water, yeah? It'll help with the pain."

"O-Okay," Harry whimpers. Louis stands up from the couch and finds his way to Harry's kitchen, searching the cabinets until he finds a glass. He fills it with water from the filter on the refrigerator before walking back to Harry, who's still crying.

"Oh, love," Louis sighs, handing Harry the glass of water.

"Thank you," Harry sniffles, curling in on himself. Louis smooths his hair out of his face as Harry takes a small sip, wiping his tears. Harry looks up at Louis. "C-Can you stay a little longer?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course," Louis assures softly, sitting back down next to Harry.

"I'm so scared," Harry whispers, turning to look at Louis. Louis frowns as Harry looks back down at his belly, biting his bottom lip. "This...isn't how I thought it would happen."

"Me neither," Louis admits, looking down at his lap. "I never even thought I was going to have kids at all."

"You love kids," Harry says quietly, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Was too scared I'd end up like my dad," Louis shrugs. "He was a piece of shit. My mum told him that she was pregnant with me and he left. I've never met him."

"I'm sorry," Harry looks down at his belly again.

"It's okay," Louis shrugs again, and Harry leans into him. "I've had two really cool stepdads, and six younger siblings. It got better. So will this."

Harry smiles wearily at that. "Six younger siblings," He repeats, shaking his head.

"Five girls, one boy," Louis chuckles softly. "Drives my mum crazy, but she loves it."

"I think I want lots of kids," Harry puts a hand on his belly. Louis looks down at him and smiles adoringly.

"My mum wants to meet you," Louis says softly. "If you're okay with that, I mean. She's really nice, I promise. She'll love you."

"That sounds good," Harry nods. He leans into Louis, sighing softly. "You're so great, Lou. You've been so helpful and lovely through all of this. Thank you."

"Of course," Louis nods. He can't imagine even having the capacity to treat Harry any other way. Harry's so sweet, and wonderful, not to mention how beautiful he is on the outside as well.

And, big surprise, Harry's crying again. Louis is quick to hold him tighter than before, so tight Harry has no choice but to shift into Louis' lap and bury his face into Louis' shoulder. "Why're you cryin', H?" He asks with a frown, rubbing Harry's back.

"I don't even know," Harry sniffles. "'M so tired, and she's started kicking a lot. I-I'm starting doubt that I even like being pregnant." He's quiet for a moment. "No, never mind. I do like it. Just..."

"Gets hard sometimes, yeah?" Louis coos. Harry nods weakly. "I know it does, bub. I'm sorry."

"No, no," Harry yawns, turning his head so it's against Louis' chest. "I think too much, 's okay."

Harry's closing his eyes, Louis giving him a squeeze as he lets out a sleepy huff. "'M such a nuisance, I'm sorry," He sniffles, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Oh, none of that, Hazza, c'mon," Louis coos, holding Harry tighter and practically cradling him in his lap. "You're going through a lot right now, yeah? 'S alright. I understand. Just relax, okay?"

Harry cuddles up to Louis more, nose pressed into the older man's collarbone as he exhales shakily. "You want me to get you to bed, love? You're not hurting anymore, are you?"

"Yeah, no, I wanna sleep," Harry mumbles.

"Bet you have work in the morning, yeah?" Louis hums, and Harry nods with a sigh. "Yeah, right, let's get you to bed then, do you want me to stay?"

"Yes please," Harry whispers. Louis doesn't hesitate to lift Harry up the way he is, Harry instinctively wrapping his legs around Louis' waist as he carries him towards the stairs. Once he's at the top, his eyes scan the hall. There's a room at the very end, a room at the other end, and a bathroom right in the middle.

"Right or left?"

"Left."

Louis turns left into Harry's bedroom, flipping on a light switch next to the doorway that lights up the room. He takes in the white walls with the paintings of flowers and pictures of him and presumably his family and friends hung everywhere. The comforter is covered in purple flowers, and he's got a desk with stacks of papers in the corner. Lola is in a large cage with two "floors" and a little wooden house inside.

"Lola's place is nicer than mine," Louis chuckles, and Harry giggles quietly into his shoulder.

"Didn't want her cooped up in a tiny cage all day while I'm at the school," He explains. Louis smiles fondly and shakes his head, setting Harry down on his bed.

"You need anything else, babe?" Louis asks, smiling as Harry rubs his tired eyes.

"Can you-" Harry sighs sleepily and shakes his head. "Never mind. Yeah, no, I'm all set."

"No you're not," Louis chuckles. "What is it, love?"

"I, uh, was gonna ask if you'd stay the night," Harry asks sheepishly, and Louis can see his cheeks turn pink in the dim light of his room.

"Of course I will," Louis assures. "You want me to sleep in here with you?" Harry nods timidly, smiling weakly as Louis plops down on the bed next to him. "You don't have to be shy, H, 'm not scary."

Harry just smiles weakly and pulls back the covers on the bed, slipping under them. Louis follows suit, Harry reaching over and flicking off the light switch.

"Thank you, Lou," Harry whispers in the dark. Louis just smiles to himself.

"Don't worry about it, H," He replies.