Trigger warning for this chapter - major character death

Louis is thankful when Scott and Drew leave and it's just him and his dad, they don't even notice the guards at the front doors of the penthouse.

They cook their famous Mac and Cheese for dinner and sit in the lounge watching TV like old times.

"I've missed this" James says smiling

"Me too, I wish we could go back to old times" Louis says.

James sighs.

"Lou" James starts

"I'm sorry Dad, I know you're doing all this for me and you like your job and I'm grateful, I really am...I just miss it just being us sometimes" Louis says.

"I know, god kid, I'm sorry I've fucked our lives up so much, I'm sorry I kept everything from you. I just wanted you to be safe" James says truthfully.

"I'm not mad at you about not telling me about Mum, I understand why you didn't, I'm sorry you lost her that way" Louis says.

Louis sees tears in James eyes.

"Me too bud, I'm so glad I have you though, you are so similar to her, same kind heart, same stubbornness" James chuckles.

Louis smiles.

"Why did you come back?" Louis asks

Janes looks to Louis and sighs

"I missed it here, I missed feeling close to your mum, we always wanted to raise you here and I honestly thought time would heal all wounds and Tony wouldn't even be around anymore, it's been 8 years" James says

Louis nods.

"Do you trust Harry?" Louis asks straight out.

"More than I trusted Des and that's saying a lot Lou. Scott, Drew, Edward and Andy are the real deal. They are loyal and trustworthy and they make a wonderful team and family. The underground can be a ruthless and unforgiving world Lou but those boys make it okay and Harry is doing so much good it's admirable. Des would have been so proud" James says

Louis half smiles

It's quiet for a minute.

"He, has feelings for you" James says and Louis looks up and at his dad so quickly, his face pale.

"It's okay Lou, I know you have feelings for him too" James says smiling

"I...don't I mean..I did maybe I don't know but...." Louis says confused

"What?" James asks

Louis sighs

"He kissed me and then stopped it, said we can never happen and that was that" Louis says defeated.

"That's just Harry being the leader of the underground. It's hard when you want to keep someone safe and you know being with them will put them in danger. I was selfish and I lost your mum, try to understand where Harry is coming from. He will come around, if it's meant to be you'll find a way" James says.

"And you'd be fine with that?" Louis asks in disbelief.

James chuckles

"Don't get me wrong, I'd be the first to kill him if he ever hurt you but I wouldn't be completely opposed to it. Harry would look after you, protect you, give you the world. What more could a parent ask for for their child" James says.

"Well for one, that he didn't kill people for a living" Louis says sassily

James laughs loudly

"True but that would be calling the kettle black" James winks.

"What if I wanted to join and do it" Louis then asks straight out.

"Nope, absolutely not, and don't even ask one of the other boys we've all made a pact and you will never even get near a gun, drugs or a strip club" James says with no room for argument.

"Well that's okay then, cause I don't want anything to do with it, I'm sorry" Louis says.

"I'm sorry you are caught in the middle but I promise you, we won't let it affect your life, as much as we can okay" James says and Louis nods

He's so happy he and his dad get to spend some quality time together again and hopes they can do it more often.

The next day Louis needs to head to school to pick up his work that he's fallen behind on. James okay's it with Harry and he takes Max one of the guards with him. Jed staying behind to watch over James.

"Be careful, Max will keep you safe but be vigilant okay" James says

"I will, I promise" Louis says.

James nods, they hug goodbye and Louis heads for the door.

"I love you kid" James says

"Love you too dad" Louis smiles and then he leaves the apartment.

Louis heads to school and there is nothing out of the ordinary, Max drives him, he gets his work and they head back to the apartment. When they get there James and Jed aren't inside and Louis finds it strange. He calls his dad but he doesn't pick up.

Louis is a little worried, his dad didn't say he was going anywhere. He then heads to the kitchen and sees a note on the fridge.

"Just headed out to the store, will be back soon, love dad"

Louis relaxes at the note and goes to the lounge to wait for his dad. He gets started on some school work and gets lost in catching up, he's missed a lot but Louis is smart he can easily catch up.

It's a few hours later when Louis is brought back to reality by voices outside the apartment. Max is talking to someone.

Louis gets up and heads to the door to see Max talking to a lady in a business suit and two uniform police officers behind her.

"What's going on?" Louis asks, he's worried now, something has gone wrong.

"Louis Tomlinson?" The lady asks and Max steps aside reluctantly

"Umm yeah?" Louis asks

He's scared he looks to Max who's looking at him with sympathy

"I'm afraid we have some bad news" the lady says

"What? What news? What do you mean?" Louis asks, his breathing picking up.

"Can we come in sweetheart" the lady says kindly.

Louis nods and they enter the apartment, the officers follow Louis back to the couch and they all sit down.

"What's this about?" Louis asks worriedly.

He can see Max making a phone call as he stands outside the apartment

"Louis, we are really sorry to tell you this, honey...your dad has been in a car accident, he and another man who was driving the car were hit head on, a few hours ago. Neither of them made it, we're really really sorry" the lady says and Louis is overcome with a numb feeling, an empty numb feeling he's felt before. This cannot be happening

"But...no, he just went to the shop, how do you know it was him, it wasn't him" Louis says

"We're sorry buddy, but it's been confirmed" one of the officers says.

"Now I know this is really hard to take in and deal with but we are going to have to get you to pack a bag and come with us" the lady says

"What? Why?" Louis asks upset.

He doesn't know what's happening right now.

"You're dad has no living relatives and your mum has also passed which means that you're now a child of the state and until you turn 18 we need to find you a permanent home in the foster care system" Kimberly explains

"This can't be happening, no way, I'm fine on my own, I want to live on my own" Louis says

"We can't allow that sweetheart I'm sorry. I know this is hard but I need you to go pack a bag and meet me in the corridor, Lucas will go with you" Kimberly says gently

"Come on kiddo" Lucas, one of the officers says as he stands up. He's huge compared to Louis. Louis doesn't want to go into foster care but he numbly gets up and makes his way to his room. He grabs his bag, puts some toiletries, a few changes of clothes and he then goes to his dads room where he finds two of his dads shirts, he puts them in his bag, grabs two photos of him and Louis and his mum off the dresser and leaves the room.

When he gets to the front Max is there trying to talk to Kimberly about something.

"Harry can meet me at the station Max, if he wants Louis he has to apply for custody, he knows the rules" Kimberly says

Louis doesn't even register what's being talked about.

"Ready to go? The other officer says.

Louis doesn't answer as he's led out to the patrol car on the street.

"Louis, Harry will be at the station okay, he's coming to get you" Max says but Louis doesn't want a bar of any of this, Harry, the boys, foster care, he's just lost his dad. The one person that he could count on, that meant the world to him, he's just gone and Louis will be dammed if he goes to a foster home.

It's raining heavily as they make it to the street, Kimberly puts an umbrella up and rushes to the car to open the back door for Louis. Louis sees one of the officers on his radio and the other is talking to Max. Louis uses the opportunity of distraction and he bolts, he runs through the pouring rain, down the street, he's being chased, he hears his name being called but he doesn't stop. He just runs. Runs out into the cold, dark night and he doesn't stop until he can't hear footsteps behind him anymore. He finds an alleyway and hides behind a huge dumpster. He curls up on himself and just cries he absolutely breaks, the rain and thunder hiding his screams of agony and hurt. He wants his dad back he can't face this world alone, he's so upset and defeated and Louis eventually tires himself out and falls asleep against the wall tucked up in the corner where no one can find him.

.....

"What the fuck do you mean he ran" Harry asks Kimberly when he makes it to the station.

"I mean he took off Harry, the officers chased him but it was dark and rainy and he slipped away. We will find him I promise" Kimberly says

"How long until the paperwork is through and he's mine" Harry asks upset, he has his boys out on the streets looking for Louis too.

"You know I'll push it through Harry, but I think it's best that Scott and Drew apply for custody.

"His dad left him to me, it's in his will" Harry says

"No Harry, his dad left him to Drew and Scott and I think you know why" Kimberly says

Kimberly is part of the underground as much as she's part of the government. Overlooking the rehabilitation and children's services side of the sex traffic rings. Kimberly is one of a kind and Harry trusts her impeccably. She knows Harry and the reasons Louis dad re did his will.

"We will find him Harry" Kimberly says

"Tony is out there Kim, we have to find him before he does" Harry says

Kimberly knows how urgent it is to find Louis and will put as many hours in as she can to get this all sorted and Louis safe in Harry's estate.

Harry leaves the station and heads home where the boys are all waiting for him in his office.

"Any news?" Harry asks

"No sign of him boss" Edward says

"Do we know any more of what happened" Harry asks

"Head on collision, both died instantly and the driver of the other car was one of Tony's, James was targeted" Drew says sympathetically

They are all absolutely reeling from the loss and can't even begin to know how Louis feels right now, especially out in the cold, lost and alone.

"I'm going to fucking kill him" Harry snarls

"We need to find Louis before Tony does, Kimberly has eyes and ears out on her side and we need as many as we can on the streets. Drew and Scott, James's last will and testimony has you listed as Louis guardians in case something happened to him" Harry states

Drew and Scott are shocked

"So he knew about your feeling for Louis?" Drew asks

Harry sighs and holds his tears back

"He...gave me his blessing a few hours before the accident, asked me to look after Louis, protect him and give him the world. Told me he'd kill me if I did anything to hurt him" Harry chuckles slightly.

The boys smile slightly

"We will find him Haz, he will back safe with us in no time" Scott reassures and Harry nods, his gut telling him otherwise.

Scott pulls out the whisky and Six glasses he pours a glass for everyone and everyone takes their own, leaving one for James on Harry's desk.

They shed a few tears as they raise their glasses

"To James" Harry says

"To James" the boys follow and they shot their drinks saluting one of their own.