My eyes felt like they were hanging out of my head, their tiredness made the heater in the car dry them out further. I rubbed them and stared blankly out at the passing scenery. My phone buzzed against my leg.

“Hello.” I croaked, leaning my head against the cold window, hoping that it would keep me awake. The warmth of the car, combined with jet lag was making sleep feel like the best possibility.

“Did I miss you coming home?” Kate asked, her voice loud through the phone.

“Yeah sorry, I only ducked into the apartment to grab some things before getting straight back in the car.” I stifled a yawn and closed my eyes against the bright sun as it began to set at eye level.

“You sound tired, you should have stayed here the night and headed over there tomorrow.” She sounded like a stern mother, worry creeping into her voice.

I smiled. “I’ll be fine, we’re getting pretty close from what my GPS was telling me.” I said, opening my eyes once again and peering curiously at the suburban houses taking over the streets.

“Okay well call me later, I feel like we haven’t talked in ages.” Kate moaned out.

I stopped myself from pointing out that I had called her while waiting for my layover flight in Dubai.

“Miss, we’re here.” The driver grabbed my attention and pointed out the window.

I turned to stare at the driveway he was pulling into, a great white house rose above me, easily two stories with probably extra levels in either the basement or roof. Or both. It was bigger then I expected it to be.

“Gotta go Kate, promise to call you.” I mumbled into the phone, barely waiting for her reply before I hung up.

I peered cautiously at the road and the street in general but it seemed too cold for anyone to be out and about and possibly stalking Louis’ family home. The driver was already pulling my bags out of the boot of the car and I reached for them, insisting he didn’t have to take them inside.

I paid him a tip and headed up the driveway of the grand house covered in a thick layer of snow that only blended in with the already stark white walls. I shivered and pulled my coat tighter around myself when a cool breeze blew my way. I was already missing the Australian heat.

There was an olden style brass knocker on the door, with a handle to grab and swing heavily against the wood of the door. I circled my heavily gloved hands around the knocker and did what was intended. It sounded harsh in the cold air.

I squirmed on the spot, trying to keep warm while I waited for someone to answer the door. A sigh of relief flew from my mouth when a shadow appeared in the blurred windows that sat on either side of the door before it was ripped open with a force that worried me.

Charlotte Tomlinson stood in the doorway of Louis’ family home and I almost gaped at how much she had grown in the few years since I had seen her. However, she wasn’t looking happy.

“Good, you’re here,” she leaned forward and grabbed onto my wrist to yank me and my bags into the warm house. I almost melted in relief when the door shut behind me protecting me from cold winds.

“Come on, you need to talk sense into Louis.” Charlotte groaned, continuing to pull me through the foyer and into a rather large kitchen.

Jay, Louis’ Mum stood behind a white marble bench, her hands busily mixing batter into a blue porcelain bowl. Her eyes met mine and she smiled warmly.

Louis gaped from further down the bench. I shot him a small smile and waved with my one free hand, I had left my bags in the foyer.

“What are you doing here?” Louis asked, stepping around the counter but Charlotte got in his way.

“I set up a surprise for you, to have her come and spend New Years with us since she wasn’t here for your birthday or Christmas.” Charlotte was practically yelling this at Louis, his own stare hardened when he looked back down at his sister. I had obviously missed something big.

“I did that because I’m a nice sister who doesn’t want her brother to be alone on New Years.” Charlotte continued, getting in Louis’ face.

I watched my boyfriend sigh, and run his fingers through his messy hair, fingers getting caught on tangles. “I don’t want you to be alone on New Years, I just don’t want to find a boy in your bed and an empty bottle of vodka on the ground.” Louis growled out.

I glanced towards Jay, hoping that she might clue me into what’s going on right now. Charlotte’s voice grew louder then I could imagine in response to Louis, Jay beckoned me over to her.

“Louis came home early yesterday from Stan’s house and may have found Charlotte in her bed with her boyfriend and there was possible underage drinking going on.” Jay explained calmly. “I have attempted to ground Charlotte but apparently Louis decided that yelling at her would help a hell of a lot more.”

I watched the two of them scream at each other.

“Honestly, I just let them go. They’re always like this when Louis gets back from being away for a long time. He’s all overbearing and trying to catch up on being the big brother and she’s all annoyed and angry that he’s not around all the time so she tries to rebel against everything he says. It will all eventually work itself out and they will be back to being loving siblings again.” Jaybegan to pour batter into the muffin trays laid out. I moved to offer help when my name was called into the screaming match.

“Annabelle, how old were you when you first had sex?” Charlotte demanded. I startled like a deer in headlights and looked between the both of them, neither of which were looking at me.

“She didn’t have sex until after she turned nineteen.” Louis answered for me. I looked at him surprised. I hadn’t had sex when we last dated but I had been quick to remedy that after Louis and I had broken up. I just didn’t know he was aware of when.

“I’m sure she came pretty close.” Charlotte growled out. “I’m seventeen years old, Louis, I’m not a child anymore.”

“No but you’re still a teenager, hence the teen at the end of the your age.” Louis yelled back. “And don’t get me started on the underage drinking.”

“Like you didn’t drink underage. Even Mum has admitted to underage drinking. Every fucking person drinks under age. Annabelle, tell Louis that everyone drinks under age.”

“Well I mean I did but--.”

“See,” Charlotte screamed, cutting me off, “your precious girlfriend has drunk underage as well so what is your damn problem.”

“It’s not like under age drinking worked out so well for me.” I said loudly before Louis could counteract Charlotte’s statement. I was growing tired of their yelling and calling me into the conversation only to talk above me.

Everyone in the kitchen fell silent and Charlotte’s face dropped. “Shit, Annabelle I’m so sorry, I didn’t think, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“It’s okay,” I assured her, growing hesitant under everyone’s gaze. “I’m just saying that I’m probably not the best role model to look at when considering breaking the law to drink alcohol.”

Louis looked gleeful, like he had won the argument. I wasn’t going to allow him to get away with that.

“But you’re right, Louis did start drinking early.” I said, moving around the counter and over towards the two of them. “And he’s done a lot of stupid shit while drinking.” I glared when Louis moved to interrupt. I pointed closely to his eye where the remnant of his black eye had begun to fade. He flinched and looked away.

“But you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing just because.” I told Charlotte. “You shouldn’t be drinking under age but that is something that you need to talk with your mother about.” I made a pointed look at Louis. “And she can discipline and talk to you however she wants to.”

Louis sighed and nodded.

“And Louis here will stop being such an overbearing brother and meet this boy of yours.” I added, smiling sweetly.

“I will not.” Louis scoffed, folding his arms across his chest.

“See, I’ve already offered to let them meet properly but he’s being unreasonable and won’t meet him.” Charlotte whined, seconds away from stomping her foot.

“I’m not unreasonable. I just don’t want the boy who was trying to have sex with my sister anywhere near me or my sister.” Louis growled out, both of them firing back up and closing in on each other again.

“Okay, okay.” I said quickly, getting between them both and placing a hand on Louis’ chest to keep him back.

“Charlotte is going to invite this boy to the New Years Party Stan is throwing and Louis will meet him and he will be polite about it.” I assured Charlotte, before turning to glare at Louis.

“And if you want me to stay here for a couple of days than you are going to meet this boy and be polite.” I said firmly.

“That’s blackmail.” Louis seethed.

“I learnt from the best.” I assured him, patting his chest where my hand still rested.

Charlotte looked between the both of us before her shoulders relaxed, her posture less stiff. “I knew inviting you over would be the best thing.” She threw her arms around my neck before disappearing from the kitchen.

“Thank you Annabelle, half the time I forget that they are my two eldest children.” Jay said snidely, shooting Louis a glare.

I smacked a hand against his mouth before he could come out with a retort. “I’m tired, cold and I haven’t seen you in a week. Can you please not pick another fight?”

“Fine.” Louis grumbled, leading me out of the kitchen.

“Keep your hands to yourselves in that room of yours Louis.” Jay called out to us. I laughed and waved over my shoulder while Louis grabbed my bags and began heading up the large spiral staircase.

The top of the stairs opened up into a large living room with two hallways leading from either side. Louis led me down one, right to the last door and pushed the door open.

“I want to be annoyed with you right now,” Louis huffed, placing my bags down by a walk in wardrobe. I glanced around the room and stared dreamily at the large canopy bed placed in the center of the room, thick blue curtains draped from each post.

“But you aren’t.” I grinned at Louis, stripping out of the large jumper that encased my body and kicked of my shoes.

“I will be later,” Louis promised wrapping his arms around my thinner waist now that the large jumper had been removed.

He pressed a kiss to my lips and I allowed him to further it. Pushing my hands into his messy hair and deepening the kiss. I pulled away when one of his hands strayed too low.

“I need sleep Louis. So much sleep.” I pulled away and immediately took the opportunity to flop right into the middle of the bed. I sighed in bliss, wriggling around in comfort.

Louis laughed and helped pull a blanket over me. “I’ve got a few things to do, so you sleep and I’ll come back up later to join you.”

I sighed happily and closed me eyes to the feel of Louis’ lips pressed to my forehead, I couldn’t find the energy to re-open them.

-

The creak of the door began to pull me from sleep, light slithered through the door hit my face directly and I scrunched it in annoyance.

Before I could find the energy to pry my eyelids from each other, a groan came from beside me followed by muffled cursing, before a warm body dropped on top of me. I pulled my eyes open in time for a mouthful of blonde hair to land directly in my face.

I spluttered and pushed the hair away, wiping pieces from my mouth as one of Louis’ twin sisters squealed in my ear.

I glanced to the right of me, where Louis had been lying, groans still coming from his direction but his face was covered by the other twin sister.

“Girls, you’re killing your brother.” I croaked, my voice was as tired as the rest of my body.

They both shuffled down the bed, an elbow jabbed my stomach and then my knee before Louis finally stopped groaning, and his head peered out from underneath the blankets. He was all red and there were actual tears in his eyes.

“Got your balls huh?” I giggled.

He glared helplessly and nodded.

I turned back to the twins who sat eagerly at the bottom of the bed, their eyes wide and switching between the both of us.

“Come on, girls, let’s go downstairs and let your brother recuperate.” I said, pulling myself up and throwing the blankets off. The house was blissfully warm and I happily pushed my feet into the Ugg boots I had left next to Louis’ bed.

“You’ve been asleep for so long.” Daisy said, coming up to take one of my hands while Phoebe grabbed the other. They pulled me out of the room with ease.

“Yeah you got here yesterday, you didn’t even wake up for dinner. I always wake up from naps for dinner.” Phoebe pouted at me.

I laughed and squeezed both of their hands. “I was very tired, I travelled all the way from Australia.” I explained to them while we tried to walk down the stairs, still holding hands.

“Louise always says he loves Australia.” Daisy said as Felicite walked up the stairs.

“And we always knew why.” She muttered, not even looking at any of us and pushed her way up the stairs. I frowned but allowed the twins to continue to tug me down the stairs.

“Hey, how you feeling?” Jay greeted me with arms full of two squealing toddlers. “Could you be a darl and help?” One squealing toddler was thrust into my arm.

I grabbed on tightly to the crying toddler and looked at Jay with wide eyes but she was already on the other side of the kitchen, pulling food out of the cupboard.

Daisy and Phoebe had ditched my side while I tried to slowly rock the toddler.

“Erm, which one is this?” I asked, unsure when I stared between both toddlers that were dressed in yellow and green. Completely neutral colours.

“Oh, you’ve got Doris and this is Ernest.” Jay yelled over her shoulder.

I looked down at Doris and pulled her up until she was eye level. “Hi Doris.” My voice rose higher while I sounded out my words. “What’s wrong, hey?” I used baby talk to slowly calm her down, rocking her back and forwards and rubbing her back until she was reduced to sniffles.

I caught Jay’s eye over Doris’ head. “What?” I asked self-consciously.

“You’re good at that.” She commented, placing Ernest in one of the high chairs now that he had calmed down too.

I shrugged. “I like kids.” I explained, bouncing Doris on my hip causing a small smile to slowly slide across her face. I grabbed a tissue off the bench to wipe her wet face and snotty nose.

“Plan to have them anytime soon?” She asked, trying to smile innocently.

I rolled my eyes and pretended to eat Doris’ hand when she shoved it into my face. “Not anytime soon.” I said firmly.

After a moment of staring at Doris I continued, “I mean eventually, one day, yeah I want them. But not right now. Not for a couple of years.” I said, smiling sadly at Jay.

“He wants them, doesn’t he?” I asked, knowing what Jay had been hinting at.

She shrugged and threw bacon into the frying pan. “He wants you more. He’ll wait for children.”

I sighed and headed over to where Ernest was beginning to grow restless in his high chair.

“He’s been waiting for me a lot.” I said. The thumps on the stairs made both Jay and I go quiet, but it was Charlotte that walked through the door, not Louis.

She yawned widely, pressing a kiss to her mum’s cheek before coming over to me and easily lifted Ernest out of his high chair, he stopped sniffling and instead squealed in excitement. Noises began tumbling out of his mouth in rapid succession with his arm flapping around in front of Charlotte. She responded with words in different intervals.

“If you guys were talking about Louis before I came in you can continue, he went for a shower.” She grinned at us.

I shared a guilty look with Jay who just waved her hand though the air. “He’s my son, I always talk about him. Now go set the table you two.”

I followed Charlotte over to one cupboard where plates were stacked high. We both juggled between the twins in our arms and plates in our other hands. Phoebe and Daisy were at the table, waiting impatiently for food.

“Help us set the table, you two.” Charlotte nudged Daisy out of one of the chairs.

Soon enough, between the six of us, we had all plates, cutlery, sauces and big plates of sausage, bacon and eggs all set up on the counter. Charlotte was watching Daisy and Phoebe carefully as they carried glasses to the table and Jay brought over a big bottle of juice and a pot of tea.

“Well aren’t you being domestic.” I jumped at the closeness of Louis’ voice and turned around to scowl at him. He only laughed, pressing a kiss to both my cheek and Doris’ cheek. “You need to meet my stepdad, Dan.”

Louis tugged my hand over to a man that just walked into the kitchen, hair damp and hanging down his face. Doris immediately began to squirm and babble in my arms, reaching out excitedly for her father.

“Don’t take offence, she prefers him over me too.” Jay appeared by Daniel’s side, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“It’s lovely to meet you Annabelle,” he said, reaching out to shake my hand before gracefully accepting Doris from my arms before she grew too annoyed at being ignored. “I’ve been hearing so much about you that I’m glad we finally got to meet.” He grinned.

I blinked at his unexpected attractiveness and charm. “Uh thanks, it’s nice to finally meet you two, and your amazing twins.” I reached out to poke Doris in the stomach causing her to giggle and hide her face in her father’s neck.

Felicite opened the door and pushed past us all, her shoulder nudging into mine as she made her way to the table without a word to spare.

“Fiz? What the hell?” Louis scrunched his eyebrows together and watched his sister fall down on a seat in a huff.

“Come on guys, start eating before it gets too cold.” Jay called out, taking a seat at the table.

I followed Louis over and sat down on the chair he pulled out for me, Charlotte was on my left side while Louis took the right. Felicite was right in front of me, avoiding my eyes. There was a twinge in my stomach, Felicite didn’t want me here I could feel the hostile waves jabbing in my direction.

“So how was your Christmas, Annabelle?” Daniel asked, feeding Doris who had been placed in the highchair next to him.

I accepted the plate of bacon that Charlotte handed to me and continued to pass it to Louis without taking a piece. “Great, beautiful warm and sunny. Much better than this weather,” I grinned.

“Maybe you should have just stayed there then.” Felicite mumbled but it was loud enough for the whole table.

I could feel both Charlotte and Louis freeze from either side of me. I looked down at my plate and poked at my eggs.

“Felicite, apologise.” Jay snapped at her daughter.

Felicite rolled her eyes, looking up to glare directly at me. “Why should I? Why do we all get to sit around here and pretend that we don’t hate her? Why is Louis allowed to make stupid decisions, like get back with her, and we don’t get to call him on it?”

I flinched when Louis slammed his knife down on the table, the corner of it smacking against his plate. Ernest began to sniffle, his forehead scrunching together.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.” Louis hissed towards his sister. I shifted uncomfortably and wished that I could be anywhere but here. I knew that Louis’ family couldn’t really be happy with me here. Not after what I did.

“So we’re all supposed to forget about you coming home and brooding for weeks, or crying in Mum’s room. Just supposed to forget how she trashed her life and hurt you every time she was found walking out of a club with another fucking bloke.”

“Language.” Jay snapped before Louis could. “And if you are not going to apologise and be nice to Annabelle than you can get out of my sight.”

Felicite smirked and turned to me before deliberately pushing her chair from the table and left the room, the door slamming shut behind her with finality.

I sighed and rested my back against my chair in the silence of the dining room. Ernest’s sniffles the only noise in the room. I glanced towards a stony faced Louis. Once again, I was hurting him without even meaning to.

Notes

Okay so I know it has been ages but I've been insanely busy with Uni and I got sick for a while there and I just didn't have the time or motivation to write for a long time and I'm so sorry! I'm getting back into the groove of writing again and I hope to be back on track with regular updates. I never meant for the gap between updates to get so long. Just this is my last year of Uni and there's a lot more energy I need to put into it then any other! So sorry guys and I hope this chapter sort of makes up for it!!