"Sophie, stay awake," I say, rubbing the back off my finger gently across her cheek. "You have to wait until Daddy gets here."

She opens her eyes and nods her head, but not seconds later they're closed again and she's back to falling asleep. Where the hell is Harry? It's almost eight o'clock and Sophie is exhausted. She was supposed to be in bed a half hour ago, and he's usually here before dinner, not two hours after.

"Okay baby," I coo, scooping her up. "Let's get you to bed." Going to your father's is going to have to wait until tomorrow. Apparently he's got better things to do.

With Sophie all tucked in I just sit and wait, my excitement and good kind of anxiety in seeing Harry quickly fading into frustration and fury. I wanted to talk to him tonight before he left. I wanted to tell him that I don't want to bail on us because of what I found out. But now he does this and I really don't appreciate it. I thought he was someone I could always count on, especially with Sophie, but apparently not. This makes me furious.

I wait impatiently with a glass of wine for Harry to come for our daughter. By the time he walks through the door is almost ten pm and I could not be any more angry.

"You're so fucking lucky she's here and asleep, or I would be screaming at you right now," I say through gritted teeth, standing from the couch.

"I got held up," he says casually.

"You got held up?" I repeat. "Are you serious? You bail on picking up your daughter and all you have to say for yourself is that you got help up?"

"Savannah, I'm not going to fight with you."

"Uh, yes you are. What the hell was so important that you bail on her?" I can feel my voice raising and I don't want to wake her, so I motion for him to follow me into the kitchen. "Do you know what I've been hearing all week?"

"Probably lots of things," he says, folding his arms. "Since you seem to be working with that designer so much."

"What? What does that mean?"

He shakes his head and rubs his hand over his eyes. "Forget it."

"She's been missing you ever since I brought her home Monday night. All I've seen are those sad green eyes wondering where her Daddy is. She saw you every day last week, and now she's confused and she needed you tonight, Harry. She needed to see you and you blew her off."

"I'm sorry," he says sadly. His mood has changed now that he realizes he was an asshole.

"Don't apologize to me. I don't care about your apologies, it's Sophie that you hurt. She's having a hard time with all of this and you hurt her. She's the one you need to apologize to."

"You don't think I know that?" he fires back. "You don't think I feel terrible for doing this to her? You have no idea how much I want to see her. She's my entire world, Savannah, and I didn't want to bail on tonight. I spend my entire week waiting for Thursdays, I love being able to take her home."

"Then why weren't you here?"

"Because I didn't-" He stops and looks at the floor for a moment, taking a deep breath. "I wasn't sure if I wanted to see you tonight."

Those words hurt more than I care to admit. Was it not just a few days ago that he was asking me not to send him away? To give him a second chance? And now...now he doesn't want me anymore. What the hell do I do with that.

"What?" I breathe. I can feel my throat tightening already.

"I feel like...I think we may have made a mistake," he says quietly. Our eyes lock and I can actually feel my heart breaking.

"A mistake," I repeat. "Harry, where is this coming from?"

"I've done what I can and you keep pushing me away."

"I pushed you away because I found out about Sam, not because I don't love you."

"Do you?" he asks. He steps up to me. "Do you love me? Because according to you when you're in love with someone you don't date other people."

"Date other people...When did I date someone else?"

He scoffs and shakes his head. I'm so confused right now. "Are you really going to lie to my face?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I say, shrugging weakly. When did I go on a date? I didn't and I don't understand what he's so upset about. "I can't tell you what I don't know."

He sighs. "Fine. Then I'll just get Sophie and go."

"You can't get her out of bed right now, and I don't think we're done talking about this," I argue.

"Fine. I'll pick her up from daycare tomorrow."

"Harry, wait." He walks out of the kitchen anyway and I'm quick to follow. "What happened between Monday and now that you suddenly hate me?"

He turns around slowly, his eyes simply sad now, not angry. The only way I can describe the general feeling in the room is defeat.

"I don't hate you," he says gently. "I could never hate you, you know that."

"Then I don't understand," I whimper. He steps up to me and places one hand against my cheek.

"I love you, Savannah," he says lowly. "I really do, but I can't keep doing this to myself. Either you want me or you don't, and your silence this week along with other things have made it clear to me that you don't."

"I never said that." I shake my head and take a small step closer to him. "I needed to think, but-"

"I don't want you to have to think," he says, smiling sadly. "It sounds pathetic, but I want you to want me without having to think about it. Because that's the way I want you."

"Harry..."

He kisses my lips lightly and backs away from me without another word. When he's gone the tears start falling and I collapse on the couch in a crying mess. I don't want to be this girl, I don't want to be so affected by the way Harry feels about me, but that was devastating. It was so final. He wasn't even trying to fight anymore and that scares me more than anything, because it means he's lost the will to fight. What if I can't do it alone? Then what happens to the idea of our family?

It gets lost completely. That's what happens. So I guess I'll have to fight harder than ever.

---

"Yes, it fits perfectly," I gush over the phone. "The dress is incredible, Zayn, thank you so much. I feel like a princess or something."

"You are the guest of honour and the whole reason tonight will be such a huge success," he says. "It's only fitting to have you wearing the most elegant dress of the collection."

"Well if you and Madison hadn't kept me sane I'm not sure how I would have made it to tonight." I smooth my free hand over the glittering dress and get lost a little in the mess that has become my life. My work is going so well, perfectly even. How can my relationships be going so horribly?

"So I guess it didn't go so well with Harry last night?" he asks sadly.

"No. I don't know what happened, it was so confusing. He was angry with me and he kept talking about dating other people. It seemed like he was inferring that I dated someone else. But I didn't, I've never spent time alone with a guy. Well, except you."

"Well, is there any chance that Harry saw us at the burger place the other day? Because I got the feeling he didn't like me very much and if he saw that it would probably set him off."

"Oh my gosh. What if he did? Zayn, you're a genius!"

He laughs. "What?"

"No, I mean I never thought of that. It never occurred to me that he could have seen..." How could I have missed that? I could have explained it to him yesterday.

"You should call him," he suggests. "Tell him it was nothing."

"Thank you so much, Zayn. You're a life saver, really."

"Any time. Let me know how it goes," he says. I tell him I will and quickly hang up so I can call Harry.

The phone rings a bunch of times before it finally goes to voicemail, and while I'm disappointed I can't talk to him I feel so relieved that I may have figured this out. Zayn was right, Harry really doesn't like him and if he saw us together he would be far less than pleased. I'm not sure how likely it is that he did see us, but if he did it would explain everything and this whole thing can be swept away as a misunderstanding. I never wanted anyone but him.

Harry's POV

"Here go, Daddy." Sophie walks over to where I'm sitting with my legs crossed on the ground and places a tiara on my head. She smiles and claps her hands.

"How do I look?" I ask, smiling at her.

"Pwetty," she sings. She turns around and I can't help but laugh a little. I never really imagined myself having a princess tea-party, but I guess there's no limit to what I'd do for this little girl.

I keep thinking about Savannah, as usual. I'm not sure why I acted the way I did yesterday. She was trying to talk to me about everything and I basically said that I don't want to be with her. How could I have done something so dumb? Granted, I was angry about what I saw the other day, but that doesn't mean I can't be with her. I over-reacted and I know that. But now I'm not really sure how to fix it.

My phone vibrates against on the counter and I quickly go over to get it. I have a missed cal and a text from Savannah.

I know you're upset, but would you please still come tonight? I really need to talk to you and I'd love for you to be there.

"Shit," I mutter.

"Daddy?"

"Sorry, Soph." I set my phone on the ground next to me when I'm back in my spot. "What did I miss?"

"Cookies?" she asks. She holds out a plate of plastic cookies and I take two. "No! Bear too."

I look at the bear sitting next to me, then back to her stern expression. I guess I have to share with Bear. I hand one over to it and pretend to eat the one she allowed me to have.

"Yum," I hum. She gives me a teacup next and pours in some fake tea, then does the same for Bear and for herself. She sits down across from us and in everything she does I see Savannah. The focus in her eyes, the way she walks around, her blonde hair. I can't stop thinking about her. I need to go tonight to see what she has to say to me.

I quickly pick up my phone and call someone to come watch Sophie.

---

"Hey, Niall." I swing the door open and he walks in. "Thanks for coming, I know it's last minute."

He starts laughing and points to my head. "What are you wearing?"

"Shit." The tiara. I take it out of my hair and hand it to him. "That'll be yours now."

His smile drops and he looks over at Sophie. "Tea party?"

"What else." Niall has been over a bunch of times to watch football and stuff, so he's met Sophie and has also had the pleasure of being forced into her make-believe games. He's not a good sport like I am about it. I guess that's the difference of being a father.

"She can go to bed at 7:30," I tell him. "She already ate and everything, so just put her in some jammies and-"

"Woah, what the hell are jammies?"

"Oh. That's what she calls her pajamas," I explain.

"Alright then." He walks over to Sophie and sits on the ground beside her. "Hey, Sophie."

"Ni Ni," she sings. He holds up his hand and she high-fives him. "You play wif me and Daddy?"

"I have to go somewhere, angel," I butt in. She looks at me with wide eyes and immediately stands to run to me. I scoop her up and set her on my hip. "I have to go take care of something tonight, so Niall is going to stay here with you, okay?"

"Daddy stay too," she says, putting her hand on my chin. "Pwease?"

I sigh. She breaks my heart on a daily basis with this kind of stuff. "I can't, baby, I'm sorry. I'll be back soon though, okay?" This is as much for her as it is for me, anyway.

"Okay," she whimpers. I set her down and she walks with her head hanging low back to her toys. Niall laughs silently, looking up at me.

"I need to get ready," I tell him. He nods.

"I got this."

---

The streets of New York are crowded and stopped all across the city, or at least it feels like it. The entire cab ride has been stop and go, and I don't think I'm even halfway there yet. I'm already late.

"Is there any way around this?" I ask the driver. He shakes his head without pause and I know he probably didn't even think about it. With a huff I put more than enough money on his front seat and climb out of the cab. I'd rather walk than sit in traffic for an hour. Seeing someone in a suit on a Friday night in New York isn't the craziest thing in the world, so it's not like I look out of place.

I'm nervous to see Savannah. I wasn't exactly kind to her last night and I know she was pissed that I was so late to pick up Sophie. I don't even know why I did that, I think probably because I knew it'd make her mad. But I didn't think about Sophie for some reason, and when Savannah told me that she's been asking about me all weak I felt like the biggest ass on the planet. I should have thought about Sophie.

This whole thing with Savannah is just making me crazy. We were finally back in a good place and then she finds out about Sam and questions everything. I made one mistake and I get that i hurt her, trust me I do. But I'm going to make mistakes, that's the reality of it. I don't want to even make excuses anymore, I just want to apologize and pick up where we left off. I want to be able to see my daughter all the time, to tuck her in every night. I'm tired of living like this, without Savannah and half without Sophie. I just want my family back.

I finally get to the event an hour later than it started, and I can already see that the place is packed. I'm so happy for her, she deserves to have this opening be a success. She's worked so hard for it.

"Harry Styles," I tell the doorman. I'm not even sure if my name is on the list, but if Savannah wanted me to come then I guess it should be.

"Sorry, you're not on the list," he says, flipping the page a second time.

"Could you check again?" I look through the glass doors to see if I can see Savannah to flag her down, but she's nowhere in sight.

"I'm sorry, sir, your name isn't here."

"Look, I know Savannah. We have a kid together," I explain.

"Sorry, I can't let you in without her permission," he says simply.

"Okay, then can you go and get either her or her mother and get them to let me in please?"

"I can't leave-"

"Look, this is really important, okay? I need to talk to Savannah and that means I need to get in this party. You have to help me out here," I almost beg. He sighs and takes out a walkie-talkie.

"Could someone ask Miss Williams to come to the front door?" he says into it.

"Thank you," I say. He nods and I slide my hands in my pockets to wait. A few minutes later a Williams does appear, but it's not the one I was expecting. Savannah's mother steps outside and smiles wide to me.

"Harry!" she exclaims. She hugs me and then looks to the security guy. "It's alright, Andrew, he's supposed to be on the list." She turns back to me and grabs my hand. "Well, let's get you a drink!"

"Okay," I laugh, following her inside. "It's crowded in here, you can barely see the clothes."

"Well tonight is more about the brand and my daughter than the clothes," she explains. A waiter walks by and she takes two glasses of champagne from it. "You're late, my dear. You missed her toast."

"Where is she?" I ask, looking around as much as I can with all the people around us. Tenley laughs a little.

"I knew something was going on with you two as soon as I saw her," she says, shaking her head at me.

"How's that?"

She shrugs. "Motherly instinct, maybe. And she seems distracted."

"Really?" That probably sounded a little too excited. Tonight isn't about me at all.

"She's talking to some potential investors right now, so just wait a few minutes. You clean up nice, by the way."

"Thanks." Just a black jacket, black pants and a white shirt with a few buttons undone. Nothing extravagant.

"So I guess having you two living together for a week worked?" she asks, sipping her drink.

"What?" I smile a little as I catch on. "You planned that, didn't you? You knew we'd get back together."

"So you are back together," she concludes happily.

"Well..right now I don't really know."

She frowns. "Then what are you waiting for? Go figure it out!"

She pushes me away and I can't help but laugh as I walk through the crowd. I'm nervous and excited combined with so many other emotions. I just need to see her, I need to hear what she has to say. But this place is fucking massive and there's so many damn people that I couldn't find anyone in here.

But then someone steps to the side and there's no way I could miss her. Her blond hair is pinned to one side, soft curls falling around her right shoulder. Her dress is incredible; fitted through to her knee, black and covered in something that sparkles. She couldn't look more perfect.

I start walking over to her and as I do her eye catches mine. Her smile fades and I notice the couple she's talking to get confused. She looks at them quickly, to excuse herself I assume, and then starts walking towards me. The rom is crowded, but she's all I see.

She's everything to me.

Notes

cliffhangerrrr
will they work it out this time? FINALLY. i mean frikken shit theyre annoying sometimes, eh?

anywho. That might be my fault but we'll just pretend that it isn't okay? coolio.

please keep commenting guys :) love love love them and youuuu <3