You Have Me

H.P.O.V

"Where are we?" Louis' fidgeting in his seat turning his head to look at all the shops surrounding us. I'm not sure how he can concentrate with the loud screams. "I know Beth's a girl, but that doesn't mean you can buy her things to make her happy. S'not how Beth is."

"I know, Lou," Louis gives me his best skeptical look, "look before I tell you where we're going, I need to ask for your blessing."

"My blessing?" Louis squeaks out confused. "My blessing for what?"

I rub my face, trying to ease my jumbled nerves. "For Beth's hand." Louis mumbles a small 'oh' his eyes never meeting mine.

"Why are you asking for my blessing?" He murmurs more for himself than I think for my benefit. "I'm not her father. Why would it matter if I approve or not?"

"Because you're the closest thing Beth has to a father-to any actual family-" Louis nods once and shrugs, like he's letting my words process through his mind.

But we both know it's true. Louis always been the one who's made sure Beth was okay, always the one to seek help when Beth got out of control. He's protected her and shielded her from the travesty that is her family.

"Why are you doing this?" He asks, softly and small. Like a small boy wondering why his mum said Santa wasn't real.

"Because I respect you. I respect your relationship with Beth and I don't want to do this, unless you're okay with it," I breathe out. "Because you're my friend too." I say adamantly. Louis' eyes soften and he reaches over, giving my hand a good squeeze.

"You're a down right sap," his voice is a mix of emotion and giddy. "And this means a fucking lot-I hope you know that-but," he sighs. "Why are you doing this," he motions with his hands. "Why do you want to marry Beth?" My mouth opens, but before the first syllable can come out, Louis shaking his head, and waving his hand from side, to side. "I know you love her, Harry. And I know Beth loves you, like a lot. But don't you think you're rushing it? Like, don't you think you should let Beth get better?"

"I don't want her to get better without me," Louis looks dumb founded and confused. "Lou, I want Beth to get better with me. Beth is it for me. She's....she's my person Lou. She's it."

"I know you love her Harry," and I do. I really fucking do. "But sometimes love isn't enough. You and Beth have been through so much and now that you've lost your baby," my head falls, my chin almost hitting my chest. "Harry I'm not trying to upset you. I'm just trying to make you understand, that you guys getting married won't fix anything. You both won't magically feel better."

"You don't think I know that?" Louis looks up and shrugs. "I do! I fucking do! It's all I think about! Whether Beth is okay, if she's going to break down again," I heave and blink back the moisture crowding my eyes. "I think everything we've gone through is complete shit and I hate myself for everything I've put Beth through." I scratch at my scalp, "But even through everything, Beth losing her memory, her dad dying, Lilly whoring herself, our baby dying...fuck Lou, we lost our son and you don't think I realize I can't make us feel better?"

"Harry that's not what I mean. I'm just saying that if you're doing this just because of what you've both been through, you're wrong. Marriage isn't a joke Haz. It's sacred and should be thought out and well planned." Louis rubs his jaw and looks bleated at me. "Don't do something that will eventually lead Beth to this kind of pain. Don't hurt my best friend like that. Not again."

"Never again," I promise with the up most honesty I have. "I will never hurt Beth like this ever again."

"And there's nothing else? You're not--you haven't done anything else?"

"What?" I bite my bottom lip, with a furrow in my eyebrow. "Is there what?"

"Is there something, you've done that we don't know about? Like do you have a secret love child or a--wife? Any boyfriends, lovers? Secret pets count." Louis essentially a very funny person. But right now; he right down hilarious. He slaps my arm with no sympathy, heaving out an annoyed breath. "You're an absolute pain. You are so annoying that I can't believe I agreed to help you out, you horrendous good for no-"

"Okay, okay I'm sorry," I say between trying to catch my breath and trying not to laugh anymore, because essentially it will just get me nowhere. "The lowest I've dropped was ever getting near the she-beast. Lowest I'll ever go."

"Is it? The lowest you've gone I mean?"

"It is, I swear," Louis' eyes scan over my face, his posture strong and alert. "Louis I haven't done anything else. Beth finding out about my almost affair with Lilly was the worst thing I've ever done. It was also the last thing I did, that no one knows."

Louis sighs and shuffles in his seat. "Harry, I love you. You're my mate and I know you've been through some real shit," his face contorts into an angry expression. Like a father meeting his daughters boyfriend for the first time. And weirdly it feels almost the same. "But if you ever--and I mean if I find out you fucking did something else, I will tear you apart slowly. I will ruin you in every way--publicly, socially, financially. I will find a way to destroy you. And then I'll take Beth and I'll make sure you never see her, hear about her. I'll make it like she never existed. I swear I will." His tone makes me do nothing but believe him. And I do. It terrifies me because that's all I can do.

"I don't doubt that you will. But you should also know, that I won't stop until she's with me," the tension is too thick to ignore. "She's mine Louis. She's the only person I want. She's it. And I won't stop until she's here with me. I'll do anything. I kill anyone. Don't underestimate the things that I will do."

"Yes." Louis whispers slow and affirmative.

"Wait...what?"

"Yes," he says again. Louder this time. "Yes you have my blessing."

"Really?"

"Yes okay? Yes."

"Fuck Lou," I say a bit too excited. "This means--fuck you don't know how much this means too me. Thank you. Thank you!" I reach over and crush Louis with my arms as he cackles and pats my back.

"Okay, okay. Release me you peasant and let's go to your appointment?"

"It's more of a pick up.." I mumble and Louis looks over his shoulder.

"A what?" He asks.

"I already have a ring, and all that's left is for me to pick it up."

"How'd you know I'd say yes?" He arches his eyebrow and licks the outline of his bottom lip.

"I didn't," I shrugged. "Was hoping you would."

"Lucky little shit aren't you." He says with a shake of his head.

"Not latel-" my phone disrupts me and rings obnoxiously. Louis shrugs once again and leans back. "Hello?"

"H-Harry? Harry somethings...Harry.." Beth's whimper is like a stab in my already wounded heart, as it speeds up and con-volts against my chest.

"Beth? Beth what's wrong?" Louis presses his ear against my phone. And when another whimper is heard all I want to do is grab the keys from the driver and drive over to see Beth and hold her. "Beth?"

"S-somethings wrong....I can't....Harry.."

"Baby I need you to breathe. Can you do that for me baby? In, out, in..." Her breathing subsides and heaves out. A million thoughts run through my mind. And I feel like a complete idiot for not staying, even though it's only been two hours, it was stupid of me to leave her alone like this. "Whats wrong?"

"I-I'm at-t the liquor store and....f-fuck Harry somethings wrong and I can't....w-will--will you come help me?"

"I'm on my way, okay? You just stay there and wait for me and I'll come make it better okay?" It's a miracle that I don't burst into tears. It's a fucking God sent that I don't break down with her. But I can't. Not when Beth--my Beth needs me. "I love you a lot-lot." I whisper, hoping it'll give her at least an ounce of comfort.

"Iloveyou." She slurs before the line clicks.

"We have to go. Jimmy take a left and then a right. Step on it, forget about the fucking speed limit." Jimmy doesn't question it, as the car roars to life.

"Harry, what's going on?" Louis asks, afraid and confused.
And I wish I knew. I wish I knew how Beth got to the liquor store and what happened before I got there.

But so help anyone who hurt her.

"Beth needs me." I say. Louis seems to understand like its a code. He nods and doesn't speak.

I shouldn't have left.

Fuck, I really shouldn't have left.

Notes

We should all continue voting because it's almost Christmas....also because I found a dollar.