It's always going to be us. Even when we're against the world. You, me, our friends, our family.
It's always going to be us.

When Beth peeks into her living room her heart swells, and her chest warms up like an oven set on high. Her eyes focus on Harry. He’s glowing despite his earlier break down. He’s got Fin on his bare chest. Skin to skin, Harry says is best.

Harry’s all tattoo’s, smooth skin, and green eyes Beth always get’s lost in.
He makes her laugh, and he likes to sleep as close as humanly possible, even if it’s blazing outside, and Beth is whining, promising it’s her menopause. Even though Harry assures her she’s far too young for that.

Everyone’s gone home now. To be honest, they all left a bit early, all part of Harry’s plan to have a private family affair. And by that, he means he wanted them three alone, with a separate cake-- a smaller one quite not as extravagant as the one they used for the party. The decorations have been left alone to be dealt with in the morning, and they’ve moved their small celebration into the family room. Harry had it all setup with scattered candles, and a sweet smelling plug in.

It was a sweet sight, Beth decides. It was the best sight, actually.

“Fin, mumma should stop staring and come join us, huh baby boy? Yes.” Harry coos smirking up at his wife. “Baby, why are you all the way over there? Come.” He holds his hand smiling as Beth takes it, and allows him to pull her close.

“You just love taking your shirt off,” Beth jokes stroking her finger along Fin’s rosey cheek. “Daddy’s silly isn’t he my sweet, little bear.”

“Must you talk about me like that with my son?”

“I must,” Beth chuckles. “Isn’t it crazy? A year ago today we were sitting in a hospital room with a tiny little alien?”

“Yes, but, I also remember you getting ready to kick my bloody bum for not bringing you a poptart.”

“I was the one giving birth! The least you could do was remember my pastries.”

Harry laughs loud and carefree. It's nice. A hundred levels of nice. "Thank God for Louis'." He sits up carefully trying his best not to disturb his baby. With one hand on Fin’s back, he wraps his free arm around Beth. “You make me happy. Really, really happy.” God, Beth makes him all kinds of happy. Brings him a joy he didn’t know he could ever feel. That only intensified when Fin was born, and he got the chance to fall in love all over again.

“You deserve to be happy, mister. M’just glad I get to be a part of the reason why.”

“You’re not just a part of the reason. You’re the entire reason. You and Fin.”

Beth blushes pink, and she can’t help herself. She leans in and kisses him slowly. “You’re feeling extra lovey, aren’t you?” She teases, running her hands delicately over Fin’s head. She loves how soft Fin is. Can’t help but wish he’ll stay this small forever.

“What’re you thinking missus? Good thoughts I hope.”

“Good and a tiny bit sad,” she admits truthfully. “Mostly happy though, don’t you worry.”

“I always worry about you,” Harry tuts. “It’s my job as your husband.”

Beth loves when Harry says things like that. It always gets her to confess."He's only going to get bigger from now on," Beth mumbles feeling ridiculous seeing as Harry was hurting from the same thoughts. "It's bitter sweet."

"We can have more," Harry promises with a smirk. "A whole litter of kids, if it's what you want."

Beth smiles pleased and warm. She kisses his cheek, and shrugs. "Maybe."

They spend the rest of Fin's birthday on the rug, Fin covered in icing, Beth trying to clean him up, and Harry trying his best to believe this is actually his life, and not a dream. He thinks he'll die if he wakes up. They've looked through countless photos, they've taken countless photos, and after they settled on watching all of the Disney movies that made Fin giggle, and that's the only reason Beth hasn't turned off the T.V. Once in awhile Harry will share a few stories from before Beth's injury. They're happy tails, and Beth wishes those were the only ones she could remember.

Even though it doesn't work like that. Damn.

****
"I have something for you," Harry says nervously. He holds the small black box behind his back, and prays on his lucky stars that she'll like it. He's had it in his pocket since this morning. He wanted to give it to her since then, but he never found the right time.

Beth smiles, "For me? Baby, it's Fin's birthday." she sits at the edge of their bed, watching Harry move closer, and then crouch down. He places his free hand on her knee, "Are you proposing? Harry, we're already married." She teases as a blush speckles Harry's cheeks.

"M'not proposing you donut. I already made you mine," Harry grins. "I just wanted to get you something. Even if it is Fin's birthday." He gives her the box, and drops his head on her lap. He knows when she opens it because he hears a small gasp. He just doesn't know if it was a good or bad gasp. He feels a hand in his hair, and a kiss by his ear.

"You're my favorite, mister."

"You like it?" He asks lifting his head.

"I love it," Beth says easily, slipping her new present on her wrist, and motioning for Harry to clasp it close.

"I love you," Harry breathed relieved.

Beth smiles down at Harry, "I love you." She does. She really, really, really does. "Is this just because?"

"It's because it's a big day for us. Our son is one today, you still love me, and I owe you everything."

"Harr--"

"Beth, it was never easy being with me, I know it wasn't. I gave you every reason to leave, I was an idiot, and you chose to love me anyway. I owe you everything, and this small present doesn't even cover half of it."

Beth doesn't know how to respond, knows Harry won't believe her if she denies it. So instead of messing up the rest of the night, she licks her lips, and then leans in to mold them against Harry's. She kisses him to replace everything she couldn't say.

It's nice. Really nice.

****
"Beth, you're the best buddy I've ever had," Louis admits unexpectedly.

They're away from the rest of their friends. It got crowded, and Beth hadn't realized how much she missed Louis until she saw him walk in with Eleanor. They're sitting next to each other, watching as everyone coos over Fin, and Harry beaming proudly, showing the world his son. Showing them how well they've done.

Beth smiles widely at Louis'. She knows they're best friends, but it feels like her birthday when Louis tells her. She bumps her shoulders against his, "I love you too."

It's easy with Louis. The kind of friendship that just happens, and makes sense. "I have something to tell you," he says then, staring at her intently. "Then I've got to ask you something."

"Anything," she utters. She'd do anything for Louis. They're that close, and she has no shame admitting it.
Louis drops her gaze and grins at the pavement they're sitting on. "I'm really happy," he mumbles.

"That's great Lou," Beth says amused. "You deserve to be shitting sunshine," she laughs.

"I'm happy," Louis punctuates with his eyes shining, gently shoving at Beth's shoulder. "I'm happy because Eleanor-- because she and I are having a baby."
Beth blinks for a few seconds. Maybe a minute.

She's not sure she heard right, but she really, really, really hopes she did.

"You and-- Lou...God help you if you're playing with me."

Louis laughs softly. "M'not." He pulls out his phone and pulls up a sonogram snapshot. "This is my future, and m'really happy." It's the way that Louis' voice wavers that had Beth wanting to cry tears of joy. She looks up, and leaps on him, crushing him in a hug.

"Louis, you're going to be extraordinary." He's going to shine as a dad, Beth decides. She lets Louis up, feeling her heart expand. Her best friend is having a baby, and it feels like Christmas.

Louis is glowing. He's radiating a lot of joy, and Beth feels a bit sad that she hadn't seen him that way for a long time. "El and I were hoping-- well, El was hoping, I'm forcing you either way. Will you be the godmother?"

"Yeah-- okay, I...yeah, Lou." It's the best she can do to keep herself from crying. Beth is sentimental. It's not a crime.

"Fuck, m'going to be a dad," Louis mumbles, almost like he can't believe it himself. A brief panic clouds his blue eyes, until Beth grabs his hand, and gives it a comforting squeeze.

"You're going to be a brilliant dad, Lou. Look how well I turned out," she jokes, feeling proud when Louis relaxes.

"Yeah, you turned out blood fantastic. You're welcome."

And yes. Beth really is thankful, and she's ecstatic, and fuck. She's going to be a godmother.

****
"I'm glad everything worked out," Niall sings melting his marshmallow on the fire.

They're sitting in a circle, Beth in Harry's lap (because there was no way Harry wanted Beth to feel uncomfortable and these chairs aren't the softest, so sue him for wanting Beth to have a nice seat, that just so happened to be his lap) Eleanor beaming around, cuddled on Louis', and Beth can't help but see her differently.

Maybe it's because she's pretty, and maybe it's because she's got a bun in the oven. Either one is okay.

"I'm glad Harry stopped being daft, and annoying." Louis bops his head smirking at Harry directly. "Sorry curly but you owe us countless years of torture."

"You're the worst," Harry sighs. He begins to rub shapes on Beth's thigh, and kisses the side of her neck. "You're also the best, Lou." Beth watches fondly as Louis' eyes soften, and a sincere smiles stretches over his lips. Harry gets sentimental when he's content and Beth loves it.

"Can we all agree that if it weren't for me we'd all be doing something different right now." Louis says smug, and so Louis' like.

"I think we all agree that it's because of Beth," Liam replies cheery. "Sorry mate, but if it weren't for Beth's weird ability to forgive, we'd all be somewhere else."

Beth's cheeks heat up, "I just complicated things, but it's okay because it worked out." Beth was kind of the mess that is now being cleaned up so no one will fall. She doesn't think they owe her anything. She, however, owes them for showing her what having friends is like. "Thank you." She murmurs sitting up straighter. She begins to play with Harry's hands trying to find the best way to say what she feels.

"What're you thanking us for?" Zayn asks confused. His eyebrows are furrowed, and he's slouching in his chair. "I thought we were all agreeing that we should be thanking you?"

"No," Beth shakes her head. "When I was younger-- from what I could remember-- I always wanted friends. Even if they were invisible, I just wanted someone to want to talk me, to want to hear how my day went, or just sit with me." Beth shrugs. She knows she's not doing a very good job at describing her feelings. But she's trying. She really is. "It's nice with you guys. Like, I went from having no friends, to having you guys. You guys are my first friends, and -- I don't want you to thank me when I didn't do anything special. I want to thank you because you guys gave me something special. Thank you."

Niall's the first to sniffle, and Beth laughs. "You're welcome!" He cries. "I'm glad your sister brought you to our concert all those years ago, even though now we all fucking hate the lass. We really should be thanking that wench."

"That's true," Beth says. She forgot this all happened because of Lilly. Still, it doesn't erase everything Lilly did. Not even close. "But I'd rather not, so I'm just going to thank you all, and call it a day."

"We stopped being friends a long time ago, Beth." Zayn adds quietly. "I think we're a family now. A proper, insane, full of love and shit family."

Beth wants to cry at that. Wants to thank them even more. She's not on her own now, and she thinks she'll make it. Thinks that for once she won't fall on her face, and just fall into the right place.

"That we are Zayn. That we are," Louis' agrees adamant.

"So, let's make a promise," Harry tells them, sitting up so he can see everyone. He moves his arm around Beth's waist, and holds her close to his chest. "Whether we're a million miles apart, or heart to heart, we'll still be that proper, insane, full of love and shit family. Even when we're old with a billion kids, and Maybe for Niall, three ex-wives. We'll be here, to kick some sense into each other, to remind whoever forgets that it'll eventually be okay. We'll love each other, we'll protect each other, and when we cry-- because we all will at some point-- we won't make fun of each other, and we'll just hug each other because we all hate it when one of us cries. Promise?"

It's the easiest promise any of them had ever made.

It's the best one any of them has ever made.
****
"I love you," Harry whispers rubbing at her side, where her shirt rides up. "I know you thanked everyone tonight, but I want to thank you."

"Harry, you don't have to thank me for anything. You also don't have to apologize for anything from the past anymore. It's all okay." It's all incredible, and Beth wishes Harry would realize it, and he'd believe her when she promised she wasn't hurt anymore.

"Thank you," Harry says anyway. He moves to lay over her, resting his cheek on her chest, enjoying the way her heart beats, and her fingers rake through his messy hair. "You are my someone who is lovely. So wonderful and true."

"And you make me smile," Beth mumbles. "I'm here with you, and you're here with me. We've got Fin, and so many others, and for once I'm going to promise you it'll be okay. Okay?"

"Okay," Harry kisses the closes part of her that his lips can reach. "Hey, baby, wanna make out?"

Beth laughs, "You are so strange Styles."

Harry gets up to hover over Beth. He smirks at her and noses her cheek. "You're my wife Styles. You married me, you had a baby with me, and now you're going to make out with me for the rest of your life."

"Yeah, I fucking am." And Beth wouldn't have it any other way.

Notes

And by now, we've all become a proper, insane, full of love and shit family.
Happy days. Xx
~Celia