ALWAYS

I sat on the sofa completely frightened. Darcy had been in bed for a good long time. I didn't know what to do. I tapped my fingers on the end of the sofa quickly and decided to call Louis.
"Hey E! What's up?" Louis shouted into the phone.
"Are you home?" I asked, not beating around the bush.
"No. I'm not. I'm out with Niall, Brynn, Liam, and Sophia. What's wrong?" Louis sounded concerned.
I chuckled hiding my worry, "Oh nothing. Darcy was just asking for you. I'll tell her you'll see her tomorrow?"
"Of course!" Louis was obviously drunk. "Tell her I love her and I will be over for dinner." Just as I was about to speak again, Louis shouted my name. "Maybe you should call Harry. I think he's upset that you two had an unpleasant moment today." Louis suggested.
"I will talk with him tomorrow. He planned on coming over I think." I sighed heavily. Niall had said the same thing to me earlier when he called to see if I wanted to go out.
"Okay. Good night, E." Louis slurred a little.
"Goodnight Louis." I replied quietly. As I hung up I felt better than I did. I leaned back into the sofa and concentrated on watching television. My phone beeped in my hand. I hoped it was Louis or Niall saying that they were going to be coming over but it wasn't. My heart stopped when I read the text message. I tried to calm myself by breathing deeply and not thinking about it. My phone beeped again. The next message made me even more worried. I jumped off the couch and ran to Darcy's room. I packed her a bag as quickly as I could. I then lifted her tiny sleeping body from her bed as carefully as possible, grabbing her blanket as well. I knew she would need it to sleep in the car.


I walked up to Harry's house nervously. I was so unsure of the choice I had made. But I really felt like I hadn't any other. I held my daughter closer as I rang Harry's doorbell. I tapped my foot nervously. I was praying that he was home. Suddenly, the door flung open. I was a bit shocked to see Harry in nothing but his sweatpants. His hair was wet and tussled. He must've just taken a shower.
Harry looked at me with concerned eyes, "Noli?"
"Hi." I murmured nervously, clenching my sleeping daughter a bit tighter. Harry stepped toward me; he seemed so confused. "I'm sorry. I know that it's late and everything. You're probably busy or something..." I began.
"Enola, tell me what's wrong." Harry commanded, his voice showing the same worry his eyes held.
"Can we stay here? Just for a little while?" I asked him shyly.
"Of course, Noli." Harry gripped my arm gently and pulled me inside. He closed the door and locked it behind us. "Do you want to tell me what's going on?" Harry inquired.
"It'll just be for a few hours. I swear. You won't even know we're here." I spoke softly to him.
"No. You're staying the night. It's too late. For the both of you. " Harry grunted at me softly. He was genuinely concerned about us. I nodded. I wasn't going to argue with him. "Here. Let me put her in bed." Harry said holding his arms out for Darcy. I looked at my daughter's sleeping face and tried not to shake my head like a spoiled child. "Noli, I'm just going to lay her down in my bed. She'll sleep better in my bed." Harry spoke with an assuring voice. I nodded and shifted Darcy into Harry's arms. "Go sit in the living room. I'll be there in a minute and you can tell me what's going on." Harry instructed before walking up the stairs.
I stood in the living room anxiously. I wanted Harry to come back down. As the thought crossed my mind, he entered the living room, still bare chested and looking like a God. If I wasn't so upset, I would've smiled at my thought of him being a fine wine and getting better with age. Harry ran his hand through his wet hair and smile weakly at me.
"So, do you want to tell me why you and a sleeping toddler showed up on my doorstep this late?" Harry asked folding his arms over his chest. I sighed and tucked my hair behind my ears. "Enola, you can tell me whatever it is." Harry urged me.
"Charles." I stated quietly. Harry's jaw clenched; he was pissed. "I...I..." Tears exploded from my eyes. I broke down sobbing in front of Harry. Suddenly, I felt arms wrap around me.
"It's okay, Noli. It's okay." Harry murmured as he rubbed my back.
I looked up at Harry and tried not to completely lose it, "It's not okay, Harry. It's not okay." Harry brushed my hair off my face. "He's trying to take her from me, Harry." I sobbed, staring into his eyes. Harry frowned deeply and his eyes showed an anger that I'd never seen before. "Don't let him take my baby. Please don't let him take my baby. Please." I begged Harry as I broke down all over again.
"He's not going to." Harry whispered holding me tighter. "I promise he won't. He can't have her. I won't let him have her." Harry spoke with complete conviction.
"Don't promise me that. Don't make promises that you can't keep." I stated gazing into his caring, green eyes again. Harry held my face in his hands, making me look at him.
"I promise. He will not take her. I will not let him take her." Harry spoke with authority. I rested my head on his chin and continued to cry. "Noli, tell me what happened. Why did you come here? What did he do?" Harry asked of me.
"He's been sending me text messages. I usually just ignore them. But today..." I inhaled deeply. "Today he sent me a picture of my house. With your car and Louis' car out front. He knows where we are, Harry. Every single time we move, he finds us again. I have to uproot my daughter again." I let a few more tears fall. "She loves it here. Louis and Niall are here. She adores Liam and Sophia. She has you. She loves you so much. And I don't even know where to go." I babbled at Harry.
"Enola, you don't have to go anywhere. You can find another house here in London. You don't have to take her to another country or anything." Harry sounded so confused.
"Yes I do. I couldn't live in Ireland with her, or the states. I even tried living in Spain. He always finds us." I bawled.
Harry shushed me again, "It's alright. We'll figure it out. I promise that he won't take her and I promise that you guys won't have to leave London." Harry kissed my forehead, my cheeks and my nose lightly in an attempt to comfort me. I held onto him tightly when he pressed his forehead to mine. He stroked my arms with a tender motion. The air between us grew thick as he gazed into my eyes lovingly. Harry tugged me just a little bit closer. The tip of his nose brushed mine lightly when he leaned in just a little bit. He was attempting to kiss me again.
"Mummy? Harry?" Darcy's tiny voice echoed from the doorway. Harry kept me in his arms but turned to Darcy with a smile.
"Hey baby girl." Harry spoke softly to her. I hid my face in Harry's chest. I didn't want my daughter to see that I had been crying.
"What's goin' on? Why am I here?" Darcy asked Harry, coming closer with her pixie doll in hand. Harry released me and went to Darcy. He knelt in front of her and took her little hands. I turned away a bit so she couldn't see my face.
"Well, Mummy is a little upset right now, so she decided that you guys were going to have a sleep over here with me." Harry kept his tone bright for my child's sake. Darcy smiled a little bit. "Why don't you go back up to bed and Mummy and I will be in soon, okay?" Harry suggested to Darcy.
"What are you and Mummy going to do?" Darcy inquired softly.
Harry smiled, "Mummy and I need to talk about some stuff. I promise that we'll be up soon. Go back to bed, baby girl." Darcy nodded and kissed Harry's cheek before stalking back up to his bedroom. Harry stood and turned to me. "Noli, come here, baby." Harry motioned me back into his arms. I hesitantly returned to his embrace. Harry no longer looked like he was going to kiss me. "Everything will be alright, Enola. I promise. It will be okay. You have Niall, Louis, Liam and I looking out for you. I will do everything I can to keep him away from Darcy. I made a promise to you that he would never hurt you again and this time I am going to keep it. I swear." Harry muttered softly. I held him closer and closed my eyes tighter. I felt as though if I held onto him long enough all of the bad would drift away like it did before.

Harry and I sat snuggled on the sofa watching a film that we both liked. I was almost asleep on his chest. I smiled a bit when I felt him kiss my hair gently. I hummed and cuddled into him more. Harry stroked my arm lightly. I gazed up at Harry's exhausted face. I stroked his chest slowly. I missed the feel of the his skin under my fingers. I missed the way his chest felt on my cheek. I lifted my head from his chest after just another moment.
"When did you get chest hair?" I asked with complete seriousness.
Harry laughed loudly, "Go to sleep."
"Seriously, when did that happen?" I felt a little embarrassed for asking but I was used to his almost boyish chest.
"I don't know." Harry replied shyly. "I wasn't exactly keeping tabs on it." I giggled and rested my head on his shoulder. I twisted my fingers in his chest hair and focused on the beating of his heart. "Enola, you need to go to sleep. You're being weird." Harry's tone was teasing but I could tell that he was concerned.
I shook my head, "Don't want to sleep."
"Noli." Harry grunted. I knew he was only annoyed because he cared.
"I don't think I could sleep if I tried." I replied quietly. Harry sighed heavily, knowing I was too worried to sleep. "Just talk to me. Tell me about your day. What did you do?" I asked of him, hoping that I would fall asleep to the sound of his voice the way I used to. "You said you were busy. What did you do?"
"I wasn't actually that busy. I fibbed." Harry chuckled nervously. I stared at him curiously. "I thought you might want to be rid of me for a bit."
"Nonsense. Darcy and I both like having you around. She has someone to play with and I can get things done." I replied to his outrageous statement. "So what did you do?" I inquired again.
"I went to lunch with a friend and went to a gallery. I took a nap then went to the studio with the boys." Harry responded with a hint of anxiety.
"I'm sorry we argued. I just..." I began.
Harry cut me off, "Don't. Don't even worry about it."
"No. No. Today has been a rough day. And I don't like you thinking that you're not welcome with Darcy and I." I spoke quickly so he couldn't stop me from saying what I wanted to say.
Harry tensed a bit, "Noli, you need to go to sleep." I huffed, knowing he wasn't up for the conversation just yet.
I agreed even though I wanted no part of going to sleep, "I'll sleep here on the sofa." Harry stood smoothly. I thought that he was going to leave me to sleep, but instead he lifted me from the sofa. Harry carried me up to his bedroom.

I crawled into bed beside Darcy. Harry refused to let me sleep on his sofa. I laid down carefully as to not wake my child. I felt the blankets being pulled over my body. I turned my head to see Harry covering me up. He smile weakly at me when he noticed I was watching him.
"Goodnight, Noli." He whispered before turning away slightly. I grabbed his wrist gently. He looked at me curiously.
"Stay?" I asked softly. Harry looked apprehensive. "Please stay." I felt as though I was about to start crying again. "I would feel safer if you stayed." I murmured. Harry's eyes softened and he nodded. I moved over in the bed just a little bit more. Harry climbed into the bed gently to not jostle Darcy too much. As soon as he was comfortable, I snuggled into his side. Harry chuckled and wrapped his arms around me as I buried my face in his chest.
I was breathing deeper, finally feeling relaxed and like I could go to sleep. Harry was rubbing my back in those slow, gentle motions like he always did when we were together. He kissed my hair lightly. I smiled and pushed my face further into his chest, inhaling that earthy, manly smell he always carried.
"Noli?" Harry whispered.
"What, Bear?" I replied, half asleep. I felt his breath hitch the same way it had the day before when I called him Bear.
"Do you...do you ever think about what it would be like had we not broken up?" He inquired nervously. I stayed quiet. I didn't know how to answer the question. "Do you think that...it would be like we planned?" He added.
I sighed, "I don't know." Harry grunted softly, like he disliked my answer. I wanted to tell him that he could be Darcy's father. But I didn't know how to say it and I didn't want to get his hopes up. I was still too afraid to find out as well. "Let's not talk about this tonight." I muttered. Harry ran his hand through my hair slowly. I could tell that he was disappointed.
"Maybe I should just sleep on the sofa." Harry said shifting to get out of bed.
I held onto him tightly, "No." Harry looked down at me with concerned eyes. "Tonight, just hold me and we can pretend that it all worked out." I pleaded. Harry didn't say another word. He just wrapped his arms around me tighter and held me closer. Not long after, I fell asleep in Harry's arms.

Notes