Happy #BackfireMonday peeps! Louis is doing so well! I'm so proud!

COMMENTS AND VOTES! MWAH!! Xoxo

***

Louis stared at Harry standing across the room from him. He clenched and unclenched his fists in preparation. Jada was waiting halfway, just in case, but Louis only had eyes for Harry. He lifted his foot and took a step towards his goal. Harry released the breath he'd been holding since he let Louis go and ran to the other side of the long room.

Another step. And another. He kept his eyes on Harry, looking over his features and skin, while he made his way over. The pain in his joints was nearly gone and he could walk on his own for short distances. He hadn't gone this far but that was the point of today's session. Harry was quiet but the excitement in his eyes made Louis excited. He was so sure of Louis, so sure he'd make it.

"You don't have to do the whole thing," Jada reminded.

"I'll do it."

"You'll do it," Harry echoed.

Louis bit down on his smile and took another couple steps. Louis was actually walking now. He really considered this walking. Moving on his own from point A to point B. To be honest, he didn't think he'd ever make it this far again. When he woke up in that bed he figured his days of mobility were over. And as shallow and dirty as it sounded, that meant his days of sex with Harry were over. Having to use a wheelchair forever would suck, but never fucking Harry again? Well, that was his biggest fear. He could be happy with this. Even if he could never run long distances again, or go to the gym for hours. Because he could still make love to Harry like this.

He was just passing by Jada now, and her smile was so proud that Louis' pride in himself grew. Jada had become a regular source of encouragement to Louis over the last months. She never pushed Louis too far, but never took his bullshit either. It's like she knew Louis' limits even when he didn't. He wondered what being here would be like when her job was done and she went home.

Louis felt his knee go weak for just a second and reached out for something. Jada was there in a heartbeat. Louis looked to Harry and saw his arms out like he would have caught Louis from all the way across the room. Louis nodded, telling Harry he was fine, and straightened up. Slowly, Jada released his arm and Louis kept walking. He knew Jada would stay close behind, but essentially he was left to make it to Harry from here.

He couldn't help but make the parallels to his life recently. Harry waiting at the finish line for Louis to make it back home. He was a lighthouse that lit up every time he saw Louis coming and guided his way back. Louis was sure that he'd of never made it home without Harry, never have made it through the storms of the last half year.

Louis was almost there, his knee was weak but not hurting. He could keep going further if he needed, but honestly, he just wanted to wrap Harry in his arms and stay there for days. The last few steps felt huge, but tiny in comparison to Harry's arms around him. He exhaled into Harry's neck and then inhaled to breath him in. The scent and smells of home.

"You did it."

Louis shuddered. He did it.

***

"I can't believe you did this!" Zayn nearly screamed. He looked back to the cameras to make sure he was seeing things clearly.

"I think they have just as much right to say what happens to the future of this place."

"We can't guarantee our safety with all of them here!"

"I've already planned this out."

"Oh, have you? Because I'm pretty sure you're out of your mind! They're all at least partially trained assassins and we only have two of those on our side."

Liam rubbed a hand along Zayn's arm to try and calm him. Zayn knew he was being placated yet couldn't help but take a long breath. "They're not here to fight."

"They're killers. Or will be. That's what they do."

"They don't have to anymore. That's why they're here. They just want to know what's going on. It's only fair."

Zayn started pacing, scratching at his tattoos nervously. "We're going to die."

"Don't be dramatic."

"Stop pretending this isn't a big deal!" Zayn threw his hands up.

Liam pursed his lips. "Well they're here now. We might as well let them in."

Zayn was still furious, Liam could see the steam rising from his soft hair, but he just stared at the screen of cameras. "How the hell are we supposed to hide them from Louis and Harry?"

"They're in the nurse's wing for therapy right now. If we just keep all the door locked but where we want them to go then I was thinking we just pile them in the arena and stay up in the stands above them after we lock them in."

"You've really been planning this," Zayn asked incredulously.

"Yep." Liam smiled, proud.

"Then you've been lying to me."

Liam's smile fell. "What, no. I just knew you wouldn't listen to me."

"So you went behind my back and endangered us all."

Liam shook his head but couldn't defend him with anything. "That's not...I'm sorry."

"I'm supposed to be able to trust you, Liam."

"I would never hurt you, Zayn."

Zayn knew that. Of course he did, but... "What happens if this goes bad?"

Liam looked to the group of people standing outside the large, underground front entrance. "They're just kids. Most don't have any place to go. They just want to know what's going on. And it's been months, Zee."

It's not like Zayn didn't know this would come. If Liam hadn't of invited the recruits they would eventually would have showed up on their own, banging on the door and demanding entrance. At least like this they're calm and ready to listen. "Alright. Let's get them inside."

***

Louis was holding Harry's hand. But not because he needed the support. Just because. Harry's hand was soft and warm, and his fingers practically covered the back of Louis' hand. He was just holding Harry's hand casually and walking on his own. Because he could.

They made their way to the kitchen to eat like they always did after a session. Harry cooked up some pasta for them while Louis sat on the counter and watched. Their usual routine. Louis stole finger samples of the sauce while Harry wasn't looking, or well, "wasn't looking".

Harry set up their plates at the table in the corner of the kitchen that the staff used to eat at. Louis slurped his pasta noisily, earning an unimpressed raised brow from Harry.

"What?" Harry just rolled his eyes and went back to twirling his pasta onto a fork. Louis kept his eyes on him though. "Thank you," Louis spoke just above a whisper.

Harry didn't smile or ask for what. He knew. "I love you," was what he said instead.

"And that means everything to me. You know that?"

"I do."

"I do," Louis repeated to himself, testing the taste on his tongue.

Harry did smile then. "Hey Lou?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"What do we do now?"

"I don't know. What do you mean?"

Harry situated in his seat like he was preparing for a long talk. "Well, I mean, you can walk," his smile grew with the statement. "And you'll only get stronger. But are we staying here forever? No offense to your old home but it's a bit-"

"Dark? Lonely? Intimidating?"

"Yeah..."

Louis nodded in understanding. "We can't stay here. I'm actually surprised we've gone unnoticed so far. Liam and Zayn haven't said anything about what happened to the people in the organization or any of the ongoing missions, but that can't last."

"So where do we go?"

"I don't know. We can't go to any of our safe houses. They could be compromised. We can't go to any of our homes. I mean, we have a bunch of saved money but if we don't straighten this out we'll end up having to hide out in some far corner of the world forever."

Harry picked at his knuckles. "Would that be so bad?"

"What, hiding forever? Yeah, it's not as fun as you think, Harry."

"But we'd be together. Safe together?"

"Together? We'll be together no matter what, Haz." Louis covered Harry's hand with his to reassure him. "But safe? We'd never be safe with the organization on our back."

"But Headquarters is gone now."

"No your mom-" He stopped, aware of what he'd just brought up, but Harry just waited for Louis to continue. Louis held his hand tighter. "Your mom is gone, but when you cut the head off two more grow back. We'll never destroy this." A tear slipped down Harry's cheek and he ducked his head to hide it. "Babe, I'm sorry."

Harry just pressed his lips together and nodded. They stayed like that until the tears fell and the remnants dried on his skin. "Are you done? I'd like to walk some more if you can."

"Of course, baby."

***

Zayn and Liam walked into the arena on the second tier of seating, about twenty feet above the heads of at least fifty young people. "Listen carefully," Zayn said as a greeting.

All fifty heads turned in their direction. "Who are you?" one kid called out.

"Holy shit! That's Zayn Malik!" another answered.

"No way. Zayn Malik is dead. Him and Tommo are gone."

"I swear, that's totally him. Hey! Are you Zayn?"

Zayn put a hand up to stop the arguing. "Louis and I are both very much alive." A murmuring started over the crowd so Zayn put his hand up to silence them again. "I know you're all wondering what is going on."

"Who's in charge?"

"Where's Niall?"

"If you all just wait a moment I'll do my best to explain." The side conversations died out slowly. Liam was a firm presence by Zayn's side. "The Head is gone. Niall is gone. They're both dead." Liam kept his surprise under wraps but he didn't expect Zayn to just come out with it like that.

"Did you kill them?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Zayn sighed. "Because they threatened me and people I care about."

"That's not allowed!" Zayn found the face of a young boy, probably only twelve.

"What's not?" he asked the kid.

"Caring about people."

The room was silent at that. Maybe seeing the effects of the organization on a young mind had everyone a bit speechless. Zayn shook his head. "Those were the old rules."

"You can't just do that!" someone else argued.

"I can and I have. If you want any sort of safety and security from Headquarters you will be under my command for now."

"For how long?"

"I don't know yet."

"Who's he?"

Zayn couldn't help the tiny smile that slipped out despite himself at the reference to Liam. "He is," Zayn looked at Liam's wide, brown eyes, "one of the someone's I care about."

"Is he your boyfriend?" another young voice, female this time.

"Cici, you can't ask that?"

Zayn looked to where two young girls, fourteen, fifteen, were standing close. Zayn scanned over the whole crowd and realized they were all young, the oldest ones mid-twenties at the most. Zayn had never seen the recruits before, but he'd heard Louis' stories about being underage and scared, taken from the streets.

Cici's face was determined when she took the other young girl's hand in hers. "Is he your boyfriend? Are we allowed to have someone's to care about?"

Liam had to turn and hide his face in Zayn's shoulder to hide his proud smile. "They're just kids," Liam whispered into his shirt.

"Yes. He is," Zayn confirmed.

Liam straightened back up, surprised. Kids were talking again, in different shades of shock and awe. "Really?" Zayn just shrugged, but pulled Liam to him by the waist. Liam's playful smile was enough to have Zayn blushing. Liam leaned in and bit lightly at his ear before whispering, "Boyfriend." He hummed. "I love the sound of that."

"Hey, loverboys! Pay attention!" Zayn rolled his eyes at the gruff voice of some boy. "So what now?"

"Yeah, Zee, what now?"

Zayn's head snapped to his left to see Louis walking in from where Liam and he had entered earlier with Harry's hand in his.