November 24th 2018

It was one month before his 27th birthday and Louis was not well. He was having seizures frequently, and got lots of fevers. All were signs of his body starting to shut down.

Harry stayed with him always, even though sometimes it just felt like Louis wasn't there. He'd just lay silently, mostly staring up at the ceiling, occasionally looking around.

Harry was currently holding his hand and rubbing it with his thumb as Louis just lay there absently.

Harry was reminiscing over all the years he and Louis had spent together. Some memories bringing him smiles, others bringing him tears.

"Remember in Kindergarten when you told the whole class we were gonna get married?" Harry whispered as if Louis were listening, even though he knew he couldn't understand. "You were right." He smiled.

"Then remember in year three, we decided that kissing and dating was gross?" Harry chuckled, and shook his head fondly. "We were best friends but wouldn't allow ourselves to be lovers."

"I remember back in year five we used to visit that resting home that was near the school." Harry teared up a bit, "I always complained and wanted to ride bikes or play video games, but every Wednesday without fail you'd drag me to the nursing home to visit Miss Edna. You loved her Lou. She was in the earlier stages of Alzheimer's and you always felt so bad for her, you thought it was such an awful disease and unfair that she had it. You were so kind to her Louis, so kind."

"Then in year seven, you asked me to be your boyfriend at the school dance." Harry bit his lip as he remembered how it had happened, "You were so nervous and your little hands were all clammy and shaky, you were scared I'd say no. But of course I'd never say no to you my Louis, never." Harry kissed his cheek softly. Louis didn't even realize it.

"When we were sixteen I remember you becoming forgetful. Of course you'd always been a bit forgetful, but not like that." Harry murmured as he remembered the very earliest stages of his Alzheimer's. "Though it wasn't too bad yet, and the boys and I were happy to help."

"Then of course we got married at eighteen, not long after graduation." Harry smiled, "It was the most beautiful wedding, all decorated with blue and green. It had a nautical theme because I'm the anchor that grounds you and you're the compass that guides me, like two ships."

"When we were 20, things started getting harder. But you still remained so sweet. You even asked Niall to take you to get me a present for my birthday, you asked him in October, because you didn't want to forget before February." Harry said as he remembered how sweet it had been.

"When we were 21 we went out to dinner for Valentine's day," Harry choked back a sob. "It was really nice." He didn't mention how Louis hadn't been able to read the menu, and how embarrassed and sad he'd gotten over it. Because, even though Louis didn't understand, Harry didn't like saying bad memories aloud. Some memories hurt too much.

"When we were 22 you especially liked to cuddle and stay home in bed." Harry said, remembering how Louis had experienced the most awful hallucinations and was convinced that everyone was after him and wanted to take his things, so he was always wanting to hide in bed.

"When we were 23 you liked to dance. You'd dance in restaurants, in subways, in the grocery store..." Harry didn't mention that it was seductive dancing, stage 5 included hypersexuality. He also didn't mention how he had to stop him, and assist him to somewhere private and calm him down.

"When we were 24 you had a lot of energy." Harry said softly, switching from holding Louis' hand to stroking his hair. He didn't say though that the energy had been channeled in anger. Louis had been very aggressive, he'd have temper tantrums, and sometimes even hit Harry. Of course, he didn't realize what he was doing, and Harry had never gotten mad in return. He'd always calm Louis down, and then Louis would start crying and feel so bad about it.

"When we were 25 we got Goldie." Harry said remembering the pet goldfish, "You loved her so much Lou. Always eager to feed her, and you loved watching her swim around." This was when Louis had first really started to decline. Harry would find him trying to drink water from Goldie's fishbowl so they'd had to get rid of her. One day in particular when they'd been 25, Harry couldn't speak about, it made him too emotional. He'd gone to the bathroom and came back to find Louis sitting on the floor eating erasers that he thought were candies. That was when he knew things were bad, really bad.

"And now, now we're 26." Harry smiled at his sweet husband, "I can't believe we're already this old, yesterday I swear we were in grade one and giggling over stupid jokes."

A soft sound came from Louis, and Harry immediately frowned. "What is it boo? What's the matter?" He asked, he could feel something wasn't right.

Louis of course didn't answer, but the beeping of his heart monitor was getting slower. Slower.

"Baby..." Harry choked out. He'd known this was coming, but it didn't make it any easier. "Don't let go. Please, don't let go."

Louis looked up at him with the emptiest eyes. He was in pain. He couldn't hold on anymore, he couldn't. He seemed almost apologetic, as if he knew something was wrong.

Harry bit his wobbling lip, and wrapped his arms around Louis in a gentlest hug. "I take that back, you can let go if you need to. But I never will. Never."

He pulled away as Louis' chest rose and fell with slow and shaky breaths.

"I love you. I love you more than anything Louis. You'll always be in my heart." Harry whispered as Louis took in one last breath.

"I'll never let go." Harry promised as Louis let out the breath. Save for the long, low beep of the monitor there wasn't a sound in the room as Harry silently sobbed.

"Sleep well my sunshine." Harry pressed a kiss to his cheek.

There you have it. The final chapter, I'm actually crying you guys. I'm so sad. Anyway, the epilogue is up next and then Don't Let Go will officially completed. Thank you all so much for the continuous love and support on this story, and for sticking with me through this emotional rollercoaster. It truly means the world to me. If you enjoyed please vote and leave any comments or feedback, it means so much!

All the love xx

-Sunnie