Chapter 13

"Harry what if he hates me? He probably hates me." Louis panicked while he was wheeled in a wheelchair to the NICU by Harry.

"He doesn't hate you, he doesn't even know what's going on." Harry said.

"But it's my fault he's there all lonely and without us to cuddle him and he hates me for it." Louis wailed then yelped when Harry stopped abruptly and knelt down in front of him.

"Louis William Tomlinson you listen to me, Dylan does not hate you. He's just waiting for you to get there because guess what?" Harry said as excitement rolled off of him like heat waves.

"What?" Louis asked shaking with anticipation.

"Dr. Summers said we could hold him for a bit, he's really tiny so we have to be really careful." Harry said getting up behind Louis to continue their way towards the NICU.

"Really? She did really say we could hold him?" Louis asked.

"Yes and you're gonna hold him first." Harry smiled down at Louis then kissed the top of his head.

They stayed quiet for the rest of the way and Louis began sweating the closer they got, once they were in there Harry noticed that they had moved the incubator so Louis could have better access to Dylan. Once they were in front of the incubator Harry slowly help Louis up and once Louis saw his baby he burst out crying loudly clutching onto Harry who tried not to cry himself as he whispered comforting words to the smaller boy.

"No, don't promise me he'll get better, look at him Harry. I'm sorry baby I really am sorry." Louis sobbed looking at Dylan who moved his head a little.

"Louis...look Dr. Summers is here, you need to sit back down so you can hold him." Harry said as Louis sat back down.

"No I don't wanna hold him, I'm gonna break him." Louis said wiping away the tears.

"You won't love." Harry said kissing his cheek.

"Ready?" Dr. Summers asked.

Harry watched as she placed one of Dylan's blue blankets on Louis' chest then opened the incubator where Dylan was and slowly lifted him up making sure she didn't disturbed his oxygen tubes. As soon as she placed him on Louis' chest Louis let out a muffled cry and reached down to peck the top of his tiny head and hug him as Harry watched with the biggest smile. Out of nowhere Dylan let out tiny whimpers then a soft small cry that lasted a few seconds as he squirmed around trying to cuddle closer to Louis as Dr. Summers reached down to cover him with a few blankets.

"I told you he hates me, I made him cry and he doesn't want me to hold him." Louis sniffed shifting him to put his little head in the crook of his neck.

"He doesn't hate you Louis and its good that's he's crying because he hasn't cried since he was born yesterday and it means his lungs are getting stronger, he knows you're his daddy that's why he cried and you're warm so he's trying to snuggle closer to you." Dr. Summers explained.

"You know I'm your daddy my little boy? I love you so much." Louis said kissing his shoulder.

"Harry, here you can hold him." Louis smiled handing Dylan to Harry who took him with the doctor's help.

"Hi love, I'm your other daddy Harry." Harry whispered gently rubbing his back.

"When do you think we'll be able to take him home?" Louis asked watching Harry then the doctor.

"Before he's released he must be able to keep a stable body temperature in an open crib, breathe on his own and be free of any apneas, gain weight, take an adequate number of calories and be able to suck on a bottle without breathing difficulties."

"That's a lot of things." Harry mumbled.

"Harry its time to put him back in the incubator or he'll start losing body temperature." She said apologetically.

"Oh okay." Harry said kissing his head then letting Louis kiss him too before giving him to her.

"When can we take him home?" Louis asked.

"We usually keep them until what was supposed to be their due date but not all since all babies are different. Dylan needs to be at least six pounds before we release him and it takes a while for them to gain weight, also he has to meet all the steps I told you earlier. Right now we're feeding him through a tube to keep him from burning the calories he would if he were to suck on a bottle." She explained.

"So it's gonna be a while before we can take him home?" Louis asked.

"It's better if he stays here until his original due date to make sure everything's okay." She said.

"But I can stay here with him?" Louis asked hopefully.

"Most likely you'll be released in two or three days but he's gonna have to stay, you can always come and visit him every day." She quickly said as soon as she saw Louis' panicky face.

"You promise he's gonna be okay? I just-I don't want to leave him here alone." Louis cried.

"He'll be okay." Harry said.

***

"Harry I don't wanna leave him here." Louis said as soon as they were back in Louis' room.

"He has to stay to get better Lou." Harry soothed.

"How are you dear?" Anne asked entering the room followed by Gemma.

"Good..." Louis said burying his face on Harry's shirt.

"What's going on?" Gemma asked.

"Dylan has to stay here until his original due date." Harry said.

"Oh Lou, I know it's hard but it's for the best love. If we want Dylan to get better and be a healthy little boy then he has to stay here." Anne said.

"But it's all my fault Anne. I was so stupid and now he's paying the price for my actions." Louis cried.

"He'll get better Lou, we're all here for you." Gemma said pushing Harry away and wrapping her arms around him sticking her tongue out at Harry who glared at her.

Three days later Louis was released from the hospital crying when he said goodbye to Dylan who was already four days old and had gained a total of four ounces since his birth, both Louis and Harry had cried when they heard their baby boy was now three pounds and eight ounces. After Louis had gotten home he had holed up in his room dragging Harry with him and cried for three hours straight at the empty crib, he had fallen asleep in Harry's arms with wet cheeks and a stuffy nose. As soon as Harry made sure he was deeply asleep he got up to take a shower and cried until he couldn't anymore and nearly screamed when he saw Louis sitting up in the bed as he came out of the bathroom.

"I woke up and you were gone, I thought you left me." Louis wailed reaching for Harry.

"I was just taking a shower love, I'm not going anywhere." Harry soothed him wiping away the tears.

The days then weeks passed by and both Louis and Harry never failed to be at the hospital every day to see their son, at four weeks old Dylan was already at five pounds and thirteen ounces and had grown bigger. He no longer looked skinny and extremely fragile but still needed to stay since every time Louis, Harry or the nurses tried bottle feeding him he would lose a few ounces and he needed to gain them not lose them. He could breathe on his own but keeping a stable body temperature was still a hassle and it worried both parents to no end knowing that their baby was struggling.

"Hello sweetheart." Louis cooed at the small four week old in his arms and smiled as Dylan waved his arms around.

"Keep looking at his face and you won't miss it." Dr. Summers said pushing Harry forward closer to Louis and Dylan.

"What, why?" Harry asked.

"You'll see, talk to him." She smiled.

"Hi Oli, it's daddy Harry or Haz if you wanna call me that." Harry cooed.

Dylan squirmed moving his head towards the source of the noise and slowly opened his eyes revealing a bright emerald green pair of eyes that weren't really focusing on anything but still made Louis and Harry tear up. He began whimpering and Louis held him closer to his chest rubbing his tiny back, he was wearing a tiny blue onesie that said 'I mustache you a question but I'm a baby and can't speak' with a knit blue hat given by Niall and Zayn. Dr. Summers handed a bottle to Louis and instructed him on how to feed him since Louis got nervous every time, Harry observed his baby as he ate with heart eyes and reached down to hold his tiny hand with his two fingers and smiled when it wrapped around his index finger in a tight strong grip.

"I have good news, if he gains a few more ounces instead of losing them and is able to stay warm without help then you might be able to take him home in a week or two." Dr. Summers said.

"Really?" Harry asked.

"Yes." She smiled.

"Hear that Oli, you need to gain weight so you can go home with us." Harry cooed and kissed his forehead.

~*~

"Is this the last of your stuff?" Louis asked Harry as he unpacked the suitcases while Harry brought in the last box.

"Yeah, God that's a lot. I think I'm gonna have to get rid of some." Harry frowned grabbing old t-shirts and tossing them over to the side.

"Haz...I was thinking and maybe I should get a job." Louis said opening a box.

"Who's gonna take care of Dylan then?" Harry asked stopping what he was doing.

"Not now, later when Dylan's older and we can leave him with Lottie or a babysitter." Louis said.

"We'll see, you don't need to work." Harry mumbled.

"I'm gonna have to at some point." Louis said walking over to Harry wrapping his arms around him.

"I know but now Dylan needs you." Harry said kissing Louis.

"Yeah..." Louis mumbled kissing him back which quickly turned into a heated make out session.

"Oh my god keep it PG." Lottie whined standing by the door.

"Go away." Louis said in between kisses.

"Just make sure you use protection or we'll have another Dylan in nine months." Lottie said closing the door and walking away.

"One Dylan is enough for now Harry." Louis said pushing Harry away who was already working on his jeans.

"I don't mind another one." Harry smiled getting off of Louis.

"Maybe in a few years." Louis giggled.

"Definitely." Harry smiled.

***

"Harry answer the phone, it's too early." Louis grumbled shaking Harry's arm.

"No you answer it." Harry mumbled.

"Lazy ass." Louis said grabbing the phone from the nightstand not even bothering to check the caller I.d.

"Hello?" Louis answered.

"Louis, this is Dr.Summers." She said and Louis immediately sat up catching Harry's attention.

"Is something wrong, is Dylan okay?" Louis asked clutching the cover with his free hand.

"Everything's alright, I was just calling you to tell you that Dylan's ready to go home." Dr. Summers said.

"We can go get him now?" Louis asked.

"Of course." She said.

"Thank you, bye." Louis said hanging up.

"What did she said?" Harry asked now fully awake.

"He's finally coming home Haz, she said we could go pick him up now." Louis said.

"Then let's go get our son and bring him home." Harry smiled.

A/N: So this story only has a chapter and an epilogue left.

Thoughts? :)