TWENTY

Now more than ever I needed to fix things without involving the law.
Fighting for my son without actually fighting, if that made any sense.

Brianna just wanted me to be involved in his life. No faking a relationship, not forcing it either. She was giving me a chance to be true with him.
Not other people involved 'helping' me with it, not Harry suggesting what we should do as parents - even if he had a point - and not lying.

It wasn't that much, it was something that I could definitely manage. And something I absolutely wanted to achieve.

Just to build a true connection with Freddie, talk things through with his mother, and take the decisions together.

And, partially I owed that to Harry.

It was the following morning, after spending the evening at Brianna's with Freddie - she even invited me for dinner which I politely declined - that I understood what actually happened.

When all the bricks finally hit the floor and I came to realize that Harry had broken up with me.
For real.

I woke up alone in my bed at mine and Niall's apartment.
No good morning message from Harry, and no missed calls.

It wasn't just some twisted plan from his part.
It was real.

Otherwise he would have communicated with me already, wouldn't he?

I tried not to think much about it and put this to good use.
If Harry gave me this opening, I needed to see it as an opportunity and not sulk over it.

Harry was buying me time.
That's how I needed to see it.

So, after showering and definitely not thinking about Harry, I made my way to work.
My head down as I entered the building, knowing that I not only was late, but that I also hadn't been  keeping up with the pro Bono case as much as my boss needed me to.

And even if I had been going through a lot in my personal life, everyone knows that shouldn't affect your professional life.
Right?

So, when I got called from my boss' office the second I arrived at the building, I knew he was probably going to scold me, if not kicking me out of the case.

"I'm here." - I said once I got into his office. -  "Something wrong, boss?"

"Tomlinson." - He chuckled. - "Finally."

"I'm sorry, sir. There was a bit of traffic this morning, and I know I didn't send you those... "

"Are you going to focus in our case today?" - He interrupted me. - "We're so close, Louis. But I need you in it one hundred percent."

"I am, sir. One hundred percent."

"A new file was dropped this morning." - He said while nodding. - "Go through it, I need to know if they have something on us. Deadline's tonight." - He gave me the file.

"Of course, sir." - I stuttered, hugging the large file against my chest. - "Anything else?"

"No. Prioritize that file, okay? No distractions, Tomlinson."

"Yes. Will do."

🌈🌈🌈

I really tried not to get distracted, but from time to time Harry just happened to cross my mind.

And when I started to understand that forgetting about him was a lost case, I gave up, picking my personal phone and sending him a text.

A few texts.

But he didn't reply any of them.

I tapped my fingers in my desk, my eyes lost looking outside the window at nothing in particular.

I just couldn't understand why Harry took that rushed decision. Yes, of course he had something bigger in mind, and yes, it actually worked with Brianna to at least have a conversation with her.
To understand her point of view better.

But breaking up? Wasn't that a little too much?

I loved him, I was completely sure about it.
And shit, it hadn't been a full day yet and I missed him so much.

He told me not to call him, not to reach him. But how would I ever do that? All my impulses were telling me to run to his house right that second.

I needed him to tell me it was all an act, a lie. That we were still together.

A knock on the door of my office got me out of my thoughts.
As I looked up I saw my best friend resting on the frame door, holding up two beers and a bag from KFC.

"It's lunch. Thought you would be too busy to go eat yourself. So, I woke up before midday just to be a good friend." - He smiled, entering and closing the door behind him. - "Besides, I needed to make sure you weren't still sulking."

"I'm not sulking. I'm busy. Working." - I mumbled, now looking skeptically at the beers. - "And I can't drink."

"Just a beer. It'll do you good. Believe me." - He said, pushing the bag of food and the bottle towards me over the desk. - "All yours."

I shook my head, pushing them back to him and returning my attention to the papers spread over the keyboard of my computer.

"I'm busy. Get out."

"Lou, mate, you need to eat something."

"I don't want anything, I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"Don't be stubborn."

"I'm not."

"Alright, what's in your mind right now? And don't say it's your job because that's bullshit. I heard you crying in the shower this morning. What happened yesterday?"

"Harry broke up with me. But not because he wanted to, he still loves me, I think. He just wanted to step out of the whole Brianna thing, so she didn't have another reason to take Freddie away from me. He told me he was doing it so I could get my son back." - I shrugged. - "But Brianna is leaving anyways. So, I still loose."

"So, you're telling me that the teacher sacrified your relationship so you could have your son back?"

"Kinda. Yeah."

"And it didn't work?" - Niall snorted.

"Why are you laughing?" - I frowned.

"It's just... Wow. Okay, wait. You were crying because of the break up or because Brianna is still moving away and hates you?"

"The break up." - I sighed. - "It's just that I don't get it!" - I exclaimed, finally grabbing the beer and gulping down the liquid.

"I think, in my humble opinion, that you need to take care of Brianna first. To make sure she'll let you see Freddie, to find a way of keeping them in the country or something. And, when you have that solved, then you can go and get Harry back. I'm sure that if he only played the hero card, he's going to wait for you."

"The hero card?"

"Yeah, the whole sacrifice for the greater good thing." - Niall rolled his eyes.

"You think?" - I frowned.

"The guy is practically a Disney prince walking. He's definitely the type who would do that."

I frowned.

"He did said he had a plan before going to Brianna's yesterday."

"See? You're going to win him back in a blink. Don't stress about it." - Niall shrugged.

"You're right." - I gulped the rest of the beer. - "Thanks Niall. I feel better now."

"Great." - He winked at me. - "Now open that bag because I'm starving."

🌈🌈🌈

"Sir?" - I knocked on my boss' door, way after my working hours ended.

I had just finished going through the entire file.
It was getting dark outside and my boss and I were the only ones left in the office.

"Louis, yes. Is it finished?"

"Yes. I only found one thing that could cause us trouble, but I'm sure we can find a solution and keep the upper hand."

"Sure." - He sighed, slightly defeated. - "Come sit and tell me about this trouble." - He pointed to the couch in the corner of his office.

He stood up from his chair and walked towards his library, pulling out a bottle of whiskey and two mugs from a shelf.

"I need this tonight. You want some?" - He asked me.

"Yes, I'm in the need too."

My boss chuckled.

"You don't seem too worried about this case though."

"I'm confident you're going to win this, sir."

My boss hummed.

"So, what's troubling you enough to accept a whiskey?" - He smirked, handing me the mug.

"Just personal stuff, boss." - I shrugged.

"Nothing you want to share? I'm a good listener. Even more with a whiskey in hand I must say." - He winked at me and I laughed.

"It's just... I have a kid, but his mother wants to move to USA with him. And you know, I don't want to fight her, but I don't want to loose my child either."

"Why does she want to move?"

"Mmmm... She found a job opportunity. Also, we never really had the best relationship, she and I." - I chuckled. - "And her family is there, so. She decided it was the best to move and take my son with her." - I shrugged, taking a sip of whiskey. - "I know I have the right to continue seeing my child, I know there's options. But I really don't want to get a lawyer involved because it'll only make things worse with her. And let's just say I don't want to get on her bad side again."

"Is she... Problematic?"

"Uhmm..." - I sighed. - "She's a good mother. She raised him so well these years."

"But?"

"She doesn't trust me. Or my decisions. Which... I'm the only one to blame for that." - I snorted. - "I really want to be a present father, you know? You told me this before, kids are the most important thing in our lives, right? They are a priority. And I... I never realized that before." - I shook my head, looking down. - "Even if I ask for custody, I'll probably loose."

"Louis."

"Huh?" - I looked up at him.

"Why don't we do something? After we finish with this case, I'll give you a hand with your situation."

"But... Sir, I don't want lawyers in this. I just told you, I'm probably going to loose if I take her to court..."

"I'm not going to help you as a lawyer. I'm going to help you as a friend." - He smiled. - "That happens to know about law." - He winked.

"Wait, really?"

"Of course. Let's get to work, Tomlinson."