NatyJimenez484 decided to claim this chapter, don't know why. But here it is :)

Mag 🦋

TWENTY-TWO

Niall, Freddie and I were still at the park, kicking and passing the football to one another, but I still carried the inside feeling of immense happiness due to the recent information I had from my boss.

I could have my son at least a little longer.
I could enjoy this moment with the tranquility of knowing that Brianna wasn't going to take him from me in two days.

Just the knowing that this wasn't going to be the last time I played football with him, was enough to make me smile like an idiot.

"Dad!" - Freddie exclaimed, getting my attention again. - "You lost the ball!"

I looked behind me, seeing that I Indeed had missed the pass he directed at me for being too caught up inside my head.

"Sorry buddy." - I ran towards the rolling ball and then returned to the pitch. - "Ready?" - I smiled at him, setting the ball down right in front of my feet.

"Yes!" - Freddie exclaimed.

"Okay." - I chuckled, kicking the ball gently at him.

He kicked it back, hitting it hard and making the ball roll out of the pitch again.

"I'll get it." - Niall said, running behind the ball.

"Dad, I'm tired!" - Freddie said, sitting on the ground and extending his arms for me to take him up.

"Mmmmm... Want to head home already?" - I asked him, getting him up and settling him on my hip.

"No. I want to play there." - He pointed to the playground where other kids were having fun too.

"Okay." - I smiled at him, pecking his forehead. - "Ni, we're going over there." - I signalled him with a gesture.

Niall shrugged and nodded, following us.

I put Freddie back on the ground and he ran towards the games, quickly making friends as Niall and I sat on one of the benches surrounding the playground.

I sighed in contentement, the smile never leaving my face.

"Why are you so smiley now?" - Niall frowned. - "What happened?"

I bit my lip and turned to him.

"I have good news."

"Really? Thank God, it was damn time." - He said. - "Good news about what?"

"Brianna won't be able to take Freddie out of the country." - I smiled. - "At least until she gets an authorization."

"How so?" - He asked.

And then I told him everything, what my boss had told me and the fact that I had completely forgotten about this really important detail.
That Brianna needed my signature.

Niall shook his head in disbelief.

"It was that easy?! We had been worrying over nothing?!"

"Hey, we're in public. Shut up." - I huffed. - "And no. I'm still screwed. But at least it's an obstacle on her side. So, I'll take it as a win for the day." - I shrugged.

When I returned my attention to Freddie again, he had moved from the swings and was sat inside a sandbox with a little baby girl.
The father of the girl was actually helping her stayed seated while she played, obviously too young to balance on her own.

I stood up from the bench, feeling the necessity to be close to him, not leaving him to play on his own.

So, I stepped closer to them and crouched down next to my son.

"Hey buddy, what are you up to?"

"Hi dad, I'm just playing. Do we have to leave already?"

"No, we can stay a little longer." - I smiled at him.

"Great." - He said, pushing a bit of sand towards the girl, causing her to giggle and pat on Freddie's hand, asking him to do it again.

Freddie smiled at the girl, pushing enough sand to cover her feet entirely.
The girl just giggled again, kicking her legs in amusement and spreading the sand.

"It seems they became friends." - The father of the girl said.

I smiled at him and extended my hand for him to shake it.

"I'm Louis."

"Matt. And this is my little girl, Anya. She's one year old."

"He is Freddie."

"I already told him my name, dad." - Freddie said, almost rolling his eyes at me.

"Ok, sorry lad." - I snorted.

Freddie shrugged, continuing to play with Anya and making her laugh.

"I like Anya, dad. I want her to be my little sister."

I laughed at his occurrence.

"That won't happen, she's Matt's daughter." - I said and Matt laughed.

"But I want a sister." - He pouted, and then Anya copied him, forming a cute pout as well.

"I'm sorry. He's very insisting on having a sister." - I said to Matt.

"It's okay." - He smiled kindly at me. - "Do you and your partner want to adopt another kid any time soon?"

I frowned.

"What? Partner? Adopt?"

"Uhm, yeah. I just assumed you had adopted Freddie, with your boyfriend I mean." - He nodded in the direction where Niall was seated. - "Sorry, I didn't want to snoop or anything." - He shook his head, still smiling.

"No. It's okay." - I laughed. - "Niall isn't my boyfriend. Just my friend." - I said, pointing at Niall. - "He's Freddie's uncle."

"Uhm no, I was talking about the other guy." - Matt frowned. - "The one that was here a few seconds ago?" - He asked me and I frowned. - "Freddie mentioned he was your boyfriend. Which is totally okay. I'm not judging or anything." - Matt now sounded nervous. - "I really don't want to pry."

"I... It's okay." - I said to Matt. - "Just, hold on a second." - I turned to Freddie. - "Little lad?"

"Yes Dad?" - He asked, still playing with Anya.

"Was Harry here?"

"Yes!" - He exclaimed, now giving me his full attention. - "I waved my hand at him and he waved me back and then he came here and hugged me." - He grinned. - "I told him I got blueberry Ice cream like him!"

"Where is he?" - I asked quickly, already feeling the air vanishing from my lungs.

Harry had been here.

"I don't know." - Freddie shrugged.

"Uhm, the guy left that way." - Matt said, pointing to the footpath that lead to the pond.

"Thanks." - I nodded. - "Buddy, if you need anything go ask Uncle Ni, yeah?"

"Okay." - Freddie shrugged.

I kissed his cheek, quickly standing up and heading the direction Matt had pointed before.
I walked fastly, leaving behind the playground area and following the path surrounded by tall trees, until I found the clear we're the small pond was.

I slowed my steps, noticing a few couples enjoying by the water, sitting on the benches and feeding the ducks, and then I saw him, sitting underneath a tree, away from the rest of the people and with his eyes closed, his head resting back on the tree.

I gulped, knowing it probably wasn't the best moment to approach him, but also knowing I might not get another chance.

"Hey." - I said softly, getting closer to where he was.

He opened his eyes suddenly, slightly shocked.

"Louis."

"Yeah." - I tried smiling as I got closer.

"Please don't."

"I just want to talk." - I raised my hands in the air. - "Please."

"Louis, no."

"It'll only be a second." - I almost begged.

"What is it to talk about? You're here with your son, Louis. That's how it's supposed to be. You didn't have to come look for me."

"What?" - I frowned.

"What I mean is that this is your chance, Louis. Don't fuck it up because of me. Go back to your son." - He almost begged.

I sighed and sat next to him on the grass.

"Harry, hear me out." - I started, already sensing where he was going and wanting to stop him before he continued. - "These last days I missed you deeply. Freddie hasn't stopped asking about you, he misses you as well." - I continued, stopping him when he tried to interrupt me. - "And he only makes me feel worse, because I can't get you out of my mind and he's constantly reminding me of you." - I doubted before reaching for his hand and squeezing it lightly.- "I think I understood why you broke up with me. I think I could see your intentions behind it and they were good. And in all honesty, it actually worked a little." - I said, looking down at my hand in top of his'. - "Brianna and I started to get along." - I shrugged. - "But, I also know that I feel miserable without you. I love you and I can't be without you any longer." - I looked up at him. - "I tried calling you so many times, and you just ignored me. You know how much that hurt? I am trying to do what you told me, to fight to keep my son. But if keeping him means I have to move to the states and losing you, then it wouldn't be fair either.
I want to be a good father, a good role model for him, but that also means teach him things, right?" - I said and he hummed. - "And he's already so intelligent." - I snorted. - "He figured we were together long ago, but now he needs to see that I deserve to be happy too, to know and understand that his dad can be happy with you and also be a part of his life without fighting with his mother. That I can do both things, and that it's okay for me to do both. Because I'm human, and I'm a father, but I'm also in love. With you, Harry.
I think my son can understand that." - I sighed, noticing my voice starting to tremble. - "And maybe Brianna will too someday. But what? Do I have to wait for he to make up her mind? I don't want that.
Brianna isn't going to stay in London just because you and I are over, at the end of the day, I know I can't stop her.
So, Brianna can say and do whatever she wants, but I won't give up on you."

Harry shook his head, looking down at our now intertwined hands.

"Don't do this to your son."

"Do what? Harry, he freaking adores you."

"But what if it doesn't work out with Briana and I? What if she hates me for life? What if she takes Freddie without warning and vanishes and you don't get to ever see him again because of me? I can't live with the guilt if she takes your own son away from you."

"Harry, please."

"Louis, stop doing this to yourself." - He whined, looking down. - "I love you too. That's what you wanted to hear? Because I do. But I won't be comfortable with this until the three adults involved are on the same page and we're sure Freddie isn't getting hurt after this." - He shook his head. - "I told you. He should be your priority."

"And he is! And he isn't hurt because of you!" - I shook my head. - "You're the first person that made me feel alive, H! I can't let you go."

"You have to."

"Maybe... Uhm, we can keep this in secret for a while. Baby, I don't want to stop seeing you."

"I don't want to be hidden, Louis. I don't deserve it."

"I know, you deserve better, so much better." - I bit my lip. - "But I don't want to lose you. I want to be with you."

"You didn't lose me, Lou. You just need to worry about one thing at a time. Okay?"

Harry stood up and started to walk away from me.

"Wait!" - I said and he stopped in his tracks.

I ran towards him, getting closer to the place he stood. I looked up at him with begging eyes and so many things I had left to say locked in my mouth.

"What?" - He whispered.

"At least give me a kiss goodbye." - I said and Harry looked at me with a surprised look on his face.

"Why?"

"Because last time you didn't give me one." - I pouted.

Harry smiled timidly and shook his head.

"Only one?" - He said, caressing my cheek.

"I'm up for more, if you want to."

He chuckled, I wrapped my arms around his neck, watching his mouth with temptation, tipping in my toes and leaning towards him a little more. Our lips lightly touched.

"You have to promise me you won't try to reach me until everything is solved, Louis."

"Shh, don't ruin this."

I looked up at his green beautiful eyes one more time before he closed them and I cut the distance between us, pressing my lips against his.

I didn't want that kiss to end, I wanted to memorize it, to make it eternal. It was soft, warm, tender and sweet.

I wanted it to last a lifetime.

But eventually it ended and Harry walked away.

They say great things don't last forever, they say you only appreciate the things you have once you lost them; but people also say that sometimes you must lose everything to gain it again, and the regaining is the sweeter for the pain of loss.

So I knew, deep down, that my story with Harry wasn't ending here.

It was just... A pause.