"Harry, please come on."

Harry just shook his head and sat resolute in the same position he'd been in for at least an hour. Every one had dissipated by now, going off to celebrate or cry or watch TV like nothing happened. Who knew. But Harry couldn't move. His whole body felt like lead.

"Harry Edward, get up right now."

His mom wasn't actually mad, he knew that, but she was trying to get him to listen. He couldn't. He just couldn't do anything apparently. "I blew it."

Louis stroked his curls and kissed his cheek. "No, no, love. You were wonderful. You did amazing. Those judges are idiots for not picking you."

"I can't say I disagree."

Both young boys jumped at the new voice. Harry looked over Louis' shoulder to see Jackson Lynch ascending the stairs to the stage, still in his suit from earlier. Harry quickly wiped his tears and tried to collect himself. "Mr. Lynch, I-"

"Jackson, please," he corrected quickly.

"Jackson, I didn't know you were still here. I know I shouldn't be. I'll just..." he trailed off and started to get up. Louis put a steadying arm around his waist and led him towards the other stairs.

"You know," Jackson mused, voice flowing on the salty air of the ocean, "I fought for you. Hard."

"Thank you, Mr.-Jackson, that's very kind," Anne conceded.

"I didn't see what they saw in that girl. Abby, right? She's cute, nice voice. But you've got talent, Harry. Real talent."

Harry was facing Jackson now, but kept his eyes on the ground. He was so confused as to why Jackson would rub it in like that. Throw his loss in his face. "Thank you, sir."

"I've got a proposition for you, Harry. With your family's permission of course."

"What is it, Jackson?" Anne asked, weary.

"Why did you enter this competition, Harry?"

Harry shrugged. "To win, like everybody else."

Jackson wagged a finger at Harry. "No, now see, six people lost today, but only one couldn't bear to even move when their name wasn't called. Why did you enter this competition, Harry?"

Harry looked up at Louis, who was smiling kindly at him. "For him."

Jackson nodded, guessing as much. "Why?"

"I can't lose him."

Louis brought a hand to his cheek. "You'll never lose me."

"Why would you lose him?"

Harry bowed his head just thinking about it. "I needed the money to save their house here. Otherwise they have to sell it and I won't see him."

Jackson let that sink in. "That's admirable of you, Harry. I imagine everyone else here entered this competition for selfish reasons. Not wrong, just, for themselves. But you," he emphasized as he approached the curly-headed boy. "You did this for someone you love."

Harry nodded. It was true. He didn't care about the recording contract, cool as that would be. He just needed to keep Louis. "I was selfish," he realized. "The most selfish. More selfish than wanting to be famous or whatever. I don't care about that. I was willing to take away a dream from somebody so that I could keep my boyfriend."

Jackson laughed, quiet and light. "A unique perspective."

"Harry, stop," Louis urged and made Harry look at him. "You're not selfish. I asked you to do this. I'm so thankful for you, I swear. You're the best. I'll miss you so much, but I'll be waiting for you."

"What if," Jackson interrupted, "you didn't have to wait?"

"Mr. Lynch, if you have something to say, please, just say it," Anne requested.

Harry agreed. These cryptic hints were just making Harry nervous when all he wanted to do was go home and curl up under his sheets with his boyfriend before he couldn't anymore.

"What if I saved your house?" He nodded to Louis.

"What?!" Louis nearly screamed. "Why would you do that?"

"Like I said, this place is great. Great people, great vibe. But a bit noisy during the summer. I'd love to see what it feels like for the rest of the year. See what kind of work I could get done here. But I'd need a studio here. And your house has such a lovely view."

Harry was shaking his head, still so confused.

"Plus, my new favorite artist would be here every summer and I'd need close proximity to work on his music."

"I don't get it?" Louis asked for all of them.

"I'm doing you a favor here, Louis. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. All I'm asking is that we build a studio into your house for me to have access to all year long. Your mom will sign the mortgage over to me and I'll own it, renting it to you all each summer."

"Why?" he asked again, because it just didn't make sense.

"Let's just say, I've been where you are and if I could have saved my metaphorical house I would have."

Harry didn't want to question it anymore, he held onto his guitar as he ran to Jackson and tackled him with a big bear hug. "Thank you so much!"

Jackson just laughed and patted Harry's back. "We'll need to sit down with your families and draw up some paperwork first before we agree to anything."

"Thank you so much!" Harry was screaming now. Couldn't stop.

Anne came and peeled Harry off him. "I think that sounds like a good idea." She pulled Harry away and held him close. "Harry, lets get something to eat and then bed. We've obviously got a long couple days ahead of us."

Harry stuck his hand out since he couldn't move. "Thank you so much!"

Jackson chuckled. "Thank me when I've actually done something, Harry."

***

Harry was straddling Louis' stomach on Harry's bed, bouncing excitedly. "Louis, this is incredible!"

Louis just laughed and put his hands on Harry's legs to still him. "I know, babe. It's crazy."

Harry leaned over and kissed Louis through his smile. "I'm keeping you forever."

"You were always keeping me forever, Harry. Now we just get to actually be near each other for some of it."

***

"Why my house?" Jay questioned.

"Mostly because I think what Harry tried to do was noble. Also, Harry obviously does better with Louis here. And," he added, "I don't work and live in the same space. Bad vibes. So if I were to stay here like I want to, I'd need another location for my studio."

"What does that mean for my house?"

"Honestly I love this house." He looked around the large living room with its dark wood beams and large windows. "I wouldn't change it at all. I'd build onto it. An extra bedroom for me and, of course, the studio."

"And you'd be allowed in my house whenever you want?"

"Technically yes. But I have no desire to intrude on your home life. The studio would be built with its own outdoor access, as would my room. And I'd only stay there during the rest of the year when I worked. Otherwise I quite love my own home."

"Too good to be true," Anne interjected.

"I know it seems that way. And we'll have some kinks to work out, but I'm honestly just trying to do the right thing here. Plus, adding Harry to my roster is more than enough reason. That boy is going places and if I don't produce him, some one else will."

"Me? You really want to sign me?"

"I refuse to do any of this without you, Harry. I like the house, but not that much. I'll do this, but only if Harry agrees to work with me."

"Yes!"

"Harry," Anne and Jay warned together, making him shrug and blush.

"We'd work up a contract for him as well," he addressed the worried mothers. "But I think you'll see I only want to help."

The families spent the last week of summer debating and using big words to get their point across, but by the end of it there were papers signed and hands shook.