Chapter Text
Harry stared down at his phone. He must have been sitting there on a hotel bed in New York, his life completely turned upside down in the past twenty-four hours and really not even know where to start to fix it. His first instinct was to call his mother, but he was a grown man. Mummy couldn’t fix this. But, he knew... he couldn’t do this alone. So, he called the one person he knew he could always count on to have his back. Hitting the button, he waited for the other end to pick up. He would be waking him. It’s midnight in New York, making it five a.m. there, but Harry wasn’t worried, this man would always take his call. He took a deep, shuddering breath as the call connected, hearing a soft and sleepy breath answer.
“...'ello?”, came a soft, lilting voice. Niall’s Irish accent thicker in his sleep.
“Hey…Sorry, brother...” He felt his breath hitch, his emotions suddenly swallowing him whole now that he was in contact with Niall.
On the other end of the line, Niall could hear the trepidation and choked up well of emotions in Harry’s voice. Instantly, he was awake, sitting up and raking a hand through his hair, clearing his head, concern welling up inside him.
“ 'arry? What's going on? 're you okay?”
“I... don't even know where to start Nialler...,” Harry breathed shakily into the phone. “I really don't. But, I've got to tell you. All the lads should know really... but, you... I just kind of need my best mate now...,” He trailed off, not sure where to go from there. Everything so jumbled up and confused in his mind.
“ 'ay....Harry, you're scarin' me now... what's going on?” Niall was definitely awake now, worried and scared for Harry. Images of the various things that could be going wrong running through Niall’s head. Niall remembered how devastated Harry could get over things. He wore his heart on his sleeve, and while in some cases that was good, in others, not so good.
“I'm not dying or nothing... Just... I fucked up, yeah?”
“Harry... babe, what's wrong?”
Harry had no choice but to just get it out at this point. “You remember that girl… the one at the club? It was like a year ago... In New York?”
Niall was silent for a long moment, trying to remember. “Yeah... the brunette with red streaks?"
“Yeah... I fucked up Niall... She... Shit...” Harry choked up a bit, everything hitting him suddenly, the reality rushing in and slamming into him. His voice breathless as he lets it all out in a rush. “I got a kid. She doesn't want him...”
Niall was stunned, taking a long moment to let everything sink in. He finally broke the silence, speaking softly. “What do you want to do Harry?”
“I don't know... He's... My kid. I can't just... can’t ignore that. I love kids.”
“What do we need to do?”
“You don't have to do anything mate. This is my fault.” Harry had no intention of letting this ruin his friends. He’d do anything to protect them and the band. It was important to him that Niall, Lou, Zayn and Liam stay protected from his messes.
The response from the other end was soft, but firm. “Harry... you know I would do anything for you... yah?”
Harry took a deep shuddering breath, releasing the terror that had been choking him. Just knowing Niall was there for him seemed to make it all better for the moment. “Yeah… I know Niall.” He sighed softly. “I know... I just…what do I do?”
“What do you want to do babe?”
Niall got out of bed, grabbing a bag and throwing clothes haphazardly into it, knowing that Harry needed him and he would be where Harry needed him to me. Harry could be the strongest and yet the most fragile of them all. Niall would never turn his back on him.
Harry was almost afraid to say it. Saying what he wanted would make it all real. If you spoke the words, you couldn’t make it all go away then.
“I... want him. I've always wanted kids. You know I can't just turn my back on him. I can’t. I won’t. It’s going to be hard and I know what we’ll lose fans. Management will try and make me quit or summit… But, I don’t care. I can’t just not do this. I can’t deny him. I’ll hire nannies, or as Lou for help. Lou will help. She has Lux. She’ll know what to do.” He trailed off, seeming to lose steam with his rambling monologue.
“I'm going to head to the airport. I'll meet you in New York, okay?”
“I haven't told anyone else. I just... didn't know how.. I'm here. I'm at the Plaza. You don't have to come though.” Harry knew Niall was spending time with Greg and Theo, he didn’t want to take him away from his family. “I’ll be fine, babe. I swear. I just needed to talk about it.”
“Harry. I'm coming. I should be there as soon as I can get a flight out.” Niall paused at the door of his car. “Harry... it’s going to be okay.” Nothing would stop him from going to Harry. He estimated with luck he could be there within the next ten hours, with the drive to Dublin and from Dublin catching a flight to New York.
Harry let out a shaky breath, unaware that he had even been holding it. “Okay... Yeah... Thanks, mate. I needed to hear that.”
“I'll see you later. Get some sleep, yeah?”
Niall hung up his phone, starting his car and leaving his brother a message on his phone about having to go to New York for Harry. Greg would understand. He knew how Niall felt about all his bandmates, especially Harry. Niall would go anywhere in the world in an instant for any of his boys. But, for Harry, he’d move Heaven and Earth for him. Sometimes, it amazed Niall that there was actually a person like Harry in the world. He was good. Genuinely good. Never did Harry speak an ill word about anyone. Not even, in Niall’s opinion, when they deserved it.
Niall thought about all the rumors and mean things people sad about Harry as he drove from Mullingar to Dublin. He was sitting next to Harry that night at the AMA’s when Taylor Swift mocked him on stage. All Harry said was that he liked her performance. Niall was so angry on his behalf. But, Harry never said a mean thing. But, still the tabloids published rumors and heresy. Niall promised to himself that he would always stand beside Harry and be his shield. This time and every other.
Harry sighed and put his phone away. He was so tired. So weary. Ever since he got the message, consisting of a picture of a small baby with the words, “This is your son. Call me.”, and number over his Instagram account, he had not slept. It’s not like this was the first time he had been accused of that. But, most of the time, it went through his management. But, this time, he couldn’t just ignore it. It was the eyes. Green. Vibrant green, just like his. Something inside him told him that this was real.
He had called the mother, Emilia. He remembered her. She had been nice and hadn’t expected anything more than what it had been. A hook up to assuage the loneliness of the road and the heartbreak he couldn’t seem to ever move past. She had been sweet and kind and fun, but they had used protection. He always used protection. He wasn’t the whore the media and his image team made him out to be. But, he hadn’t exactly been a monk either. But, Emilia told him something went wrong, she got pregnant. So, now he had a son. Edward she called him. He was six months old and she wanted out.
Harry sighed and walked towards the window, looking out over the New York skyline. In the reflection he could see the papers that confirmed what he had already known deep down. The kid was his. He had immediately demanded a DNA test. It was the handwritten letter along with the test results that had caused him the most anger. He ripped his eyes away from the reflection. He had read the thing over and over. It was simple and short, but those words made him see read.
2 million and he’s all yours. I don’t want him. So, either you give me the money or he goes to someone else. Your choice. I want the answer soon.
-Em
How could anyone not want their kid?! If he had known about him earlier, he would have been here! He never would have let her go through this alone. When he had asked her over the phone, she had laughed.
“Right! Like I could have called and told you that I was pregnant with your kid. You would have laughed at me and hung up. Well… I’m tired of it. I never wanted to be a mother. I don’t want to be one now. He’s your problem. You have money. I don’t. You deal with it. I’ve dealt with it for long enough.”
He wanted to hate her. Hate for ruining his life, but mostly for ruining that innocent baby’s life. But, honestly, he couldn’t. She had been young too. Barely eighteen. And he had ruined her life first.
Harry raked his hand through his curls and stripped off his clothes, climbing into the bed, bone weary, but too awake at the same time. He had no idea how to raise a child. But, that wasn’t his worry. The greatest fear was how this would affect his career. He never wanted to stop making music. Singing with the lads was the best thing, he didn’t want to give that up. But, he had to do the right thing. He had always wanted kids, just not this soon. Pulling the covers over his head, Harry just sighed and tried to relax. Niall was coming. He would help him figure things out and Harry had never been more grateful to him.
Niall had been a rock for Harry since the beginning of the band. When everything had went pear-shaped with Louis, Niall had been the one to help Harry smile. He had distracted him and been a buffer through the awkwardness. Harry could never repay everything Niall had given him and loved him more than he could explain for it all. He smiled into the darkness, thinking of his friend and relaxing into the sheets. Maybe tomorrow things would look better.