ALWAYS

I woke to the sound of giggles in the next room. I tried to shift but I couldn't. I opened my eyes to see Enola still snuggled into me. She held me tightly as her head was resting on my chest. I hummed quietly and kissed her hair. She whimpered softly and shifted in my arms. I carefully rolled her onto her side and pulled my arm from underneath her. I carefully got up as to not wake her.
"Get back in bed." Enola whined.
I chuckled and kissed her head, "Darcy is up. Go back to sleep." Enola whined and reached out for me. "Noli, come on. You're not making this whole we'll see what happens easy for me." I grunted.
She opened her eyes and frowned, "Are you mad at me?"
I shook my head, "No. I'm not mad. I just don't want things to go...Enola, you're calling the shots here. We all know what I want. But if you want me to be able to handle this, you have to let me walk away sometimes." She nodded and took my hand gently.
"I'm sorry." She murmured kissing my hand.
"Don't be sorry. Just let me go to our daughter." I replied sweetly. She nodded and released my hand. I kissed her forehead then pulled my clothes off the bedroom floor.
"You know, you're still probably the best looking man on the planet right?" Enola asked resting her head on her hand. I chuckled and shook my head.
"I'm not getting in that bed." I stated pulling my shirt on. Then I heard Niall's loud laugh. I groaned quietly, "Fuck."
"What are you going to tell them?" Enola asked returning her head to the pillows.
"That we fell asleep talking about our child." I answered softly.
Enola snickered, "You just love saying that, don't you?" I smiled brightly at her and nodded. "We'll talk to her when I decide to get out of bed. I'll call the hospital before that as well." She informed me. I agreed then left the room. I walked into the living room to see Darcy sitting in Niall's lap reading the leprechaun book. Louis and Liam sat on the floor laughing because of it. Brynn and Sophia leaned over Niall to see the book as well.
"HARRY!" Darcy screamed when she saw me. The sound of my name coming out of her mouth stung. I didn't like it. I wanted her to call me daddy. She jumped off of Niall's lap and ran into my arms. I picked her up quickly and held her close to me. I shut my eyes as I inhaled the watermelon scent of her hair. She pulled back and looked at me, "Harry?"
"I love you." I smiled pressing my forehead to hers.
"I love you too!" She beamed before kissing my lips softly. I heard a sniffle coming from the sofa. Darcy and I both looked at Sophia with lifted eyebrows. She was in tears as she looked at us.
"Maybe you should go give Auntie Soph a hug?" I suggested to Darcy. Darcy nodded quickly and wiggled out of my arms. I folded my arms over my chest as Darcy crawled into Sophia's lap.
"Where's Enola?" Louis asked casually.
I motioned to the bedroom, "She's still sleeping." Louis looked at me curiously. "What?" I asked not liking the look I was getting.
"You two are uh...?" Liam asked nervously.
I shook my head, "No. We fell asleep talking about Darcy. How we wanted to go about telling her and other things." The boys all gave me curious looks still. "I didn't touch her. I still love her but I'm not a creep." The boys nodded. I sighed, "The fact I have to say that really bothers me."
"Harry, we know you're not a creep. But we also know that you and Enola are very..." Niall looked at Darcy for a moment. "You have a hard time keeping your hands to yourself." Niall stated with a bit of apprehension. I rolled my eyes and unfolded my arms from my chest.
"Darcy, baby, let's get dressed." I stated seeing that she was still in her pajamas. Darcy pouted and shook her head. "Darcy, if you don't get dressed Mummy and I won't take you for treats later."
"I get treats?!" Darcy asked excitedly.
"Not if you don't get dressed." I replied sternly.
She frowned and grumbled, "Okay." She hopped off of Sophia's lap and came back to my side. She took my hand then looked up at me saddened, "NiNi didn't finish the book."
I sighed, "NiNi can finish the book while I find you clothes then we're getting dressed." Darcy squealed and ran back to Niall.


Enola's leg bounced like crazy as we rode to the hospital. I put my hand on her leg to settle her. She looked at me with terrified eyes. I smoothed her hair to tell her it was going to be alright. She rested her head on my shoulder and sighed as she pulled Darcy closer.
"Harry, are you going to tell me what's going on?" My security man, Dale, asked.
"Not right now." I replied even though I knew it was going to bother him. Dale sighed like he was angry. "Can I promise to tell you later?" I asked quietly. He nodded and went back to staring straight ahead.
"Alright. We're here. Jack, take us into the underground parking." Dale told our driver. Jack gave a single nod and turned into the parking structure. "Okay. E, you take Darcy in first. Harry and I will meet you in a couple of minutes."
I shook my head, "No. I'm going in with them."
Dale groaned, "Harry, come on, man."
I turned to Enola, "Babe, go with Jack to the elevator. Dale and I will be just a minute."
Darcy shook her head, "No. No. No. I don't wanna."
I smoothed my daughter's hair back, "It's okay. Mummy and I are both going to go in with you. It'll be alright." Darcy was terrified of hospitals because of Enola's step mother dying. I looked at Enola again, "Go." She nodded and got out of the car with Jack and Darcy. She closed the door and carried Darcy to the elevator with Jack standing close by.
"Harry, what is going on?" Dale asked annoyed with me.
"I'm not going to make my daughter go somewhere that frightens her without me being there. I won't." I stated firmly.
Dale smiled brightly, "Finally, figured it out huh?" I looked at him with confusion. "Harry, it's not hard to tell that she's your daughter. She looks just like you with E's personality." I was taken back by the admission. "WE were all kind of waiting for you to catch on that Enola was letting you hang around because she had your child."
I was shocked, "Oh."
Dale laughed and put his hand on my shoulder, "It's good that you're stepping up. Being a man and taking care of your responsibilities."
I shrugged out of his grasp, "That's not how I see it. She's my daughter and I love her. I love her mother. I want them to know that I love them. She's not a job or a burden to me. They're my life. My heart."
Dale smiled, "That girl changed you."
I smirked, "Which one?" Dale laughed and nodded. I climbed out of the car and Dale was right behind me. I touched Enola's back gently as Dale and I reached the elevator. "Ready?" I asked her when she looked up at me. She nodded and squeezed Darcy a bit tighter. I kissed her hair after we got on the elevator, "It'll be okay, Noli."

Darcy sat on my lap nearly shaking as we waited in the hospital room with Enola. Dale and Jack stood outside as to not invade our privacy. I kissed Darcy's forehead as she leaned into me, gripping her bear as tightly as she could. "Baby girl?" I murmured. She gazed up at me. "Are you okay?" I asked softly.
"I scared. I don't like it here." Darcy's whisper was broken.
I hugged her tighter, "I know baby. We'll get out of here as soon as we can."
"Harry?" Darcy whispered my name. Daggers flew into my heart. I hated hearing her say my name. Enola rested her hand on my shoulder to comfort me.
"Yes love?" I smiled even though my heart was a bit broken.
"Will you sing to me? I like it when you sing to me." Darcy requested.
I grinned, "Of course, my baby." I began singing Half A Heart to her. She always asked for that or Story of My Life. Darcy shook her head. "What? You don't want that one?"
"No. I want Little Things." She replied. I chuckled and started to sing Little Things instead. Just then the doctor walked into the room.
He smiled warmly at Darcy, "Hi there sweetie." Darcy shied away from him into my chest.
I laughed, "You're not shy. Cut it out." Enola laughed as well and placed her hand on Darcy's leg.
The doctor turned his eyes to mine, "We're doing a blood test?"
I nodded, "Yes." The doctor nodded and reached over to the counter where he had set down the blood kit.
"Who should we do first? Mummy or baby?" The doctor asked.
"I think you and I should go first. She really hates this stuff. Show her that we're not afraid." Enola stated quietly.
I chuckled, "You are afraid."
"I'll hold your hand Mummy!" Darcy shouted. The doctor, Enola and I all chuckled. Enola then told the doctor that she would go first. The doctor took her arm gently then swabbed her arm. "Harry, what's he doing?" Darcy asked.
"He's cleaning Mummy's arm so when he puts the needle in she won't get sick." I answered. Darcy took Enola's hand quickly and gripped tightly. As the doctor got ready to insert the needled, Enola whimpered and buried her face in my neck. I chuckled quietly and put my arm around her. Within a few seconds, the doctor removed the needle, getting as much blood as he needed from her. He labeled the tube then looked at me.
"Daddy's next?" He asked with a smile. Darcy looked up at me strangely. She was used to me correcting people. I removed my arm from around Enola and rolled up my shirt sleeve. I held my arm out to the doctor. Darcy watched intensely as the doctor cleaned my arm then inserted the needle.
"Does it hurt?" Darcy asked shyly.
I shook my head, "Nope. Not really."
"Can you feel it?" Darcy inquired looking closer at the needle and my blood going into the tube.
"Nope. Not a even a little bit." I smiled at her. Darcy seemed more curious than scared now. The doctor disconnected the tube then removed the needle from my arm. Darcy pushed his hand away as he tried to placed another cotton ball on my arm. She looked at my arm with squinting eyes.
The doctor chuckled, "I've never seen such an inquisitive child before."
Enola laughed, "She's like her dad that way." The doctor smiled at me as he labeled my vile.
"Okay little one. May I have your arm?" He asked Darcy sweetly. She stuck her arm out quickly. The doctor laughed and held her little hand gently.
Darcy squealed when the swab touched her arm, "It's cold!" Enola and I both chuckled at her reaction.
The doctor smiled at Darcy, "Now, you're going to feel a pinch. After that it's smooth sailing." Darcy nodded but gripped my wrist.
"Want me to hold you tighter?" I whispered in her ear. She nodded again. I pulled her closer and held her tighter. The doctor carefully inserted the needle in her arm. She yelped. My heart broke as she started to cry. I kissed her hair and shushed her. "It's okay baby. I've got you. I've got you." I murmured.

Enola tapped her fingers in irritation as we waited for the results of the test. Darcy was nearly asleep on my chest as we laid on the hospital bed. Dale and Jack sat at the table with Enola playing cards. I rubbed Darcy's back gently as I watched Enola freak out.
"Noli, why are you so jumpy? You know what it's going to say." I asked her quietly as to not wake Darcy. She got up and walked over to me. She handed me her phone. My heart filled with rage. Charles had texted her telling her he knew where she was and what she was doing. "He's not getting anywhere near you. If he tries, I'll kill him." I stated, all of my anger coming out in my voice. Enola frowned deeply. "Hey, I love you. And I love Darcy more than anything. He's not going to lay a hand on either of you." I assured her. Enola nodded and crawled up on the bed next to me. I held her close and kissed her forehead. "He's not taking you from me again." I smiled when I saw the doctor coming. "Baby, get up. The doctor's coming back." I stated patting her bum lightly. She did as I asked. As we both sat up, the doctor entered the room.
He sat down and smiled at Enola, "Here you go." He handed her a sheet of paper. Enola beamed and thanked him.
"What does it say?" I asked her.
"What everyone already knows." She replied with the light returning to her eyes. "Now I can change her documents. And things will be the way they are supposed to be." She stated.
The doctor shook my hand and smiled, "Glad I could help. If you need any help changing her documents, just give the office here a call. We can help." I nodded and thanked the doctor.

Notes