Chapter Text
Louis looked at the small group of mourners who stood up at the front of the church; seven figures total. They stood near a copper-colored coffin.
A priest stood at the side, Liam next to him with four other women huddled close to one another, each one in a state of depression and some more solemn.
“Not much of a turn out.” Louis remarked in disappointment, noticing not even the music executives or his grey suites bothered coming. “You would think one of the grey suites like Walsh would show up to see if I were actually dead.” He sounded almost disappointed.
Niall was next to him, rolling his eyes and pointing to go toward the front.
Louis did, walking with Niall up the long rows.
When he reached the coffin, he noticed Liam kept looking at his watch before sighing with disappointment and checking his phone.
His face dropped before hurrying to put the device away.
“Mr. Tomlinson won’t be joining after all,” Liam remarked, his tone laced with disappointment but he didn’t sound surprised. “You may start, reverend.”
Louis’s expression turned almost insulted.
“I’m right here! And who the hell’s died that’s so bloody damn important?” He demanded, noticing the coffin was closed. It was obvious that whoever laid inside was not meant to be seen one final time.
Niall touched Louis’s shoulder blades, the contact barely left for a moment before the sharp pain of an image flashed through his mind, making his body drop forward onto one knee.
“How?” Louis demanded, grabbing the sides of his head to stop the pain caused by Niall’s vision.
It was of Allure, the very image of when Louis saw her last. That wasn’t too far off; if this was the other night then, perhaps he could still help prevent this?
“Her son died – “Louis realized, looking longingly at the coffin. “How did Allure? I don’t understand.” He shook his head.
Niall bent down and helped Louis back to his feet; also remaining silent.
“I wish you could talk. This game of charades you insist on is growing tiresome.” Louis grumbled, seeing Niall’s attention catch the figures at the head of the coffin.
“Shame she felt like she had no other choice.” Nevaeh Pendleton murmured, her words loud enough for the priest to hear. He seemed to silently be judging the girl laying in her grave, but did not voice his own opinions aloud; least they be disagreed with.
Instead, he offered a much more appropriate response.
“Many choices are available to us, but in our moment of grief, we do not always choose the one most beneficial. Sadness is a powerful emotion.” The priest replied almost emotionless.
“This is all Mr. Tomlinson’s fault! He pushed her and when he forced her to come to set – “Alicia Blackwood stopped, sucking in a sob before Liam grabbed hold of the young girl and hugged her to him.
“I beg your pardon! I was being TORTURED by the local graveyard spirits until all hours this Christmas eve! I’m being pursued by a demon and frankly, I did no such thing to deserve to be involved in this monkey circus!” Louis exclaimed, his voice raising to echo around the large space, but only Niall was unfortunate enough to hear him.
Niall arched a brow, folding his arms over his chest in almost disbelief at his statements.
Louis noticed and flipped him off.
“Oh, go blow it out your arse, mate. You aren’t perfect.” Louis waved him off, making the ghost smirk. Louis continued to observe as Eileen Danger spoke, her voice almost inaudible.
She always was softspoken. Louis tried to hire a dialect and motivational speaker for her, but she remained the quiet one of the group.
“I went by her apartment the other night; she had just adopted a kitten. Found the poor thing coming out practically starved. I brought it home, but with the tour starting next week…” Eileen trailed off, eyeing the reverend.
“Not another cat.” Louis groaned, earning a hard slap in the head by Niall. He pointed to Liam, urging Louis to pay attention.
“My one ex -wife had mine euthanized. I lost my apartment the beginning of this year and asked my son’s mum to watch her for a few weeks. Next thing I know, my son calls me crying asking why I had Mittens put to sleep. Now he won’t speak to me. Louis was right, I sure know how to pick them.” Liam murmured sadly with a sigh, making Louis blanch.
“WHAT?! The witch did, what?” Louis exclaimed, eyeing Niall disdainfully. “You reap the cat’s soul too, a-hole?”
Niall rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“So, where are you living now?” Renee Havoc asked passively, the last one to join in the conversation. She didn’t have any emotion in her eyes. They were dead calm – but that was Renee, no matter the situation.
“Safe house; about a mile up the road from the office. Will need to ask Louis for an advancement to see if I can borrow some money to get some documents out of storage. He knows I’m good for it.” Liam insisted, making Neveah sniff.
“He seems more unreasonable these days. A skinflint I shouldn’t say. Why are you still friends with someone who is such a selfish ass?” Renee demanded, hearing the reverend clear his throat. She quickly apologized, but saw Liam let go of the other girl, rubbing her back in comfort as he did so.
“Hey! I’m not unreasonable, I’m practical damn it! Stop stirring crap, luvvy. I can have you shit-canned faster than setting a pensioner’s pants on fire.” Louis threatened, anger smoldering in his dark aura-filled eyes.
“Because, he’s my friend.” Liam defended.
Renee disagreed with a click of her tongue.
“Allure and I were friends; I hated her, but loved her enough to tell the B what for. You’ve done everything for Louis and I’ve never once seen him say thank you.” Renee pointed out, making Liam smile.
He looked down with a shrug almost thoughtfully.
“When you’ve known Louis as long as I have, you know that he appreciates it, even if he doesn’t verbalize the words. We go way back. We were school mates together; stuck by him all these years and I don’t see it changing. No one knows Louis like I do; he’s been through things and he’s my friend. I don’t want him to thank me. I just want him to be happy.” Liam continued to defend Louis, hearing the reverend clear his throat.
“I’m sorry to interrupt but, are we ready to get started?” The reverend asked at the same time Liam’s phone buzzed.
Another buzz sounded, followed by a few more. All of them immediately took their phones out; a news story just breaking.
“No…” Liam trailed off, panic crossing over his face before his breath trapped itself inside his throat. “No!” He shook his head running toward the front entrance, leaving the four girls alone.
Louis was confused, guilt making his frown more prominent.
“What’s going on? What’s happening?” Louis asked, feeling Niall grab his arm.
He blinked and found himself outside.
“What the smurf cookies is going on?!” Louis yelled, breaking away from the spirit, turning his head and feeling cold wind blow against him. He didn’t feel it before, but now he was standing at the children’s hospital.
All seemed quiet; almost unnaturally so.
“Niall?” Louis called, noticing he had disappeared, but when he blinked, Niall reappeared, pointing down the walkway.
At this point, Louis had enough. He glared and crossed his arms over his chest.
“No. You’re going to talk and tell me what is going on! I‘m not playing pointy-pointy-walk-walk no more! Open that damn gob of yours and start spilling tea, mate or let me pull my trousers down so you can kiss my bloody ar –“
“LOUIS!” Harry exclaimed, he and Zayn running from where Niall was pointing.
Relief washed through him and he met the other two ghosts at the road, Niall leisurely walking behind without any urgency.
“Thank God! People who can speak! Praise the Heavens!” Louis cheered sarcastically, noticing panic was evident across both spirits.
Niall seemed unconcerned.
“What’s going on?” Louis asked, concerned when Zayn grabbed his wrist. When he blinked, he found himself in front of London Bridge; the river Thames directly below.
“Allure.” Harry pointed, seeing the same dark ball of energy following directly above her. Niall shook his head, almost as if telling the two others that what they were doing was against protocol.
This was confirmed when Zayn turned toward the silent spirit.
“No one gives a damn, Niall. You’re what can be, not what bloody is. Besides, he needs to grow a pair and fix this!” Zayn snapped, watching Niall shake his head.
“He can still make it right.” Harry insisted, obviously seeing something no one did.
Louis headed after Allure, having seen her short funeral, he figured he’d try and see what he could do, but it was obvious there was still some concern because Harry stopped Louis from running to catch up with the girl.
Niall’s eyes widened in a small realization, bringing out his scythe.
Harry started laughing, his eyes blackening and shadowing over his usual bright green eyes. Louis’s burn started radiating pain again, causing him to grab his arm.
Zayn stood there, confused at first but a smile slowly formed over his face; darker than normal.
Louis groaned, the heat becoming unbearable again.
“What’s going on?!” Louis yelled, his eyes glancing up to see himself reflected in the blacks of the demon’s eyes. “And what’s with you having the hots for the ghost of a-hole’s past? He was probably a heartbreaker for his time, but come on – this is the second ti – “The demon seized the music executive’s mouth with his hand, his hold strong and brutal.
“I’m going to eat your soul and make you wish you were never a thought to be born!” The demon declared, his lips stretching over sharp and pointed teeth that gave Harry a more unnerved image.
Louis jerked his face sideways, freeing his mouth. He looked almost numb; if not bored from the constant threats.
“No need, mate. I’ve been wishing that longer than you’ve probably existed.” Louis replied, feeling the burn practically bring him to his knees.
Niall had Zayn up against a pillar with his scythe, unnerved from the expression on his face.
“I gave Zayn an attitude adjustment, Niall. He’ll be fine. You can’t corrupt those whom are already dead.” Demon Harry chuckled.
Louis groaned, bringing his hand up and punching demon Harry in the face.
Almost instantly, the ghost flew back; a look of surprise in his eyes. They glowed blue, before the color of his greens appeared.
Niall copied Louis’s action, seeing the dark look in Zayn’s, right before the same honey brows reappeared.
“The hell?” Harry groaned, looking around, knowing when he tried getting close to Allure, the demon influencing her had managed to take ahold; although he was confused how.
“We can’t get anywhere near her.” Harry realized, watching Allure stop and turn in their direction with a blank-stare wave.
Louis groaned, trying to hold on to a few happy memories; the pain again unbearable.
Harry moved Louis’s hand from his arm, realizing he had been marked. A look of agitation crossed over his dead-like features.
“Wonderful, Louis. You keep getting yourself into crap. What’s next?” Harry asked sarcastically with a sigh, watching Allure disappear out of sight. “You need to play this smart and think!” He chastised, his stare going to Niall. “We’re going to need to call him. We don’t have a choice now; this has all gotten out of control.” Harry relented, knowing they had failed at their mission.
“I thought he was you! He showed up and next thing I know, he’s in your form and grabbing hold of me like a horny cowboy wanting to tenderize his rack of cow and guess what, mate? Unfortunately, he sees me as this delicious A cut grade fabulous beef. I’m not someone who asked for this! I’m barely able to keep up now, because ya know – Niall doesn’t talk and you ran after us and –“
Harry cut him off with a wave of his hand, ghosting his feet to the floor. He didn’t have to be told twice to shut up, Zayn didn’t even have to ghost him into silence, he simply knew that no matter what, it would always be his fault. Everything was always his fault anyhow; he didn’t expect anything different in this situation.
“I don’t think why I ever hoped you’d learn anything from this situation. Call it misplaced optimism. I mean, go ahead and f around, Louis. Have your fun, because once you’re in our world and damned to this eternal Hell of being unable to feel what the love of your family or friends feels like; what the feel of their hugs or embraces were,” Harry responded deadpanned, standing in front of him calmly, his finger pressing forcefully into Louis’s chest. “I miss my sister. I miss my mum and everyone I care about. I want to go back to them and here I am, given an impossible task. Given this task to try and change someone who doesn’t want to change, try and show him the good things in life that can still be salvaged.”
Louis tried to pull his feet free, but Harry grabbed his shoulder.
“You have a chain so deep in your back, Louis. It weight is so heavy. What you felt was only a percentage of the agony you’re going to feel. You will try and tear it from you, but it’s not going to move. It can’t be removed when it is so deeply embedded and apart of you. Your fate is so much worse than Simon. His skin is simply sutured – but yours is attached so far deep that it will encase and wrap around you. It was heavy ten Christmas’s ago. It’s grown in length and ties you; it bounds you and all you’ll be able to do is lay in that coffin, chains wrapped in and over your face, your body. You won’t have the luxury of a safe.” Harry looked Louis in the eye to make sure his message was getting through. He could see a bit of fear overcome the music executive’s eyes, but Harry wasn’t done. Zayn was beside Harry, touching his shoulder.
“Louis gets it, mate. I think we’ve done enough. Let’s call him. He can help get this cleared up.” Zayn reasoned, unnerved he had been possessed. Whatever Louis had attracted was powerful and they didn’t expect the interruption.
Niall shook his head walking over, seeing Louis sweat from the pain in his arm. He lifted his hand and allowed his scythe to become visible, looking at Zayn and nodding toward Louis. He seemed to understand and took hold of Louis’s arm.
Harry steadied his other side, but looked beyond agitated.
“These marks can disappear, but you have to think of your biggest regret. Think how you would change it, what you would say? This burn mark was placed by the demon to feed off your hopelessness and it feeds off your regrets. It’s your chance to fix this; if not, we’re going to have to admit we failed and that’s it. Our mission is over. You wake up without any memory of us or this ever happening and we get reassigned or terminated.” Harry told him, touching his shoulder. “I’m going to help guide you into this alternative place and then back here again when it’s over. If done, the mark should be gone when we transport back, but because this is potentially Niall’s territory, he will come with.”
Louis was much more concerned about Allure, but the pain was crippling him; he couldn’t focus his complete attention on her until getting rid of the mark.
“I’m ready, Harry. T-take me back.” Louis pleaded, his throat struggling to speak under pressure. “Please?” He forced out, thinking back to one of the worst nights of his life. He had just been told a few hours previous that he was being shipped off to a boarding school.
It went about as well as one would think.
Grown up Louis stood at the door of his childhood home; his feet bounding into the room at breakneck speed. He looked relaxed; which wasn’t what could have been said earlier when his parents relayed the message of him going to boarding school.
Now he was calm and wanted to talk about this in a more rational matter.
Louis was willing to listen, but all just the same, he would pluck his eye lids off and eat them before going to a preppy academy.
“Dad –“Young Louis began, but his father’s reaction left the next word’s in Louis’s mouth to stay glued there.
“Not another word, Louis. You’re going and that’s final.” Mr. Tomlinson growled, signaling the end of what would have been a less constructive conversation for them both.
“Why?! I didn’t do anything! It’s not that big of a deal, dad. Why are you acting like I just mugged nan? It wasn’t that serious!” Louis insisted, making his point further by folding his arms across his chest – much like what Louis was doing now.
Older Louis watched, remembering his parents warning him that if he was brought home by the police again, it would be an unwanted consequence for him.
“It is serious, Louis William! Very serious! You could have gotten yourself hurt or worse! Had hurt someone else. Unintentional as it may have been, you and your friends were throwing stones onto oncoming traffic and we already warned you that if you were brought home by police again, that would be it and we meant it.” Louis’s father, Troy, stated firmly.
Louis watched on, the very memory replaying itself as Harry and Niall stood next to Louis, watching the scene.
“I regret what I said next. I never meant to say what I did. He died and I never got to tell him I cared. I never got to tell him I loved him. I wish my mom and I had a chance to start over, but I have so much anger towards her that I can’t just forgive it.” Louis reasoned, remembering how she remarried and didn’t even bring him home for his father’s funeral.
Although, he didn’t hold any grudges against his stepfather. He met him once; but he hadn’t spoken to his mother since he was young and he didn’t see that changing anytime soon.
“She wishes you would reach out and you should; because time doesn’t stop and we always wait until it’s too late.” Harry replied, watching younger Louis turn, grab the small lamp off the small coffee table and hurl it at the wall in rage.
“LOUIS!” Troy exclaimed, pointing toward where the bedrooms were. “Go. I don’t want to see you the rest of the night.” He ordered Louis, suggesting he had enough of the young rebel.
In a fit of rage, Louis’s blue eyes narrowed coldly.
“I hate you!” Young Louis spat, while older Louis felt the pain of his words reflect deeply inside his chest.
“No, I don’t.” Older Louis murmured softly, stepping over toward his father. The scene seemed to pause, although the man sitting in the chair was looking curiously at the older version of himself.
Niall tilted his head and Harry simply listened.
“I was wrong. Mum and you did the best you could; you sent me somewhere to focus my attention on more positive things. You gave me a choice and I blew the chances I had been given and instead of owning that, I blamed you for not understanding.” Louis spoke, his words true and genuine. “I was a child and I have to live with those choices, but I’d give almost anything for you to know how much I could take those words back.”
He saw the man in the chair smile; like he could hear the older man in front of him, but that was impossible. This was a mere memory of regret, but he could feel the burn on his arm start to cool away until he felt it go completely.
Louis didn’t understand why this moment was so significant, but his mind felt unburdened for a small moment and he longed for the moment such as this.
“I was wrong. I do love you and if I am given the chance, I will try and make things right.” Louis promised, looking at Harry. “I’ll try and make everything alright. I just don’t understand how to fix this. I can’t fix what happened to dad and mum and I haven’t spoken in years. Can you help me? Ya know, point me in the right direction? Give me a clue?” He asked, watching Niall reach forward and gently touch Louis’s arm.
When he blinked, he was back near the children’s hospital, the pain in his arm now gone; although he didn’t understand how.
“Maybe I had missed it before?” Louis pondered softly to himself.
Sirens suddenly blared in the distance and his instincts told him to follow.
“Harry? Zayn?” He called, but didn’t see the three spirits that had been helping him all night. He didn’t know if they had left or if they were still stuck where he just was in another time of existence; he assumed so since they weren’t around. A small panic made his heart dance a little more erratically, seeing someone up top of the high bridge. Louis knew without a doubt that it was Allure and ran towards the sound of the sirens.
He still didn’t see Niall, as he knew his hour wasn’t even up. They hadn’t gone more than ten minutes; unbeknownst to Louis, the watchful spirit was close by and not so subtly waiting.