I'll Show You Everything

Harry grabbed the two steaming mugs off the counter and headed down the hall. He placed them on the bedside table and carefully crawled onto the bed.

"Baby, wake up." He carefully shook his sleeping beauty, not really wanting to wake her.

"Mm, I don't want to." She shook her head and pulled the covers over her head.

"But I made you some tea and breakfast is almost done."

She poked her head back out, "Did you make cinnamon buns?"

"Just for you." He smiled.

“Alright, I’m up.” Gabriella sat up very slowly, and Harry ran around the bed to help her get. He kissed both of her hands before kissing her swollen stomach.

“I still can’t believe it,” He sighed, “We’re going to be parents.”

She shook her head, “Its crazy. You know what’s also crazy?”

He smiled at her, “What?”

“You.”

“Me?”

“Yes. You’re staring at me for no reason.”

“Oh, there’s a reason.”

“Are you calling me fat?”

He hung his head, shook the hair out of his eyes, and looked back at her, “No. I would never because you aren’t. And even if you would, I still wouldn’t.”

“Then why are you staring at me?”

“Never mind, the moment was ruined; c’mon I think I smell the buns burning.”

“I’ve ruined the moment?”

He sighed, trying not to grow impatient with her mood swings, “I was just teasing, love.”

“You weren’t, though.” She whined.

“I swear that I wasn’t. Please, Gabby, let’s just go downstairs. I’m starving.” He begged.

“Alright, I’ll drop it.”

They walked downstairs and he helped her sit at the head of the table before placing a large plate of cinnamon buns on the table. They ate in silence for awhile until he broke it after noticing the change in her expression.

“Gabby, what’s wrong?” He asked.

“I’m having sharp pains.” Her hand flew to her stomach and she winced.

“I think we need to go to the hospital.” Harry quickly stood up.

“No, no, I’m fine.”

“Gabriella…” He trailed off.

“Fine. The bag is on my side of the bed.”

He nodded and rushed upstairs. In a flash, he was back down and helping her to the car. He sped down the streets to avoid the early morning traffic that was already building up. They were at the hospital in just under half an hour and were completely checked in shortly after that.

Harry had to wait outside while the doctor examined Gabriella, but was so ecstatic to hear that their baby was coming that he called up the boys and his parents.

Louis was the last to arrive and asked to speak to Harry.

“What’s up, Lou?” He questioned.

“I know this is way to late to ask, but are you sure you two are ready for this?” Lou wrapped his arm around Harry’s neck.

“Yes, I’m positive.” Harry nodded, slightly annoyed.

“You’re both so young, Harry, I just worry about you…”

“We’ll be fine.” He glared.

“Harry, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Gabby hasn’t always been faithful to you and she isn’t as excited about this as you are. What makes you think she won’t flake out on you?” Louis frowned.

“What the hell, Lou?!” Harry was beyond pissed now. How could his own best friend say that about the love of his life? “That’s our child, the one she’s been housing for nine months. She’s never said anything about giving it up.”

“She’s never made plans to keep the child either. Have you noticed that everything you two have bought for it is at your place? You’re only nineteen, Harry. You’re too young to be a single father.”

“Nothing has happened yet, Lou. We’re happy, and we will be even happier as a family.”

“Exactly what you just said: yet.”

"I can't believe you."

"It only makes sense, Harry. What is she used to all of her life? People leaving. Her parents did it, her family did it, almost everyone around her has. Every time something gets serious between you two, she leaves. Remember when she heard you talking about me and El getting engaged and she thought it meant you two? She disappeared for a week. Can you understand that I'm just trying to look out for you?"

Harry moved Louis' arm off of him, "I don't want to talk to you right now."

Louis sighed, "Alright. But be careful, please."

Harry shook his head in disgust and walked back to Gabriella's room. The rest of the day went by in a blur. All he could hear were Louis' painful words replaying in his head. He almost missed when the doctor told Gabby it was time to push.

In a matter of minutes, a loud cry filled the room. Harry felt his world stop. There she was. His beautiful, perfect baby girl. For a second, he thought he saw her smiling back at him before the doctor placed her in Gabby's arms.

~~~

The next nine months were practically hell on earth. After one short month of their baby being home, Harry woke up one morning to see no trace of Gabby. She had left a note on the fridge explaining why she left him and why she wasn't ready to be a mom.

Everyone could see how miserable he was, and his mom even moved in to help him take care of little Caelyn.

Harry moped around in his room for hours, crying and moaning about how Louis was right.

It wasn't until he got up to go to the bathroom and heard his mother teaching little Cae how to say "daddy" that he snapped back into himself. From then on, he was the father he needed to be for his little girl.

Over the next year, he took care of her on his own and resumed all of his friendships. Each of the boys of One Direction were deemed an uncle, and he accepted Lou's offer to move in with him and Eleanor.

Little Caelyn would laugh and giggle at anything Harry would murmur at her and only wanted him to hold her when she was sad.  They would read bedtime stories together and make up silly ones for the people they saw at the park.  Whenever paparazzi would bother them, she would make a silly face and tell them to leave her daddy alone.

By the time she was ready for kindergarten, Harry was ready to date again. He figured that if he had to let go of his daughter's toddler years, he could let go of Gabby.

Caelyn had reminded him of her so much, though, sometimes it was hard to forget. She looked exactly like her, minus the green eyes, laughed just like she did, took forever to make decisions, loved only bright colored flowers, and took awhile to trust. She was a very smart girl, though. She caught on quickly to everything.

She had never asked of her mother until the night of her first day of kindergarten. Harry had taken her out for ice cream after they ate dinner and they decided to eat it at the pRk near their new house.

"Daddy," She said softly, "Why don't I have a mommy like everyone else in my class?"

He sighed, the question taking him off guard, "Well, Caelyn, remember that book we read the other night about the bunnies?"

She nodded, "Yes, that mommy had nap while they played."

"It's kind of like that. Your mommy has to rest for awhile."

"Is she dead?"

He knew it was a bad example and cursed himself out for it, "No...She just needed time to get used to it."

"Will I meet her someday?"

"Of course you will." Harry had been seeing her around lately, but had never talked to her. He had nothing to say to Gabby now that the pain had finally worn off.

"Do you miss her?" She asked, hoping down and throwing her trash out.

"Sometimes" He answered, following her.

"Because I look like her?" She sat in the flowers, smiling at him.

"Yes." He nodded.

"I want to look like you, Daddy. You're so pretty."

He laughed, "No, love, you're pretty."

She giggled and threw her hands in the air, "We're both pretty!"

He was still laughing, "Yes, we're both pretty. Pretty lucky."

"I love you, Daddy." She lightly kissed his cheek, "But you can't catch me!"

He stood up and ran around after her, never quite getting her. She was taunting him with a song she learned that day, and she stuck her tongue at him many times. When he finally caught her, they drove home.

He heard an old song playing and turned it up. The two of them sung along to the song he sang her almost every night before bed. It was his way of promising her that he would always be there for her.

Well I just heard the news today
It seems my life is going to change
I close my eyes, begin to pray
Then tears of joy stream down my face

With arms wide open
Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open