The End.

It was quiet. It was quiet except for the occasional bird chirping, and Harry slowly opened his eyes to a ceiling he did not recognize. This wasn’t unusual; he spent so much time in different hotels he didn’t expect much familiarity when he woke up anymore. He groaned, rubbing his aching head and wishing he could go back to sleep. Maybe have a different, less nightmarish dream this time.

He turned his head and looked out the window, furrowing his brow. This didn’t look much like a hotel, in fact it resembled nothing of the hotel him and the lads had been staying at the night before. Turning his head in the other direction, he was met with a kind, wrinkled face.

“Can I help you?” He croaked out, still confused as his eyes continued to take in the rest of the room. It was small, but light and airy with the window open and the light blue curtains fluttering about. The furniture was old and the small cast iron bed he laid in creaked but was more than comfortable.

“Love bug, you’re awake. Good, I was beginning to get worried.”

“How long have I been asleep?” Harry inquired, “Where am I?”

“Oh, a day or two I suppose. You’re in my attic, sorry love bug. Goodness, what am I doing? The worlds ending in three weeks and I’ve forgotten 72 years of manners. I’m Maggie, I found you outside the airport last night. Oh it was a horrible, that place. Everyone was going crazy. It looked like you barely got out of their alive, poor thing. You’d think they’d pay a little more attention to an unconscious superstar.” She smiled at him knowingly.

“What?” Harry tried sitting up, but his head hurt far too much to manage much of anything. “Outside? I was inside the airport, I couldn’t have gotten outside.”

“Well, some kind heart must’ve brought you there.”

Liam, Niall. Zayn, Louis. Where were they?

Harry looked back at Maggie desperately, “Was there anyone with me? Did you bring anyone else home with you?”

The woman’s kind eyes were filled with sympathy, but she shook her head no. “Sorry love bug, just you out there. A lot of people running around though, goodness it was crazy.”

She stood, making her way around Harry’s bed and walking over to the window, staring out at the calm streets. “Must’ve been the shock of the news,” she concluded. “Everyone just got a bit over zealous when they heard, first night and all. This world ending stuff sure is crazy, isn’t it? But everything seems better now, haven’t heard much of a peep all morning. I’m thinking it’s just the eye of the storm though, that’s what I think. They’ll be rioting again soon enough, just you wait love bug.”

This was all too much for Harry, he didn’t know what to think, he hardly knew what was going on. Where were his friends? Were they alright? Who had dragged him out of the airport?

“Are we still in New York?” He asked.

“Yes love bug, the Big Apple. My son had driven me into the city last night; we had planned to see a show before the news. I was the one who spotted you, but my son –Charles, that’s his name-, carried you in. My son is a strong one, he is. He was a quarterback in high school my boy was. The star of the whole team, he got so many scholarships, oh! But he stayed, didn’t want to leave me I suppose, after his father died. Such a sweet child. Anywho, he’s down stairs making breakfast, would you like some? You must be starving lovebug, you’ve been out for a good day or two you know.”

“Maggie,” struggling, Harry sat up in bed with a groan, “I have to find my mates. I have to get home, to my family. I have to get on a plane, I have to fly to England.”

“Oh dear love bug, of course. Charles and I would be flying to Florida if we could to meet the rest of our family, if we could. I don’t know how you’re going to do that though.”

“Why not?”

“Well it’s all over the news love bug! Airports are shutting down all over the place after last night. They said they might reopen, but they’re trying to avoid more riots like last night. As if! If the people are going to riot, they’re going to riot am I right love bug?”

“But Maggie…” he trailed off, his eyes swimming with tears. He couldn’t be stuck in the America’s for the last three weeks of his life. What about Gemma? His mother? Robyn? He needed to be with them. He couldn’t stay here, it wasn’t an option. He’d have to find another way, he decided. A private plane, a boat, anything. He could afford it, surely.

“Oh, now don’t cry love bug, it’ll all be okay. Now come on, let’s get you downstairs and get some food into you. You’ll feel better, I promise. Charles makes the best pancakes.”

Harry wasn’t the biggest fan of American pancakes, but he couldn’t refuse. And his grumbling stomach didn’t seem to give him much of a choice, so he got out of bed and made his way downstairs and into the kitchen behind Maggie, where a man well past his prime was setting the table.

“Morning mom. Hey sleepy head! How’re you feeling? Someone hit you pretty hard kid. Probably had a concussion. ”

“Charles studied to be a doctor for a bit,” Maggie said proudly. “Almost a year.”

Almost, she said.



They ate breakfast and Harry spent another night there, desperately needing to rest his head. Maggie was sweet and Charles was certainly something, Harry needed to get going. He had a little less than three weeks to find his best mates and somehow get over seas and to his family before the whole of humanity ceased to exist.

“I hope you find what you’re looking for!” Maggie said kindly, wrapping her arms around the skinny boy.

“Thanks Maggie,” he squeezed her tightly, more than grateful for her kindness. “You and Charles take care. I’d promise to come and visit, but, you know.”

She nodded in understanding, before giving him a playful shove. “Alright, better get moving. That ocean isn't going to cross itself love bug!”