Of course the first place they’d go is the studio. Louis didn’t want to know which of them would be taking Harry’s parts. They had to record all of their new album’s songs over again so that there wouldn’t be a lull live. The studio was stuffy and full of happy memories that- pulled through a grieving heart- had turned sour.

Liam, Niall, and Zayn sandwiched Louis as they sang. Two songs in, they realized that Louis wasn’t singing along. “Louis?” Liam turned to him. “What is it?”

“I’m… I’m going to go sing in the booth.” Louis shuffled away from the boys, wiping his eyes with defeated hands. He wouldn’t sing for Modest, he’d sing for Harry. He stood with his shoulders slumped; the mic was an inch from his lips as he began.

“Shut the door, turn the light off
I wanna be with you
I wanna feel your love
I wanna lay beside you
I cannot hide this even though I try”

Niall stopped singing and turned the booth’s volume up. “Lads,” He motioned for them to listen.

“Heart beats harder
Time escapes me
Trembling hands touch skin
It makes this harder
And the tears stream down my face
If we could only have this life for one more day
If we could only turn back Time”

Louis’s voice wavered and the tears brimming in his eyes overflowed. Harry’s solo had always pulled at his heart, but knowing that he’d never hear Harry sing it again… Knowing that they’d never lie together again, singing to each other…

“You know I'll be
Your life, your voice, your reason to be
My love, my heart
Is breathing for this
Moments in time
I'll find the words to say
Before you leave me today”

His voice rose in pitch until it wasn’t even there. The knot in his throat blocked him from the recesses from which he usually pulled his deeper octaves. The fans thought Liam had a killer falsetto, but they’d never heard Louis sing like this.

Niall and Zayn stared open-mouthed at their band mate through the glass. Liam had wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to not cry. When he looked away from Louis it was to find that the other two lads were in a desperate tangling of arms.

“Boys, I think we should talk to Simon about this.” He whispered and the whisper was gentle.

~