"Good morning, Harry. Sleep well?" Faith asked enthusiastically as she flipped pancakes on a pan.

I flashed her a smile and sat down on a chair at the island. "I did. Thank you. Do you want any help with anything?"

"I'm okay, honey. Thanks. Is Maddie still asleep?" She asked, plating the pancakes that were done and pouring more on the pan.

Resting my chin in my palm, I lean forward and place my elbow on the counter. "I think so."

"She should be up soon, anyway. She usually wakes up around nine." She said, taking a pause on pancakes and moving to the coffee machine. "Would you like some coffee?"

Usually I would say no when someone offers me something, especially if I don't know the person that well because I just feel nervous about it, but the atmosphere in this house and with this family was extremely comforting. "Yes, please."

"Good Mornin', son." Dean greeted me as he stepped into the kitchen, kissing Faith on the cheek and setting his coffee mug in the sink.

"Good morning, it is." I say, not an ounce of anxiety in my body when I spoke. Our conversation yesterday really helped ease my nerves around him. After Dean washed his cup, he walked

out of the kitchen and back into the living room to watch the hockey game playing on the tv.

"So what did you and Dean talk about? He seems to like you. He even called you son." She talked as she put in a little coffee pod into the machine, waiting for the mug to fill up.

"I'm still in shock, honestly. I see where Maddie gets her personality from." I let out a chuckle. "At first, he asked me if I was the same guy from England that Maddie dated. When I told him I was, he just told me if Maddie forgave me, he did too. Then he told me all these stories about Maddie when she was little." A smile grew on my face. I can't wait to bring that up around her and see how annoyed she would get. She's cute when she's annoyed.

"Any sugar or creamer?" She asked. Feeling bad enough for her making me coffee, I politely decline.

"No, that's good. Thank you." I smiled as she handed me the warm red mug.

I stared into the mug as the coffee cooled down, frowning at my faint reflection in the black liquid. I don't usually wake up this early if I don't have much of a reason, but I had a dream that woke me up an hour ago, and it felt wrong to go back to sleep, knowing the dream would continue.

Ever since that night the power went out and we stayed at Maddie's apartment, I would think about her a lot more than usual, and at least once a week, I would have a dream about her. No. Not about her. We were both there. Some would be memories, but there were two dreams that I felt so wrong for having.

The one the night the power went out, I had dreamt a continuation of what could have happened between us right before the power went out. We were close to each other. I felt her breath on mine, and her lips were so close yet so far from my own. When I fell asleep that night, that was the first thing on my mind, and the kiss we shared in that dream was so euphoric, I nearly cried when I woke up knowing it wasn't real.

Then there was the one last night. I had her pinned down on the bed with my hand on her body, allowing my lips to explore every inch of her skin. I never knew a dream could feel so wrong and right at the same time, despite it not even being a real event. I don't remember most of it, but I remember enough to know that I shouldn't be having dreams like that if I wanted to continue being friends with her.

Friends. I hate that word when it's used to describe her.

"Good morning, Buteras!" A loud voice echoed from the front door.

"Nicholas, is that you?" I hear Dean ask, a grin evident in his voice.

"You bet your ass it's me!" Nick responded. I turn in the chair and watch the scene unfold as Nick jumped into Dean's bulky arms.

"It's good to see you again, man. How have you been?" He asked excitedly, patting him on the back and pulling away from their very tight hug.

"I've been great. It's good to be back home. How about you? Finally getting married again. Look at you!" Nick punched his shoulder lightly, earning a chuckle as he glanced over at Faith, who started to make her way out of the kitchen.

"Second times the charm." Dean winked at his soon-to-be wife and she just waved him off, pulling Nick into a hug.

"I just finished making breakfast if anyone is hungry." She said, walking back to the kitchen after greeting Nick.

"I'm always hungry." Nick pats his stomach and skips over to me, nudging my shoulder lightly. "Hey man. Let's go jump on Maddie."

I chuckled at his excitement as he bounced up and down, practically pulling me off of the chair. I set the mug of coffee down and follow him up the stairs towards Maddie's room.

"I used to wake her up for training with this song when we were younger. She has a heart attack every time she hears it." Nick whispers to me once we were outside of her bedroom door. Without any warning, he opens the door and starts singing at the top of his lungs. "Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother, you're stayin alive, stayin alive!"

Maddie was asleep peacefully, hugging her pillow to her chest. My heart jumped at the adorable sight and I saw her nose twitch at the sudden loudness that was Nick's singing, but he continued, walking up to her bed and leaning into her ear while I stood in the doorway watching.

"Ah ha ha ha, Stayin' aliiiive!"

I slapped my hand over my mouth to stifle a laugh when Maddie instantly sat up in her bed with wide eyes and her hair falling out of her hair tie. How can someone be so beautiful when they wake up?

Nick fell on the floor laughing, and when Maddie realized what was going on, the panic look faded and she groaned, grabbing the pillow she held against her chest and flinging it at him.

"Bitch." She mumbled before falling back onto the bed and putting her hands over her face, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"That never gets old!" Nick cackled, holding his stomach and wiping fake tears as he threw the pillow back on the bed.

The entire thing was chaotic and hilarious at the same time, but I refused to laugh, even if I wanted to so badly.

But I guess Maddie noticed I was struggling to keep my composure because she said "both of you piss off."

"Go eat breakfast then get ready. We have plans." Nick says after he managed to stop laughing, ripping the blanket from her body.

"Who is we?" She groaned, curling up into a ball.

"You, me, Lou, Zayn, Riley, and Harry." He says. Oh?

I don't know what plans he had for us all, but I do remember something Maddie promised me when we got here, so I stepped in front of Nick, hoping this will get her.

I bent down and rest my folded arms on the edge of her mattress, resting my chin on them and pouting.

"C'mon. Didn't you promise to show me around?" I begged. She opened her eyes slowly and noticed my expression, rolling over onto her back with a groan.

"Fine. I'm getting up."

I smile in satisfaction and stand up, my smile dropping when I see Nick looking between the both of us with a raised brow.

"So she will get up for you, but not when I tell her to?" He questioned. "Little suspicious of you ask me."

"Because he was polite. He didn't shout the Bee Gees in my ear for twelve years." Maddie says with a glare in Nick's direction as she got out of bed and sat up, reaching over to the nightstand to put her glasses on. "Out please."

I obeyed and retreated out of her room, expecting Nick to follow.

"We've both seen you naked. Nothing to hide." Nick replied, cowering back in fear when he expected Maddie to hit him.

"You're disgusting. Out!" She stood up and started pushing Nick towards me, closing the door once we were in the hallway.

"You've seen her naked?" I asked, a little confused. I mean yeah, they have known each other for a long time, but he said that in a way where he was not talking about them taking baths together when they were babies.

"Yeah, I walked in on her in the shower once to get back at her for laughing at my penis." Nick tried explained, but that just left me more confused. "Long story."

"Okay then." I nodded weirdly before walking down the stairs.

• • •

"To your left is the ice rink where Maddie and I met at. We were both in this ice hockey for youths club and while we were playing a game, she knocked me onto the ice and scored a goal."

I look at the building the five of us were walking past on the sidewalk, smiling at the image of a five-year old Maddie pushing a five-year old Nick onto the ice.

"Yeah and then you snitched on me to your parents." Maddie scoffed jokingly.

"You dislocated my shoulder!" He exclaimed through a laugh, making Maddie chuckle.

"Oh, you were fine." She brushed off, accidentally brushing her hand against mine. She pulled back and apologized.

"You played hockey when you were only five? Isn't that dangerous?" Louis questioned with worry.

"Not really. We had thick padding under our uniforms." Nick answered.

We continued to walk around while Maddie, Nick, and Riley explained different memories at familiar buildings they would spot like their high school or old hangout spots.

We ended up making a pit stop at a Tim Hortons so Louis could use the bathroom while we all waited outside for him.

"Uh, Mads?" Nick asked with a certain edginess in his voice.

"Yeah?" She replies, looking up from her phone from right next to me.

Nick pointed at the glass and to someone inside that was starting to walk out. He looked around our age. "Is that Andrew?"

Maddie seemed more attentive and panic crossed her face. "Shut up. Please tell me you're joking."

Nick frowned. "I wish I was. He's coming out."

"Fuck. Hide me." She groaned, grabbing my arm and pulling me in front of her. Not even knowing what was happening, I continued to stand in front of her, becoming a little protective.

The man Nick was talking about had approached us with a look of surprise on his face. "Nick? Maddie?"

"Fuck me." Maddie cursed before stepping out, throwing on the fakest smile I've ever seen. "Andrew!" She exclaimed.

Andrew smiled and pulled both Nick and Maddie into an awkward hug. "I didn't know you two were in town. How the hell are you guys?"

Wait a second. Is this the Andrew that Maddie's mum slept with?

"We are good. We are only here for her dad's wedding." Nick responded, throwing his arm over Maddie's shoulder while I kept my hand on her back for comfort.

"I heard about that. Tell him I said congratulations." Andrew says nicely, stepping back and taking a sip of whatever was in the cup in his hand. "Well I gotta run off. It's was nice seeing you guys again. Let me know next time you come to town, eh? We need to catch up."

"Will do." Maddie nodded, still smiling scarily wide.

Andrew waved to them, then surprising me when he also waved at me before he began walking away. What the hell just happened?

"I forgot why I hate coming home." She mutters under he breath. "Literally every fucking person you know stops to talk to you."

"Who was that?" I asked them, shoving my hands into my coat pockets for warmth.

"That was my first second ex, Andrew." She answered awkwardly, shifting on the heels of her boots.

"The one that cheated with your mum?" I asked, more to remind the both of us because I already knew what ex that was when she said his name.

"That is correct. Before you ask, no, we are not friends. We just didn't have a messy breakup." She answers my predictable unasked question.

"Ready?" Louis came from nowhere.

"Yup." I replied, beginning to walk with everyone again. Nobody said a word about what just happened. We just went along with Louis' conversation on how Tim Hortons always smells so good. It just smells like coffee to me.

Eventually we ended up at a playground near their houses. Despite the small amount of snow everywhere, it wasn't all that cold. At least not enough for us to have to stop in a warm place before walking around again. The air was fresh and the setting was calm. I wish this is the London I grew up in instead of the one in England.

I watched as Maddie hung upside down on the monkey bars, her sweatshirt falling towards her chest and exposing her abdomen.

Gaining an idea, I smirk as I bend down and gather snow into my hand, ignoring how cold my hand felt instantly after, and I balled it up before throwing it at her.

It landed on her side and she let out a squeal before letting herself down. "Who in the hell?" I heard her mutter to herself. I pretended to do anything other than look at her, and that resulted in me leaning against a pole and twirling my hair, looking up at the tent covering the park.

"Don't look all innocent, hot stuff. I know it was you."

My smirk fell at the nickname that I haven't heard in years leave her lips. I think she realized what she called me too because she stopped walking towards me and frowned, looking baffled.

"What did you call me?" I decided to tease, actually liking the fact that she called me that. I missed hearing her say it to me.

Even with the cold weather, I can see her cheeks flush. She clearly didn't know how to respond, so I took slow steps towards her until we were a foot apart.

"Did you just call me hot stuff?" I pushed further, looking down at her as she slowly became more flustered. Normally she had all of the confidence when we were together, but seeing her like this in front of me gave me a feeling I could not describe, and it was arousing.

Now is not the time to think about that.

"It slipped." She replied, rolling her lips into her mouth as she fought a smile.

"Mhm. Sure." I chuckled in sarcasm.

"Aye! Can you two stop undressing each other with your eyes and start walkin!" Nick shouted from the other side of the park where he stood next to the other three.

Maddie and I were both quick to respond with flipping them off before looking at each other and laughing, breaking the very thick tension we had created.

I watched as her eyes sparkled as she laughed, my ears ringing from how happy the sound made me.

I'm completely fucked when it comes to her.

• • •