Love of my Life | Harry Styles & The 1975

iv. real life

{author's note} This chapter contains the subject matter of the untimely passing of Nick's brother Aaron. It does not go into detail but merely to acknowledge him and his passing out of respect and to not just dismiss what happened. No matter what your opinions on him are. He was a brother, son and father over every negative thing we've read about him in recent years. If you don't wish to read this, you may skip this chapter x

CHARLOTTE HAD NEVER BEEN HAPPIER TO HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN THE COUNTRY AND AT THEIR HOTEL, THAN THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT IN TIME. She didn't want to think about how their arrival would have gone down if they had been greeted by the paparazzi in the airport or the intensity of it all as they tried to navigate themselves through crowds of fans at the hotel. Not twenty four hours ago, Charlotte was excited to bring the boys to her home country but it was now tinged with immense sadness that she didn't know how to process without falling apart in front of the boys.

It had been a tough few hours for the Backstreet Boys camp as their team went into overload in trying to sort shit out as they tried to figure out the best way forward with three shows of this leg of tour left. Whatever the five of them wanted to do, that's what they would do. The ball was in their court but their dedication to their fans is what was pushing them through and the sweet sentiment of being with them is what was holding the five men together. So that's what was going to happen. London, Manchester and Antwerp and then straight back home for them to regroup, process, grieve and be with their loved ones.

The Carter's hadn't left Charlotte's mind since the moment she had found out. She was in two minds if it was the best or worst thing to have been in Nick's presence when he had found out or not. She ended on that it was for the best because she knew more than anything,that he would need her love and support right now. But being there when he was delivered the news was like a punch to the gut and she never wanted to experience anything like it again. Despite being their manager, their co-worker, their boss; Nick classed Charlotte as one of his best friends, she just got it and despite the nature of the current state of the relationship with his brother. Charlotte knew how much he loved Aaron.

They spent Saturday evening/early hours of Sunday morning cooped up in one hotel room; the band, Charlotte and other members of their team as they rallied around the five of them. Nick spent hours on the phone to his family to try and get as much information as he could out of his sister and seeking comfort in his wife whilst the brunette comforted the other boys through the shocking news as they discussed what they wanted to do about the show they had the next day.

Up early on the Sunday morning; the young lass had sent Kevin, AJ, Howie and Brian on their way to visit Allison Hammond at This Morning. Personally she was a little gutted she wasn't going to be there but with the show still going ahead tonight she had a lot of stuff to sort out. Plus she didn't want to leave Nick by himself. So whilst the band were off getting their pants charmed off by Allison, Charlotte spent the morning after her meetings in Nick's hotel room.

The poor soul had been attempting to take a nap, after getting next to zero the night before, his head currently in her lap after they had cried some more together. Letting the tears slide down her face, the real heartache was seeing Nick so broken but she had to keep it together for all of them. Her heart broke as she tried to soothe him to sleep, hand running through his hair to try and get him to at least get a little more sleep so he was energised for the show. Not knowing what was the best thing to do for him was so tough and after waking up from a quick twenty minute siesta herself, the brunette attempted to reach for her phone without disturbing him but it only made Nick stir more before turning over in her lap and slipping back into his slumber.