"Man I feel bad for Louis" Niall said as they browsed through the almost closing car dealer.

Zayn huffed in derision. "Forget Louis, we're just doing what's best for him. I just can't believe Harry had us come all the way out to the only car shop around in the afternoon. It will be closed in half an hour. This was hardly worth the trip"

Liam looked at Niall in confusion. Zayn was right, but he seemed particularly snappy about the situation.

Niall was the one foolish enough to put their thoughts into words.

"Zayn, keep your hair on! I for one always love a trip to an automobile store. No matter what time of the day!" Niall said, doing a little dance and knocking over a 'do not touch' sign hanging near a silver convertible.

Zayn caught the sign that began to tip over, dropped it onto Niall's foot, who yowled in pain, and faced the others.

"Let's just go," Zayn growled "Louis can find his own ride later"

Niall shrugged and followed Zayn out the door.

*

"YO! WE'RE BACK!" Niall's voice echoed through there mansion

Louis glanced up from a magazine he was reading on his bed, but otherwise ignored the greeting. He was dreading hearing what these guys had decided was the most suitable ride for him. He still wasn't sure what he was feeling. He wanted to stay. He loved the band. But he loved his bike and the way the band had been acting lately made him worried about his place among them.

He figured he would wait a few weeks and if things didn't improve, he would have no choice but to leave.

One thing was for sure, they were not going to do that to him

"Louis get out here!" he heard Zayn yell from downstairs

They seemed to have forgotten he was injured, he thought glumly.

He eased off of his bed and shuffled out of his room. He looked over the balcony and down on the group who had gathered in the main area.

"What's up?" he called warily. Both Harry and Zayn looked angry.

"Just come here" Harry said.

Sighing, Louis walked down the stairs. It took slightly longer than usual, what with Louis walking rather than flipping like he usually would.

When he got there, Harry still looked annoyed.

"Cut the attitude Louis. I'm sick of you moping about." He said, looking down at him

Louis was shocked speechless.

Liam and Niall shuffled their feet uncomfortably. Louis and Hearry clearly had some issues they had to sort out.

Zayn cut in at this point. "Whatever, Harry, we didn't find anything for Louis at the store. It was closing anyway. He's just gonna have to take a look for himself tomorrow"

Harry looked away from Louis to Zayn. "What? I wanted to get rid of it tomorrow! We can't if he doesn't have something else to ride on! What if we have another show!?

"It's not my fault!" Zayn snapped, folding his arms.

Harry grunted, frustrated and left for the T.V room.

At that, Zayn also left. So did Liam and Niall

Liam clapped Louis on the back. The pain it caused had Louis stumbling forward.

"Urgh. Easy Liam!" Louis complained, rubbing his tender back.

Liam shrugged. "Sorry Lou" he said, and also left.

Louis sighed again and turned toward his room. This place really did suck sometimes.

The next day, Louis slept in he woke up feeling a lot better than he had yesterday. That is, until he rolled off of his bed, pinching his ribs.

He gasped and stood up straight, holding himself for support. With one arm around his waist, he fished around in his cupboard for a fresh shirt. Upon finding a dark short sleeved hoodie and shorts, he pulled them on carefully.

Again, he slowly shuffled down the stairs and headed to the kitchen. He was starving.

He glanced in the garage on his way to the kitchen and saw Harry and Liam standing near an old looking bike.

Louis had a sinking feeling in his stomach as he abruptly changed course and headed to the garage.

"This is your new ride Louis, no questions" Harry said without looking at him

Louis stared blankly at the slightly rusting car. It looked like one of those beetle cars that old ladies drove.

"No" Louis said, after a few seconds.

Harry heaved a huge, suffering sigh and turned to face Louis. So did Liam

"I said no questions. That includes any rejections. I found this car at the dump. Simon's equipment is good enough to make it drivable and you don't have to pay this way. I am being more than reasonable"

As he said this, he didn't look Louis in the eye, rather next to his head.

Louis found this incredibly frustrating.

"Harry, look at me." He said, with growing anger, "I. Am not. Driving that thing."

Harry finally looked in Louis' eyes and Louis was shocked to see how much anger seemed to lie within.

Harry lunged forward without warning and gripped Louis by the collar of his hoodie, slamming him against the wall.

"Don't you dare talk back to me. I am your leader!"

Louis gasped in pain, feet kicking slightly as he tried to find purchase on the floor. The most surprising thought running through his head was that the pain that was radiating around his neck from where Harry held him, shouldn't hurt so much. Sure, it would be uncomfortable, but the restricted tightness he felt was surely impossible. He couldn't breathe and Harry wasn't even strangling him.

"Harry! Liam!" Louis gasped. He brought his hands up to try and pry Harry's off, but the contact his hands made with Harry's was like a shock of electricity.

"Argh!" he yelled, flinging his hands away.

The whole time, Harry only seemed to be getting madder and madder.

Harry brought his knee up and pulled Louis down simultaneously, kneeing him in his sore ribs.

Louis saw black dots appear in his vision as he suddenly slumped to the floor, Harry had let him go.

Liam just stood and watched, motionless.

Louis gasped on the floor, trying to get his hands and knees under him so he could lever himself up. It was hard work. And he was suddenly exhausted.

Harry stared down at him, uncaring. Liam a few feet behind him.

"Next time, don't question my authority" and without another word, they both walked out without a backward glance.

Louis collapsed back onto the cold cement floor and lay there for another five minutes before he finally felt good enough to stand up. He could breathe easier now and the throbbing in his chest and hands had subsided. His ribs however, were searing with pain. He was pretty sure that any healing the cracked ribs had gathered over the past days had been reversed from the knee to his chest.

He leant against the garage wall, catching his breath. He gave one last dirty look towards his 'new ride' before heading out.

Having lost his appetite, he went to the lounge room where Niall was playing video games.

He sank down into the soft sofa gratefully, and closed his eyes.

What had gotten into Harry? And Liam and Zayn too, come to think of it. They had all been acting very out of character lately. It seemed like they were mad at everyone. But especially him.

But I didn't do anything wrong! Louis thought in frustration. He was getting them more directioners! And they were punishing him?

Harry never took out his anger physically on any band mate, especially injured ones, Louis thought.

And what about the pain I felt when he touched me? That's definitely unusual.

Deciding to go and talk to Simon about it, he went to get up, but was stopped by Niall ruffling his head playfully.

"Feeling better today, Chum?" he said brightly.

The video game he had been playing appeared to have finished.

"Yeah, do the old ribs still hurt?" He joined, lightly poking him in the ribs.

Louis flinched at the contact, once again feeling some kind of static electricity from the contact, not as strong as from Harry's, but still painful.

"Oh uh... guess it does still hurt" Niall said sheepishly, noticing the flinch.

Louis shrugged it off.

"I need to go talk to Simon" Louis said, getting up again.

"Shouldn't you go and upgrade your car instead?" Zayn's voice said from behind him.

Louis jumped slightly, startled.

Gathering himself, he spun around casually, ready to defend himself from any more unwanted attacks, verbal or physical.

"I don't need to, because I'm going to be riding my normal bike" He said slowly, fed up himself with all the fuss.

"Louis, why can't you just be a man and accept that you're not good enough to ride it?" Niall snapped harshly.

Louis brought a hand to his face and rubbed it tiredly. "You too Niall?" He was no longer shocked at his band mates sudden anger at him.

Niall was standing beside him, looking far more hostile than he did a moment before.

"Shut up Niall, no one asked you!" Zayn hissed, throwing a glare at the man in question.

Niall then focused his attention on Zayn, puffing out his chest. "I was agreeing with you Zayn! You never listen to anyone!"

Niall stormed away then, barging past Louis, who was quick enough to move out of the way, lest he disrupt his injuries again.

Unfortunately, as he moved away, he trod on Liam's foot, who up until now had been watching the argument without saying a word.

"Argh! Louis!" he raged. "Quit being a baby and go update your ride!"

"NO! I won't do it! I -" before he could finish Liam and Zayn each grasped one of his arms and man handled him into the garage.

"Let me go!" He yelled, trying to jerk his arms out of their tight hands without thrashing himself too much.

The electric pain shot from their hands, running up and down his body. He could feel their fingers digging into his grazed arms and tears of pain and frustration welled in his eyes.

He didn't let them see though, because as soon as he was let go, he wiped a hand across his face.

When he brought the hand away, Harry was walking in with Simon.

"Louis, you're going to have to be scanned again so we can help you out with the car " he said, glancing at his face with slight pity.

Liam, Zayn and Harry's faces held nothing but cold determination.

There was no obvious way Louis was getting out of this situation right now, so he just took a deep breath and let the scan take hold...