I'm not entirely sure what the rating should be for this story, because I'm going to be introducing some pretty dark themes at some point, but I'll leave it as a T for now anyway and see how we go. Feel free to message me/state in a review if you think it should be any different.

Anyway this is loosely inspired by Ed Sheeran's Give Me Love, (the first part, mainly) but also by pretty much the rest of his glorious album. Hope you enjoy!

Things had changed more than anyone could imagine in the last 20 months.

Harry Cunningham had created a new life in New York, he'd worked in a leading pathology unit and gained more experience than he'd anticipated. He'd made new friends and had lovers, but nothing in the big apple had captured his heart like London had. He'd grown, as a person, matured into the man he should have become at the end of his teenage years, but retained the sense of humour that he was famous for.

But most importantly, Harry Cunningham had become a father.

2 months after his arrival in New York, 2 months after his last night with his best friend, she had phoned him, shyly giving him the news that she was carrying his baby. He had been ecstatic, but his commitments here, the 18 month contract he'd signed up for, stopped him from visiting Nikki Alexander as much as he'd have liked through her pregnancy. 20 weeks in, or 4 and a half months, he'd had the news that he would be having a daughter. They'd spoken on the phone for hours, the two of them, short listing names they liked, names they hated, and names that they couldn't agree on.

He'd been in bed with a girl, one night a few months after that, a girl whose name he couldn't even remember and whose face he couldn't picture. His mobile had been ringing, and he'd knocked it away, ignoring the call. The persistence of the caller was the only thing that got his attention, after he'd satisfied himself. Leo, his old friend and colleague, informing him that his daughter was on her way. Scalding words were passed- how could he ignore his phone when he was expecting a baby?

He'd never driven faster than he did to the airport, but he knew it would be too late by the time he arrived in London, let alone got to the hospital.

Sure enough, when he'd arrived and been shown into the labour ward, his eyes met a tiny baby girl being cradled by her emotional mother and a beaming Leo. Harry had joined them, swearing he'd never forget the first time he held Lucy. Nikki had never asked why he had missed their child's birth.

So much had changed since he left London. Today, he was ready to resume his old life.

Harry walked into the arrivals lounge, suitcase dragging behind him in his right hand. His eyes met Nikki's dark orbs and he watched them light up as she met him half way across the hall, their one year old daughter perched on her hip. Harry kissed Lucy lightly on the forehead, and she chuckled and squirmed under his embrace. Harry took a moment to take in the sight before him, the beautiful blonde that was the only reason his heart was still beating, and the gorgeous little replica that grinned at him, safe in the hands of her mother. She had started to develop more of his features, he could see his own eyes on her. Nikki grinned at the interaction and the obvious admiration on Harry's face, before stepping back to allow a tall man into the circle.

"Harry, this is Tom" She said with a smile. Harry grinned and shook Tom's hand, recalling the conversation he'd had with Nikki four months ago when she'd told him about her new man. He was slightly taller than Harry was, a good looking guy that seemed pleasant, but sent shivers down Harry's back. He couldn't place why. He remembered suddenly that Tom was unaware of his relationship to Lucy, and dropped his other hand from her back. Nikki had apparently been meaning to tell him, but was unsure of how he'd feel considering how close she still was with Harry. He noticed that she was staring at him with an apprehensive look. He met her eyes and grinned, furrowing his brow as he saw the cut under he left eye.

"What have you been doing?" He laughed slightly, gesturing at her eye.

Nikki rolled her eyes, looking embarrassed as a hint of red glossed the perfect skin of her cheeks. "I tripped and caught my head on the corner of the kitchen cupboard".

Harry chuckled, shaking his head to show his disapproval of her clumsiness. His heart raced as he acted, wondering why she was lying to him. A cut of that shape and depth wouldn't be caused by something quite so large as a corner of a cupboard unless she'd ran at it with speed. He swallowed and kept his smiling facade as they left the building.

The four of them clambered into Nikki's car, and Harry opted to ride in the back next to Lucy. He smiled at the little girl as he strapped her tightly into her car seat. Nikki had offered him a lift and a place to stay for a few weeks until he could find a place of his own. He didn't know how he would have coped without having her to rely on.

It was late by the time they reached Nikki's house. Harry gazed up at it fondly as he carried his little girl inside. She nuzzled her head into his shoulder and he savoured the moment, wondering how many he'd get with Tom in the house.

Nikki had made up the futon she had in the back room, her spare bedroom having been made into Lucy's room before she'd been born. Everyone went to bed, but Harry knew he wouldn't be sleeping much tonight.

Give me love like never before,
Cause lately I've been craving more,
And it's been a while but I still feel the same,
Maybe I should let you go.