Darling, just hold on

23. Not just missing

Wednesday 16/03/2011

Louis' POV

Harry and I are on our way to Gemma's flat. The flight was long and in silence. Harry totally blanked out after I told him. He just has this empty expression on his face.
I'm worried about him. He hasn't said anything since I told him. He also hasn't slept since I woke him up at 03.40.
When I asked him if he wanted to go home, he just nodded. How can somebody be so beautiful and sad at the same time?

We arrive and Gemma is already waiting for us but Harry doesn't exit the car.

'Hey Gemma, are you okay?' I ask.

'Yeah, as good as I can. I'm just worried. Why isn't Harry coming?'

'I don't know. He hasn't said anything since I told him. He only nodded when I asked something and he has this emptiness in his face. I'm worried about him.'

'Thank you for taking care of him.' She says and she walks over to Harry, opens the door and takes him in his arms. They walk inside together, while I take our bags.

It is already 20.34 and I was making some dinner for all three of us while Harry was cuddling with Gemma on the sofa. He still hasn't said anything. It's like he knows something we don't but is too afraid to say it out loud.
At that moment the doorbell rings. I see Gemma standing up so I don't have to leave the food. I can see the door from where I stand in the kitchen. When Gemma opens the door, there are two people standing there.
I recognize the man as a writer. Rick Castle, he has written a quiet a few best-sellers. I read in one of his interviews that he follows the police around for inspiration for his books. The woman beside him asks if they can come inside. 

I turn off the stovetop and to go to Harry who is still sitting in the sofa with the same blank expression. Gemma and the two who rang the doorbell come and sit with us.

'Hello, I'm detective Kate Beckett, I'm the leading detective on the case.' She tells Harry and me. She probably has already spoken to Gemma.

'This afternoon, when we were driving to Desmond's flat, we saw a car collided with a tree. It was Desmond's car. We found him in the driver's seat but he was already dead. He probably died in the night from Monday to Tuesday. I'm so sorry for your loss.' detective Beckett says.

At this point, I can see Gemma crying and Harry isn't far from it. It was silence before Harry asked something.

'Did he had a lot of pain when it happened?'

'At the moment we don't know yet. However, it has been determined that the collision is not the cause off dead. The medical examiner wasn't sure yet what was the cause but she could tell that he was already dead before the collision.'

'How could he have crashed if he was already dead?' Harry asks.

'Someone drove him with his car to the place. There that person placed him in the driver's seat and probably put a rock or something else heavy on the gas pedal which they afterwards removed, to let the car collide with the tree. That person tried to make it look like it was an accident. There was a big wound on the back of his head that couldn't have been caused by the collision. Most likely, he fell from something.'

'Who would do such a thing?' I ask.

'That is what we wanted to ask you two. Gemma, Harry, I know Debbie is the last person that we know of to see him alive. Do you think she is capable to do something like that?'

Gemma and Harry look at each other. They both know she is capable but if they tell why they think that. Harry's past will be public.

'I know Debbie is capable.' Harry suddenly says quiet but loud enough for everyone in the room to hear it.

'What makes you so sure?' Detective Beckett asks. 

Harry looks at Gemma, then at me. I whisper in his ear: "You don't have to tell them. Only if you want too.". 

He whispers back: "I want to but I can't. Can you tell them for me?"

'Harry knows. Gemma and I know too that she's capable. Debbie has never been the nicest person to Harry, nor to Gemma. The day we met, I brought him home in the evening.
Debbie wasn't happy that he was back so late and yelled at him. When Harry tried to go upstairs, she pulled him back down by his hair.
He fell from pretty high because he was almost on the first floor when she pulled him. Harry broke his ankle and his upper arm. He also had a concussion.
Debbie left Harry unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. Harry woke up a few hours later in a dark and silent house. It was Mike who found him and went to inform Desmond who brought Harry to the hospital.
Harry needed an operation on his arm because the bottom part of his upper arm moved up all the way into the shoulder. The day after Debbie was already yelling at him because he hadn't done his chores. I had him on the phone at that moment so I came over to check on him.
Since then, he stayed with me at my mom' and stepdad's place.' I tell them. I can tell by Gemma's face she didn't know everything I just told them.

'Why didn't you report this to the police?' Detective Beckett asks.

'I just wanted to move on. Dad told me he believed me and that he was gonna file for divorce. That was enough for me.' Harry tells us.

'Thanks for telling us now. Can you make a statement in the police station? It would help if there is only circumstantial evidence to build a case.'

'Will it get public? It is just that a lot has changed this past week and I gained a lot of public attention. I just don't think I'm ready to let them all know my story.'

'That's what you choose. You can make an anonymous statement. That way, it won't be public record but the judge will know who you are.'

Detective Beckett's phone starts to ring. 'I have to take this call. I know this is a lot on one day but think about it.' And with that, she goes into the hallway to call.

'Whatever you decide to do, you will be alright.' I tell Harry before giving him a long hug.

'Castle and I have to go. We will let you know if we find something.' Beckett tells us when she comes back inside.

Harry's POV

Louis and I are watching a movie. I couldn't sleep. I'm sad, angry and scared all at the same time. I'm scared because I don't know what's gonna happen. I'm not yet 18, who is going to be my legal guardian? Where am I going to live? I'm now staying with Jay and Dan but that was supposed to be temporary, until I could go back to school by bike.
But now, I can't go back to living with my dad, and I won't be going back to public school after school-break.

I look back to the TV. The whole time I was staring into space. We are watching Nothing Hill and the movie is almost over. William just confessed his love for Anna during the press conference and now they are staring into each other's eyes. I look over to Louis. What I would do to kiss him, for the two of us to stare into each other's eyes like William and Anna.

Suddenly, Louis looks over to me but this time, I can't look away like I normally does when he catches me staring at him.

'I love you.' Louis says. Three simple words that I have been craving for a month.

'I love you too.' I say and with that he comes closer and kisses me at the same moment William and Anna kiss on their wedding in the movie.