Hostage (a One Direction story)

Chapter Five

Harry's P.O.V.

I briefly considered running after the gutless bastard that was choking a girl on my back lawn, but thought better of it. I knelt next to the girl, gently rolling her over.

"Holy shit, are you alright, love?" I murmured. She only groaned quietly.

She looked like she had been through hell. Bruises blossomed on her pale skin, covering almost every inch of her body. Her lip was split and bleeding, her hair knotted and matted with blood. She had various tiny cuts on her body, and new bruises were forming in the shape of fingers around her neck.

She opened her eyes and stared at me, and, staring into the blue depths, I realized - this is the girl from the video. The one they tortured, the one they were going to kill. The one who risked her life to save ours. Her blue eyes flew wide as, no doubt, she recognized me.

With shaking hands, I brushed her hair out of her face. "Shh, love, it's going to be fine," I said. "You're the...you're the girl who..."

She nods softly, a tear trickling down her cheek. "H-h-h-harry," she whispers in a cute American accent. "I-I'm sorry," she says it so quietly I have to lean closer to hear it.

"You've got nothing to be sorry for, sweet," I say, gathering her light body into my arms.

God, does this girl eat? She seems weightless. A pang hits me as I realized her captors probably didn't feed her. She stiffens as I stand and I remembered how those fucking bastards had burnt her back. I wince in sympathy and lean down to whisper in her ear.

"I'm sorry, love, I know it hurts, it'll be over soon. I'm going to get you to a doctor." Cradling the girl in my arms, I run around the front of the house.

"LOU! NIALL! LIAM! ZAYN! GET YOUR ARSES OUT HERE, I NEED YOU!"

In a rush, the boys tumble through the sliding doors and out onto the patio. "Wha da hell, Harreh?" mumbles Niall through a mouthful of food. They all stop cold as they see the girl in my arms.

"Oh. My. God." Says Louis. "Is she...is she dead?" He runs up to my side.

"Is that...that's the girl from the video?" asks Zayn, visibly trembling, his dark brown eyes wide.

"I think so," I say. "She's alive, barely. I found some asshole choking her out on the lawn. When I showed up he booked it, though," I mutter angrily. "But we have to get her to a doctor, mates. She's hurt, and bad."

Liam's inner Daddy Directioner takes over. "Harry, bring her over here, set her on the couch. Niall, get some food and water. Louis, call 999." They still stand, frozen in shock, until Liam yells, "NOW!"

(NOTE: 999 is the British version of 911. Had to google that one :3 )

I carry the girl as gently as I can, trying not to hurt her as much as I already am. Her eyelids are fluttering weakly and she's breathing fast. I can tell she's in a lot of pain.

Slowly, handling her like a delicate china doll, I lay her out on the couch, propping pillows up under her head. She smiles weakly at me, and then winces in obvious pain.

"Shh, love, everything's going to be alright," says Liam. "I'm Liam, and-"

He stops as she coughs loudly, the sound ripping itself from her throat. She winces and then opens her mouth, "It's a-alright. I know who...who you are,"

Jae's P.O.V.

Calm down. Calm down. This is not the time to fangirl. Not the time to fangirl. But I can't help it. Harry flipping Styles is touching me! And Liam Payne! Omgomgomgomgomgomgomgomg!!!!

I look at them and wonder how much they hate me. "I-I'm so sorry," I say. "I didn't want to make the video, he-he made me! H-h-he said if I d-didn't h-he would r-r-r-" by now I'm crying so hard I can't get the word out. They must despise me.

Harry looks furious. He keeps running his hands through his hair and breathing loudly through his nose. Liam reaches out and touches my face. "Don't be sorry," he says, "If anything, it's us who have to apologize! It's our fault that you got kidnapped and, oh god!" I want so badly to tell him that no, it isn't his fault, but I can't find my voice.

My chest feels tight, and I can't tell if it's from my injuries or from the fact that I'M IN ONE DIRECTIONS HOUSE OH MY GOOD GOD THIS IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!

Niall runs in, his arms full of food. He kneels beside me and spreads the food out. "I, I didn't know what you wanted, so I brought everything," he says with a sheepish grin. His Irish accent has to be the cutest thing I have ever heard. My stomach virtually roars at the smell of food and he smiles.

"W-water?" I whisper, my voice cracking. He hands me a bottle obligingly, even twisting the cap off for me. He's so sweet.

I want to chug it, to upend the liquid in my mouth, but I know if I do, I'll get sick. I drink it slowly, sip by sip, until my throat isn't raw and I can't bear the hunger anymore. I reach for a random Tupperware when Louis bursts into the room.

"I called, they'll be here any -"

Red and blue lights flash through the room and sirens blare loudly. "...second," finishes Louis with a light laugh.

Harry reaches over to pick me up, but Niall has beat him to it, and is carrying me bridal-style towards the door. I'm sure I must be blushing furiously as I lean into his warm chest, unable to help myself. I hear yells, British accents, and I'm lain out on a stretcher. Niall's voice is speaking but I can't make out the words, and then suddenly I'm in an ambulance, and he's at my side, talking to me and I'm just so tired.

"Go to sleep, love," I hear him murmur. He strokes my hair comfortingly. "And everything will be okay when you wake up."

"Promise?" I ask. "I don't think I can bear it if it's not,"

"Promise," he whispers, and I doze off to the sound of his voice humming a lullaby, an island of calm amidst a sea of pain and confusion.