Hostage (a One Direction story)

Chapter Eight

Jae's P.O.V.

The lunch date to Nando's passes way to quickly, a blur of delicious food, small talk and laughing. Before long, I'm in the car with the boys, squished between Harry and Niall. The nurse's words come back to me...

We're going to have to ask you a few questions.

I start to shake, already reliving those awful days. His fingers, trailing across my chest...burning heat raking up and down my spine...shocks of electricity...fists pummeling against my body...

I don't realize that I'm crying until a soft hand gently reaches up and brushes away one of my tears. I open my watery eyes and find myself staring into Niall's eyes.

Oh, but his eyes.

A light blue at the pupil, slowly darkening into a blue which in turns fades into the most beautiful seafoam green I have ever seen. They're filled with caring concern.

"You alright, love?" he asks quietly.

I sniffle and scrub my face on my shoulder. "I-I think so. I was j-just thinking, you know, about..." my throat constricts and I can't talk. I just draw my knees up to my chest and bury my face in them, convulsing silently.

Niall's hand goes to rub my back, but as soon as he comes in contact with the tender, burnt skin, I hiss in pain.

"Oh, oh, I'm so sorry Jae!" He gasps, pulling back, and I try to nod and tell him I'm alright.

Niall, Zayn, Louis and Liam look at loss, unsure what to do, when Harry starts to sing, his hand reaching out to stroke my hair.

Don't try to make me stay

Or ask if I'm okay

I don't have the answer

Don't make me stay the night

Or ask if I'm alright

I don't have the answer.

Liam joins in, his sweet voice ringing in my ears as Harry continues to play with my locks.

Heartache doesn't last forever

I'll say I'm fine

Midnight ain't no time for laughing

When you say goodbye.

The rest of the boys band together (ha, band, get it?) at the chorus as I begin to dry my tears, still hiding my face.

It makes your lips so kissable

And your kiss unmissable

Your fingertips so touchable

And your eyes irresistible.

Niall begins to sing, his voice seeming to stop the tears flowing from my eyes.

I've tried to ask myself

Should I see someone else?

I wish I knew the answer.

I sniff and sit up, watching Harry as he sings.

But I know, if I go now, if I leave

Then I'm on my own tonight

I'll never know the answer.

Liam leans forward, reaching out to hold my hand, looking me in the eyes.

Midnight doesn't last forever

Dark turns to light

Heartache flips my world around

I'm falling down, down, down,

That's why.

Then all of them, singing like angels.

I find your lips so kissable

And your kiss unmissable

Your fingertips so touchable

And your eyes irresistible

(Irresistible)

Irresistible

(Irresistible)

Irresistible

(Irresistible)

Irresistible

(Irresistible).

It's in your lips and in your kiss

It's in your touch and your fingertips

And it's in all the things and other things

That make you who you are and your eyes irresistible.

It makes your lips so kissable

And your kiss unmissable

Your fingertips so touchable

And your eyes, your eyes, your eyes,

Your eyes, your eyes, your eyes

Irresistible.

The beauty almost makes me cry again. I wipe my eyes one last time and smile at the boys, wishing I could pour my feelings of gratitude into the simple gesture.

"Th...Thank you." I whisper.

"Love, don't thank us," says Louis kindly, patting my knee. "We ought to thank you. You saved our lives, after all."

I almost choke on air. Louis thinks I saved their lives? "What?! You think I saved your lives?" I sputter incredulously. "It's my fault you almost got killed! You guys were, were going to die because of me! How can you thank me? You guys must hate me!"

I swear, all their jaws drop to the floor. I wonder idly if maybe my clothes randomly disappeared until Zayn speaks up. "You're blaming yourself? Jae, you have no idea how hard me and the boys have been beating ourselves up for this. Because of us, you got kidnapped. Because of us, you got tortured. Because of us! You had nothing to do with this - it's only because you, you were a bloody fan of us! Just a band, and you nearly died because of us! How can you think it's your fault! How?!" he pants furiously, and all of us stare at him wide-eyed.

I've never even heard Zayn say that much on TV.

"It's true, though," says Liam. "You are the one that should be hating us."

I turn my flabbergasted gaze to him. He seriously think that I, Jae Rivers, a directioner, could ever, ever hate One Direction, especially for something that wasn't his fault?!

 "Lets...let's just leave it at an impasse. I say we blame the bastards who kidnapped me," I said with a snort.

"I agree," said Niall, and I smiled at him.

Suddenly, with a jolt, the van stops, and the smile drops off my lips. We're at the hospital, and I'm about to be interrogated.

Help me.