Hostage (a One Direction story)

Chapter Nine

Harry's P.O.V.

Ouch.

It hurts to see her cry, to see her eyes wide with terror as we guide her into the hospital, murmuring assurances. She walks slowly, with a slight limp, and I can see her clenched fists trembling. I reach down and pick up one of her hands, smoothing it out and tracing the half-moons etched into her palm from her fingernails.

"Shh, love," I say quietly, "It's going to be alright. Me and the boys will stay with you,"

She looks up at me, hope swimming in her brilliant blue eyes. "Y-you don't have to,"

"We're here for you," says Liam, laying a hand on her shoulder.

Her shaking slows but doesn't stop as we enter the hospital and sign in. She looks like a deer caught in the headlights, frozen with her eyes wide, when the nurse comes out and asks her to follow her to a private room.

"We're going with her," says Niall, stepping forward defiantly as the lady moves to take Jae away.

The nurse tuts. "I'm afraid that's against procedure. This is a private conversation only for the ears of the authorities and I."

I glare at her, but Jae speaks up before I can. "I...I want them to be there,"

The nurse raises her eyebrows and turns her stern gaze to Jae. "That, my dear, is not a decision for you to make,"

Before anybody can protest, the nurse whisks her into a room and slams the door behind them. I hear a click as it locks.

"Fuck," spits Niall, and goes to try and open the door. Louis reaches forward and grabs him by his shoulders, holding him back.

"Nialler, calm down," he says soothingly, still restraining him.

"She needs us!" he protests, too loudly.

"Keep it down, mate," I whisper. "We'll just listen at the door." Niall, breathing heavily, nods his head, and we all cluster around the door, eager to hear Jae's story.

Jae's P.O.V.

Help me! Oh god, Niall, Harry, Zayn, Louis, Liam, anybody, somebody, help me please! I can't, I can't, I can't, I won't! Oh sweet baby Jesus I think I'm going to throw up...

I sit stiffly in a chair across from the nurse. She pulls out a clipboard again, and I almost start hyperventilating.

Shh, Jae, you're fine, calm down, just be professional, don't think, just answer, calm down, think of happy things...chocolate, flowers, rainbows, One Direction, the Hunger Games, books, reading, shhh, calm.

I manage to steady my breathing and look the nurse in the eye as she starts to ask questions. I notice she has a small recording device set up on the desk between us and shiver as I think of people listening to the conversation to come.

"Name?"

"Jae Sapphire Rivers."

"Date of birth?"

"July 5th, 1998."

"Family?"

I wince, but answer. "My parents are dead, I'm an only child, and I live with a foster family in Washington, D.C. - the Stevens."

She looks up and pushes her glasses higher on her long nose. "Mmm, about that. The Stevens gave up care of you - they are no longer your foster family."

The words bounce of the thick shell I have been forming. I don't care. I don't care. I don't care. I chant in my thoughts, struggling to keep the words from slipping in between the cracks.