One Plus One

Chapter Thirty-Three

My body fell numb.

Harry caught me as my legs failed to hold my heaviness. He pulled me in close, expecting me to break down again. But I couldn't. Shock, anger and disbelief flooded my senses, halting any other emotion from coming through. My stare remained fixed past the paramedic's head, watching them cut the two motionless bodies from the car. They would save her. She could still be saved.

"No, you can save her, can't you? Get one of those machines out and save her." I begged.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing more we can do."

"Please, you have to."

"I'm very sorry for your loss."

"No. She's not dead. She's not dead. She isn't is she Harry?"

I turned and stared into his emerald eyes. Mine were beginning to cloud as I waited for his response to my question. When he said nothing I fell into his chest, loud sobs hitting his chest. He clung onto me, cradling me as I cried.

I heard more and more voices around me. Most of them expressing shock at the scene they encountered.

"Marlie, come on, I'll take you back to mine." Harry quietly spoke.

"I have to stay. I...I can't leave her."

"Marlie-"

"I have to see her."

"I don't think that's a good idea right now."

I heard a few sharp intakes of breath. Harry's hold on me tightened, almost as if he wanted to prevent me moving. No. He wanted to prevent me from seeing what was going on.

"Come on. Lets go."

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, angel. Come on."

He began to usher me away. I turned to look at all the spectators faces and they were all pale. A few girls had tears running down their cheeks. I had to see what they could see. I tried to turn but Harry stopped me, shaking his head. His green eyes were stained with worry. I knew he hated seeing me upset. I had done so much crying in such a short space of time, I knew he didn't want me to start again.

HARRY'S POV

Silent. She was completely silent the whole way back to mine. She scratched at her wrists and stared out of the window. I could see the tears silently falling down her soft cheeks. I couldn't think of anything to say to her that would lend any comfort. What could I say? Marlie had now lost her whole family. Her mum, her dad, and now Jaz.

Once we were back in my flat, she seemed to have lost the power to do anything. The shock of what had happened had caught up with her and was settling in. My beautiful angel looked broken. Her face was pasty and mascara was smeared down her cheeks. A few faint bruises were appearing where Jamie had yanked her from my safety. I wanted to hold her in my arms but I was scared of causing her more pain.

"Come on, you need some rest."

She looked up at me as if she had forgotten what words sounded like. No expression was clear on her features. It was like she had left her own body. She jumped violently when a knock on the door sounded, almost falling over her own feet. I steadied her before I opened the door.

"Are you Harry Styles?" asked a police officer.

"Yes that's me."

"We're told that you're the boyfriend of the girl who's sister was in the crash tonight, yes?"

"Yeah."

"Can we speak to her for a second please, we need a witness statement."

"She's not really in any fit state for that right now."

"I understand that, but we need it whilst its fresh in her memory."

"Do you really think she's gonna forget?" I asked in hushed tones. "She's just watched her sister die. I don't think she's going to want to talk right now."

The officer stared at me shocked. He then saw the sense in what I said, writing down contact details for when Marlie was up to the task. I knew that would take time though.

I slid the door short and turned looking for Marlie. She had fled the hallway. I peered into the living room but she wasn't there. I then went to the kitchen and found her, staring out of the back window with a cup of water held tight in her trembling hand. Her loud sniffles echoed around the room. I wanted to cry for her so that she didn't have to. She had cried hysterically for almost an hour straight.

I couldn't figure out what she was doing. The glass was placed down on the side of the sink and she gripped the edges of the worktop. Her head fell and her eyes screwed shut. After a moment, she just broke down. She collapsed onto her elbows, catching her head in her hands, fisting and tugging at her hair between her fingers. I rushed to her, taking hold of her by the elbows and pulling her arms away from her head. Her knees failed. She began to slide down so I pulled her into me, slowing her fall until we were both sat on the floor. Marlie was shaking. I rolled her head back into my shoulder and combed my fingers through her long hair. Her sobs quietened slightly, allowing her to find the ability to speak.

"It's all my fault."

"No, Marlie, it's not."

"I stood back and watched Jamie drag her to that car. I didn't do anything to stop it. It's my fault."

"You couldn't do anything."

"Now she's gone. She's gone forever."

Her voice broke on the last words. I held her tighter which seemed to calm her. I rolled her into me, allowing me to be able to pick her up. I carried her into my bedroom and sat her down on the bed. She didn't object to me taking control, taking off her dress and replacing it with one of my t-shirts before finding some wipes to clean her streaked make-up off.

I took off my bloodied clothes and wiped away the remnants of any blood on my hands before peeling back the bed covers and crawling into bed with Marlie. I had just about lay down when she clung to me, nestling her head into my chest and draping her arm over me. I held her with one arm and combed my fingers through her hair with the other hand, an action that aided her into relaxing, but I could sense that it was going to be a pretty sleepless night.

"You're the only person that I care about left, Harry."

I cupped her chin and pressed a delicate kiss to her lips. She seemed to savour the feeling, keeping her eyes shut and lips pouted for a second.

"I'll always be here for you, angel. No matter what."