21 Murders | Harry Styles AU (discontinued)

XXXI. Pragmatic

pragmatic (adjective): dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations

Harry's POV

Four hours and thirty-two minutes. That is the amount of sleep I managed to attain last night. If it wasn't thoughts about Noelle, it was memories of my mother or speculations about my father. What led him to do such a thing?

I could try and manipulate my mind to consider that Arthur is just yanking my chain, but seeing as though the training I've been put through has never seemed to falter before, I could tell the look in his eyes meant he was being honest. My father did talk to someone about Noelle making this trip, and I think I know who.

My feet shift barely above the tiled floor as I visit the hospital. The white walls and blistering smell of bleach cause me to cough into my jacket; the weather outside reflects the dampened spirits in the building: cold, depressed, and dreary.

I take the elevator to the floor I know Noelle was moved to, and pick at the bundle of flowers in my hand. The bright red, orange, purple, and yellow wildflowers are beautiful, just like Noelle. I know she will love them.

"Noelle Robinson,'' I speak to the woman at the reception desk on the top floor. A few patients walk around with their care-givers and I frown, looking back to the scrub-wearing woman.

"She has asked for no visitation of any sort, I'm sorry."

"Even family? You don't understands, I-"

"Rules are rules, I'm sorry sir." She interrupts me, not taking my reasoning. Gritting my teeth, I sigh and release my grip on the countertop. "We can put you down on the list and inform you when she is accepting visitors?"

"No need to do that,'' I bite my lip, looking around the hallways. I don't see anyone watching her door. Glancing up at the cameras, I am halted by the nurse clearing her throat.

"Sir, you need to leave if you aren't in need of treatment and aren't visiting a patient. I'm sorry for the inconvenience," she speaks lowly, not actually meaning her apology.

"Fine,'' I spit, turning around and walking to the elevator. Her eyes leave me once the doors start to close and I take that as my chance to slide through them and inch down the hall.

A doctor nods his head at me as I try to act casual, eyes trailing down his clipboard while I search the doors for Noelle's address. Finally stumbling to her door, I grimace at the key card lock. Shit.

"He wouldn't eat his food and I swear if he tries to pull out his catheter one more time, I'm going to let him..." the sound of a ranting nurse down the hall echoes into my earshot. I smirk.

The cart they push full of cleaning supplies and bedpans rounds the corner and I lean against the wall, acting casual and pulling out my cell phone to distract myself.

"There are no cell phones allowed in this part of the hospital,'' the once irritated nurse looks even more bitchy. Chewing her gum, she glares at me until I stick my phone back into my pocket.

"Sorry about that,'' I fake apologize.

"Sureee." Rolling her eyes, she turns on her heel and pushes the cart down the hall, but not before I grab the key card from her back scrub pocket and stick it behind my back.

"And what do you think you're doing?" Shit.

"Uh.." I'm caught red-handed by another worker, turning to meet two suspicious eyes and a cocky smirk. I fumble for words as the nurse holds out her hand, eyes jotting down to my pocket before meeting my own.