Walk Away h.s punk/au

34.

a/n : we re getting incredibly close to the end guys. if there's anything you want to see you need to let me know or else, well, things will get H

I hadn't been back to Holmes Chapel since I left it with Katherine. The tiny town never did much for me. Yet here I stood in the garage of Liam's shop. Harry's eyes were locked with mine as he slowly peeled himself away from the hood of the car he had previously been working on. His eyebrows furrowed together aging him in appearance. He reached over to a workbench and grabbed a towel, wiping the grease from his hands on it. Harry remained silent as he approached me. "I'm not here to fight you." Given what Katherine told me about him, Harry loved a good fight, he thrived for a reason to dominate as alpha male. "I'm not here to take Leo."

I'd spent the entire ride here to Holmes Chapel thinking about how I was going to approach this. I thought and rearranged a plan until a decent one formed. I knew I had to seem as least threatening as possible or else Harry would want to fight more than he already did. If I stated why I wasn't here, he might cool off enough so that I saying why I was here wouldn't be as hard a blow.

"Why are you here then?" his accent was thick with Cheshire drawl, but I couldn't attribute much after all I had a sleazy London one.

Why was I here? Did I honestly think that showing up and saying don't talk to Katherine anymore was a good idea? No. I had to be here for something more. For a reason beyond my jealousy of Harry and how Katherine still loved him after what he did to her. I could run. I could always run, say I needed my car checked out and run. The rush of adrenaline was lustful, I could get away from here, run back and get Katherine, and we could run away together. That's what I was now for after all. But I didn't drive three hours to run. I was grown ass man and I was going to stay where I was for the time being.

Swallowing the lump of nerve impulses that raged in my throat I leaned against the garage door, crossing my arms to give the illusion of confidence. "Why'd you do it?"

Harry's intimidating eyes flashed with an emotion I couldn't read. "Do what?" Just as quick as his gaze securitized my every feature it was gone, flashing around the garage.

"Come on Harry, don't play dumb. You're smarter than that. Why'd you leave Katherine?" I pressed wondering if I was pushing my luck.

Harry's mouth opened several seconds before the lie could work its way from his head to his lips. "I- you heard the fight."

His lie was obvious in his eyes, they were so clear and green everything passed through them. Gemma's were the same. "Oh I did, but that was a while ago Harry, a lot's happened since then, you'll have to remind me."

I knew at this point Harry would be getting angry. Gemma hated when I was so condescending in fights. Harry gritted his teeth, his jaw setting firm with agitation. "I, I" he choked off, his eyes darting around. Harry might be a grown man by age, but emotionally he was still the same young kid that I took to the movies. "I can't." His broad chest relaxed with a heave of air.

"And why's that?" my tone shifted, I knew how to play this conversation game.

There was a pause, an achingly long minute of silence where Harry hung his head. His hair had gotten longer than Gemma or Anne would ever allow, the dark curls covered his face but pink spots peeked through. "I never cheated on her, alright! I never in a million years wanted to leave her, let alone have you sweep in and take her! She's mine! You understand! I love her! Her parents despised me, they made me do it. They made me."

Harry became animalistic, growling slightly at the sight of me. "I hate them, you know? I worked so damn hard for her. I hate you too. I hate you for leaving Gemma and Leo. I hate you for taking Katherine. I hate you. You'll probably knock Katherine up and leave her too. You're a deadbeat."

I'm not a deadbeat. I'm not a deadbeat. I'm not a deadbeat. I repeated to ease my aggression. I'm not here to fight. I'm here to know. "You think Katherine would ever let me not use a condom? You've been with her she doesn't want kids. Gemma wanted kids Harry. Kat doesn't. And I'll remind you this deadbeat picked you up from school. This deadbeat took you to the movies. This deadbeat played footy with you. This deadbeat took care of you when your parents split and you dad wasn't around. You know why I left though?" I was screaming at him at this point, pulled him by the shirt towards me. He towered over me but height didn't determine manhood.

Harry said nothing, just stared blankly blinking away the pools of tears. "You and I are a lot more alike than you think Harry." I growled shoving him back. "It might not have been your parents, it was mine. They loved Gemma. They just thought I was too young. I forgave them. I wasn't ready. I regret leaving every day. Katherine will never be Gemma and I will never be you. So I need to know before I go promising Katherine anything that you aren't going to try and win her back. If you tell me now I won't mind. I promise. I'll forget my feelings and move on."

His lip trembled slightly and I couldn't watch. It was too similar to Gem's. "I can't go back to her. I'd kill too, but I can't."

Solemnly I nodded. "Can I ask why?"

Harry drew a breath but he didn't need to answer as I saw a girl, a pretty little thing that I recognized from the wall of photos on Katherine's room. Walking in the garage with a seductive smile was Tiffany Green. She flashed her smile toward me, "You're Nick right?" I nodded trying not to stare at her full chest. "Is Kat doing okay? Tell her I'll call her and we'll meet up later." I nodded again, scowling at Harry. Harry's eyes fell to his feet as Tiffany slipped an arm around him. "You almost ready to go?"

Harry coughed. "Yeah just give me a second, go wait in the car." Tiffany happily complied even muttering what I thought was a "yes daddy". Harry glanced up, his mouth ready to pour apologies.

"No." I ordered turning to leave. "No. You are unbelievable. I might just file for custody. Have you thought of Leo? He's not having two dads and two step moms. Katherine's the closest thing to a mom he will ever have. But you didn't think of him did you?"

"That's why I'm doing this." Harry mumbled looking up at me tiredly. "I just need to keep fucking up. If I do that enough times custody will go to you, I'm not ready for this."

Nodding I left, parting with, "You would be if you still had Katherine."

That night with Katherine tucked under one arm and Boo Boo under the other I felt the guilt of knowledge set in. I knew Harry didn't cheat on Katherine and especially not with Tiffany, but she didn't know that. She'd seem them together and break again. I wouldn't have her break again. We'd avoid Holmes Chapel at all costs. We'd spend Christmas next month here or with my family. Going back to Homes Chapel was never going to happen.