Even If It Hurts -H.S. AU

H- 67

I'm sitting in a chair, handcuffed to the table while this poor nurse stitches up the stab wound on my side. She didn't get cleared to give me any kind of medication, or numbing agent, so I'm jerking around out of reflex every time the needle touches me.

Turns out my right hand isn't broken, just a hairline fracture in two of my fingers and down my wrist. The nurse wrapped my hand before they re-cuffed me and now I'm waiting for one of the idiot cops to come back to get my statement.

I've already told my story, twice, but I think he's waiting for me to slip up. I told him a hundred times to look up Violet Parker in his system and her history will come up, including past incidents with Johnny, but he refuses. He's positive that I'm the bad guy.

Maybe, I am. I fucking killed someone. I'm not saying he didn't deserve it, but it's hard to wrap my mind around regardless. I took his life. I beat him into the floor until his blood drained from his body.

"Styles." The door opens again and the fat, dumb cop calls for my attention and I lift my head to look at him.

"Take those fucking cuffs off the kid, Robinson." Officer Dean, who I recognize from when Phoebe was attacked, steps into the room behind him.

"He was at the scene with a dead-"

"Did you look up her name like I'm sure he told you to? No?" The other cop, Robinson, just stares at him. "His girlfriend was being stalked by a former abuser that tried to kill both of them once before and stabbed her friend. What would you have done in his shoes?"

Officer Donut glances at me for just a second before he digs the keys out of his pocket and unlocks the cuffs. The nurse next to me finishes stitching me up just in time and hands me a clean, plain T-shirt, since mine is covered in blood.

"You're free to go." Officer Dean tells me and I sigh in relief. I have to find Violet, it's been hours and no one will tell me a god damn thing.

"Thank you." I tell him as sincerely as I can before I step around him.

"There's people kicking up a fuss in the waiting room, asking for you." He calls after me and I nod my head before I take off at just short of a sprint down the hall.

I push open the double doors at the end and find Cam and Phoebe arguing with not only a handful of nurses, but a security guard as well. Phoebe sees me first and whacks Cam's chest with the back of her hand to get his attention.

"Harry." he abandons the argument he was having and hurries toward me. He crashes into me, wrapping his arms around my back as I grunt. I hug him back tightly around his shoulders and squeeze my eyes shut, feeling a little relieved to have someone with me.
"Harry, I'm sorry. I really thought she was going to wait. I- I didn't know." He mumbles against my shoulder and I pull back to look at him.

"Look at me, Cameron." I say lowly as a lump rises in my throat. I grip the back of his neck and he pulls his face from where it was buried in my shoulder, tears filling his eyes. "This is not your fault."

"Harry-" he tries to argue, but I won't allow it.

"Collin was with her and I don't know what happened to him yet." I tell him making his eyes widen. "Something could've happened to you too if you were with her. Violet fought like hell and she's gonna be okay. This is not your fault."

He nods once and I feel someone step between us when he lets go and small arms replace his strong ones around me. Phoebe squeezes me tightly and I wince, but hold her anyway as tears fall down her face.

"I'm tired of being in this god damn hospital, Harry." She sobs against my chest.

"I know. Me too." She squeezes me again and I jerk back a little. "Easy, Pheebs."