Even If It Hurts -H.S. AU

H -69

"Harry."

The sound of my name rips me out of sleep and I pick my head up from Violet's tummy to look at her. Her eyes are still closed, but I know it was her. The way my name sounds coming out of her mouth gives me chills every time.

She's still asleep, but her eyebrows are furrowed and her mouth is turned down in a frown. Her hand twitches at her side and when I reach for it, she squeezes my fingers gently.

"Harry- I'm right here." She mumbles, making my heart fall to the floor.

I scoot my chair a little closer toward the top of the bed, keeping her hand firmly in mine. Her head whips to the opposite side on her pillow and I reach for her face, unable to stop myself. She inhales a deep breath at the contact and her eyes fly open.

She blinks a few times as she looks at me, like she's wondering if she's still dreaming. I stroke her cheek with my thumb and try to keep the emotion on my face at bay despite the relief flooding through me that she finally woke up.

"Harry-" she mutters before she covers my hand on her face with her own and leans into my touch.

"Hi, baby." I whisper softly, giving her a small smile.

She brings both of her hands up to cradle my face, her eyes landing on the stitches in my chin before they scan up to the bruise under my eye. She runs her fingers over the wrap on my hand and turns her head slightly to look at it before her eyes find mine again.

"What happened to you?" She asks softly. I feel the color drain from my face. She doesn't remember?

I watch her carefully when she lifts her hands, turning them over to inspect her bruised knuckles and torn nails. She swallows hard and winces at the sensation. She slowly brings her hand up to her throat and winces again when she touches the bruised skin there.

I gently take both of her hands in mine and pull them back down to the bed.

"It's late, baby." I whisper and brush her hair back off her face. She glances up at the clock which reads one thirty-two a.m.

"Harry..." she says hesitantly, turning her head back toward me, "how long have I been asleep?"

"Three days." I tell her immediately, not wanting to scare her more with any hesitation.

She stares back at me, searching my eyes for something and I try my best to keep my emotions off my face.

"What happened to us?" She asks so quietly, I have to lean forward to hear her. I exhale a heavy breath and take her hand in mine. I keep my gaze on our intertwined fingers as I try to compose myself.

She doesn't remember.

I can't decide if I'm relieved or not. On one hand it's probably for the best her brain is making her forget, but on the other, I have to break her heart more than once tonight.

"Do you remember going to your apartment to meet with your realtor?" I ask, selfishly hoping she'll be able to put the pieces together.

"Yeah?" She says, furrowing her eyebrows at me. "I remember Cam called and said he couldn't make the meeting."

I nod my head and take another deep breath to steady myself before I just rip the band aid off.

"When you went inside," I look up to meet her eyes and she nods at me encouragingly, "Johnny was there."

She looks back and forth between my eyes as moisture fills her own. Her eyes widen and her brows raise a little and I can practically see the pieces coming together in her head. She blinks a few times and silent tears fall down her cheeks.