Capture (A Liam AU)

Thirty-Five

When I woke up the next morning it took a moment before last night's events to wash back over me. Then suddenly I remembered, a knife wound to the heart, only worse because I was still alive to feel the pain.

I told him I loved him and he threw me out like the trash, worthless, disposable. It felt like Ian leaving me all over again.

I finished getting ready then walked out of the apartment towards the lift, I forced my eyes not to linger on Liam's doorway. The ride into work was a bit slower than normal as the traffic stalled due to an accident ahead. Eventually I pulled into Capture hopped out of the cab of the car.

"Did you hear?" Gwen asked me immediately as I exited the lift on the floor.

"What?" I asked curious.

"We got an espresso machine in the break room now!" She announced happily.

"Oh, yum." I tried to sound more enthused than I actually was.

"I'll teach you how to use it at lunch." She told me as we parted ways to go to our offices.

"Sounds good."

I sat down behind my desk decompressing my life for the moment. I was finally alone, no Liam, no Harry, only silence. To say my life was getting crazy was an understatement. I pulled my phone out realizing that there was one person I could and should talk to as soon as I can. I picked up my phone and dialed Casey. "Hello?" She answered sleepily. I'd forgotten the time difference.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up!" I apologize instantly.

I heard noises of ruffling and the she spoke again. "It's ok. I'm up, I'm up. What's happening?"

"I just needed to hear your voice and I needed you to tell me you don't think I'm crazy."

"I can do that."

"Good, because last night I told Liam I loved him." I said it quickly like ripping off a Bandaid.

"Seriously?" She didn't sound shocked or at all different hearing my news.

"Yes, seriously. I told him I loved him and he shoved my out of his apartment."

"Oh my God! He just gave you the boot just like that?"

"It was the middle of the night and we were talking about his violent past and I may or may not have just blurted it out."

"Hold on, so you went to Liam in the middle of the night and just blurted out you love him. Like legit word vomit? Then he just kicked you right out of his apartment?"

"Yes, he told me that people who love him don't survive, like his dad who he blames himself for his murder."

"He dad was murdered."

"Yes, but now we're getting off topic Casey."

"Oh right, ok well he obviously has some baggage if he thinks that letting people close to him will hurt them in the end. So what did you do after he kicked you out?"

"I went back to bed."

"So you and Harry are done then I'm guessing."

"Not exactly," I sighed. "Before I'd word vommited my love to Liam I actually sleep with Harry."

"What the fuck! You and Harry are sleeping together?" She whisper shouted.

I forgot how much I hadn't told her. "Yes, a few times actually."

"But you love Liam? How does that work?"

"Fuck if I know!" I exclaimed. "I keep having feelings for Liam and we have, on several occasions, kissed. Kissing him lights a fire I've never felt inside me, the two of us are like magnets and I can't stop myself when I'm around him.

"But he didn't say that he didn't love you right? Just that you shouldn't get close to him if you don't want to get hurt. That isn't a I don't love you." She said.

"Yes, but it isn't and I love you either Case. He doesn't feel that way or he would have said it. I feel like such and idiot."

"So you and Harry are still you and Harry?"

"Yes, I haven't told him any of this, I think he is jealous of Liam. The other night I found a pile of old newspaper clippings all about Liam's past and his dads murder stuffed in a drawer at Harry's."

"Why?"

"I think he is trying to find out about Liam a little. Like when you used to stalk Andy's facebook page to see everything about him."

"So he really likes you then?"

"Yes."

"But you love Liam?"

"Again, yes," I tell her slightly annoyed at this point.

"But Liam doesn't like you."

"Are you going to make a point soon?" I snarl.

"I'm just wondering why you aren't breaking it off with Harry if you clearly have feelings for Liam."

"I don't want to lose both of them." I confess.

"It sounds to me Em like you need to really decide what your heart is telling you and follow that."

I sighed trying to work it out in my mind. "I've got to go back to bed Emma. Talk to you later."

"Right, love you."

"Love you too, keep me posted." The call ended.

The photo shoot for today was for a group of models. I worked all morning with them taking pictures and before I knew it the day had passed. I walked to my car leaving later than the rest of the studio, the parking lot was dark and wet from the rainy day we had, I didn't see him lingering in the shadows.

Suddenly a man grabbed me from behind pulling me into an alleyway as his hand covered my mouth. I was slammed into the brick wall of the building behind me as my attacker held me there. "Don't scream, it's me." Liam's voice startled me as he slowly let go of my mouth.

I pushed him away from me. "WHAT THE FUCK LIAM!" I shouted angrily he covered my mouth again.

"I thought I said don't scream." He looked down at me. "If I take my hand away are you going to yell again?" I stayed silent and he slowly removed his hand.

"Why are you attacking me in a God damn alley Liam?" I hissed.

"I needed to talk to you."

"There are other more socially acceptable way to talk to someone besides kidnapping them."

"That's a touch dramatic don't you think doll face? I only pulled you into an alleyway." He sneered.

"Why am I here?"

"Because you are going to help me with something." Liam said simply but gave me no further explanation.

"No, I'm not. Goodbye." I told him turning and walking away.

"You're going to want to help me do this doll face." He called after me.

"Oh am I?" I asked sarcastically.

"Trust me." His words flashed a memory in my mind; our first date as he took me to the rooftop.

"What are you doing exactly?"

"You're going to help me break into Harry's apartment love." He smiled.

I scoffed at him. "I'm not doing that."

"Yes you are."

"Oh is that so? tell me, Liam, why would I help you?"

Because you want to know why he has old newspaper clippings about my past just as much as I do." He whispered. "You can't not know, the mystery is too good, it's eating you alive not knowing."

The look on his face struck me as none I'd ever seen before. As he spoke, I knew he was right, I had to know the truth.

"Do you have a plan?" I asked softly.