Ravaged // h.s. au

8.

Harry

It was silent, except for the distant sounds of officers, watching some kind of match. I kept replaying the crime scene in my mind, attempting to find what I had missed. A woman was murdered, and if I had been a few seconds earlier, I would have saved her. A sigh went past my lips, as I put my face into my hands, rubbing at my eyes, and willing the gruesome images to disappear.

It felt odd, being back to that place; where I had spent most of my life. Nothing looked the way it used to, I'm sure I didn't either. Louis' desk was by itself, and Niall's and Liam's were closer to Zayn's office. Their lights had dimmed, and I wondered if my presence sucked the life out of them. I had missed them. I had missed the person I found myself to be around them.

I heard someone clearing their throat, causing me to lift my head, and there she was. I hadn't seen her in months. She looked beautiful. Devastatingly sad, like she was grieving the loss of a loved one, but still, absolutely beautiful. I lost my breath, holding her eyes, as she put a hair lock behind her ear, sniffling, ever so weakly. Her cheeks were rosy, and I knew she had been crying. God, I had made her cry countless tears, that I was unworthy of. I didn't deserve someone so kind, so selfless, to grieve upon me.

Upon seeing her, I was struck with a wave of unbearable emotions. Emotions that I had drowned in every drink I devoured, in the mouth of every woman I attempted to touch, but failed. It hurt. It hurt more than anything ever had before, and I found myself squeezing my eyes shut, feeling the ache as if it was physical.

I couldn't look at her.

I couldn't take in every single detail that had changed about her, every aspect that I used to love, but didn't know anymore, every piece that I broke, and left her to somehow repair.

I couldn't see what I had done to her.

I found myself biting down upon my lips, swallowing away a scream of pure agony, until she spoke.

" What have you done, Harry?"

" I'm sorry." Was all I ever seemed to be able to say. And it would never be enough.

She rested her head between the bars, looking down, and I knew, it had to pain her to see me, as it did me, to see her.

I didn't want to pain her anymore.

God, I wish I hadn't pained her at all.

She shook her head weakly, before her phone rang in her pocket. She retrieved it, and I noticed it wasn't a ringtone that I recognized. I had to remind myself that it had been months, and we weren't the same persons anymore. We probably would never be again.

" Hazel, baby, I'll have to call y- wait, what? Okay, okay, slow down, what's happening? No, I locked the doors, I'm sure I did. No, no, Hazel, oh God, wait, let me call someone. Zayn! Louis! Someone help, God, please." She yelled, her voice faltering. I quickly stood to my feet, approaching the bars, and willing them to disappear, taking away all distance between us.

" What's wrong, Gypsy?"

" Sh- someone is in the house, she's alone, I don't know what to do! Guys, come quick!" She called again, and we immediately heard rushing footsteps.

" Tell her to get to her room, hide in the closet, or under the bed, or something. Or wait, tell her to get in that box where she used to keep her toys." I demanded. Surprisingly, Gypsy nodded, slowly telling my advice to her sister, desperately attempting to shield the panic away.

" It's going to be okay, baby, they're probably there to scare us. They won't do anything. You're okay, don't worry. Everything is fine." Gypsy whispered into the phone. Zayn looked between me and her, asking for information, which I briefly offered. He signaled to Niall to take a few officers and go home himself. Louis walked towards Gypsy, watching her through furrowed eyebrows, as she tenderly spoke to her frightened sister.

" No, no, don't cry baby, they'll hear you, please, Hazel. Please." Gypsy put her hand over the phone's microphone, releasing a single sob, before shaking her head in almost disappointment. She breathed in and out, but failed to recompose.

" Let me talk to her." I pleaded. She looked into my eyes, and God, the pain behind them, the fear, it tore me apart.

" I can help." I reassured her. She shakily handed me the phone. I put it to my ear, pacing the floor of the cell.

" Hazel, it's me."

" Harry? Oh God, Harry, they're here, I-"

" Yes, love, it's me. Everything is fine, but I need you to listen to me, they're probably there looking for Gypsy, so since she's not there, they won't take anything. So, what I need from you is to hide, and not make a single sound. Niall is on his way to you right now, and probably Liam too, alright? We've got your back."

" I'm so scared, Harry."

" I know, baby girl. I know. Lower the volume of the phone's speakers, so that they don't hear me talking to you. And I'll be right here, okay? I won't hang up till you're safe, I promise."

" You promised before too."

I found my head falling onto the bars that had supported the weight of Gypsy's head, sighing, as I felt the consistent ache in my heart, thumping, just a little harder.

" I know. I'm so, so sorry, Hazel." She sniffled, whimpering, before falling completely silent. My breath hitched, waiting for a scream, a threat, a gunshot, anything that would add to my guilty conscious, but all I heard were footsteps, and Hazel's steady breathing. Excruciating minutes went by, before she whispered under her breath.

" I think they're leaving." She whispered. I could hear distant sirens, and I knew that Niall had made it.

" Okay, good. Stay there till Niall comes to get you."

" Okay, okay."

" You're okay, right? Everything okay over there?"

" Well, I'm fine. I don't know about her."

My eyes unintentionally moved to hold her own, I nodded, to reassure her that Hazel was fine. She released a long sigh, sacking against Louis' comforting arms. I heard someone calling Hazel's name.

" He's here, Niall is here." Hazel announced, as I heard shuffling, before a loud "clear" was announced.

" We're here, they're gone, but Hazel is okay. We'll scan the area, and bring Hazel with us to the station." Niall spoke into the phone. I handed Zayn the phone, feeling significantly out of the loop. Gypsy tilted her head away from Louis' shoulder, holding both her hands to her heart.

" Thank you." She breathlessly mouthed. I gave it my all to smile, nodding once. I had done so much wrong, and finally, finally, I managed to do a single thing right.

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A/N: I don't know about you but I really like this chapter, so I hope you do too :)

thank you so much for 400 reads, means a lot to me

ily x