Stockholm Syndrome

eight

- Louis -

My fear was trembling head to toe. Harry and I eyed the little slip of paper, the thick black ink scribbled across the paper so fluently; no shakiness, not even a shiver. It was too perfect. And that scared my nerves like hell.

My mind was reeling with all the many possibilities of who could've just broke into my hotel room and left this on my pillow. It's only been three hours. Who would go through all the trouble in doing that.

We're coming for you next. - D

Paul came barrelling in through the door, the other boys, except Niall, followed behind him. "Let me see it." Paul barks, snatching the little threat from my hand.

I brought my hand up to my mouth, my nerves rattling it against my lips. My eyes watered. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, I just didn't know how too.

"Alright, Louis, I need to talk to you alone, please." Paul directs, pointing to the living room. Liam and Zayn looked very confused, so I turned to Harry, giving him a look to tell them what's been going on.

Paul and I slowly nudged outwards. "Here's what we're going to do--"

"They're coming for me." The words shake out from my broken lips. My chin wobbled and small tears started down my cheeks. I have never ever been so emotional before in my life. Ever since I started seeing Andrea again, everything on my roller coaster ride has looped upside down. It's so exhilarating and yet terrifying at the same time.

"No, no one is coming for you, Louis. I'm going to make sure of it. We'll have security on you at all times and around this room. No one is getting taken." Paul's voice was full of determination, but my nerves told me otherwise.

"What?" I heard Liam's voice scream in the bedroom. His footsteps stomp outside. "Andrea's missing and you had the nerve to keep this from us?"

"Liam," Paul started, "you have to understand--"

"No, I don't understand! I can't believe you, Louis. We're practically family. Andrea's missing, one of my best friends, and you didn't bother telling me!"

"And this is exactly why I didn't want to tell you!" I yelled back, raising my voice. "I didn't want you guys feeling like you had to stress about this."

"That's not your call, mate." Zayn throws out, leaning up against the wall and folding his arms over his chest. "Andrea is our friend too. We all love her just as much as you do, just in a different way. It's not fair for you to keep this to yourself. That's not what happened when you were missing."

"Guys, this is beside the point." Harry steps in between all of us, throwing his arms up. "Andrea is out there and we're wasting time fighting about it so if we want to find her, let's smarten up and be mature about this."

Liam and I exchange glances. His eyes were cold and dark. I could see the betrayal behind his clenched jaw and sliced thin eyes. It pained my gut, leaving a cold, wrenching guilt there. Seeing Liam mad was rare. He was usually the optimistic and positive one. Always trying to keep the team moving forward instead of continuing to live in the past.

"What's the plan, Paul?" Harry tapped his chest, getting him to speak up before the bickering war could start again. My body's blood went cold as a picture of Andrea flashed through my brain. She looked cold and pale. I could see her chest rising and dying repeatedly. Unconscious.

Imagining Andrea and the pain she could possibly be going through right now is not going to leave my mind until we get our hands on her. I'm more terrified of what's going to happen when we finally do save her. Will she be relieved, happy? Or will she be angry with us for not getting her sooner? Or even worse. Will she be dead?

"What do you think, Louis?"

My eyes shot up from blankly staring at the floor. "What?" I asked, confused as to what just happened.

"Paul's gonna have security on us at all times. None of us will be leaving the hotel until show." Zayn filled me in.

I nodded, slowly, then eyeballed the note in Paul's hand. It was folded up. Just looking at the little sucker made my anger go. It sparked something. It mocked me. This was written by the same handwriting that took Andrea. This was written and placed on my pillow in my locked up hotel room. Someone broke in, without causing any damage. I don't know how they did it but they did and that doesn't make me feel safe at all. It terrifies me, and boils the rage in my stomach.

I ripped the paper from Paul's hand and stomped into my bedroom. No one followed. I unzipped the front pocket of my suitcase and pulled out my lighter for emergencies. I pushed back through the crowd of people, over to the balcony, and stepped out into the brisk autumn air.

With the little paper in one hand, the lighter in the other, I watched the two together. I could still make out the image of Andrea screaming my name in the back of my head. Her painful cries. It wrecked me, and I snapped. The flame flickered to life and I didn't hesitate to burn the little note.

"You want me, come and get me!" I shouted out over the city, I heard Paul and the others start to run in behind me.  "Take me to Andrea. It will only help us win! We're coming to get you, bitch, and when we do, you'll never--,"

A hand clasped over my mouth, I dropped the note quickly letting it fly in the open air and watching it burn. I was yanked from the balcony, dragged inside, and held down to the chair. "What did we just talk about, Louis?" Paul barked loud.

"You said we're not allowed to leave the hotel, well that was the balcony. I didn't leave."

"You're asking for it, Tomlinson. Cut the crap or--,"

"Or what?" I yelled, leaving Paul speechless. I had Zayn on one hand and Harry on the other. "You're gonna hand me right over to the kidnapper?"

"Is this a bad time?"

All of our attention whipped back to find Miss Heather Fox all staring at us. Her dark brown hair cascaded ever so beautifully over her shoulders, curled loosely. Her eyes fluttered behind a pair of large rimmed glasses, the bright blue recognizable from this distance. She seemed to have gained a bit of weight, adding curves to her once anorexic body. She didn't look like the little fan we met last year no more. She matured.

"Boys, you remember Heather Fox, right?" Niall entered the room, introducing her. He didn't look very excited to have her here. Instead, he was uncomfortable. His posture tall, his hands in his pockets, his head hung low, and his eyes not locking on any of us.

"She's here to help us with Andrea."