Tell Me When it Hurts

17

S e v e n t e e n : Tell Me When it Hurts

"I couldn't protect him,"

Harry had been alone several times in his life.

A year ago Harry would've said he took great comfort in being alone. It lessened the chance of anyone, but him, being hurt.

It was the fourth day of being in the hospital, Harry refusing visitors every day, that today when the nurse he'd cussed out more than he'd admit, timidly comes in to announce he had a visitor.

"Um, Mr-Mr.Styles you, someone is here-" She braces herself to be degraded for a fourth day when instead she's met with silence.

Furrowing her eyebrows she meets the emerald eyes of the man that's staring at her with an apologetic frown, "S-send them in," He pauses as if there's more, "P-please," he adds, the girl smiles, "I'll let them know,"

Harry returns to stoically sitting in the bed with a somber expression, chewing his bottom lip he groans seeing Liam hurriedly rushing down the hall towards his door with a doctor on his trail, the man reaches the door first yanking it open with a sigh the moment his chocolate orbs land on Harry.

"H-Harry," Liam calls, he greets him with a breathless grin, eyes flickering over the body in the bed as if to make sure every piece of him was intact.

The doctor steps in brushing against Liam that snaps from his daze, grunting he awkwardly shuffles his jacket in his hand with the trademark "Get Well Soon" balloons in his hand, he gestures to them adding them to Harry's growing pile of flowers and stuffies, "N-Niall picked these out,"

"Does he still hate me?" Harry asks suddenly, he rolls his eyes at the pile of growing junk in the corner, "He never hated you," Liam returns cringing at his own lie, Harry scoffing as he glances at the doctor, "Can I help you?"

He was Doctor William Peterson, one of the top surgeons in the world, he smiles in greeting motioning to Harry's arm, "As I'm sure one of our nurses have explained to you, Mr.Payne here asked that I step in, and go over what happened,"

Snapping his look to Liam, "You think in four fucking days I haven't asked why my arm is in a sling?"

Liam sighs rolling his eyes as he takes a seat next to the bed, "Please continue doctor,"

Peterson laughs tucking his hands in his pockets, "Well the good news is that it wasn't a clear shot, you were hit in your brachial plexus. Surgery told us there was no real blood vessel damage, and thankfully within a month or two all function should be returned."

Nodding, Harry furrows his eyebrows glancing at Liam, "You said good news, is there bad?"

Resembling a deer in headlights, Liam gulps rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he uneasily admits the bad news, "Eleanor got away,"

"Fuck!" Harry barks, throwing his head back with a huff to the ceiling, "I'll let you two discuss," Peterson bids a farewell exiting the room.

Liam frowns rising from the chair by the bed with a sigh, "I-I'm sorry, I-I tried calling you after she stopped me in the parking garage-"

Harry chews the inside of his cheek shaking his head, he wanted to be angry, rightfully so, but instead takes hold of Liam's hand, "It's not your fault. We all knew there would be collateral damage to come from this." He pauses tightening the grip, "Where is Louis?"

"With his brother, they're all still shaken up-"

"God," Harry mutters, "I'm sure Zayn hates me even more now," Liam sighs glancing out the window, "This was out of your control-"

Harry hated himself more now. How stupid was he to just think Eleanor wouldn't come to find him, he not only put himself, his company, Liam, Niall, but most importantly Louis in danger.

"We couldn't have known this," Liam adds, "I haven't spoken to him since Zayn picked him up," Liam admitted, he takes Harry's hand in his own chuckling when the man tried to jerk it away, "I just wanted to say I'm proud of you,"

Meeting Liam's puppy-brown eyes, Harry frowns chewing his bottom lip, "Seeing Eleanor could've brought Harold out of you, and it didn't,"

"Not yet," Harry mutters feeling the darkening presence lingering inside him. He knew even with medication, it wouldn't, and couldn't stay dormant forever.

He shakes his head, "When can I get out of here?" He mutters, Liam, raising an eyebrow, "Tomorrow morning? I can swing by and take you home," Harry chews his bottom lip nodding, "I want Louis there," Liam sighs rising from the bed collecting his jacket he'd brought in, "What um, what's your plan?" He asks shifting on his feet starting towards the door,

"I don't have one,"

"You need one," Liam insists, "Eleanor is out there," Reminding Harry of the obvious, he feels immense guilt seeing Harry crumble at the warning, "I couldn't protect him," Harry's tear-streaked voice sends chills down Liam's spine as he glances his way with a reassuring smile, "You did all you could,"

Harry nods meeting his friend's chocolate eyes with a sniffle, "A-and it wasn't good enough, was it?"

It was a deafening silence after the words, Liam knew this was the talk of Harold. He meets the darkening emerald orbs once more with a parting plastered smile, "G-goodbye Harry, I-I'll see you tomorrow,"

Harry had been alone several times in his life. Hours had passed since Liam had left, he's sitting in his bed hearing Liam's voice repeating on loop in his mind, "what's your plan?" It's sudden that his door is opened a male nurse sticking their head in, "You have a call,"

"From who?"

"Some woman, wouldn't give her name," Feeling his chest tighten Harry glances at the white phone that rested next to the bed, he nods towards the nurse thanking him as he slowly reaches out seeing the light blinking with a ring following it.

Lifting the phone from the receiver he licks his lips holding it to his ear, "Hello?"

"Harry!"

"M-Mum?"