Mission Impossible

Chapter 30~ Recovery

HARRY'S POV

  I paced outside of Clara's hospital room for God knows how long, praying she'd come out. I didn't know what was wrong, after she screamed and passed out, they crowded around her and wouldn't let me see her. I was panicking, and disregarded the looks the school's nurses were giving me as they walked past me. I heard hurried footsteps coming towards me, and my head whipped up to see Clara's friend, Sydney, jogging down the hallway. She slowed her footsteps when she saw me but keep up a steady pace towards me.

  "How is she?" Sydney asked me, and I could tell she was genuinely worried.

  "I don't know," I confessed. "They won't let me see her and they won't tell me what's wro-," I began to rant before Sydney put a comforting hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see her eyes mirroring my panic, but she was being strong. And that's what I needed to do.

  "It's okay. She's the great Clara Walker," Sydney said in a mesmerized voice and chuckled slightly, and I had a feeling it was an inside joke or something.

  "You two are good friends, huh?" I asked her, trying to learn more about Clara.

  "As far as spies go, we're best friends. But we've been so distant lately since she's been out on the field... we haven't been spending as much time together as we usually do," Sydney said, and I could see the regret in her eyes.

  "You're being very strong right now," I said, trying to cheer her up and take her mind off of the thoughts running through her head right now. Sydney let out a small chuckle.

  "Where do you think I get it from?" she asked, and I knew she was talking about Clara. "That girl has been through hell and back, and she still wakes up with a smile on her face," she told me, although she was looking at the ground, in a sort of trance by Clara's strength. I simply nodded, too occupied to think of anything else to say.

  "It should have been me. He was aiming at me. She jumped in front of the bullet. It's my fault," I finally said. Sydney looked up at me and I could see her shake her head as I looked at the floor.

  "That's Clara. She has the heart and the bravery of every girl in this school combined," Sydney told me, and I looked up at her, seeing how fond she was of Clara. I smiled. "There was nothing you could have done to stop her from taking that bullet for you," she added, and I nodded. She was right. I still felt somewhat guilty, but she was still right. That was just Clara.

  "You care about her a lot don't you?" Sydney startled me by asking after a long pause.

  "She's my partner, of course I do," I told her.

  "You know that's not what I meant," she said. I was about to answer when one of the doctors came out of Clara's room. Sydney and I both shot up quickly, anticipating the news.

  "Agent Walker is stable now, and you can see her if you'd like but please, no touching," she told us, and we both thanked her before rushing into the room.

  "Wow, they've already replaced me. How long have I been out?" Clara's weak voice spoke as soon as she saw us. Sydney laughed and walked over to her.

  "Oh, no. No one can replace the great Clara Walker," she repeated the phrase, and when Clara let out a pained chuckle, my earlier assumptions were confirmed. Sydney was sitting down on a chair by Clara's hospital bed, holding her hand, while I just watched the two. Seeing Clara in pain hurt me too, but seeing her smile and laugh with her friend made it feel better. Sydney glanced back at me and then turned back towards Clara.

  "I have to get back to class. I'll come by when I'm done," she told her before getting up and leaving, giving me a brief grin before leaving us alone. Clara smiled at me, and I walked over and took a seat where Sydney had just been sitting. I reached my hand out and brushed her hair behind her ear.

  "Thank you for taking that bullet for me," I said. She tried to shrug, but it just looked awkward and painful.

  "You would have done the same thing for me," she managed, and I nodded.

  "I would take two bullets for you," I told her and she smiled.

  "Is that so?" she chuckled softly.

  "Of course. It would be an honor to take two bullets for the great Clara Walker," I told her, slightly bowing my head. She rolled her eyes and moved her hand away from mine. I didn't even know they were touching until she pulled away.

  "Shut it Styles," she scolded me, and I laughed before my ears picked up on fast footsteps outside in the hallway. We both looked towards the door, and there was Rain, who looked relieved to see Clara was doing okay. She smoothed out her skirt and hair before clearing her throat and composing herself.

  "Agent Walker," she greeted. "Glad you're doing fine now, we'll discuss the debriefing as soon as General Carter gets here," she reported. She paused there for a moment before leaving, reminding me of a worried parent trying to give their child space. I looked at Clara and saw she was too blinded with hatred to see that, but it wasn't my place.

  "I'll let you rest before we give the debrief," I told her, getting up to leave.

  "I don't want you to go," Clara said, and it felt like my heart skipped a beat. I smiled at her but shook my head.

  "I have to, but I'll see you soon," I told her, knowing she really did need her rest. I turned around as I was leaving, walking backwards. "And let's leave out the whole letter thing, huh?" I asked and she raised her eyebrow.

  "Why? Embarrassed they'll find out you have a little crush on me?" she asked, and her bluntness surprised me. Must be the drugs.

  "No, I'm embarrassed they'll find out I'm actually good at English," I told her, turning back around and walking out the door, realizing afterwards I never denied having a crush on her. Not that we all didn't already know that.

CLARA'S POV

  He didn't deny having a crush on me. I almost squealed, but my collapsed lung wasn't having any of that. Here I was, with a bullet wound, collapsed lung, and two broken ribs; and all I could think about was that. Fifteen boring minutes past before I heard three different footsteps coming down the hallway again. One was heavy, and military like, the other posed and precise, and the other Harry. Soon enough, the General, Director, and my partner all walked in the room, ready for our debriefing.

  "If at any point it's too much for you, tell us and we can pick it up another time," Rain told me, and I nodded at her fake kindness. Harry and I recapped the events of the last mission, leaving out personal details that had no significance to the mission, like the letter. Many, many questions later, the General and Rain were capping their pens and standing up to leave, but Harry didn't follow.

  "You can ride back to Greywood with me, Agent Styles," Carter told Harry after thanking us. Harry, who had looked a little pale this whole time, declined.

  "Thank you, sir, but I have to speak with Cla- Agent Walker for a moment," he politely explained.

  "That's all right, I have to speak with Director Rain briefly as well. I'll meet you out in the front when you're done," he said, and the two left. Harry followed them to the door before softly closing it behind them, and I titled my head at his strange behavior. He turned around, and his eyes looked darty.

  "Alright, but you're going to have to do most of the work," I joked, trying to break the tension that was building in the room. Harry chuckled, but I could tell something was still on his mind. "What's wrong?" I finally asked, and Harry sighed and ran his hands through his hair before speaking.

  "I just saw Zayn."