Imperfect || h.e.s

8

8

one year later

"Elle come on, you're going to make us late to grandma's." Elle rushes out of the bathroom with her little vans pattering against my wooden apartment floor. It's been exactly a year since Belle went missing, the police gave up the search quickly with no leads and I was left to take care of Elle. I'm happy to care care of her, I was the only person she had left and she's the only person I had left. I love her like she's my own and protect her more than one could imagine.

"You have all the toys you want for the car ride? The doll mummy gave you?" She takes the doll everywhere, right now she holds it close to her, a sad expression covering her face. "Hey baby girl," I crouch down and hold up her chin with my finger. "Mummy is going to be back real soon I told you."

"It's been so long daddy," she's adapted to calling me daddy and it sends an ache through my heart each time. "Yes, but you know she loves you, she wouldn't leave and never come back."

"She loves you too." I shake my head, not wanting to get my hopes up, I love her I know I do. I love Belle with everything inside of me but I may never know if she ever felt the same way. "Maybe."

"She told me you know? She told me that she loves you daddy." A tear falls down my cheek as one falls down hers. "We'll find her munchkin, we will." I decided that it was best to move back to my apartment in New Hampshire so we can be close to my mother. All of our belongings are packed in my car, along with a few of Belle's most precious items. Most of her things were placed in a storage unit in Maine until they can be reclaimed by her but a few of the most important things stayed with Elle,
like the ring I gave her for Christmas which stays on a chain around my neck every second of the day. The ring sits right next to a new ring that I bought the day after she was stolen away from me. An engagement ring.

After a few hours of driving I stop at a McDonald's rest stop to get Elle and I some food.

"Did you hear about it? The man burnt the entire house to the ground, he and his accomplice were killed in the fire but all of the girls were freed."

"Yeah, some of them had been missing for more than a year."

"Only one of them was from Maine though, the rest were prostitutes picked up in Massachusetts."

I try to ignore the conversation going on next to me but it sparks my interest greatly. Without interrupting Elle's sleep on my shoulder I turn the the women and tap one on the shoulder. "Excuse me, what was the girl's name? The girl from Maine?"

"Belle Rousseau, she was kidnapped from her college dorm more than a year ago. Her daughter was left to her boyfriend poor thing, must be terrified." My heart stops at the news. "Where would these girls be?"

"Well they were found in Montpelier, Vermont so I'm assuming the main hospital there."

"Thank you so much," I grab the food and start to head out the door before the woman calls for me to wait. "You're him aren't you, her boyfriend? I knew you looked familiar." I nod and rush out of the door, careful not to speed with Elle in the car. A few hours later I drop Elle off at my mother's, her excitement obvious. She's always loved my mother and my mother adores Elle.

"I have to go mum," I nod and she understands, my mother always quick to know what I mean. I jump in the car and floor it all the way to Montpelier. Hours of driving pass before it each the city's large hospital. I almost run into multiple people as I pass by the news crew outside and rush into the lobby.

"Is Belle Rousseau here?" The woman at the front desk looks up at me unamused. "And you are?"

"Harry Styles, her boyfriend and legal guardian of her child," I show her my ID and she nods, giving me a floor and room number. Multiple news reporters try to stop me on my way to the elevators, my name enough to spark their interest, but I push through them into the elevator. I sprint into the room, tears immediately released from my eyes at the sight of her. She's slightly skinnier than she was before, and definitely highly abused. A cast covers her right arm and her leg is bandaged heavily, and her head has a wrap around it as well.

"Belle," I whisper and she looks up with wide eyes. She cries and holds her arms open for me, my body rushing to embrace her. Tears are felt on my shoulder as I hold her, her body shaking with sobs I never thought possible from a once happy girl. "I missed you so much," she cries out.

"I'm in love with you," my voice breaks as lean back to look at her, her face held delicately in my hands. A smile is spread across her cheeks in an instant. "Harry I love you." An hour later Belle is released, her kidnapper having made sure she was "well taken care of" aside from the abuse, the statement from the doctor making me sick to my stomach. I'm told to check her into the hospital were we live as soon as possible.

"Ready to see Elle?" Her eyes tear up once again as I drive down the highway. "Oh my baby girl," she cries into her hands and I place my hand on her thigh, something she's always found comforting. It's been a long year without her and I never want to have a time without her again. We reminisce, avoiding questions about what happened until a later date. I know now that I want to be with this girl for the rest of my life, and I want to ask her to let that happen, but that will have to wait as well.

"Elle love I'm here," I shout while Belle stands beside me with her hand in mine. "Daddy," I hear her shriek excitedly from the next room, Belle places her hand over her lips. "She calls you that?" She smiles up at me, happiness obviously captivating her. I nod and she holds my arm securely as she smiles widely. Elle soon runs in and stops in her tracks as she sees Belle.

"Momma!" She runs into Belle's arms and they cry, holding each other tightly before bringing me into the hug. A family, that's what we are. And that's what we always will be, no matter what.