The Shield (Prince Harry fanfic #2)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Harry didn't exactly send a car but drove one instead. At this time in the night, or early morning depending on how you looked at it, no one was on the streets. Harry wasn't a bad driver, but Lucy's head hurt so his turns were too sharp and the lights burned. After a while, Lucy closed her eyes and put her head back. This was how Lucy didn't realize she wasn't on her way back to her apartment but on her way to Kensington Palace. Though she was angry for a second, she bit her tongue.

At the hospital, she made sure Harry didn't get out of the vehicle, and she more leaned in. Harry had immediately started asking Lucy questions, and she wasn't interested. After she snapped at Harry, Lucy apologized, but Harry asked no more questions, realizing now wasn't the time. She had promised answers and he would get them later.

Knowing Lucy was defeated because she didn't say anything as they entered the gates of Kensington Palace, Harry didn't push her. His fingers held gently onto her as she was led into his apartment, and he closed the door behind them.

"Luce, what do you want to do?" he asked, not saying anything else, like to ask her if she was hungry or tired. Harry managed to keep his voice calm and collected, when his body shook uncontrollably.

"Can I take a shower here?"

"Of course." Harry helped her up the stairs, even though she could walk easily knew where his personal bathroom was.

He was able to excuse herself, when he realized she just stood there, staring into the shower. Her clothes had yet to be removed, and her eyes appeared to have no light in them. He came back over, and his fingers laced into her dirty clothes as he gently pulled them off of her. Once again, she didn't fight. Turning on the shower for warm water, Harry undressed Lucy fully, until she stood completely naked in front of him. He removed his blue eyes from her body, and opened the shower door. Lucy stepped inside, and the water graced her skin.

Not knowing if it was for the best, Harry was going to leave anyway. "Luce, I'm going to go make some food for you. I'll be right back," he promised. Her forehead was pressed against the tiled wall, and the water sprinkling down on her was her only response. He placed some loose fitting cotton clothes on the bed, so she might get dressed when she was done. Harry kept the bathroom door open and his bedroom door open, so he might hear her if she might call for him.

Harry made food, something that might calm the stomach, nothing too extravagant or heavy, like Lucy could nibble on it. He heard the shower turn off upstairs, and he finished up. When he returned to his bedroom, Lucy stood in the bathroom doorway, wearing the cotton clothes he had put out. They fit her like they would, bunched up on her more feminine parts and collected at the bottom. Harry put the food down on a table and walked over to her.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"I don't know," she whispered.

Carefully, he walked over to her and stood in front of her. "Luce, what happened?"

Her eyes narrowed on him slowly. There was still a part of Lucy in there, the part that Harry knew, but right now, this woman he knew didn't stand in front of him. He cared a lot for Lucy and he knew her well; he wouldn't abandon her. But, as she stood before him, there was a piece of her that faded off into oblivion, like she slowly became someone else.

Lucy's breath was shaky, but she led him to his bed, where they sat down. Her fingers were intertwined with his, and it took a moment for her to speak. "Sometimes humanity sucks."

"What happened?" Harry didn't want to push Lucy, but he couldn't help her if she didn't speak.

"Someone... some people," she corrected, "threw cloths lit on fire at the windows of the refugee center."

Harry stilled. Blue eyes traveled along Lucy, who was injured, who had been in the hospital. Her clothes had been torn and dirty. "You were in there?" Suddenly, he just wanted to touch her, to see if she was okay, but she was out of the hospital. They obviously thought she was fine.

"I was, and I'm fine." Their eyes met. "My coworker died. A cute old lady who was always nice to me. I tried to save her and... but--"

"Luce, was this why you hung up so quickly, while we talked?"

"Yeah." She nodded slowly. "My mind couldn't register what it was for the longest time. Not until it was closer. And then I couldn't stop them." Lucy heaved a little; her eyes watered. "The people, the guys, whoever they are, I don't think they meant to hurt us. I don't think they knew we were in there."

"Does that make it better?"

"No." She let out a congested laugh. "They still should be punished, and I know justice with find them. They killed a person. However, these people, were trying to scare. To put fear into others' hearts, because they thought they were better. If anything, they have proven themselves to be worse." Harry's hand tightened on hers. "She died, because they didn't think someone might be in there. They always feared for themselves, which was why they vandalized at night. They did this at night, when the lights were off." Lucy's voice turned dangerous, "They're idiots."

"I can't disagree with you." Harry tried to keep a lighter tone in her voice, but he realized it didn't work as intended. "The police will find these people. Justice will be brought down on them."

Lucy nodded. "Fear is already there, with the refugee population. It won't easily be forgotten, and they'll remember this. We finally had a safe place. The kids were starting to open up, and we were getting more sponsors. Now, everyone will find a new place, and they won't have that sense of community."

"They could rebuild? Go back in and try again?"

"It won't work. There's fear, and the woman who started it gave her life savings for this cause. All of it went up in flames."

Her eyes filled with water, and this time she couldn't just blink away the tears. Sobs were silent from Lucy, like she pretended this wasn't happening to her. Harry curled his arms around her and held her close. Her head connected with his shoulder, and immediately his shirt started to turn damp.

Harry had met his life filled with crying girls, but this was different. To have Lucy cry, it took a lot. She wasn't one of those overly emotional girls, and she was stronger than any person he had ever met. There was a beauty about her incredible strength. She was grace and she would punch you in the face. He had seen how many people she effected with her wonderful talents.

To see her now, for her to cry, Harry's heart felt like it ripping out of his chest. His eyes watched her, and tears burned his eyes too. His clutch on her became tighter, and they settled back on his bed, lying there for the longest time. Her silent sobs sustained, until heavy sleep fell on them both.