Who? Me?

Chapter 9

After about 30 minutes of arguing and Harry threatening to throw Niall out of the tree house, Niall agrees he'll go sit on the tiny porch, but he isn't leaving Jamie alone with him. Harry just nods, but Jamie looks scared and moves farther away from him as she could get in the tiny space. When Harry goes to move closer she whimpers and curls up in the corner, he freezes and sits down.

"Jamie, please. Look at me." Harry begs. "We can work this out, I know we can, just talk to me."

"I'm tired Harry." Jamie finally whispers. "So damn tired, I don't know what to do anymore. You know when I first moved here my first thoughts were to just keep my head down, survive Aunt Flo's beatings, go to school stay out of the way as much as possible until my birthday. Then I might possibly gain my freedom." Jamie looks up at Harry finally. Just to see if he was actually listening, at his nod she continues. "That first time I ran into you, yeah I was terrified, I couldn't help it, all I saw was this body towering over me like my aunt did when she would hit me and I panicked. I don't think I even heard what you yelled at me it was just that you did and I knew I had to get away." She says dry eyed, it was almost like she has no more tears left. "Then I got to know you a little better, I knew you had a temper and tended to say things off the top of your head, things you later regreted. But, the nice things you did seemed to drown that out at the time. Then I realized why." She says looking at him again. "I was in love with you."
"One day, that has to be a record for falling in love with someone, but here I was crying all over you after you saved me from getting a worse beating than I'd already gotten and I was in love. And you were just trying to be a friend. I think that's why you keep losing your temper, and the things you say are how you truely feel." When Harry tries to speak she holds her hand up stopping him. "I'm not done, my dad used to say "the things said in anger are things deeply felt" I never knew what he meant by that till now. Harry I think the things you snap out when you're pissed is how you really feel. You feel like I forced you into this relationship in a way, the old saying you save me so you have to take care of me. Well you don't, I'm giving you your freedom, you can go back to the way you were before we met. I don't want to be someone's obligation, Harry I want someone who truely loves me, at all time, even when pissed. And until you can do that, please, just leave me alone. I'm so tired." Jamie cries, putting her arms on her knees and her head on her arms.

Harry makes his move then, leaping across the space wrapping his arms around Jamie as tightly as he dares. "Now it's my turn." He says holding her. "I know you're tired, babe, I do. And please don't ever say I don't love you. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone else in my life. I don't know why I do the things I do, but I'll go to counseling if I have to. I just can't lose you. Just work with me, help me, I'll beg if I have to. Jamie the two of us together can do anything, even fix my problem I know we can." Harry says as he brushes her hair off her face. "Just say you will stay with me and help me through this, please."

Jamie looks Harry right in the eyes, she looks long and hard and he looks right back not flinching or turning away. That's when she knows, she knows he means every word he said. He wants help, he wants her. Without realizing what she's doing her hand finds it's way to his wonderful curls and she tangles her fingers in them.

As Harry sits there and let Jamie stare into his eyes, knowing she was trying to see if he's lying, which he isn't, he tries to keep all thoughts out of his head so nothing shows in his eyes, but when he feels the familiar tug on his curls his eyes instantly fills with tears and he can't help the small cry that escapes his lips as he buries his head in her neck and hugs her to him tightly.

Outside the tree house the guys hear everything. Not only are they shocked to hear Harry ask for help, he actually begs for it. Ed knows he needs to apologize, he and Harry have been friends to long for him not to. Just then Harry and Jamie walk out the door of the old tree house.