Russell Howard Fanfiction - Love At First Laugh

Chapter 17 - Questions

Russells POV

"Where are we going to go?" Y/N asked me.
I tried to think of something. I tried to make it seem like things will be fine for Y/Ns sake but I couldn't. "..... I don't know"
We both stopped in silence for a few minuites, trying to think of anywhere we could go. Then it hit me, the person who I can rely on .... my mum.
I got my phone out and rang her.

On the phone
"Hello my prince! Did you like the surprise?"
"Yeah I did but mum ... I need your help."
"What's up?"
"Well me and Y/N are at our ...... house and ... uh .... we have nowhere to go so.."
"Of course you can stay at our place! We have the spare room free and it's all yours!"
"Thank you so much mum! Can we come over now?"
"Yes come over straight away!"
"Thanks mum, I'm gonna go now"
"Ok I love You!"
"Love you too"
End of call

Y/N looked at me with curiosity.
"Are you ok to stay round my parents' house?"
"Sure! Are they ok with It?"
"Yeah mum seems happier that we are at hers than when we had our own place!"

After driving to her house, mum had opened the door before we even got out the car.
"Hello my Lovelies!" She saw Y/Ns cast and panicked. "Oh my god Y/N you must rest your leg at once!" She dragged Y/N in the house and I followed behind.

***

Y/Ns POV

We had been talking for the past hour, myself, Russell, Ninette and David when the doorbell rang.
Russell ran up to get it. I couldn't work out who it was or what they were saying. David, Ninette and I looked at eachover in confusion as they had been talking for a while. We heard the door shut and Russell came back into the living room with someone else. Not just one person, two. Policemen.
I looked at Russell who looked a bit uncomfortable and nervous. Why were there policemen here?
"Good evening, my name is PC Howells and this is my colleague PC Davies and we would like to ask you a few questions about the fire in your premises." He says to me.
"Uh ... ok sure". He looks over to Russell's parent's and says "If it is ok we would like to have this conversation in private".
They both agreed and went upstairs.
Russell sat down next to me while the two policemen sat on the other sofa.
PC Howells started by asking "Do you know what the cause of the fire was?"
"No" I respond.
"Where were you when you noticed the fire?"
"I was in my bedroom upstairs on the phone to Russell when I smelt smoke. I went outside to the top of the stairs and the fire was already in the living room downstairs and was spreading upstairs.
"What do you remember happening after that?"
"Well I was still on the phone to Russell and he called the fire brigade. I remember feeling dizzy because of the smoke and then the floor gave in from under me and I fell. I couldn't feel or see anything but I could hear engines and footsteps and then everything went black. When I woke up I was in the hospital.
"Okay so you didn't know what the cause was and you were upstairs so you didn't notice it starting"
"Corrrect"
"Well Miss Y/L/N we have reason to believe that this fire was not an accident."
"We have received CCTV footage from the house opposite you of a man throwing a lit match through your front window into the living room. We have the footage with us now if you believe that you would be able to identify him. Do you want to see it?"
I turned to Russell who nodded.
"Yes"
PC Davies got out a laptop and set up the video. He played it. It was shocking to see. I couldn't see who it was, but they just walked up to the window, threw the match in and left without a care in the world. I looked at Russell who was red with anger.
"Do either of you recognize the man?"
We both shook our heads and PC Howells then said "Miss Y/L/N do you have an idea of who would want to so this?". I shook my head. I know I'm disliked by many people but I wouldn't think that any would light my house on fire.
"We also have footage of you talking to a man by your door before the event of the fire. Do you remember who this was?" PC Davies rewound the tape and played the footage of me talking to a man. Ethan. "Yes I remember, it was Ethan".
"Ethan who?"
"I don't know his last name, he was Russell's old neighbour."
"Ethan Watkins" Russell said.
"Well I'm afraid to have to show you this .." they carried on playing the tape. It was our conversation, me slamming the door in his face. I watched as he walked down the drive, turned ..... and threw the match through the window.
I was speechless. I couldn't believe what I just saw.
Russell was absolutely livid. I could see him trying not to burst. I put my hand on his leg to try and calm him down.
"Miss Y/L/N do you know why Ethan Watkins would do this? Has it got to do with your previous Conversation?
"Well yes, I met him at Russell's Birthday party, he was acting ... inappropriately but left when he saw Russell. Russell told me how Ethan was his old bully and was always out to get him. He came to my house that day and suggested that because Russell was on tour, I should cheat on Russell with him. Of course I said no. He told me that if I rejected him, I would get what's coming to me ... I guess that's what he meant".
"Thank you Miss Y/L/N, Mr Howard, we have enough information for now. We will keep you updated on the situation. Have a nice evening." And with that they left.

When they had driven away, Russell became agitated and he looked like he was about to kill a man. "Russ calm down!"
"Calm down Y/N?! He tried killing You!"
"I know but he'll get arrested now they know who he is!"
"Y/N if I see him I will kill him with my bare hands!" I had never seen Russell like this. His fists were clenched and his muscles were tensed. I placed my hands on his fists to calm him down. He looked at me for a few seconds and then sank. "I just can't believe it. You could have died. He set our house on fire and put you in a coma. He's a fucking psychopath".
Russell's parent's had come downstairs from all of Russell's shouting.
"What's wrong?" said David.
"Remember Ethan? Good old Ethan who couldn't do no wrong? HE SET OUR FUCKING HOUSE ON FIRE TO TRY AND KILL Y/N"
They were both speechless.
"Are you serious?" Ninette said
"Do I look like I'm not serious?"
They both froze again. It was a shock for all of us.

***

Later on in the night, Russell and I held on to eachover while falling asleep, lucky that we still had one another".