complications » h.s. [COMPLETED]

thirty five

Lydia

"Babe?" A husky voice whispered while I was being lightly shook.

My eyes opened slowly to see Harry bend over the bed. "What?" I groaned, it was still pretty dark to see anything, but the clock display on my nightstand said that the clock was just past four in the morning.

"Great news!"

"I'm so excited!" I said in a monotone voice, followed by a yawn.

"Lydia, we got the shipment!"

That was when I shot up from my bed. "What?!" I practically yelled and turned on my light. I gasped at the sight of Harry. Half of his face was swollen and covered up in dried blood. "Oh my god, are you alright?"

"Just a few scratches," he shrugged and kissed my cheek and flinched of the pain when his cheek touched mine.

"Tell me what happened. Everything!" I said, bright awake for once despite the major sleep loss I had had the past weeks.

"Louis had spent some days trying to hack into different computers and phones without luck until yesterday and there were talk about it was up in Seattle ready to be sent to Canada. So we took a wild guess and headed up there," he smiled brightly, or as bright he could without causing more pain on his face.

"Everyone is alive and well?" I asked, my heart beat was raising.

"Of course, just bruising and cuts. No biggie," he kissed me one more time. "Now I'm sorry for waking you up." He stood up ready to go.

"Wait, Harry, stay with me please," I begged with Jamie's words echoing in the back of mind.

"Of course," he said softly. "Just let me get changed."

I nodded, pulling the duvet close to my body. Hoping having him close to me once again would calm me down.

***

I was looking out on Paul who was happily holding onto the shipment, his smile as wide as I had ever seen ever since I met him for the first time months ago.

"Thank you fellas," he smiled, looking out at all of us around the office table. "And Lydia, of course."

"Where are we going to hide it? Mr Randy won't be back in August, until then who knows who will be after it?" Liam asked. "If we managed to track it, maybe others could too."

Paul nodded. "I know, I know. They already know where my headquarters are, it wouldn't be safe."

"So at our place?" Niall shrugged his shoulders.

"No," Paul shook his head. "You guys will be walking in and out of this place at one time they'll notice."

The guys started to name different places like an old shack up in the woods, Alaska, at the local burger shack (that was from Niall).

"How about you, Lydia? Got any suggestions?" Paul asked and all eyes flew to me.

I sat up, back straight and got interrupted into whatever I was thinking. "Instead of hiding it in deep special place, like they will expect us to do, why can't we hide it out in plain sight? It's like when I'm looking for something, I search for it in all the places and it's usually under my nose," I said.

Niall snorted like it was the baddest idea and I smacked him on the shoulder offended by him laughing.

Paul nodded. "That is actually a good idea."

"I know places," I said, raising my hand like I was in school, smiling slightly.

"Spill it."

"I have a studio apartment downtown, along lots of old people. Their last thought wouldn't be that it is here in Fresno," I suggested. "Like my neighbors are an old Asian couple who likes to invite their family for Asian karaoke."

"I think that is a great idea," Louis said most to annoy Niall, who was grumpily looking at me and I stuck out my tongue at him.

"Does your apartment complex have surveillance cameras in the hallways?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Okay. Louis, after the shipment is put in its hiding, I want you to hack the security and have a 24 hour surveillance over it," Paul ordered and Louis nodded.

"Lydia and Harry, go to the apartment now and find a good hiding place."

Harry took the silver briefcase into his hands and both of us headed back to the car. I grabbed a tote bag from the backseat and put the shipment in it and Harry smiled. He started the car and drove out.

"Is this over now?" I said, gripping onto the tote bag.

He sighed. "Basically, if we manage to keep it hidden until August."

I nodded briefly. "Look, I need to talk to you," I said and it was like I could feel his eyes on me even though he was staring at the road ahead.

"Yes?" He asked, his voice slight unsure.

"I can't do this anymore. After this mission, I won't extend my contract," I said.

"I know," was all he said.

"What?" I furrowed my brows confused.

"Lydia, I have seen you the past weeks. I know that if you extended your contract, I would have made you quit," he said and I felt the guilt eat me.

"Harry, I am so sor-"

"Look, don't think about it. We can make it work like Liam and Sophia. No problem."

I remained silent. It was hard to try and tell him. My hands were shaky and throat dry. "I need to tell you something," I said.

He stopped the car in front of the building, looked at me curiously. "What?"

"Let's do it inside," I mumbled, grabbing the shipment with me.

And then I walked up the familiar stairs, I had walked up so many times and wondered if this might be my last time when I would finally tell Harry the truth, once and for all. Who knew what would happen now?

After a faint silence, up a few floors, Harry joked. "Why am I all of a sudden a little worried?" He chuckled.

I tried to smile, but it quickly faded.

When I reached for my keys, I immediately dropped them at the sigh of who was standing there in the front door. A man who I never wanted to see anymore yet expected to be here in the worst time possible ever.

My father.