Beyond Me. {Haylor}

Chapter Twenty-Four.

It takes a few moments for me to regroup myself with Harry's assistance and I warily walk walk into the grey draped room. The nurse had helped prop her up and Ali is somewhat alert. She's in a daze from medication and pain killers but she's not her normal self. I pull a chair up beside the bed, taking her hand it'll mine. "Rob did this to you?" I choke, looking desperately for a different answer.

She squints and swallows hard, wiggling her nose to adjust her oxygen. "Taylor... I never thought he would do this again." She croaks.

"Again?!"

"It was a concussion last time, it wasn't that bad and it was a few years ago." She looks up to prevent tears, squeezing my hand. "It's gotten worse lately." All of her sentences come slow and I have to really listen to figure out what she's saying. "I guess I just never really noticed. That's what those bruises were. A fight turning into me trying to leave and I was going to come to you, but he ended up pushing me around and he abused me in all ways. So when I say rough sex, I guess I meant not intended, painful, against my will... sex." Tears fall from her eyes and her chest moves up and down rapidly.

"I'm so sorry Ali." I wipe under my eyes.

"Today, I told him we couldn't bring a child into this mix. That it was getting too out of hand. He didn't like that..." She shakes he head a slight bit. "I don't remember much after that. I kinda blacked out. The more I think, the more it comes back, and that's the last thing I want right now."

•••

I sit with my legs crossed on the bed, Harry does the same across me. We've done this with all of our serious talks. It's our place to fall back on. The tension is high in the room, and it hurts. Our visit with Ali was worse than any hospital encounter ever before. Worse than the little kids I've visited. There's something about seeing your best friend draped in discoloured skin that shakes you awake a bit. How he could every but his hand on her, and then take advantage of her? It makes me uneasy.

This possibility that I feared most, came true. And now we had to think everything over and figure it out. Rob was on hunt from the police. Being charged with multiple assault including domestic abuse. I'm so lucky to have Harry, to know that he would never do anything like that. He's just as shaken as me, if not more. "So what are we doing?" I say pulling his hand from his lap.

He looks up and into my eyes. "If there even another option to consider?"

"You can't just quit your career, Harry. What are we gonna do, take a baby on tour? Ship her back and forth between mom and dad?" I sigh, "is that fair to Ellie."

Harry takes a deep breath, his entire body just collapsing. He licks his lips as he prepares words. "Six months ago, you weren't ready to be a mom. I wasn't ready to be a dad, I'll admit that. But in these last six months, we have grown... So much. You've overcome battles and maybe our rainstorm is finally clearing up. What if this was all meant to be. We were meant to be together, Taylor. Why not just start our family now."

He's so serious, he means it. This is what he wants. I close my eyes to think about it. It all leads to something though. Genuine happiness, the think I've been searching for since I was eight. Parenting with Harry was t going to be easy, but maybe we could do this. Maybe we could fight our dragons and get through the fire. Harry would be an amazing father. Teaching Ellie to sing and use British terms. She'll be hooked on tea and lady fingers by the time she's five. I feel heated tingles through my body. Maybe this was the point the whole time, we could be parents. And we would do a damn well good job of it.

"It's not gonna be easy." My eyebrows raise.

"Nothing safe is worth the drive." Harry winks.

"You think we can do it?"

"I know we can."

This starts a fire in me. One that hasn't been lit for a long time. Home. With Harry. And Ellie. I fall back on the bed, the comforter shaping to my body. I feel relaxed and free and nearly every positive emotion. It didn't matter what anyone would say. If I had to take a year off from touring to raise my daughter, so be it. In this business you hardly find love with yourself, your music, and someone else. Not many get that lucky. I'm tired of letting this chances go by. It's time I caught my butterfly and keep it in a safe place.

Harry lies down beside me, resting his head against my stomach. "Hi Ellie." He whispers as I roll my fingers through his messy hair. We didn't usually talk to my stomach, Ellie for that matter, in conversation. So I was all ears. "Your mommy and I, we love you. Lots. And we can't wait for you to get here. We're gonna have banners and streamers, and maybe some wine for your mom and I. It's been a long nine months, but it's been worth it." He goes on, elaborating on things. It's like he's been dying to talk to her, but he didn't have a voice. My eyes start to feel heavy as Harry's voice numbs me.

Harry's lips press against mine but I'm too sleepy to even move. His lips play off mine, waiting for a reaction but I'm just numb. "I love you." I manage a mix of a mumble and a whisper.

Harry continues to kiss me until I don't feel anymore. My dreams consist of his kisses tonight. The love that Harry has for me, and the love I have for him is... Different than it was even since the last time I saw him. It's ever growing and I can't live without that. We're connected completely now, and being on the same level just signifies our bond. I love him, with my heart, my mind, my body. I love him with all aspects and I never want that to change. I want to marry him. Now, if I could. Our relationship grew past the sex and once you realize the raw and unintentional emotions there, if it's true love, you'll feel it. You'll know it. And you'll never want to loose it.

•••

My due date slips by without any hesitation. Which I'm extremely confused by, and anxious about. The nurses at the hospital say it's normal, but none the less we are going for an ultrasound. Especially in the past week my back has been aching. I'm scared it's the stress. Ali's still in the hospital, and is probably there for at least another week. Rob has still been under the radar, no one has heard of him, no one can find him. It's probably best anyway, Ali needs time to heal. With numerous broken ribs and a tore shoulder, it's not making anything easy, especially the broken foot which is not casted up.

The ultrasound goes as normal as any. The doctor said it might be a few days before anything starts to happen. They're checking me into the maternity ward if by Wednesday there's no action. I'm praying things kick in tomorrow or else I might be in the hospital for my birthday. No one really wants to do that.

Instead of going straight home, we pop by Ali's room. She's propped up watching the news, a blank expression in her face. Harry and I walk in hand in hand and I sit beside her on the bed. "How ya feeling girlfriend?" I ask with a slight nudge. She points to the tv and I look. Rob's mug shot sits on the screen.

"Local gets arrested after brutally beating his wife after a ten year relationship. More information at six tonight, tune it."

"Don't worry." I say, wrapping her in my arms gently. "They're putting him away."

"He won't be able to hurt you anymore." Harry jumps in.

She shakes her head and wipes her eyes. "You guys don't get it, do you? I love him. I still love him. I swore to marry him and to be with him forever. For better or for worse." I look from Harry to tear shedding Ali. How rob could hurt her, and she could still love him was a mystery to me. Once a man touches you like that, I feel like everything would change. By I'm looking at Ali and she looks empty and lifeless. "He's my home, Taylor. You know he's all I have."

A lump in my throat leaves me at a loss for words. I lick my lips and clear my throat. "You have us, Ali. We're your family. You can stay with us as long as you need."

She shakes her head, "I couldn't do that to you. I've been enough of a bother these last couple months."

"You're never a bother." Harry smiles.

"Oh god! What are you doing with Ellie?!" She sighs and tilts her head back to prevent more years.

"Don't worry about it." I insist. "Harry and I are going to keep her and we'll make it work. Plus, I'm sure Ellie would love to have her auntie Ali around anyway." I run my them under her discoloured eyes to wipe tears.

She gives me a one armed hug and a takes a deep breath. "I'm so sorry." She mumbles into my ear. "Thank you, for everything."