Two Pieces

"Trust Me"

Sofia sat quietly in the car as Harry climbed in. He glanced at her thoughtfully before reaching across her and going into the glove compartment. He pulled out a baggie before pulling out a joint and lighting it.

"Here, take a few hits with your good hand," Harry said quietly, handing Sofia the joint.

"Trying to get me high?" Sofia asked, raising her eyebrows.

"It'll help with take your mind off the pain," Harry said, rolling his eyes,
"Your hand is already bruising pretty good."

"Actually, my ankle hurts more," Sofia said, quietly, before taking a hit.
Harry let her smoke quietly, while he removed the plaid shirt he was wearing. Bundling it up, he gently pressed it to the cut on her face.

"You're gonna have to hold this while I drive, hopefully it'll stop the bleeding," he said, as she looked up at him.

"You're going to ruin your shirt," Sofia said, before handing him what was left of the joint.

"I'm not worried, I can get another shirt," Harry said, his face close to hers as he leaned over so that he could keep the shirt pressed firmly but gently on her face.

"What happened tonight?" Sofia asked, her voice vulnerable and scared.

"I don't know," Harry said, "One second we were all talking about you, the next there were gunshots going off."

"One gun?" Sofia asked.

"At least four," Harry said, "But, we couldn't see anything, the whole club broke out into chaos..."

"Anyone hit?" Sofia asked.

"Not that we know of," Harry said, "The gun shots were coming from all sides... But the didn't feel or hear like they were aimed at a specific target. It seemed random..."

"Like they were trying to invoke chaos... panic..." Sofia said, as though piecing something together.

"Yeah, and bring in the law," Harry said. Sofia reached up to take the shirt from Harry, her fingers lingering on his a little longer then needed as they brushed, as though she needed human touch to get comfort.

"You okay?" Harry asked.

"I'm fine," Sofia said, pulling away from him and settling into her car seat.

"That's your go to answer, isn't it?" Harry asked, "Saying you're fine, even when you aren't?"

Sofia said nothing, just resting her head against the back of her seat and looking out the window. Harry wasn't going to push the subject so he just pulled out, driving towards the hospital.

"You know, you don't have to ask Niall about me," he said, glancing over at her as he drove, "You can ask me whatever you want, and I'll answer honestly..."

"Whatever I want?" Sofia asked, raising her eyebrows with a smirk.

"Yeah, I've got nothing to hide from you..." Harry said, shrugging.

"Favorite sexual position?" Sofia asked jokingly, not expecting him to answer, or for him to get annoyed.

"Any one where I don't have to see their faces," Harry said, "They don't get too attached or think of romance that way. Makes it easier to send them home at the end of the night."

Sofia wasn't expecting a serious answer from him, so when she looked over surprised, he looked a little too cocky for her liking, like he knew he was going to catch her off guard. He enjoyed knowing that he could do that, because not many people could.

"Anything else you want to know about my sex life?" Harry said, raising his eyebrows, with a grin.

"Why do you send them home?" Sofia asked.

"Probably the same reason you do," Harry said, giving her a knowing look.

Sofia turned away from him again, looking out the window. She wanted to ask, but was afraid of his honesty. What if he told her something she didn't want to know.

"Why did you leave Holmes Chapel?" she asked quietly, "Didn't you have friends there?"

"No," Harry said, "I told you, I had burned every bridge by the time I left."

"Burned how?" Sofia asked, turning to him, her eyes wide.

"Different ways with everyone," Harry said, "I was just a selfish guy, who didn't give a shit about anything but himself."

"Did anyone ever get hurt because of it?" Sofia asked, keeping her eye contact with him.

"A few," Harry said his eyes narrowed in frustration, she had been acting so strange around him and he wanted to know way, "Why are you so interested in my past all of a sudden?

"I'm just wondering," Sofia said, shrugging it off like it was no big deal.

"My past doesn't matter..." Harry said firmly, he didn't believe her, but he also knew he wouldn't get the truth out of her. He should make it clear how he felt about her questions now, even if he didn't know why she was asking.

"Doesn't it?" Sofia asked.

"I'm not who I used to be," Harry said, turning his eyes back to the road,
"You want to ask questions, ask questions about who I am now..."

With that, Sofia knew the conversation into Harrys past was over. She was still curious, but she wasn't afraid. She believed him, even though she wouldn't say it. He wasn't who he was before, and whatever he did in his past didn't matter.


***

Sofia did her best to limp beside Harry as he helped her into the hospital. She had refused to let him carry her in, insisting she could make it by limping.

"She needs a doctor, now," Harry said, not bothering to greet the nurse at the desk, instead just barking instructions. The nurse looked up at him, her eyes went wide for a second before they narrowed, and glanced at Sofia. Sofia knew that look; she had seen it many times. The nurse recognized her and Harry, and she wasn't happy to see either of them. There was a fear and resentment in her eyes, and she was going to make this difficult.

"She's going to have to wait like everyone else," the nurse said stiffly, pushing paperwork towards Harry, "You'll have to fill this out."

"I don't think you understand," Harry said, pushing the paperwork back, his eyes narrowing in anger, "That paperwork isn't necessary for me, and I'm sure there's a doctor on this floor that will see her now."

"I know you're used to special treatment," the nurse growled, "But I won't put her needs above everyone else's. You can take her to sit and wait, just like everyone else has too."

"She's in a lot of pain," Harry barked, loudly.

"I have a lot of a patients in a lot of pain, and none of them are coming from a club shooting that they probably caused," the nurse barked. Harry's eyes widened, before he glanced at the television. The shooting had made the nightly news. Turning back to the nurse, his face deadly, he spoke quietly but fiercely, causing Sofia's eyes to widen. She had never seen this side of him.

"She needs to see a doctor. So you can either point me in the direction of someone who can treat her now or I can find one myself."

"Listen to me," the nurse growled, standing up, "From the condition of her
bloodshot eyes, I would say your gang whore will be just fine waiting. I will not give into your threats, Mr. Styles. I don't care how big and scary you think you are."

Harry grinned, leaning forward on the desk. Sofia gripped his arm tightly, but Harry sent her a small wink to reassure her that he wasn't going to completely loose his shit.

"Janice is it?" Harry said, looking at the nurse's nametag, "I know you must think you are powerful and all mighty sitting behind that desk of yours, and I know that you think you have some sort of control here. It's cute, actually. But you don't. I have half this hospital on a pay roll, and it would be a shame if the wrong person got his hands on your file, don't you think? A nice ring on your finger, how's married life? How are your kids?"

The nurse's face went white at the mention of her file, and her husband and kids. Sofia could almost see her breath stop, as her eyes widened with fear.

"Now," Harry said, his voice still quiet, "Before any harm comes to you or anyone you love, where can we see that doctor?"

"You're horrible," the nurse gasped out.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Harry said, "Now if you take up anymore of our time, you'll see just how horrible I can be."

"Room 1," the nurse said quickly, pointing to the first room in the hall, "I will get a doctor in there as soon as I can."

"Don't keep us waiting long," Harry said, gripping Sofia's arm to help her, but before they started walking away, he turned back to the nurse.

"If you ever call her a whore again," he said, his voice serious and terrifying, "It'll be the last thing you ever say."

With that, he helped Sofia down the hall and into the hospital room. Placing her in the cot in the room gently, he moved her leg up, putting a pillow under it.

"You all right?" he asked.

"Fine," Sofia said, "Don't think the nurse is a fan of me, though..."

"No one in town is a fan of us right now," Harry scoffed, "Between the explosion at the warehouse and this shooting... they're all having second guesses about us, more then usual."

"That's dangerous," Sofia said, sitting up on the bed, "That kind of shit can destroy our foundation, it could ruin us."

"It's nothing you have to worry about," Harry said, pushing her back down gently, "Just lay there and relax."

"I can't," Sofia hissed.

"You can, or I will make you," Harry barked, raising his eyebrows with his arms crossed. Sofia sighed dramatically, before slumping back into the bed, defeated by the determined stare Harry was giving her.


***

"You're going to have to leave the room," the doctor said to Harry.

"Excuse me?" Harry growled.

"It's just procedure. When I'm looking at a patient, and going over test results, it's procedure that no one is present. It's a privacy thing."

"She doesn't need privacy," Harry barked, "I'm not leaving."

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice," the doctor said.

"He can stay," Sofia, said, "Can you just tell me what the x-rays said?"

"Sofia, you have a right to privacy," the doctor said, before turning back to Harry, "You don't have to go far, just outside the room. I won't be long with her."

Harry looked frustrated, and like he wanted to argue some more, but the tired look on Sofia's face told him she just wanted to go home, and he figured the faster he did what the doctor wanted, the faster he could get her there.

"I'll be right outside," Harry said to her, "Just yell if you need me."

"I'll be fine," Sofia said, rolling her eyes. Harry nodded, before stepping right outside the door and closing it. Sofia turned to the doctor.

"So? How bad is it?" she asked.

"You're going to be fine. Your ankle is sprained, but your hand is fine, it just took a hell of a hit. You want to tell me again what happened?"

"I just fell, I'm pretty clumsy," Sofia said, shrugging.

"You fall in a club? During a shooting?" the doctor asked. Sofia ignored his stare.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sofia said, shrugging, "You must have me mixed up with someone else."

The doctor glanced at the door nervously, before turning back to Sofia.

"I can help you," the doctor said, "I can get you out of this."

"Out of what?" Sofia hissed, sitting up quickly.

"I know you're involved with this gang, and I can help you get out, before it's too late."

"Fuck you," Sofia growled, "I don't need your help!"

"Sofia, girls like you don't survive a life like this. Tonight is nothing compared to what could happen to you! You need to get out while you still can, before your only way out is 6 ft. under..."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sofia growled, as she stood up as well as she could as stumbled over to the door, but the doctor grabbed her tightly.

"Let me help you!" the doctor insisted, his grip on her tightening more as he yanked her back.

"GET OFF OF ME!" Sofia screamed, "HARRY!"

She didn't even need to scream in order for Harry to burst through the door, and before Sofia could blink, the doctor was slammed against the wall.

"What the hell is going on?" Harry spit out.

"He thinks I need help getting away from you," Sofia said, "Thinks I'm wrapped up in the gang life, should get out before it's too late."

"I don't think that's any of your business," Harry hissed in a low voice, before releasing the doctor.

"We should go," Sofia said, pulling at the back of Harry's shirt. She just wanted out of this hospital, and away from anyone who wanted to separate her from her life.

"Yeah," Harry said, grabbing her hand, "You okay to walk?"

"I'll be alright," Sofia said, pulling at him desperately. Harry took the hint, wrapping his arm around her and walking towards the door.

"You can't take her," the doctor said, pushing himself off the wall. Harry stopped and turned.

"What did you just say?" Harry growled.

"You're not her legal guardian, if she wants to leave this hospital, she'll need her legal guardian to do that..." the doctor said, Harry was getting a little tired of how brave this guy was being, "If you take her, I will call the police..."

"Her legal guardian isn't available, and you don't tell me what to fucking do. I'm taking her home, and you're going to stand there and shut the fuck up."

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" the doctor yelled out, but not before Harry had pulled a gun and aimed it directly at his head.

Sofia's breath caught, her eyes wide. Harry's eyes were full of anger and frustration, and the doctor looked like he suddenly realized whom he was dealing with. Sofia was seeing tonight just how dangerous Harry could be, just how dark he could get, and just how far he would go.

"I will put a bullet between your eyes and not think twice about it," Harry growled, "And that would just be for putting your hands on her. You don't tell me what to do, I tell you what to do. And I am telling you that you want to live to see another day, you're going to let us walk out of here and forget we were ever here tonight. If you don't do that, I promise you will regret it. Because I will hunt you down and rip you from limb to limb. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, yes," the doctor said quickly, not able to rip his eyes off of the gun Harry had pointed at him.

"Walk, Sofia," Harry said, still holding the gun to the doctor. Sofia began to leave the hospital room, Harry following her with his eyes still on the doctor.

"You're going to get her killed," the doctor said, another desperate attempt to save Sofia from the fate he thought she was doomed.

Harry ignored him, before wrapping Sofia tightly in his arms, and rushing her as quickly as he could out of the hospital.

"You alright?" Harry said, as he put her seatbelt on her.

"I've heard it's happened before, people trying to help you escape the life, but it's.. It's never happened to me," Sofia said, "He just said so many things, trying to scare me. Said I wouldn't survive... that'd I'd get more hurt..."

"You don't have to be scared," Harry said, placing his hand on her cheek gently so she was looking at him, "I'd never let anything bad happen to you."

And before she could stop herself she found herself saying, "I know you wouldn't."


***

"What do you mean we're leaving?" Sofia snapped, arms crossed, staring at Louis.

"I mean I have everyone's shit packed, and we're going to the beach house on Liam's orders," Louis said, "Just for a few days until we can figure what the hell we're supposed to do."

"Where's Liam?" Sofia asked.

"They're still questioning him," Louis said, "I think they're hoping an injury will be reported so they can hold him."

"Are you serious?" Harry growled

"Yeah," Louis said, "This is bad, worse then we though, so we have to go. And we have to go now. You two follow us, leave about 10 minutes after, and take the back roads."

"We'll wait for Liam to get home," Sofia said, sitting in a kitchen chair.

"That wasn't the order, Sof," Louis said, "He wants us out of this house tonight."

"And we will be, as soon as he is," Sofia said.

"Sofia, you are getting in that car and you are going to the beach house," Louis growled, "Even if I have to put you there myself."

"I'm not going," Sofia hissed, crossing her arms.

"I just got Danielle and Eleanor calm enough to fucking get in the car," Louis said, waving his arms around, "You not leaving will just wind them up again, and then I'm going to have a full blown female revolt on my hands."

"They can go," Sofia said, "I'm not going."

"You don't have a choice," Louis barked, yanking her off the chair, "We have to go!"

"I'M NOT LEAVING! I'M NOT LEAVING WITHOUT LIAM!" Sofia screamed, pushing Louis off of her, and ignoring the pain in her ankle and hand.

"Careful!" Harry growled, stepping between them, "She's still hurt, Lou."

"Well unless she wants to get more hurt, you will convince her to get in the damn car," Louis growled, staring down Sofia.

"I won't leave without him," Sofia said, shaking her head hysterically, and tears appearing in her eyes, "I won't. I'm not leaving without Liam!"

It was then that both Harry and Louis realized what was going on. She was scared. She was scared because Liam was her only blood left, and she didn't want anything to happen.

"Sof," Louis said, gently, "Zayn, Niall, and Jay are all with him. The minute the cops stop questioning him, he'll be on his way to the beach house with us. He'll be okay, nothing is going to happen to him."

"We just have to make sure nothing happens to you either," Harry said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sofia asked.

"It means, that if whoever is targeting Liam and his club and his trying to shake him, it won't be long until you're a target too..." Louis said, "Or you're already one, and we just don't know it yet. That's why Liam wants you out of town and safe."

"You have to let the boys take care of Liam, and you have let us take care of you," Harry said gently, placing his hand on Sofia's arm.

"Jesus Christ," Sofia said, throwing her head in her hands, before running them through her hair. She was utterly exhausted and scared and confused.

"Hey," Harry said quietly, stepping closer to her, his head leaning closer to hers. Louis watched the exchanged closely, amazed at how comfortable they seemed with each other. "It'll be okay. I promise"

"Don't make promises if you can't keep them," Sofia growled, before looking up at him, her eyes desperate.

"I don't make promises I can't keep," Harry said, "You just have to trust me."

Louis expected an argument from Sofia, or a scoff, or a laugh. Sofia didn't
trust anyone, and found it pathetic when people asked for her trust. But instead she just nodded stiffly at Harry, surprising Louis and leaving him wondering what had happened at the hospital.

"I need coffee," Sofia said, "I have to stay up."

"You should probably rest," Louis said, "Considered your injured and everything."

"If I'm going, I'm not sleeping until Liam is safe at the beach house too," Sofia snapped, "Those are my conditions."

Louis sighed exasperatedly, clearly frustrated with her, but Harry jumped in.

"I'll stop for coffee," Harry said, glancing at the clock that read 1:15 am, "But we need to get going."


***


Sofia sat at the kitchen table in the beach house, head in her hands. Louis and Harry sat with her, while Eleanor and Danielle slept upstairs, no longer able to fight their exhaustion.

"He'll be okay," Louis said to Sofia, who was fighting keeping her eyes open, "Sof, why don't you just sleep. We'll stay up, we'll wake you up the minute he comes in."

"No," Sofia said, shaking her head, "I'm fine."

It was now almost 5 in the morning, and none of them had slept. The car ride up had been a quiet one, neither Harry nor Sofia saying much. But it was a comfortable silence, and every once in awhile; Harry would reach over and squeeze her hand to reassure her. And she let him.

Now they all sat in the kitchen, waiting for Liam, Niall, and Zayn's safe return. They hadn't heard anything in hours, and it was driving Sofia crazy. Harry seemed to feel her anxiety, because he used that moment to reach over and grab her hand again. Sofia looked up at him, before squeezing his hand softly in appreciation.

Suddenly the door opened, and Zayn walked through, causing Sofia to stand up quickly. Niall and Jay piled in next, before Liam stepped through. Sofia didn't even think, she didn't give Liam time to think. She rushed past everyone, throwing herself into Liam, hissing in pain as she did so. Liam was caught off guard, but once he realized who it was, he wrapped his arms around her.

"Careful kid, you're hurt," Liam said, "What did the doctor say?"

"Doesn't matter," Sofia mumbled into Liam's shirt, shaking her head, before looking up at him, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, of course I am," Liam said, smirking. Sofia could tell that he was putting on a front for her.

"Danielle's upstairs," Louis said, "I told her we'd send you up right away."

"Alright," Liam said, "Everyone get some sleep, we'll talk into the morning."
Sofia sighed deeply, stepping back from Liam. Liam got a good look at her and how tired she was.

"Why is still awake?" he asked, looking at Harry and Louis, as if they had any choice in the matter.

"You're kidding me right?" Louis snapped, throwing his hands up in annoyance, his head looked ready to explode. Liam grinned, before looking down at his Sofia.

"Go to bed," Liam said, pushing her gently towards the door. Sofia didn't say anything else as she limped out of the kitchen towards the downstairs guest bedroom.

She had been struggling getting her sweatpants on for a few minutes when there was a knock on her door. It swung open before she could respond, and Harry stepped in. He didn't even seem bothered or surprised by her half naked state or lack of clothing; instead he was just concerned that she was struggling so much.

"Here," he said, stepping forward and grabbing her, "I'll help."

Sofia didn't bother fighting him, even though it was her instinct to refuse help. She knew it wouldn't do any good to fight with him, he would win tonight. He pulled her sweats up, before helping her pull her shirt off and put another on. She stood quietly, looking a bit defeated after her long day.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Fine," she said, sitting on her bed.

"Why do you always say that?" Harry asked, looking down at her, genuinely wanting to know an answer. Sofia wasn't sure what made her honestly, she wasn't sure what it was about Harry that made her feel safe, even when he was pointing guns at doctors and staring at her dangerously.

"It's the only thing I was ever allowed to say," Sofia finally answered, "That I was fine, even when I wasn't."

"Well it's okay to not be fine tonight," Harry said, sitting down next to her on the bed.

"You should get some sleep," Harry said quietly, helping her get onto the bed comfortably in a lying position.

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight," Sofia said quietly, looking up at him.

"I can stay with you," Harry said, "Until you fall asleep... I mean, if you want..."

Sofia didn't want to need him to stay, but she also didn't want him to leave. She did answer him, instead just pulling him down next to her and resting her head on his shoulder, allowing him to wrap his arm around her.

"Does this mean we're friends," Harry said, quietly after a few minutes.

"Shut up," Sofia scoffed, looking up at his grin. Any fear she had about Harry Styles and who he was wiped completely from her mind. She couldn't hear any of her doubts in her head from earlier. She closed her eyes and allowed the rhythm of his breath to carry her off to a much-needed sleep.