Through the Lens

It Matters

Harry's POV

I'd fallen asleep to the sound of the rain pounding against the roof, the water falling onto the trees and lulling me into a deep sleep. After putting Cash to bed and reassuring Kelsey yet again that he was fine and I would keep him as long as she needed, the events of the day caught up to me and I'd passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow.

I was awoken to a banging on the front door, echoing up the stairs and into my bedroom. I groggily sat up in my bed, trying to figure out if I'd actually heard it or if I had dreamt it. When it sounded again I pulled myself out of bed and headed into the hallway, turning on the light so I could see where I was going as I made my way down the stairs. The rain was still pouring down in buckets as it pelted against the house, the sound of it louder than seemed normal. I approached the front door, turning on the light before I pulled it open to find Hailey standing in front of me.

She was soaking wet from head to toe, her blonde hair matted to the side of her head as her teeth chattered and the rain poured down her face. I could tell she'd been crying, her eyes were puffy and red and I immediately felt sick at the sight of it.

"Bear? What-"

Before I could finish my sentence, she threw herself into my arms, wrapping her arms around my waist and burying her face in my bare chest as she began to sob. The freezing temperature of her wet clothes made me jump, immediately sending a shiver through me as I instinctively wrapped my arms around her. I held her for a minute as she sobbed, feeling her shake in my arms before I pulled her into the house and closed the door behind us.

"Here, let's get you warmed up." I said as I led her over to the couch in the living room, pulling off her wet sweatshirt and wrapping a blanket around her.

She didn't pull away from me as I pulled her arms out of her sweatshirt and threw it on the chair beside us, continuing to bury her head in my chest as she cried, curling into me as I wrapped my arms around her. I could tell she was trying to keep me from seeing her face, not wanting me to see her crying, but unable to stop herself. She wouldn't look at me, just continued to hold her head down as I held her.

"Hey...it's okay. You're alright." I said as I rocked her back and forth, kissing her head as she sat in my lap. "I got you."

She didn't say anything, just continued to cry as I wondered why and wished I could do more for her. I assumed by then she'd heard about Ryan, but he was going to be alright and she seemed upset about something much more than that. The pain in her cries was evident, and I could tell it was something she'd been holding in for a long time. I knew she didn't cry often, it didn't seem to be in her nature, and it appeared she was releasing something so much more painful than her brother being caught in the fire. Whatever it was, it was tearing her apart, and as I sat there holding her I knew it as more than pain. It was fear.

I slowly rocked her back and forth on the couch, holding her as close as I could and trying to reassure her that everything was okay. We sat there for hours, just holding onto each other until she got quiet and I realized she'd fallen asleep. I looked down at her, brushing my fingers across her puffy cheeks and wiping away the pieces of hair that were stuck there from the rain. It was the first good look I'd had at her since she'd arrived and, although she looked somewhat at peace, the sight of her anything but happy broke my heart.

She looked warm and somewhat content as she slept, and I was glad she was at least resting from whatever it was that had her so upset. It was so strange to see her like that, such a contrast from the happy, positive Hailey I'd come to know who always had a way of seeing the good in everything. I leaned down and kissed her forehead, not wanting to disturb her sleep by lifting her up or moving to take her upstairs, so I pulled the blanket up around both of us and leaned back against the couch. I pulled her into me, holding her close as I laid my head back and closed my eyes.