Fall ~ Harry Styles

Chapter 42

Scarlett's POV:

A few days later the same doctor examined me properly and gave me my discharge papers and allowed me to leave the hospital. I now knew I hated hospitals, they all looked and smelled the same, white everything and the awful smell of disinfectant made my throat hurt. Harry had rang a hotel just around the corner of our apartment and booked us both in for a week or two, hopefully. We had nowhere else to go, our apartment was burnt to a cinder and we still didn't know how the fire initially started. We just hoped out insurance would cover the cost of the fire damage and allow me and Harry to buy a new place.

The police had been in touch and we were supposed to meet an officer down at the station in a few hours just to find out exactly what happened. Harry drove us to a small cosy looking cafe where we had a small dinner neither of us having much appetite since the accident but harry insisted that I needed to eat something.

Next stop, the police station. I was dreading this moment as I tried to avoid remembering the situation as much as possible; let's just say it was not a pleasant experience, trying to remember a fire that happened right in front of your eyes when there was nothing you could do to stop it.

10 minutes later we pulled up to the station and I sat still, staring blankly while Harry walked around to my door and opened it. I couldn't move, I was metaphorically glued to my chair, I knew as soon as I met that police officer I would have to recount in vivid detail exactly what happened that night and I didn't know if I could handle it. I looked over to Harry; he'd squatted down to my level and was looking at my eyes intensely.

"Scarlett baby, we don't have to do this now, we can re-schedule the meeting for later, until you're ready" Harry's voice brought me out of my thoughts and I internally pulled myself together.

"No I can handle it Harry, come on" I swung my legs out of Harry's car and closed the door standing confidently. He smiled and tucked me under his arm kissing the top of my head carefully.

"That's my girl" he murmured before leading us to the station entrance.

Harry's POV:

I walked to the front desk of the station, the small reception smelt of stale coffee and the dusty mid-day light filtered through the old windows. I gave the woman my name and she sauntered off to find the police man working on our case. I smiled down at the timid girl still nestled under my arm, she was obviously nervous but I knew she'd be fine, I'd never met a stronger girl than Scarlett. A few minutes later an officer came back in the room, he seemed friendly, he wore a typical London police uniform, had slightly greying hair and a warm smile graced his face.

"Mr Styles, Miss Kimber, I'm Officer Taylor and I'll be working on your case" He greeted shaking both of our hands politely.

"If you'd like to follow me we'll get started on the interview" He motioned his hand toward a set of stairs. I laced my fingers with Scarlett's and we followed the officer accordingly, where he led us into a small windowless room set up with a table and a few chairs, he sat down in one of them and motioned for us to sit across from him.

"So, I'm aware of the basic over view of the case and we've gathered a few pieces of evidence from the forensic investigation on the apartment, which I will inform you of shortly. But firstly I need to hear both of your stories from that night for evidence." He rambled on as I half listened to what he was saying and half watched Scarlett nervously chewing her nails beside me. A few minutes later he spoke again.

"Ok Scarlett would you like to begin..." Officer Taylor offered pressing a button on a small recording device; She nodded timidly as I brought her hand up towards my lips and kissed it softly.

"Well, Harry left about 8pm so I went for a bath and watched some TV till about 10pm before I went to bed for the night." Scarlett recounted her memories, from the moment she woke up to the blazing inferno, to the second she passed out. I winced as her abundant fear and terror was clear through her voice, still internally kicking myself for not staying at home that night.

"Was there any unusual or suspicious activity going on around you that night or prior to that night?" the officer questioned in a serious tone. I noticed Scarlett wince before speaking.

"I had been getting a few strange text messages a couple of months ago. Anonymous threats that I presumed where off my ex-boyfriend, but nothing had ever come of it, then all of a sudden, after few weeks of not receiving a text I got one the night of the fire. I remember it saying something like 'If I can't have you nobody will'. I only remembered last night when I was thinking back to the fire, something just didn't add up."

Scarlett finished her long speech and with every passing word my fists clenched tighter and my jaw locked. I could feel her gaze upon me but I didn't look back at her, I couldn't. She got another text that night and she didn't call me, I could have come home and stopped her being in danger. I was beyond mad. I briefly heard the officer tell Scarlett that he would go and get the forensic results to see the cause of the fire, and see if her phone was with saved wreckage. As soon as he stood and the door closed Scarlett spoke.

"I'm so sorry Harry really, I was going to call you as soon as I got that text but you deserved a night out without my drama and I honestly thought nothing of it." Scarlett pleaded her eyes brimming with tears. I slammed my chair back only to pace the room with my hands clenched in my hair.

"Your drama is my drama Scarlett! You should have called me! If I was home I could have stopped that fire happening, I could of got you out of danger!" My voice rose as my temper flared, I knew it wasn't her fault really, I knew that whether she called me or not there was no way I could of stopped that fire and I understood her motives for not telling me but there is always that guilty feeling I get whenever something happens to Scarlett.

"You risked your own life to save mine Harry, I think that constitutes as trying to get me out of danger!" Scarlett's voice rose then broke at the end, I knew she had too much to deal with at the moment without me throwing a tantrum and acting like an overprotective prick.

"I'm sorry baby, it's just, shit I worry you know, you should of told me" I spoke quietly sitting back in my previous chair. She nodded tiredly, I leaned over to kiss her on the forehead just as the officer walked back into the room, he held multiple folders and clear packages in his hands that where signed 'evidence'. He settled back in his chair before clearing his throat and beginning.

"We've reviewed the forensics investigation, and Mr Styles and Miss Kimber you may be interested to know that this fire was no accident"....

End notes;
Phewwwww, long chapter! A lot of information at once so I hope y'all understand it. So who'd you think started the fire??? Let us know in the comments! Also we may be starting a new Niall Fanfic pretty soon so keep an eye out! Vote, comment, share, love you guys. -H&C xxx