Different (Sequel to 5V, 5M, 1G, 1D) (One Direction Fanfiction)

Chapter 14

Songs for this chapter:

Empty Chairs at Empty Tables from Les Miserables

It's Quiet Uptown from Hamilton: An American Musical

Natasha Lost from Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (off-Broadway edition)

                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Lacy's POV

I flicker in and out of consciousness, refusing to open my eyes to the cruel world that has stolen away the piece of my heart that was disguised as a tattooed angel. After restlessly shifting on the uncomfortable mattress, I peel my eyelids open, forcing my stiff hands to wipe away the crusty trails of sleep from the corners of my eyes.

"Good morning," Louis' soft voice soothes the roaring in my ears as my gaze flickers aimlessly around the room, settling on his warm face after only a moment. 

"Hi," I whisper, my voice hoarse and scratchy, expected qualities that come after a day's worth of screaming and sobbing. 

"Here." My Harry blurs into view, setting a water bottle in my open grip. The top comes off easily, and I eagerly down more than half of the bottle, coughing as the liquid slides down my rough throat. Both boys, though they are hardly boys anymore, pound softly on my back to ease the choking fit. Reacting on instinct and previous adrenaline, my body is yanked away from their touch involuntarily, memories of Zayn flooding through my mind. 

"'Lacy, shh, babe, calm down!' Zayn exclaims, putting a hand over my mouth."

"'Lacy, love, wake up or I'll make you,' a deep voice whispers in my ear...I hear Zayn chuckle. He runs his mouth over my jaw and my neck."

"I look up from where Louis is trying to console me, my ears ringing with the horrifying sound of Zayn screaming...I thrash in his grip, clutching onto his arm when I'm faced with the scene of Zayn bleeding out as a branch pierces through his body."

My wild eyes dart around the room, searching and searching for the face of my lost beloved. The sounds escaping Louis' and Harry's mouths don't reach my ears as I back myself further and further into a corner of the room; I fall to my knees, clutching my head as the recollection of my fallen lover surfaces once more to my mind.

"'Believe me, we were almost in the same place. Liam was quiet and depressed, Louis no longer laughed and moped around, Niall constantly cried, his tears never ceasing, and Harry stayed locked up in his room. As for me, I heard her voice in my head many times, and memories played right before my eyes. We were broken, Mrs. Hale, and we know that Lacy is broken as well. I just hope that we'll be able to fix her,' Zayn speaks, kissing my forehead when he finishes."

"'Lacy, stay with us, dammit! You are not leaving us!' Zayn yells, brushing back the hair from my forehead."

"'Can I borrow one of your sweatshirts?' I ask him, pulling the classic "puppy dog" face. Zayn walks over and kisses my mouth gently, sucking on my bottom lip before letting go."

How could I let myself fall for him, for any of them? How could I expose myself to the inevitable pain and suffering? Oh God! I cry my thoughts out to an empty mind, struggling to stay afloat amongst the drowning waters of memories. Gasps erupt into the air as tears leave their marks amongst my rosy cheeks. The breathing I emit continues to be hysterical until my head is forced to the side from the harsh force of a slap. Harry stands above me, a concerned, guilty look on his face as his hand falls back to his side.

"I'm sorry, Lacy, but it was necessary," the curly haired lad begins to explain, kneeling down and clutching my hands in his. "You were gone, muttering like a crazy person about Zayn."

"He's gone!" The shriek leaves my lips as the sobs detonate inside of me. 

"Yes, he is," Louis agrees, joining Harry by my side as tears slide silently down his face. "Zayn has passed on from this world; the only thing we can hope for is that he is in a much better place, waiting for us to pass on as well. Zayn wouldn't want you to sit by as the world is being destroyed, mourning his loss. Zayn would want you to be safe, something you cannot be as long as Ed is wreaking havoc with your father."

"Louis is right," Harry murmurs, smothering my burning and wounded cheek with his hand. The pain etches away from my skin as his large palm engulfs my cheekbone. 

"Okay," I whisper, hastily wiping away the remnants of my meltdown. Louis' outstretched arm supports my shaking legs, and unsteadily, I maneuver the trail to the bed. With the arrival of a panic attack retreating into the dark crevices of my mind, I now notice the full array of breakfast foods on the bed. Snatching a plate of eggs from a television tray, I quickly scarf down the scrambled provision. Pacing myself after the eggs have vanished from the plate, I force myself to swallow more water before reaching for a plate of sausages and bacon. 

Harry begins to rub quick, small circles onto my left ankle, swallowing thoroughly before beginning to speak. 

"After you've finished eating, we're going to leave the hotel. Liam and Niall have told us of the location of your mother; she's being held captive by your father, Brutus, that ancient wizard who's causing the world to prematurely end, and Ed."

I swallow the food in my mouth, taking another drink of water as I try to disperse the anger I fell deep inside of my chest.

"You mean to tell me," I start, narrowing my eyes at both boys, "that Liam and Niall called but you didn't bother to tell me until now? You didn't even wake me up to talk to them!"

Louis audibly swallows and glances at Harry who remains unfazed. 

"If someone wasn't too busy not breathing, I could have informed you earlier. I also cared too much about your health to wake you up when you were mentally and physically drained," the green-eyed boy responds, the fire in his eyes matching my own. I roll my eyes and push away the rest of my food, standing up from the bed.

"I assume that you brought clothes and toiletries for me to use," I raise a brow challengingly at Harry, my heart clenching at how Zayn would have laughed in this moment. Harry stares at me for only a minute before gathering a change of clothes and various other supplies, pushing them into my arms. I take a moment to ground myself and repress the grieve attempting to surpass me, giving Louis a reassuring smile before I disappear into the bathroom. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                        

and we're back! i missed you all; i really did! however, i did not miss this story the monstrosity it has become! i was rereading some of both the original and this story for the flashback sequences, and i can't believe how awful some of this mess is. 

Also, i didn't realize how much lacy sleeps until i was rereading this material. i have always written by myself and have never acquired a beta, so of course, the original is just the ramblings of a 14 year old.

i agree with all of the comments on how much lacy sleeps. it is an atrocity, yes, i know. 

also, i hate all of the 'i's' and 'my's' in this story; i'm trying to stick to the original style that i wrote the story in, so for now, the repetive nature must stay. once the story is completed and the editing process has begun, this story will look much different, i am sure.

i plan to write a chapter every week until this story is completed. i am hoping that i will have this finished by christmas or the end of the year at the latest, a gift from myself to all of you faithful readers. i love all of you, i really do. thank you for sticking with me through everything; i am forever in your debt. 

until next time.

stay sexy.

-mh