If It's What You Want A Harry Styles Fanfiction || h. s.

Chapter 75

When Harry opened his eyes, the light coming through the curtains was still dark gray. He grabbed his phone and squinted at the display. 6:30, he thought. I've barely slept. Ashley instantly came to mind. He rolled over and found the bed empty. He found a pair of sweats and pulled them on before walking down the hall to find her. She was asleep on her side on the sofa with her hand wrapped in a towel. The glass of water and bottle of Advil on the coffee table indicated she'd taken something for pain. Why didn't she wake me, he wondered" Immediately irritated, he went to the kitchen for a bottle of water. Dammit!

"Harry?" she called out.

"Yes, sweetheart," he said as he walked back into the living room.

"Is everything okay?"

"Of course. Why?"

"I heard a loud crinkling or something."

He sat on the edge of the coffee table and caressed her hip. "Your hand must have been hurting quite a bit to get you up."

"Did I wake you?"

"No. That's the problem," he said with a hint of irritability in his voice.

"Are you angry?"

He looked at her for a moment and realized he wasn't being reasonable. "No, just grumpy."

"Go lay back down for a while," she said smiling at him.

"How long have you had the ice pack on?"

"What time is it?"

"6:35."

"About an hour, I think," she said shrugging.

"Do you feel like laying back down for a bit?"

"I don't think so. It's still bothering me," she said. "I'll be okay. Go on."

"Alright." He got up abruptly and left the room. Something about the way he walked off hurt Ashley's feelings. I'm being silly. Probably just everything that's happened, she thought. After several minutes, the feeling still hadn't subsided.

She got up from the sofa and walked toward the bedroom. Harry met her in the doorway. "I was coming to apologize."

"For what?" she asked softly.

"I'm in a temper this morning and I'm not sure why. I do know I didn't like waking up to an empty bed."

"I was just trying to let you get some sleep."

"Or was it that you are just so determined to be independent, to not need anyone."

"That's not fair. I let you do everything for me last night," she said as a few tears made their way to her cheeks.

He pushed back his hair and put his face in his hands for a moment. "I'm sorry, Ashley. You are right. Part of me is angry that I wasn't there next to you last night to watch out for you. I think a very small part of me is a tiny bit upset that you were so self-sufficient."

"Harry!"

"Silly, I know," he said looking at her.

"Would you take this towel and ice bag?"

"Of course."

When she removed them both, Harry got a glimpse of her swollen hand. "Let me see that," he said gently taking her wrist and bringing her hand toward him. "Jesus, Ashley. Should we call the doctor?"

"I was looking at a couple of websites on my phone and they both said the same thing. The swelling and bruising are perfectly normal. You should know that from boxing at the gym."