Dark Flame - (Liam Payne AU)

Ch. 14

Liam POV:

Her kiss left me breathless, and longing for more. When she pulled away and said "Goodnight", I could still feel the warmth of her lips on mine. I smiled up at her as she reached the top of the stairs, and turned. Her black hair fell just over her shoulder, and she began to get color back in her face. Her clothes were baggy on her, since she had lost so much weight. I knew that we had to help eachother recover. I had to help her get back on track, and she had to help me stay on it. She turned and walked away, leaving the space she had just been in empty. I heard her door open and shut, then there was complete silence through the house, besides the small footsteps of Rudy in the kitchen. I went into the kitchen and pet him on the head. Rudy has been my little reminder of Juliet for the past few months. I opened the door to my newly, high fenced in backyard, and let him go use the bathroom. I grabbed a cigarette out of my jacket pocket, and lit it. I let the smoke fill my lungs and I began to feel more relaxed. I had started smoking again about one month ago. I finished the cigarette and threw it on the ground, then stepped on it. I looked up at the sky; it was clear. The stars looked like flames from a million candles. I began to think of Juliet, and how she was the flame in my life. My life was dark, but she was the fire, the flame, the burning feeling, that kept me going day after day. 

Rudy was now finished with his business, and I let him inside. He immediately ran up to Juliet's room. I knew now that I would be sleeping alone for the first time in 2 months.

-

I jolted out of my bed when I heard Juliet screaming. I knew it had to be another nightmare, she has had at least three this week. I ran into her room and sat down next to her, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"What happened this time?" I asked, concerned.

"I couldn't breathe." Was all she said. I held her in my arms and pressed my face into her hair until she began to drift off into sleep. I pulled the blanket back over her, then I turned off her bedside light. 

"Night, Liam." she murmered.

"Goodnight, Juliet." I said, closing the door behind me.

-

Juliet,

Had to go to work. Be back later, promise.

Liam x 

I had left her a note before going to work. I knew it was a long shot, putting the word "promise" down, but I knew I would make it back. For her.

Today wasn't as dangerous. All I had to do was go to Enrique's house and look through all of his stuff. I had at least 50 men guarding the mansion as I did so. I searched through his safe, his basement, where I found a few of the things Juliet must have used.

I went through his file cabinets, and I found a few things that might come in handy. I found nothing about my sister, though. 

I kept searching all through his house. I made it to his room, and looked around. I checked his other safe, in the wall. What I found in there is what made me the most interested. I found the pink heart-shaped locket that my sister used to wear. Inside, there was a picture of my mother, father, me, and Essie. We all looked so young, unmarked by tragedy. The funny thing is, I don't remember taking this picture. I can't imagine Essie being able to remember it. 

I was sure of one thing, however. Essie was alive.

Juliet POV:

I woke up to an empty house and a note on my beside table. I smiled at Liam's sloppy handwriting. No matter how hard he tried to be a bad ass, it would never ever work. I knew there was so much more to him than a tattered leather jacket and a body covered in battle scars. I never asked him about the scars, but I knew they were there. There was bullet wounds, and knife wounds. I never asked about them, simply because I didn't know how he felt about them. I was always staring at them, though. I knew he knew. I began to think about Liam as a child. Untouched. Innoccent. Trusting. He must have been such a free-spirited boy, and then his whole world fell apart around him, and all he could do was watch as every single person he loved was taken out of his life.