Just keep breathing

Chapter 29

As the engines start to whir to life beneath us, I can feel my chest constricting and the panic rising in my throat. I grip on to Mel's hand for support tightly.

"It's going to be fine." she tries to soothe me.

"Please don't break my hand though, I don't want the first place I go in Japan to be the hospital..." she adds with a wince

"Why did I agree to this?" I say as I try to loosen my grip on her hand a little, "I must have had a temporary moment of insanity. I can't do this!"

"Yes, you can. Just think how happy Harry will be when we get there."

"Is it too late to change my mind? " I ask childishly as the plane starts to speed up and the tarmac outside the window zooms past faster and faster.

"Haha, yeah I think so babe. I bought you some Valium, take one, you'll feel better, and it'll help you sleep." She says, passing me a small white pill.

I hate taking pills, but I hate flying more, so as soon as we are safely in the air, I ask the hostess to bring me a bottle of water.

The plane is beautifully furnished, with large plush leather chairs that recline practically flat. It's spacious and more luxurious than I could have imagined, especially with only me, Mel and Toby on board. Harry decided he'd rather we didn't travel alone so asked Toby if he might like to accompany us and he jumped at the chance.

The pilot informed us shortly before take-off that we'd be flying from London to Copenhagen, just under a two-hour flight, where we would then refuel and have a three-hour layover before continuing for nearly eleven hours to Japan. It's going to be a long day.

In an attempt to relax me, Mel has bought along not one, but two One Direction DVD's, a movie and a concert, she reckons that the more I focus on Harry, the easier this journey will be, but I am not so sure. I lay back in my chair and try and sleep for the first leg at least.

Sixteen and a half hours later, we finally touch down in Japan. I hated the flight, but I am just relieved to be on solid ground again and try and push it out of my mind.

I don't have to worry about getting back on one of those horrible contraptions for a few days at least.

Harry has one show tonight, the final show tomorrow. Then he has arranged for us to stay on in Tokyo for most of a week before we head back to London. Mel is ecstatic as we make our way through Haneda airport, pointing out all the differences between here and the UK, but I am just exhausted and want to get to the hotel.

We finally make our way through arrivals, and I feel Toby's steady hand take the handle of my bright pink suitcase from me

"Here, let me, you're exhausted." He says

"I don't know why I am so tired. I did get some sleep on the plane" I answer him

"That'll be the Valium, knocks you on your arse." Mel chimes in. "You'll be right as rain tomorrow babe don't worry."

I link my arm in hers and focus on watching my feet as we walk, making sure that I continue to put one in front of the other in a straight line and don't trip over. After what feels like miles, Mel interrupts my thoughts,

"Erm, babe, you really might want to look up once in a while and take in the view." She says, and I can hear a slight smile in her voice.

I glance up and quickly scan the area ahead of us, there in front of me, stood in tight black skinny jeans, a white Britney Spears t-shirt, black hat and wrapped in a light black jacket, holding a sign that reads 'Miss Francis and party', is Harry.

I can feel my feet moving faster underneath me and, without ever deciding to, I break into a run, as I reach Harry, I jump up at him and throw my arms around his neck. Thankfully he has good reflexes and wraps his strong arms around my waist, catching me.

"Hey, darling." He says into my ear as I nuzzle into his neck, breathing in the delicious smell that is so uniquely him. God, I've missed that. I pull my head back to look at him.

"Hey, you. I didn't expect you to meet us!" I say a little too loudly in my excitement, seems the Valium is starting to wear off at last.

"I couldn't just sit in the hotel waiting. I needed to see you." He replies and gently bends to kiss my cheek as he sets me down on my feet.

Belatedly, I realise that we are in the middle of an airport and try and compose myself. Not the place for public displays of affection, but as Harry shakes Toby's hand and greets Mel, I can't take my eyes off of him. Has he always been this beautiful? I wonder to myself. He catches me staring and gives me a quizzical look

"What?"

"Nothing, I just forgot how pretty you are," I say quietly.

"Look who's talking." He says as he blushes slightly and brushes a stray strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers linger there just a moment longer than is necessary and he takes a deep sigh and bends down to whisper

"I need to get you out of here, I cannot possibly do any of the things that are running through my head right now in the middle of an airport, and there is only so long I'm going to be able to control myself. If we don't hurry, I'm going to end up bending you over the baggage carousel."

I smile giddily as he takes my case from Toby and leads us outside.

"Finally! " I say and flop face-first on to the king-size bed in Harry's huge suite in the Hilton. "I feel like I've been travelling for weeks. I don't know how you do it."

"You get used to it, I guess. I read a lot. Write. Try and make the most of the time so that it doesn't feel wasted. This tour has been easier than previous ones, at least I have had the odd few days off here and there. With the boys, we'd finish a show in one city, get on the plane, land in a new city and do a show that night, and repeat for months on end."

"Clearly, you aren't human," I mumble back, my face buried in the duvet. I feel the bed depress as Harry climbs on top of me, straddling my back and starts to massage my shoulders.

"Thank you so much for coming," he says as he kneads the knots from my tired back. "I've missed having this body in my hands."

I roll beneath him so that we are face to face. "I knew you only wanted me for my body." I tease him. "There must be cheaper ways to get laid than flying me across the world though" I wink playfully and he grabs my hands and pins them to my sides.

"Cheaper... Probably... but nowhere near as satisfying. I told you, there's only one woman I want in my bed."

He leans down over me slowly and pushes his soft, warm lips to mine, my body comes alive with desire for him, and I hear myself groan as his tongue slips into my mouth. We roll so that we are side by side on the delightfully comfortable bed and I stroke my fingers up and down his muscular arms.

"How was the flight though? Not too terrible, I hope?" He asks me as his large hands move to my waist and his thumb moves in small circles over the soft flesh above my hip.

"It was worth it for this," I say quietly before stretching to kiss him again.

My body is aching to be near him and bows towards him of its own accord, pushing against his. I slide my fingers under his T-Shirt and pull it over his head, exposing his perfectly sculpted torso as he moves to kiss my neck.

"I want to kiss every inch of you." He whispers into my ear.

"I'm all yours."