Just keep breathing

Chapter 34

Harry's perspective

Shit. Did I really just say that? Not the time Styles. Poor girl is upset. She doesn't need you pushing your feelings on her right now. Wait, why is she so upset? Sure the scene at the bar wasn't nice at all, and I get her being shocked by it, but.. surely she should be more mad than upset? That jerk had no right to touch her or speak to her the way that he did. Why is she blaming herself?

I wrap my arms back around her shaking frame and lift her from the bathroom floor, she's shivering from the cold, and gently carry her to her bed, still shocked by my bad timing.

I've been wanting to tell her that since Japan. Since the moment she fell into my arms when she ran off the plane, but tonight was definitely not the right way. She deserves hearts and flowers, not that I've not tried to give her those already. But she doesn't deserve some idiot saying he's falling for her whilst she's crying on her bathroom floor.

After depositing Katie on the bed, I decide to take a quick shower, I still have her blood on my hands, and I don't think she needs the constant reminder every time she looks at me.

By the time I come back into the bedroom she's sleeping soundly, a single tear still glistening on her perfect cheek. I reach over to brush it away, but the moment my skin makes contact with hers, her eyes snap open, and she quickly retreats as far away on the bed as she can, what the hell?

"Katie, I'm sorry baby it's just me, I didn't mean to scare you," I say quietly trying not to startle her again.

She blinks rapidly as if trying to clear some unknown image from her vision before her eyes focus on me.

"Harry?" she asks softly

"It's just me," I repeat.

"I'm sorry I must have been dreaming." She apologises again, why does she feel the compulsion to keep doing that? I wonder to myself idly.

"Please stop apologising. You've done nothing wrong. You had a shock this evening, that's all. Things will look better tomorrow, I promise." I say.

Slowly, I reach my hand towards her beautiful face, wanting to comfort her, but desperate not to scare her again. I make sure to take my time and give her as much warning as possible before I tuck a stray strand of her long brown hair behind her ear.

I see her visibly relax at my touch, and I am relieved. Letting out a long-held breath as she crawls across the bed and positions herself in my lap, with her head tucked under my chin, the way she has done practically every night since I've known her when she wakes in the night from a bad dream.

She hasn't yet confided in me as to what happens in the dreams that wake her with strangled screams, and I haven't pushed, not wanting to make her have to relive it. But I wish she'd talk to me.

"Would you like me to sing to you?" I ask her, Another thing I've taken to doing every time she wakes, as I run my fingers up and down her arm trying to soother her.

"Yes, please," she mumbles quietly into my chest. So I take a deep breath and begin singing the first thing that pops into my head.

I figured it out
I figured it out from black and white
Seconds and hours
Maybe they had to take some time

I know how it goes
I know how it goes for wrong and right
Silence and sound
Did they ever hold each other
Tight like us?
Did they ever fight like us?

You & I
We don't want to be like them
We can make it 'til the end
Nothing can come between
You & I
Not even the gods above
Could separate the two of us
No, nothing can come between
You & I
Oh, you & I