Mute [A One Direction Fanfic] -Amy's Adventures Book 2-

Chapter 18

~Harry's POV~

While I couldn't wait to see my friends again, I also dreaded it in a way. I wanted to be able to talk to them, to surprise them by coming out to see them and telling them myself about how well I was doing and that I might be able to go home soon. I was worried that it would be awkward, with them treating me like a china doll and avoiding me like they were scared that one look would break me. So I was pleasantly surprised when my friends acted like it was old times, before Greg and before I went mute and before everything happened.

"Harry, do you like Jason?" Niall asks curiously, looking at the door Louis, Liam, and Jason just disappeared out of. They're still standing right outside it, talking about something Jason didn't want me to hear. In response to Niall's question I nod, truthfully I thought I would hate my therapist but Jason is really nice.

"Do you know how much longer you'll be here?" Zayn asks, and I shake my head. I want to leave right now, but I doubt that will happen. Jason told me when I first came that I probably wouldn't be able to leave until he was sure that I wasn't going to lapse back into depression. But how can I control that? How can I stop being depressed if my reasons are still there?

"Zayn, don't you remember what Jason told us?" Niall questions, almost scolding Zayn, whose eyes widen.

"Oh yeah, that's right." Zayn remembers, and I look at the two, confused. What are they talking about?

"Jason said that he told you that you wouldn't be able to leave until you were back to normal." Niall explains, apparently now able to read my mind. "But he thinks he worded it badly because he meant something else." I raise an eyebrow, even more confused now.

"He meant that you would be able to leave when you weren't a risk anymore. He wants to make sure that you aren't going to do anything stupid before you leave." Zayn finally explains, glaring at Niall, who shrugs. The door opens and Liam, Louis, and Jason walk in, smiling.

"Harry, it's time for your friends to go now." Jason says, his smile dropping. I nod, looking at my friends and wondering when I'll get to see them again.

"We'll see you soon, Harry!" Zayn says, hugging me then walking out of the room.

"Bye Harry! Stay strong!" Niall exclaims, also giving me a tight hug before following Zayn.

"I can't wait to see... you again." Liam says, hugging me more softly than the other two. When he leaves, Jason follows, leaving me alone with Louis.

"Harry, I know you can do it. Just keep fighting and remember that life isn't easy. If you mess up, don't beat yourself up about it. I want to see you come out of here with a smile on your face, alright?" Louis says, and I nod, hugging him. Louis turns and leaves the room, looking back with a smile before disappearing down the hallway after the rest of the gang.

I'll fight for you, Louis.

~Louis' POV~

On the ride home, everyone is silent, our thoughts filled with Harry's smiling face and our ears ringing with his laugh. It's incredible to see him so happy again, like the past few months never happened. Maybe even the past year or so. Sometimes I wish we could go back to before the meeting with management, when Greg was just another annoying man trying to tell us what to do, when Liam was happier than I'd ever seen him because he was finally reunited with his sister. I wonder if anyone else wishes we could only turn back time?

~•~•~•~•~

"Liam, we can't lie to him." Niall protests as soon as he learns about our plan.

"What if it's the only... way to save him?" Liam shoots back, crossing his arms.

"But what happens when he finds out that Trent is still out there? He'll probably go back to being afraid of everything, maybe even worse because he'll lose his trust in us. It just isn't worth it." Zayn sides with Niall, glaring at Liam and I.

"We need to find Trent and lock him up. Maybe we can convince Harry that Trent won't be able to hurt him if he's behind bars." I try to find a compromise.

"Isn't that what we've been... doing all along?" Liam challenges, still not backing down.

"And who said it wasn't working? Harry is getting back to his old self, we all saw that. He just needs to feel safe here." Zayn replies, smiling a little.

"But he's safe at the facility, so why is he still so scared?" Niall asks, and I realize that we've been looking at everything the wrong way.

"He doesn't care if he's safe." I say, my eyes opening to Harry's problem. "He wants us to be safe. He's fine there, but we're still at the house where Trent can easily take one of us again. That's why Harry is so scared. Not for his safety, for ours." I look around, and Niall, Zayn, and Liam all have looks of realization on their faces.

"When we visited him, he wasn't checking behind his back, he was checking behind ours." Zayn says, his own way of agreeing.

"I don't think Jason... realizes that that's what Harry's really having trouble with. Harry knows but he's hiding it, again so we won't... get hurt." Liam processes everything out loud, shaking his head. "This is complicated." He complains.

"So to get Harry to feel safe, we have to be safe?" Niall asks, making sure he understands. I nod, frowning.

"But how do we make ourselves safe? And how do we let Harry know that we are?" I ask no one in particular, just hoping for an answer.

"I guess that's what... we have to figure out." Liam says, sighing. "We should... probably get started."