Fishnarts // N.H

Chapter Ten

My hand flew to my forehead as I stumbled backward. Star caught me while I groaned and rubbed the place where the door so gracefully smacked me. I looked ahead to see who was the idiot who hit me with the door and saw Harry, wide-eyed and mouth gaping. He looked like he had seen a ghost rather than me. 

"So, if I didn't die from hypothermia, I'd die from a concussion," I said jokingly as I straightened up and rubbed my forehead, I could feel a bump forming there. "You guys seem to want me dead."

Sometimes I found some dark-ish humor to be useful in situations like these.

Suddenly, he went from that statues state he fell in and lumped at me. He took me between his arms and hugged me tightly. I was genuinely surprised, I didn't expect that reaction. I didn't expect anyone from the organization -or anyone at all- to actually... miss me. I didn't think I was that important to them. And sensing that I was something to them was what made me wrap my arms around his waist, hugging him back. Then, I waited for him to say something. 

It felt good to be hugged. The feeling of being alone had vanished.

"Oh, thank God!" He exclaimed as he pulled back and put me at arm's length. 

He examined me from head to toes, worry evident on his face. "What? What's wrong?" I asked as in a way to feel less awkward.

I wasn't used to be cared about by people who weren't my aunt, my uncle, Milliana and Liza. Well, Daniel and Mike did too but not to the intensity that they'd inspect me for injuries.

He looked me in the eyes. "I don't know, Elina," he muttered, "maybe you disappeared for three days and we thought you were dead?!" He yelled at me. 

I squirmed. I opened my mouth to tell my side of the story, but he continued talking. 

"Where were you?!" He yelled. "We've been worried sick! Niall went insane, he looked for you everywhere! Hell! He's still out there looking for you!"

"I-" I said but stopped short. 'Do I want to lie to him?'

Star coughed behind me and caught Harry's attention. 'Thank you, Star,' I thought.

"Who is that?" He said with a straight voice and blank face. 

"This is Star," I said as he looked back at me. Then, I hesitated when I said those next words, "she saved me."

'I was going to tell only the first-half of the truth,' I thought.

His eyes widened. "Saved you? Saved you from what?" He said in a panicked voice.

Once again, I opened my mouth to talk, but was cut off by the outer door opening. My heart pounded, I felt him. I turned around to meet his tired eyes.

"Niall," I mumbled as my eyes filled with tears. I blinked them away and focused on him.

'Why are you tearing up? Why does your chest feel relieved and pained? Isn't he just someone else who you work with?' My inner voice taunted.

His face was guarded and unsure. He looked up at the ceiling and shouted, "if I'm dreaming then spare me!"

'Is he talking to... God?' I thought as I narrowed my eyes in confusion. 

"I told you he went insane," Harry whispered from behind me. 

"Niall," I called him, he looked at me and stared, "you're not dreaming," I said as I started walking towards him.

I stood in front of him, waiting for a reaction. His hand reached out to touch my cheek and caressed the cold skin, leaving a trail of fireworks. Then, he caught my upper arm and pulled me towards him. He hugged me even tighter than Harry. His arms forming a protective cage around me as he buried his head in my neck. He deeply breathed in as his arms tightened even more.