When you tell the world you're mine

Chapter 20: If you need me to be with you, I'll be there

Carol woke up a few hours later with gentle fingers running through her hair. She found it soothing and even though she was awake, she didn't open her eyes. She just enjoyed the caress and how comforting it was. It was probably her mom or her boyfriend. She tried to get a better position in bed and groaned in pain. She was already hating to be on bed rest.

When she opened her eyes she found a piercing pair of blue ones staring at her concerned. She smiled brightly when she recognized those eyes. But to be honest she thought she was dreaming.

"Harry..." she said whispering and looking at him.

"Hey darling." Harry said smiling.

"Am I high on painkillers?" she asked looking around to see if she really was in her bedroom.

"Am I your fantasy when you're high?" he asked amused.

"Of course not." she rolled her eyes and he was relieved to see that she hadn't lost that trait.

"Then... this is pretty much reality." he kept running his fingers through her hair and smiled when she leaned closer in his hands and was enjoying it.

"What are you doing here?"

"I boarded the first plane after Julia told me. When you called I was going through customs at the airport. I wouldn't be anywhere else but here with you." he said and she smiled.

"Thank you, Henry." she said.

He simply kissed her temple and went to fetch her a glass of water she asked. He was taking care of her and was concerned about her. And Harry was going out of his way to be there for her and her family. He helped Carol to get up and get to the bathroom and she had to fight him to leave her there alone. He made her bed, fluffed her pillows, he talked about non senses and serious things. He told her how Edward found out Meghan's doing and how he broke up with her. But all of those things happened when Carol was awake. She was always in and out because of the meds. And when he did left her side, he was comforting Maria. Carol's mom had hugged him tight when she opened the gates and saw him there. Even though they didn't speak the same language, somethings needn't to be said and were universal.

He helped Carol's mom to clean the things from the party doing most of the job for her, he kept Hailey (and even Agnes) updated on Carol's condition and he literally kicked Julia out of the house a couple of times. He said they could take shifts to not let their friend alone. Harry learned where things in her house was stored so he wouldn't bother Maria asking for things he might need and even learned where the closest store was so when Maria needed something to cook, he went there to buy it for her. Flavio and him had a really serious talk when their girls were asleep and they both agreed on a very serious legal suit to prevent this thing from happening again.

Bill had to sleep on the living room and Harry made himself a makeshift bed on the floor, beside Carol's bed. He couldn't sleep and he watched her sleep. They slept holding hands every night with him caressing her fingers. He had to inform his father and brother he was miles away from home to take care of his friend. Charles and William wanted to know who she was and why he was doing that, but he only told them he'd explain when he got back in London.

It took a week for Carol to be able to get up and down by herself. She was still in pain, but she was able to sit, to walk and didn't need to be babysat all the time. Her mom reluctantly got back to work (just like Flavio) and Carol spent her free time talking to Harry and chatting on Skype with his friends.

One of those nights, after Carol got up to go take a shower, Skippy told Harry:

'You're totally marrying that one, mate."