Walking In the Wind // 1D AU ✓

Chapter 1

~A week ago you said to me,

"Do you believe I'll never be too far?"~

AUGUST 19TH

She rubbed her blearily and stepped out into the hallway. There was no way to tell from this side of the house what time of day it was - really late, extremely early. When you're a workaholic, none of it really matters, and it definitely didn't matter to her. All she knew was that if she knocked on Nicholas' office door, he answered. That's the way that it always was - she knocked, and he answered.

So her knuckles hit the wood three times, and his voice called out. "Come in." She opened the door enough to slide through, and then shut it again. The blinds were drawn. That meant that there was still no conclusion as to what time it was. There was Nicholas - her aging boss. The man who never slept, just like her. But her insomnia was a side effect of medication, while his was stress-induced. "Gemma," He greeted her. "What do you need?"

The two worked well together - both preferring to get right down to business than exchange pleasantries. She'd been with him for a long time - before her little brother had ever come to her and spoken in tongues about being a getaway driver for the biggest businessman on the east coast of the United States.

The only argument Nicholas and Gemma had ever had was over him pushing his brother in Harry's direction. He wanted something to hold over Simon, and Harry and Gemma's relationship was the perfect weapon. If the two ever clashed, he had an advantage, and she hated it. Hated that Harry was caught up in this world of crime.

"Just need some signatures," She yawned and held out a folder. He continued looking at his computer while signing the highlighted spaces. Gemma was everything to him - except a lover. She ran his companies, ran his money through off-shore accounts, ran his teams, ran his financials. He was a figurehead, and she was in charge. In exchange, she got the best doctors, and safety for her brother.

"Did you hack that list of accounts I sent to you?" He questioned as she began to turn towards the door.

"I've been busy with the security updates," She explained. "There's a lot of them. I can ask Nick to take more of the responsibility, but-"

"Get it done or I'll take him off the no-hit list." Her lips zipped shut. No excuses mattered to him. There was only him getting what he wanted.

With a small nod, Gemma went back into the hallway. The only noise in the large London residence was the sound of five alarm clocks going off simultaneously. Finally, she knew what time it was.

Six in the morning.

She sat down on the floor outside of her office and clutched her hips. The pain was agonizing, and an erratic sleep schedule didn't make anything better. There was a trip to the hospital in order soon.

Loud footsteps clomped down the stairs, and Gemma rolled her eyes as Nick Grimshaw came into full view with not a single shred of clothing on. "Coward. Take an advil." That was the same remark he said to her time and time again.