Becoming Elliott (Harry Styles)

Seven.

'I USED TO BE A CHARMER, BUT NOW THERE'S HOLES IN MY ARMOR, FUCK'

E L L I O T T C O L E

"You may leave this house," my eyes were tight on Harry as I stood in the office with him. "You will never return again," his words were harsh but I didn't care I didn't want to be here any longer than necessary. "Niall can leave but not with you."

I stood tall as I kept him in my line of vision, "What has happened to you?" My voice turned soft as I asked him. So much time had passed but I couldn't get over how he'd changed in that time, he used to be cold but now he was heartless too. 

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, he was bored with my questions now. I knew him, I knew his tells. "It seems I am going soft," he widened his eyes for a brief moment before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. "Take these, get him out of here. I never want to see either of you again," he warned me, his tone deadly as he spoke. "If I do, I'll kill you both."

Snatching the keys from his hand, I didn't look at him as I sprinted from the room. 

I returned to Niall, my hands fumbling with the keys in the lock before he fell into my arms. His weight was heavy but I managed to hold him as I got back to my feet, supporting him too. "We have to leave," I said quietly as I looked towards the door. "You have to help me, Ni."

"Why did you come back?" He asked me, he sounded exhausted, like talking was taking it out of him. 

"For you," I sighed as I dragged him towards the door. The sooner we were out of here, the sooner I could try and get Niall to somewhere safe. For me, I could return to my sham of a fake life and make a difference there. 

Stumbling through the house, I left with someone from the front of the house giving us a lift to the gates before we were out in the big wide world again. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I sent a text to Will, he was quick to arrive before I bundled Niall into the back seat slamming the door behind him. 

I walked to the front of the car, I looked back at the gate to my father's house. The men on the gates were holding their gun tightly, one was on his radio speaking in a hushed tone into it as he stared at me. Shaking my head, I got into the passenger seat before I slammed the door behind me, "Drive, now!"

Will was quick to put his foot down, I held on to the door handle as I stared out at the world. 

Coming back to Granston had been a mistake. Sure, I saved Niall but in doing that I had broken down everything. I had seen Harry again, my insides clenched at the thought of him. My father was getting older and wiser, it seemed. I missed having a real family, my father had always been my number one as I grew up but now I only had myself to rely on. And Thomas, we'd been through so much as children, we'd grown together and created a bond I thought would never break. His loyalties had changed after I left for my new life, I hoped he would find a way to do the same but instead, he'd grown more like out father at that age. 

"I can't go with you," I said to Will. "I have to go home. I can't take Niall, you have to get him somewhere safe. He needs to move away from this life, forget about everything."

Will glanced at me, "You won't be safe there, Ell."

Turning my head to look at Niall who was laying, broken on the back seat I sighed. "I don't care. I don't need protection, I can look after myself. I would rather die defending myself and doing what is right, than hiding forever. Niall is important right now," I looked back at the man who was driving. "Promise me," I was basically begging. "You need to take him far away from here, just keep driving."

"And you?"

"I'll return, I'll be Emma and maybe one day we will all be safe again," I looked out the back window afraid we were being followed. "Stop the car," I demanded quickly. 

Will pulled the car to the side of the road, he stopped the engine and looked at me. "What are you doing?" He asked me as I opened the car door. 

Turning my head back to him, I smiled. "I'm leaving," I told him before I leaned across the car and kissed him on the cheek. "Delete my number," I warned him. "Get rid of anything that links us together, please. Be safe. Take care of Ni." 

He nodded at me, "Be safe, Elliott."

"You too," I gave him a sad smile before I got out of his car and slammed the door. 

I watched as he drove away. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes for a second as I let myself try to breathe through the stress that was filling my body. 

Being here was an amazing achievement. I was standing on the ground, I'd been running and doing all the things I never thought I would do again. This would have been perfect if my life was not so much of a mess. 

Grabbing my phone, I rang one of the normal people from my new life. "Oliver," I managed once he answered the phone. 

"Emma, where are you? Lance said you were-"

"It's a long story, I'm just going to need you to pick me up from the train station," I said as I began to walk in the direction of the centre of town where the train station was. "I'm going to catch the next train back, so I should be there in an hour or so."

I listened as he sighed, "Have you ever thought to ask if I was busy or not?"

"Are you?" I humoured him as I picked up the pace as I moved away from the busy main road. 

"Well, no," he said slowly before he laughed. "Okay, I'll be there but you're taking me out for something to eat."

"Deal," I said before I ended the call. Slipping my phone into my jacket pocket, I held everything in them tightly as I walked fast towards the station. I needed to get away from here as quickly as I could. There was no telling if someone was following me, I just hoped getting on a train might shake them off.