Strawberries and Cigarettes ~ {h.s au}

chapter forty one ***

Only it hadn't worked, because no matter how hard she tried to convince herself that everything was going to be okay, that she was going to be okay... she couldn't bring herself to believe it.

She had been so lost in her own thoughts that she hadn't even heard the car pull up behind her. She didn't hear the door to the drivers side slam shut, or hear the footsteps coming from behind her.

She did however, become overwhelmed with the scent of cigarettes when a familiar pair of tattooed arms wrapped around her body.

She curled into them, not even bothering to look as she dug her face into their t-shirt. They held her tight, shushing her softly into her ear as the sobs escaped her lips. She couldn't hold back anymore, she had shoved her emotions down for as long as she could remember. Only now, she couldn't fight them even if she tried... because the girl had simply been strong for too long.

"It's okay, blue."

She shook her head, wrapping her arms around his much larger frame as she tried to silence her cries. The wind seemed to come to a stand still, the sounds of the waves crashing into the shore below finally back into her ears. She could feel the grass poking her legs as she shifted her body to be closer to his.

He reponsonded immediately, pulling her into his chest as he drew small circles onto her lower back that had now become exposed due to their shift in position. A chill ran down her spine at the contact, wanting nothing more than for him to stay with her as she closed her eyes and inhaled the smell of the cigarettes that never seemed to leave his side.

"They're gone, Harry," she whispered, the words seemingly breaking her more as she spoke. "They're gone and it's all my fault."

"C'mon, Marley," he said softly, picking her head off of his chest. "How could you possibly think this is your fault, baby?"

"Because I promised Cole they wouldn't separate us. I told him that we would always be together because we're Becks, and Becks are supposed to fucking stick together. If I would have just tried a little harder, maybe I could've shown that I could take care of them, that I could keep them safe like I promised."

"There was nothing that could have been done, Marley. Nothing you would have done would've changed it," he whispered, trying his hardest to calm her thoughts that were sending her down a rabbit hole.

She stayed quiet for a moment, closing her eyes as he placed his hand onto her cheek, wiping away the stray tears that had fallen from blue eyes. She opened them slowly, her breath being taken away by the way he was looking at her.

She leaned into his touch, finally allowing herself to feel safe... even if it was just for a moment. He placed a few of the hairs that were stuck to her cheek and tucked them behind her ear, placing a small kiss to the spot where they once were.

For the first time that night she let out a small giggle, slowly turning her face to the side in hopes that he would get the hint that she wanted another one. He did, only this time he placed a small kiss to her cheek, the tip of her nose, her forehead, and then finally... a sweet kiss to her pouty, swollen lips.

She pulled apart from him, slowly wrapping her arms around his shoulders as he nuzzled her face into his neck before whispering softly, "I'm scared, Harry."

He held tighter, running his fingers through her hair as he slightly rocked the pair back and forth. He whispered soft nothings into her ear, before her breathing started to quicken. She was about to lose control of the world going on around her, and she could feel her life slipping through her fingertips.

"You're okay," he whispered, shushing her softly like she had done for him just the night before.

He softly counted into her ear, sending her mind into clarity as his deep voice hummed quietly into her ear. "One," he said soothingly, having her copy his actions as he inhaled deeply. "Two," he spoke, waiting for her to get her labored breath out before continuing. "Three," he hummed quietly, before repeating the action as the wind consumed the two.