Domineering

Thirty Six

"Okay River, I'm just going to explain to you what we're going to be doing to treat you. We're giving you dosages of oxycodone for the pain and we have oxazepam to give you if anything in your environment triggers any anxiety. In the long term you and I will be meeting regularly and we're going to use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy which will turn any of your negative thoughts and feelings into positive ones. If that doesn't work or causes too much distress then we will have to look at other options. We're going to keep you in this room for about another week by them you should be okay to move around and sleep in your own room and eat with everyone else. If you need anything Grace and I are just a call away. Make sure you get plenty of rest River." Harley gives me a small smile after his long speech about my treatment and then leaves the room. Harry squeeze my hand after a while, in a reassuring kind of way.

"Have my parents contacted you? We'll have to go and see them or they'll start getting suspicious."

"I've got it all under control. Start worrying about yourself before your parents. I spoke to them last week and told them that we took a surprise trip to Italy for a few weeks and that you're jetlagged. We're going to see them soon but you need to recover and get settled first before you see them."

"We'll see them as soon as I'm better?"

"As soon as you're better" he confirms and places a kiss on my forehead.

I think I want to see Liam and Niall to thank them for looking after me before it all happened. I hope they didn't get into any trouble after I got taken.

I want to ask them so many things but I can't.

I don't know how or where to start. Just thinking about everything is hard enough but to actually say it out loud. It makes it all real.

I don't want that.

It's easier to keep it tucked away for another day.

Any other day than today.

~

Harry is hunched over slightly in his chair. He fiddles with his hands and stares past me as he speaks.

"I can't imagine what your time was like with Darren, nor do I want to imagine it. I'm not used to things being taken from me, I'm the one who would take things and keep them because I thought I had all the power. When I heard that you'd been taken by them every single negative emotion hit me like a ton of bricks. I could barely function, not knowing where you were or what was happening to you. It made me realise how bad I've been to you and how badly I've treated you. I can't even imagine how you found it within yourself to forgive me. I am forever in your debt River."

I don't recognise this person in front of me. He looks like Harry but Harry would never say anything like this. What's happened to him?

"You don't owe me anything Harry. I don't want to think about the past, I just want to try to forget and move on."

"You can't honestly think that River. You've got to be angry with me for dragging you into my mess" he shakes his head in disbelief.

"Please Harry" I plead, "Just leave the past in the past. I'm tired, can you turn the lights out on your way out?"

I just want to be able to enjoy simple things again.

Like going for a walk in the park. Painting my nails. Cooking my favourite meal. Laughing. Smiling. Sleeping through the night.

~

The new house is a massive upgrade from the previous two I've stayed in. Before you can even pull up in front of the house there's two security gates. It's nothing too exciting just high ceilings and fancy furniture.

After my time in that cell nothing seems as luxurious or amazing because right now nothing is more precious than my own life and being healthy.

I haven't seems much of the new house yet as I've been recovering in bed but Harry has told me all about it.

I haven't really wanted to see anyone or get out of bed.

After a week of being cooped up in my room at the new house, Eleanor and Louis visit me. Harry told me they were coming but I still wasn't prepared for their visit. I can't shake Louis' comment from the day Harry left. Maybe he was just being blank and distant because it was easier that way? I don't know and I really don't care to know either.

"River I'm so glad you're okay" Eleanor gushes as she hugs me.

I don't know what her definition of 'okay' is but it certainly isn't how I feel. I couldn't feel further from 'okay' right now.

"I was so worried about you" she continues. After a minute I already want her and Louis gone. I don't want to talk about what happened and I don't want to know how they felt because I was the one who got kidnapped. I was the one who was beaten up and broken. Not them.

I stare intensely at them both as I try to refrain from crying from frustration. I bite down on my lip and try to put on a strong expression but it's no use.

"You alright love?" Louis asks and I lose it.

Love.

Love

"River?! River?!" Harry calls my name frantically as I feel myself shaking but my mind isn't in the room with him.

It's there.

Back in that room with Darren, tormenting me.

"Sorry love, did I wake you?"

"Pretty little thing aren't you, love?"

"When I'm done with you love, you're going to wish you were never born"

"Come on River, look at me!" Harry holds my head in his hands, trying to force my eyes open.

"That's what he called me" I curl into myself, hiding my head in my lap and Harry envelopes me in his arms.

"It's okay, he's not here. He's gone" Harry whispers to me.

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Sorry that it's taken me so long to update! Just started a new job and had some big changes in my life!

...............I think the next chapter might be the last?!?!