Through The Dark COMPLETED

Chapter 21

It was hours later.  The sun was going to be coming up soon, but no one left Harry's room.  Slowly everyone started to fall asleep, all around the room. 

Harry was out on the balcony, and Niall was the only other one still awake; when he had an epiphany.  He thought about the last time Julie had a complete breakdown, and where she ended up.  He didn't want to get Harry's hopes up, or his really; but he got up slowly to not wake Amanda, and quietly left the room.  He made his way up to the roof.  The last time she felt like she lost her mind, she ran to the roof.  He could only imagine how much worse things were in her head after tonight.  He quietly walked onto the roof.  He looked around and was about to give up, when he finally saw her.  He watched her once again, perched on the edge with her feet hanging over.  Only this time the hotel was twice as high.  He definitely didn't want to scare her.  He wished she would stop climbing out on ledges.  He walked up towards her, but stayed far enough away so hopefully he didn't scare her.  "JJ?  I really wish you'd come down from there."

Julie closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  "Niall, should have known it would be you that would figure it out.  Apparently I need to figure out a new place to run."

"No, you don't.  I like knowing where to look.  After I thought about it, you don't know Vegas, and the last time you went through something slightly similar to this, you ran right to the roof.  It took me awhile, but I figured this is where you would be."  Niall slowly walked next to her and grabbed her around the waist and lifted her down.  "I'm sorry but I can't watch you up there."  He hugged her.  She didn't hug him back but she didn't pull away either.

"Niall, I just need some time alone."  She said to him.

"No, and I know that's really pushing my luck with you, but you do not need to be alone.  You need your friends.  And right now your friends need you."  He said.

"What do you mean?!  All I do is cause trouble and drama for everyone.  I'm the last person you should want around."  She said.

"No JJ.  You didn't cause anything.  It's not your fault.  Not everything is your fault."  He held her arms and looked at her.  "Amanda needs to see you.  She needs to make sure you're ok.  She blames herself for not protecting you when he was there.  That she was distracted and didn't realize you ran.  Harry's a mess.  He's angry he let his spite get to him, and that he didn't comfort or protect you first.  Zayn is kicking himself for not getting out there sooner.  Liam wanted nothing more than to let Harry loose, but could tell it's not what you needed.  Louis wished he would have never left your side to let you disappear.  And I..."  He lifted her face to him.  "I can't stand seeing the emptiness in your eyes over clear and utter lies."

"Niall."  She stepped back and turned away from him.  "He's always going to find me.  My choices when I was younger clearly weren't great.  But it's going to follow me around for the rest of my life.  He found me from a stupid picture online; because they recognized Amanda.  What are the odds?  I'm never going to completely get away from it.  I don't want it to keep affecting my friends."

"So what?  You're just going to break up with Harry, move out of your apartment with Amanda, and end your friendship because of some jerk?"  He asked.

"Yes.  If that's what I have to do to keep them safe and away from him.  Then yes, Niall, I will.  Do you think I set out to get everyone involved in this mess?  I thought it was over.  I thought I just found a peaceful, safe, boring, existence with Amanda.  I thought LA would be big enough not to have to worry about running into people, who may know me, for it to get back to him.  And then we met you.  And then you turned our lives upside down.  And then Harry.  And stupid me, thought I could separate it.  If Harry could keep it quiet, then no one had to know, and it wouldn't get back to Johnny.  But it did.  From some stupid paparazzi photo posted of Amanda going to meet you in a hotel.  He didn't even know about Harry and I.  It will never end Niall.  Never."  Julie said finally crying.