She's Not Afraid

"We're All Stuck With Each Other"

"Thanks Ella," Sofia said softly as Ella pressed the ice pack to her face gently, while Harry watched with his arms crossed, and his jaw clenched.

"He really knocked you a good one, huh?" Ella said, causing Harry's eyes to narrow in anger.

"He was just angry, I've had worse," Sofia said, shrugging, "This is nothing, probably won't even bruise much."

"You're right, it probably won't," Ella said, as she looked as Sofia's cheek closely, "It's been awhile since I've had to patch you up..."

"Well, I've been on my best behavior..." Sofia said, with a smirk, as she looked up at Harry who was still glaring at her, "Would you relax? You've gone at me worse then this. It's fine."

"I've gone at you when you deserved it, Sofia," Harry snapped, "He fucking hit you for no reason..."

"I jumped in front of Emily, you know he didn't mean it," Sofia said.

"Yeah, well, he shouldn't have been trying to hit her either. He's a fucking loose cannon these days.."

"He's upset, Harry, okay? Just let it go, it's over. I'm fine. Everything is fine," Sofia said, raising her eyebrows at her boyfriend who threw his hands up in frustration.

"Don't tell me to let this go, and stop fucking defending him," Harry snapped, "Zayn is on edge and you never know when he's going to go off, so just stay away from him, okay?"

"You're telling me to stay away from Zayn?" Sofia asked, "Are you kidding?"

"No, I'm not," Harry growled, glaring at her, "We don't need bruises on your right now. And you need to have your head in the game. And you don't need to be distracted by Zayn's bitch fits. Are we clear?"

"You're being ridiculous, Harry," Sofia said, "You're just upset."

"I asked you if we were clear," Harry barked at her, but before Sofia could answer, Emily walked into the room.

"Haz, would you mind giving me a ride? I have to pick up clothes for tonight," Emily said, before looking over at Sofia, "You shouldn't have stepped in front of me. How's your cheek?"

"It's fine," Sofia said, "How are you? You seemed shaken up back there..."

"I'm perfectly fine," Emily said calmly, "He's not getting to me. He's just proving my point, that's exactly why I left."

"Look Em, I love you. You're my best friend," Sofia said, "But so is he, so I get that you don't want to talk to him right now. But he's hurting, and..."

"I'm sorry if you feel like you're being put in the middle," Emily said, her eyes soft.

"No, it's not that," Sofia said, shaking her head, "It's just that... I jumped in front of him to protect you, I just want you remember that I would do the same for him. So, don't make me protect him, Emily. Try not to hurt him too much, okay?" Emily nodded, before walking out of the kitchen.

"I'll be back," Harry said, kissing Sofia quickly, "Keep ice on that cheek."

"Yes sir," Sofia said, causing Harry to do a double take, before she winked at him and he walked out of the room, shaking his head.

"You two seem better," Ella said, sitting at the table, "Like things are getting back to normal."

"Yeah, things are good," Sofia said, "I thought that telling Harry would make me feel awful, worse then I already did. But, I think it's made it better. We have each other, and we're feeling the same things about it. It's like I'm not alone anymore..."

"That's always a nice feeling, not being alone..." Ella said wisely, Sofia nodded.

"How're you? We haven't really caught up since I've been home. How're you and Niall?" Sofia asked

"We're good," Ella said, "He's so carefree and I'm not. We balance each other you know? But, this whole Sikes thing has me shaken..."

"Why?" Sofia asked

"Because, Sikes likes to take women, you know that, you're brother said so. But, sometimes women get traded in stuff like this, deals are made. I guess I just keep waiting for that to happen..." Ella said, quietly.

"That would never happen," Sofia gasped, "Ella I know that you have had an awful history. But, you're family. You aren't going anywhere."

"That's what I keep tellin her," Niall said, as he strolled into the kitchen. Ella looked up at him, rolling her eyes.

"Are you worrying again?" Niall asked, as he kissed her softly.

"I'm not worrying, I'm just..."

"Worrying," Niall said, shaking his head, "Look I've told you once, I've told you a million times. You're not going anywhere. You're stuck with me. We're all stuck with each other."

"That's true, which is both good and bad if you think about it," Sofia said

"How is it bad?" Ella asked

"Well, you're stuck with him..." Sofia said, as Niall gave her a dirty look.

"Shut up, you stupid bitch," Niall growled, causing Ella to hit his arm lightly, while Sofia smiled sarcastically at him.

"And the good part?" Ella asked

"Isn't it obvious?" Sofia asked, while Niall and Ella shook their head, "Me! I bring nothing but joy and sunshine to everyone's life, Ella dear. And I
plan on doing so for many years."

"Joy and sunshine? Are those code words for annoyance and disaster?" Niall asked, Sofia stuck her tongue out at him, before putting the ice pack down.

"Thanks for the ice, El," Sofia said, "But I think I'm good now." And with that she walked out of the kitchen.

"Oi! You! Wait up!" Niall called from behind, causing Sofia to turn to him.

"I have a name..." Sofia said, annoyed.

"Who cares?" Niall said, smiling widely as Sofia glared at him.

"What do you want, your filthy Irishman?" Sofia asked, annoyance in her voice.

"How are you?" Niall asked, his voice no longer joking, but soft and gentle, taking Sofia by surprise, "You doing okay?"

"What?" Sofia asked, still surprised

"You know, with your panic attacks and everything. I just wanted to make sure you were... you know, okay..." Niall said.

"I'm fine, Niall," Sofia said, "I'm doing good, actually, don't worry about me."

"Easier said then done," Niall said, "Look, your brother really thinks you can do this job. But, Sof... if it gets to be too much, we can pull someone else in. Anxiety doesn't just go away, right? I just want you to know, you don't have to do this..."

"I can do it, Niall," Sofia said, as she felt this overwhelming gratitude
towards Niall, "I know I can."

"I know you can too," Niall said, "I just wanted you to know... okay?"

"Okay," Sofia said, nodding before she gave threw herself into Niall's arms.

"What's this for?" Niall asked, taken by surprise. Sofia pulled away from him.

"For always being there when I need you," Sofia said softly, "I always know I can count on you, Niall."

"You can count on everyone in this house," Niall said, blushing a bit.

"Yeah, but you've been there when the rest of them haven't," Sofia
said, shrugging.

"I've got your back with this," Niall said, "I just wanted you to know that."

"I already knew that, you didn't have to tell me," Sofia said, smiling at her Irish friend, who was smiling back at her, before turning away from him to walk out the door.

"Where are you going?" Niall asked

"To see Zayn," Sofia said, still walking away.

"I don't think Harry would like that, Sof. He's pretty pissed."

"Yeah well," Sofia said, turning back to Niall, "Harry isn't here, is he?"

***


Sofia didn't even bother to knock on the door of the pool house; she just walked right in, and found Zayn standing at the small kitchen counter, with a bottle of whiskey and a glass. He looked up surprised to see her.

"This place is a mess," Sofia said, noticing that he hadn't bothered to pick up the destruction he had created in the pool house, "And isn't it a little early?" she said pointing to the bottle of whiskey. Zayn sighed, as he stepped down, approaching her.

"You're cheek," he said quietly, as he finger brushed gently along her face, "I .. I didn't mean it, I'm sorry."

"I've taken harder," Sofia said, grabbing his hand and squeezing it, as she looked up at him.

"I'm surprised Harry let you come see me," Zayn said.

"Harry isn't my master, Zayn," Sofia said, "You're breath smells like Whiskey, you have to be clear headed for tonight... what the hell are you thinking?"

"Don't fucking lecture me," Zayn snapped, snatching his hand back from her grip, "I just got rid of one nagging woman, and I sure as hell don't
need you replacing her."

"Fine," Sofia said, shrugging, "I won't lecture, but for everyone's safety, you should be clear headed for tonight and save the drinking for later."

"So?" Zayn growled, his eyes annoyed.

"So, let me take you out to a cup of coffee," Sofia said, grabbing his hand, and pulling him out of the door.

It wasn't long before the two were sitting quietly in a small coffee shop, Zayn avoiding Sofia's eyes, and Sofia waiting for Zayn to speak.

"What happened?" Sofia asked

"You know what happened," Zayn growled, "She left. She said loved me, but she didn't want to be with me. She packed her shit and she left."

"I meant, what happened to the two of you?" Sofia asked, "When I left, things were good. You were happy."

"Well that's just it, isn't it?" Zayn said, glancing up at Sofia, his brown eyes boring into hers, "You left... and everything changed. Everyone changed."

"Zayn..." Sofia said softly, as she reached out to grab his hand across the table.

"I've never been so angry or frustrated," Zayn said, "You left without a
word. You didn't even say goodbye... you were just gone..."

"I'm sorry..." Sofia said, her voice genuine and concerned.

"Everyone was angry, and scared, and hurt. Everyone was frustrated. But, everyone put Liam and Harry first. You know, figured that they were taking it the hardest. And I don't know, maybe they were... but it hit me pretty hard too, you know? I know it hit everyone hard, Niall and Louis were upset. But, I was just pissed. I was pissed you left. I was pissed no one asked how I was doing. I was pissed you didn't say goodbye. I was just angry. And usually when I'm angry, you come find me, and you make me talk about it, and you make me deal with it..."

"But I wasn't there to do that," Sofia said, as she bit her lip, starting to finally recognize how she had effected everyone.

"And Emily tried," Zayn said, "She tried so hard. But I was so angry, and I took it out on her. And every time she tried to get me to talk or to reach out to me, I got angrier. Because in my head she was trying to replace you, but she wasn't really. She was trying to help. I took everything I was feeling out on her, Sof."

"What do you mean?" Sofia asked, her voice on edge as she thought back to Emily's past abusive relationship.

"Not like that," Zayn said, shaking his head, "You know the boys would step in... and I would never do that..."

"So what do you mean?" Sofia asked

"It was never good enough. I would tare her down, or snap at her, or yell for no reason over nothing. Just because I was angry. And then, I would pretend it never happened. And she would too. And she kept trying, and I kept fighting. And then, I don't know, I recognized the damage I was causing and I didn't want that anymore. I love her, you know? I didn't want hurt her anymore. And then you came back..."

"And?"

"And then it was so broken, and I don't think either of us knew how to fix it. We weren't the same people we used to be, and we weren't the same couple," Zayn said, his voice said.

"Zayn, you can fix this. Just talk to her," Sofia said, "I know you don't want this."

"She doesn't want to talk to me, Sofia," his voice hard again, "And this isn't about what I want, it's about what she wants. And this is what she wants."

"I don't think this is what she really wants, Zayn," Sofia said, as she shook her head at him.

"Well until she tells me differently, this is all I have to go on..." Zayn growled.

"So, what now?" Sofia asked

"I don't know, I guess we're both single," Zayn said, shrugging, "And maybe that's what's for the best. Maybe we just weren't meant to be..."

"I don't believe that," Sofia said, her voice quiet, "And I don't think you do either."

"Don't tell me what I believe, Sofia," Zayn snapped, "Not everyone is like you and Harry..."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sofia asked, her eyebrows raised.

"It means that some of us don't want to be in something where it's a constant battle, some of us can't live like that – so we don't."

"Really? Because it seemed like a battle between you and Emily today..." Sofia said, as she cocked her head to the side.

"Yeah, that can't happen again..." Zayn said.

"And how are you going to prevent that?" Sofia asked, Zayn could hear the skepticism in her voice.

"I'm going to do what she's been doing..."

"And what's that?"

"I'm going to stop caring. I'm single. She's single. It's over. She not worried about me, I'm not worried about her. We'll just stay out of each other's way and be civil..." Zayn said, shrugging his shoulders.

"This is a recipe for disaster, you know she doesn't actually not care, right?" Sofia snapped, her voice rose in annoyance.

"Don't yell at me," Zayn growled.

"Well you're being stupid!" Sofia hissed

"Don't you get it, Sofia?" Zayn said, his voice desperate, "It's all I got right now." Sofia sighed in defeat, as she saw how hurt Zayn was, before she sat on his lap, hugging him tightly and kissing the top of his head. Zayn wrapped his hand around her waist securely before looking up at her, his eyes still confused and sad.

"I'll totally buy you your first drink tonight," Sofia said. Zayn laughed at her, it was the first smile she had seen in days.

"Sorry for snapping at you about picking sides earlier," Zayn said quietly.

"She's my best friend, Zayn," Sofia said, "But so are you."


***


"That's just great," Harry growled down at Sofia, with his arms pinned on either side of her, so that she couldn't do anything but look up at him, "I tell you not to go near him, so you take him out on a fucking date."

"It wasn't a date, Harry," Sofia said, rolling her eyes.

"Don't roll your fucking eyes at me," Harry barked, as he stared intensely at her, "I told you to stay away from him! He almost knocked you out today, what the fuck were you thinking?"

"Harry, it's Zayn!" Sofia protested, as she crossed her arms across her chest, and glared up at him. Harry pushed himself away from the wall, and his eyes narrowed.

"You better uncross your fucking arms and get the look off your face," Harry said in a dangerously low voice.

Sofia didn't uncross her arms, and she cocked her head to the side, knowing it would make him even angrier. Harry's green eyes flashed, and she knew that he getting very close to loosing his temper. But, she also couldn't get out of her head how sexy he looked when he was angry. A part of her was hoping that if she pushed him far enough, he would show her who was in charge. He hadn't really touched her in so long, and she missed that. But she wasn't quite sure where he stood on it, so in her own way, she was hoping that he would just snap.

"And if I don't?" she challenged

"Push me, Sofia, I fucking dare you. Maybe you forget while you were living out on your own, but when I fucking tell you to do something you do it."

"And maybe you forgot while I was away," Sofia growled at him, as she moved away from the wall, "That I'm not a dog."

"Really?" Harry growled, "Could've fooled me, cause you certainly are a bitch."

Sofia huffed, rolling her eyes and walking away from him, making him crazy.

"I just don't understand why you went on a fucking date with him!" Harry snapped, and Sofia turned towards him.

"It wasn't a date! He was drinking, and he was upset, and I took him out to have coffee!" Sofia hissed. Suddenly the door banged open behind them, and Liam and Zayn were standing there.

"Speak of the fucking devil..." Harry mumbled under his breath as he glared at Zayn, who looked smart enough to look guilty.

"Look Harry man –" Zayn started

"I don't want to hear it," Harry snapped at him, causing Zayn to stand straighter in frustrating.

"Are you fuck—" Zayn growled.

"We can't do this now!" Liam snapped, and when Sofia looked at him, she noticed that there was an anxiety there that wasn't before.

"What happened?" Sofia asked him, snapping Harry and Zayn back to reality.

"Sikes happened," Liam said, "Sikes is in town. Like now. Like tonight."

"What?" Harry snapped, as Sofia took a deep breath. Liam looked at his sister, his eyebrows raised in question and she knew that he was asking her if she was still feeling okay about everything.

"Who cares?" Sofia said, "Plan goes on as normal. I'll just go right for his attention instead of his boys. It's okay."

Liam nodded, hoping that's what she would say. Liam didn't say anything else as he turned away, patting Zayn on the shoulder letting him know he should go to.

"I should go get ready," Sofia said, quietly, turning away from Harry and walking towards the bedroom.

"Hey!" Harry snapped, "Are we clear about our discussion earlier?"

"It was Zayn, Harry," Sofia said quietly, as she turned back to him.

"I don't care who the fuck it is,' Harry growled, as he stomped towards her, grabbing her arm, and forcing her to look him, "When I tell you to do something or to stay away from someone, you fucking do it. Do you fucking understand me, Sofia?" Sofia didn't say anything, and Harry's grip on her tightened, causing Sofia to squirm.

"I said, do you understand me?" Harry growled.

"Yes," Sofia hissed, before ripping her arm away from him, and stomping towards the bedroom.

"Keep it up, Sofia," Harry called after you, "Just fucking keep it up, and see what happens..."

"I plan on it," Sofia hissed under her breath before slamming the door and getting ready for the job.