Taken | h.s + bey ✔️

13. Relax. It's Okay

Harry invited me to his room to watch a movie tonight. I was surprised he even had a tv. I'd forgotten we were in the 21st century.

I sat criss cross in the middle of his bed and he lied down facing the tv with his head in my lap. I would occasionally give his arm or head a comforting rub. I don't have a single motherly bone in my body so I'm completely winging this.

I had zero attention on the tv despite me not watching one for a while. Instead, I looked around his room. It was dark so I could only see what the tv would flash light on. There was one of those daybed looking couches with drawers underneath it on the side of the room, a circular rug, a bookshelf full of books, paintings on the wall and plants here and there. Clearly more effort was put into decorating his room than there was for Rose's; which I guess isn't surprising. She was ultimately just the nanny to them.

Harry has dressers instead of an armoire and I'm so curious as to what's in them other than clothes. This is the last place I'll be able to snoop though.

"I don't want to watch this anymore," he complained lazily, "change it."

I sighed quietly and picked up the remote that was stuck underneath my thigh. He didn't even have cable so it wasn't like we had many choices outside of the DVDs he didn't feel like pulling out. I carelessly just pressed the button to change the channel to whatever it landed on and put the remote back down.

Coincidentally, it landed on the news.

"It's been almost two months since 26 year old Kimberly Goudeau went missing from her home in the greater New Orleans area. Police still have no leads as to who the suspect may be. A key witness believes her kidnapping could be linked to the case of the missing 19 year old whose body was just discovered in a wooded area with burns, a blow to the head and evidence of sexual assault. If you have any information about the whereabouts of Kimberly or the suspect, please contact your local—"

The tv went blank. I didn't even notice Harry get up from my lap. He stood on the side of the bed with the remote tightly squeezed in his hand. Both hands rested on top of his head as he took heavy, shaky breaths.

I don't know how to feel. There my picture was, taking up most of the tv screen with a reporter announcing that I have been here for two months.

And that a body has been found that could be connected to Harry according to a 'key witness'? What key witness? Diana?

Wait... did she say.... "sexual assault"?

My mouth was slightly agape as my blank gaze diverted from the fidgety man to my right and back to the black tv screen.

She did. She said, "burns, a blow to the head and evidence of sexual assault."

I bring my lips in and hold them between my teeth as I try to control my breathing and stop my eyes from watering. I'm praying that wasn't done by him but judging by how he's reacting, I doubt he's freaking out because they're reporting my disappearance.

That could very well be my fate.

He said that if I'm no use to him and he can't trust me, he'd get rid of me. So I have to keep it together right now. Me freaking out will just make him freak out more and when people like him start to panic, they become even more dangerous.

I look back at him and blink away the wetness in my eyes. His eyes are shut and he's clearly trying to control his breathing as well. I got on my knees and moved to the edge of the bed in front of him so I'd be on his level almost.

I noticed his hands tugging his hair and I gently placed my hands up in front of me to inch my way to his touch, "Harry," I try to calm him, "Harry look at me."

He doesn't for a few seconds but he finally opens his eyes and connects them to mine. His eyes are red but I don't see any tears?

"Hey, relax. It's okay," I say softly and he shakes his head quietly.

I placed my hand on his forearm to pull his hand away from his hair and he let me. "Relax, everything is okay," I said again as I dropped his arm and placed both hands on the sides of his face. I caressed his cheek with my thumb and gave him a small smile. Well I tried to, it probably looked more like a judgmental squint.

He became less tense as I continued the gesture.

If I knew I had the physical upper hand I'd choke him out right now.

He then drops to sitting on the edge of the bed next to me and wraps his arms around my waist and rests his head on my stomach. He's lower than me so I hold his head with one hand and wrap my other around his shoulder.

I look up and blink my tears away again. I'm trying really hard to keep it together.

I want to so badly ask him about it because I feel so unsafe and terrified now that there's a possibility that he burned and sexually assaulted his past victim(s).

But he's too emotionally unstable right now and aggravating him with my prodding will just end badly for me.

I press my lips together as I try to keep a whimper from escaping. I'm thankful that his head is down right now because my face is a dead giveaway that I am not okay right now.

I can hear him sniffing and I feel wetness seeping through the stomach area of my clothes. I shush him and rub circles into his back while staring blankly forward.

We stay like that for a good couple of minutes before he sniffles and croaks, "Please don't leave me again."

I squeeze him tighter when he again cries, "Please don't."

I sit on my legs so that I'm lower and he can rest his head on my shoulder. I'm able to give him a proper hug and rock him side to side.

Like a fucking child.

"I won't, I promise," I lied.

Thoughts?
What would you do?