24/7 [h.s.]

60

"He loved you so much, Emma." Harry said softly. "You were everything to him. Every time he got a letter from you his eyes just lit up and he read it a million times and would talk to you while he read it, either laughing or chastising you or giving you advice. One of your letters was about some guy had broken up with you, and he told me that the moment he got back he was going to kick that guys ass for hurting your feelings. I'd never had siblings, but I always thought that if I did, I would be that proud, protective brother like he was."

I let out a slow breath.

"He just adored you, and you were the reason he wanted to be a soldier, because he wanted to make the world safe for you. You were the most important thing to him, and everyone knew that because he always talked about you. What was it he always called you? Baby bop?"

It was impossible for me to not cry at that point. I hadn't heard that nickname since he had died.

Harry stopped talking when he heard me crying.

There was nothing I wanted more right now than to hug my brother, but I knew I wouldn't be able to.

I heard Harry adjust his position on the floor.

"I'll know you need some time, but please Emma, I want you to know I never meant to hurt you or your family by not giving the dog tag back. And that protecting you was a personal mission for me. I did it for Grayson. I just didn't know that I would end up falling in love with you."

I clenched my jaw and wiped my cheeks before standing up, going to sit at my desk and turn on my makeup mirror.

His words may have been sweet, but his actions were not, and I wasn't going to forgive him for keeping a part of Grayson away from us.

Silently I got ready, a few tears slipping down my cheeks until I was done and went to open my door, Harry still sitting there.

He turned around to look at me.

"I want to go to Washington." I said in a voice that didn't sound like mine. It was lifeless.

"Em-"

"I want to go to Washington." I put a little more force behind my words.

"O-okay." He said and slowly stood up.

I went back to my room and closed the door so I could wait in private, because I knew if I went anywhere near him right then I would lose my mind.

Yes, I was angry, because he had no right to keep that he knew my brother from me. And he had kept the last thing that belonged to Grayson for years when we had wanted it so we could have some closure.

We had what was left of his body in a casket six feet under and a flag, but I had wanted the chain around his neck that he had been wearing when he died. It was what I had asked for when the two men had showed up at our front door with only a flag and news that would change my life forever.

The necklace didn't belong to Harry, and him keeping it instead of giving it to us had been selfish.

After ten minutes there was a knock on my door.

"Um, i'm ready to leave if you are." Harry said and I got up before opening my door and brushing past him and to the front door.

Harry knew he was in the wrong because he kept his head down as he walked beside me to the car.

When we got to it he went to open the passenger side door but I opened the door for the back seat and got in myself, slamming it closed behind me.

I then put up the screen so I wouldn't have to look at him.