Chapter 28

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It was nearly two hours later that we finally arrived home. Harry asked Toby to come and collect Mel and me from the club and get us back safely, which was a godsend as I wasn't sure I'd be able to get Mel home on my own.

Toby offered to stay with us until the morning, but I sent him home, he's meant to have a few weeks off whilst Harry is away, and I feel bad for having disturbed him as it is. Mel is sleeping now and seems to be ok, but I am laying in her bed with her so that I'm not far away if she wakes up and needs anything.

When my phone rings. I quietly make my way out into the hallway so as not to disturb her.

"Hey, baby." Harry's low voice emanates from my phone, "Are you OK?"

Just those few simple words are enough to break me, it's like how you can be having a bad day, but holding it together and telling everyone you're okay, right up until your mum asks you and you blubber like a baby. I can't control the sob that escapes my throat or the tears that slide unbidden down my cheeks, and I move further away from Mel's room quickly, I don't want her to hear me crying.

"Not really." I manage to reply through the tears.

"Why would anyone do such a thing to her Harry? She would never hurt a fly! I shouldn't have taken her out of the VIP room. If we'd have stayed in there, no one would have been able to get to her drink. It's all my fault" I sob.

"Ssshhh, baby it's not your fault! I know Mel well enough to know she was probably itching to get into the thick of it as much as you were, if not more. You can't blame yourself, darling."

"If I'd just stayed with her though... I left her alone, Harry! She must have been so scared, and she was all alone! " I know he is trying to comfort me, but I am so angry at myself. "How could I have been so stupid?"

"Katie, we both know you'd never have let Mel get hurt intentionally, but even if you had been right by her side.. there's no reason to think you'd have been able to stop the person who put whatever it was into her drink." He soothes me in a quiet voice.

"Maybe not." I agree with him, half-heartedly.

"I wish there was more I could do. I feel so useless being so far away. Is she ok now?" He asks.

"She's sleeping. She seems restless, but she's sleeping. Thank you so much for having Toby come and get us, it was a big help. I wish you were here though," I add quietly.

"I know baby. I wish I were too. A large part of me wants to jump on a plane and come and be with you. Look, I spoke to a friend of mine, a Doctor, if it's ok with you he's going to come over to your flat tomorrow and run a few tests, see if he can figure out what Mel was spiked with and check her over, make sure she is OK."

"That's really kind Harry, thank you. What did I ever do without you?" I ask him, my heart swelling with gratitude.

"Well, if I get my way, you aren't going to have to find out how to be without me again for a very long time." He replies. I feel the lump rising back in my throat and start to cry again.

"Hey, why are you crying again?" Harry asks me.

"I'm just happy," I say between sniffs. "Happier than I've been in a long time."

"That's all I want for you, Katie. But right now, you need to go to bed, its got to be what? Five am there?"

"Yeah, it's late, or early I guess." I yawn, suddenly realising how very tired I am. "I'm going to go crawl into bed with a beautiful blonde and try and get some sleep" I tease him.

"Oh, I see how it is. Away for two weeks and already I've been replaced?"

"Yep! Traded you in for a younger model." I giggle back.

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