Recovery / / h.s

Chapter Forty- Four.

She finally looked up at me, her eyes wide as she bit down on her bottom lip. "You really think so?" She wondered, resting her head on my shoulder.

I nodded even though her eyes were closed. "Of course I do, and I'll be here to tell you every time you need to hear it."

"I love you a lot," she smiled, her facial features finally looked at ease amongst her self doubt. "And I'm going to miss you like hell."

"It'll only be for a few days," I murmur. "And then I'll be back."

"It just seems like you'll be gone forever." She was frowning now, and even with her eyes closed she had that stupid crease between her eyebrows that showed she was upset.

"Says the one who literally got pissed at me for saying I didn't want to go," I teased her. She sat up then, looking at me in disbelief before rolling her eyes.

"Whatever." She was trying to be annoyed with me, she really was, but she couldn't stop smiling. She opened her mouth again to say something, but bit down tightly on her bottom lip. I was going to ask her what was wrong until Gemma started to stir on my shoulder until she finally sat up straight, bloodshot eyes and a dazed after nap look on her face.

"Morning Sleepy," I teased her, hitting her arm playfully. She had been asleep since we first sat down, which was nearly two hours before.

She looked at me, still looking out of it as her eyes darted back and forth between Lily and I. Lily giggled quietly and I tried my hardest to refrain from laughing at my confused sister. "You okay, Gem?" Lily wondered.

She nodded quickly. " 'm fine," she said, but it came out as more of a croak because of her hoarsely accented voice. "What time is it?"

My eyes darted down to my lap where my hand was already starting to click the button that would bring my phone to life. "It's almost five. You guys need to get going soon," Lily blurted out before I could say anything. I looked at her quizically for a moment, and she only smiled up at me. I felt like she was pushing us onto the plane, as if she thought I'd change my mind. No- she was definitely pushing us.

We walked hand and hand to where I would board, and I nodded for Gemma to keep walking so I could properly say goodbye to my Lily. I placed my hands on her waist and she looked up at me. Her eyelids drooped and her lips were chapped to bloodpoint. She let out a loud sigh before wrapping her tiny arms around my torso. I placed my lips to her forehead and we stood there in silence. If i wasn't sure she had another cold, I would have assumed she was crying.

"I really want to tell you not to go," She told me, pulling away a little but keeping her hands placed firmly on my chest. She stared at her hands, not at me. "But I already made such a big deal about you going. This is harder than I thought it would be."

"I'll only be gone a few days, Lillian," I reminded her again, reassuring myself now more than her. I had to reassure myself or else I would back out. I already wanted to back out and the thought of me going home still hadn't sunk in.

"I know, but," She pulled away completely now, leaving the skin that she had touch turn icy in the abscence of her touch that always seemed to ignite me. "We haven't spent a day apart since we got together, Harry. I'll have to sleep in our big bed all by myself." She was frowning now, a deep frown that made her eyebrows crinkle in the middle and her eyes look like they were about to burst into tears.

I pulled her in again, holding her as tightly as I could which really wasn't as tight as I would have liked considering I could physically hurt her if I hugged her too hard. It sucked, really, because I just wanted to hug her and not let her go and-fuck, this was going to be so hard.