SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER- NOT ABOUT ANGELS by BIRDY
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C A R O L I N E
I have nothing to feel in this moment; emotionless, if it's even possible. All of a sudden these lights are blinding me and everything in my mind feels so dull and grey. It gives me a sense that maybe- just maybe- a storm is approaching.
"I told you not to come, Caroline." Harry cries out, struggling in the clutches of the guards and head hung low in defeat. I look up and stare at Harry. There is no way in hell I regret coming after him. If he was to suffer, I would suffer with him.
Looking up at the guards holding me, I give them dirty looks, trying to tug myself away yet again. I turn my attention away to the king of Mightera who emerges into sight from the end of the hall. He angrily strolls towards me and hooks his finger to my chin. I am forced to meet his eyes.
"Listen girl, you have made my life so much harder than it already is. Tell me, what did you do to my son? Cast a damn enchantment spell on him, flashed him with your-"
"Ivan!" Harry hollers violently, his face a deep red. I blink slowly, looking over at him even though the king has his hand grabbing my chin. Harry is the son of the king? Wait- but that makes him...
The prince of Mightera.
I am dumbfounded. I've been in love with a prince all along. A part of me fell in love with Harry for being a commoner- just a simple, normal guy. But he's a royal blood.
"Just because you say I'm your son, won't make me your damn son! In my heart, I'm still middle class Harry Styles." He says, furrowing his eyebrows. Now, Desmond is in full view walking towards us.
"No matter how abusive, cruel and coldhearted this man may be, he has always been known to me as my father." Harry restrictedly points at Desmond.
Ivan lets go of my chin with force. "Well guess what, boy? You are not his son, you are mine and you better get use to that." He says, getting up in Harry's face and glaring at him. Harry glares back, chest heaving.
"Never." He seethes.
I lower to my knees because of the pull of the guards. Harry looks over at me, aggressively trying to yank himself from the guards. "I will die like this, just let Caroline go."
I shake my head whilst biting my lip to stop the tears. "No Harry, it's either we stay here together or leave here together."
Harry closes his eyes and lets out a frustrated sigh. "Goddammit, Care, why don't you listen to me for once?" That's all I need him to say for me to shut up.
Ivan chuckles, "Regretting your choice, Harry?"
"No," Harry spits out, eyes narrowed, "I'm just regretting my choice in who I chose to believe." Ivan's smug chuckle fades into a hard expression. My heart stops for a second when he pulls out a gun.
"Tell me Harry, would you rather have the fair maiden or yourself die?" Ivan stretches his arm out, clutching the gun tightly. He swings it in my direction, then in Harry's. I suck in a breath at the mere sight, my muscles stiffening.
"No, please, King Ivan please don't do this." I beg loudly. This can't happen- Marcel needs his mum and dad. Just the thought of Marcel's loneliness causes bile to rise up my throat.
Harry, on the other hand, takes a different route. "I demand to be shot."
"What the hell, Harry, no!" I cry out, my eyebrows pulled together as the guards grab me tighter.
"Are you sure, son? There's no going back once you're dead." King Ivan laughs humourlessly and Desmond jumps in.
"No, Ivan, stop you're going mad."
Harry glares at Ivan, his jaw tight and eyes wide. "Go on, shoot me."
I begin to shed pointless tears. Harry you idiot. Ivan's shaky breath is audible as he prepares to shoot. I continue with my pathetic pleas. I can't watch Harry being shot, it's just too much.
Closing my eyes and trying to mute out all sound, I expect for there to be a trigger next. But that's not what happens. Just as I think that it is the end of Harry, Desmond jumps in and tries to grab the gun out of Ivan's hand. He tugs at it, yelling lowly.
"Let go, Des." Ivan growls, pulling hard from the other end. They both fight for the gun. Multiple loud triggers are pulled and some guards holding onto both Harry and I fall to the ground in pain, holding either their knees or shoulders.
"Harry, take her and go!" Desmond hollers, holding King Ivan back as some other triggers are pulled, some darting through the walls. The other guards are too distracted aiding the wounded ones. At first my legs are frozen in place because of the gruesome scenario but Harry grabs my arm and we run.
When we reach the door, a loud trigger is pulled and a familiar voice yells in pain. I look back quickly to see Desmond holding his chest, red seeping through his shirt. Through his state, he continues to hold Ivan back.
"Don't look back, come on!" Harry yells, holding my hand as we run out the door. The sky is nearing a pitch black, no stars in the sky. Even the moon is shaded by the dark clouds.
To our surprise, Niall is outside and cowering behind a wall, sweaty and panicky. Lucy must've told him.
"Let's go back to Lucy's." Harry breathes out, lowering our entwined hands to the side of his body. Fiercely looking around the through the darkness of the night, it feels almost as if the world is spinning right before our eyes. Niall shakes his head, catching his breath.
"Guys, no, you can't stay here no longer, this place isn't safe, they'll kill you." He quickly says, "I've got a place where you can leave without being seen, follow me."
Harry nods his head briskly, holding me tighter. We run after Niall, following him through a thick forest. The only sounds I can hear is the rapid breathing of the three of us, our short, muted footsteps, and the adrenaline rushing through my veins. I look over at Harry. His sweaty skin gleaming, covered in cuts and a bruise on his cheek. I haven't seen him like this since the time I was kidnapped.
Niall leads us up a tall hill, me tripping over every once in a while. At one point, I sprawl my ankle and Harry insists on carrying me up the rest of the way. My arms are loosely secured around his neck as he has his arms swooped under my thighs bridal style. When we reach the top, the first thing I see is a large, old oak tree planted right in the centre.
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H A R R Y
I set Caroline down and she tries her best to stand up. My legs are numb and achey, muscles burning to the joint. Niall stands at the edge of the platform, carefully scanning over at the other side.
"You okay?" I manage to ask Caroline, panting out as my palms are pressed to my knees. She nods her head, and I allow her to lean on me. We all are in silence for a good two minutes, trying to get our heart rates back to normal.
"So what's the plan, Niall?" I ask.
"Okay, so you need to run away and never come back here, understood?" He says, and my eyebrows furrow in confusion immediately.
"What the hell?" I ask, shaking my head.
"Mate, you need to understand that if you stay, King Ivan will try to get you back and separate you from Caroline your whole life. Do this for yourself." He says, but still I am not convinced.
Caroline touches my arm softly.
"Harry, what about Marcel? We can't just leave him behind, he needs us." She says, and it almost sounds like a helpless whimper. My face reads no expression...I don't know what to do.
"Marcel will be safe with Lucy, I assure you." Niall insists, folding his arms over his chest and nodding. "You'll only put him in more danger by taking him with you."
Guilt washes over me, thinking about leaving my son as a newborn. This is a huge mistake. I shake my head furiously, tears starting to brim in my eyes. Niall puts his hand on my shoulder and pats me comfortingly.
"This is the best decision you can make, Harry."
Looking at him in a long, fixed stare, I bring myself to close my eyes and nod. "Okay."
Caroline begins to sob into my shoulder, her warm tears landing onto my shirt. A few tears escape from my eyes as well. We're leaving everything behind, even our own son, for our love. I feel terrible.
"If you want to get to the nearest city in before sunrise, you better get going now." Niall looks down at his watch and pats my shoulder. I wipe my tears and nod my head. Caroline stretches her ankle, rotating it, before taking a few steps towards Niall. She engulfs herself in his arms.
"I guess this is goodbye." Her voice is muffled, her face buried in his shirt.
Niall wraps his arms tightly around her and rests his chin on top of her head.
"It is."
"Can you please tell Marc to talk to the moon whenever he misses me?" She asks him, sniffling and it breaks my heart to watch.
"I will."
Caroline lets go of Niall and looks down, wiping her eyes in the dark. She takes my hand and kisses it lightly before looking up at me sadly. "Let's go Harry." She whispers. We turn around and are about to travel in the other direction when Niall suddenly calls out to me.
"Wait!" I turn around sadly to look at him. His eyes are clouded with tears as well, lips trembling into a weak smile.
"Aren't you going to give your best mate a goodbye hug?" He asks and immediately I let go of Caroline's hand to pull him in a tight hug. He hugs back and all our precious memories come back to me as if it was only yesterday. This last hug, I shall cherish for eternity.
"Harry!" I hear Caroline suddenly call out in a panicky tone but I don't have the chance to look back when I let out a cry in pain, feeling something pierce through my stomach in a swift motion. Niall still holds onto me firmly and I struggle to stumble back, looking down at the knife sticking out of my flesh. Niall digs it deeper, twisting it as he holds onto me. Stray tears leave my eyes.
"N-Niall?" I choke out in excruciating pain. He pulls it out of me, causing me to fall to the ground and Caroline rushes over to me, starting to sob. I put my hand over my stomach and look down to see the open wound. The bloody spot blossoms like a rose.
I've just been betrayed by my best friend. Never have I thought that he would ever do such thing to me. Niall looks down at the knife in his hand, blood dripping from the end. He looks up at me and there is a dark flicker in his eyes.
"H-Harry?" He imitates me, and it causes my to scrunch my face up in both frustration and pain.
"How could you do this to me?" I cry out softly, clutching my stomach as Caroline takes my head and rests it on her leg. "I'm your best friend."
Niall shakes his head, laughing lightly. "You are nothing but my biggest enemy."
"Anyways, the real question is, why I did this to you," Niall tuts, flinging the knife to the side. "And why I did this to you, is because you have everything." My face falls, hearing his words.
"N-no I don't." I shake my head.
Niall's eyes begin to collect with angry tears. "Yes you do, and even when we were young, you had everything. While my family was working day after day, night after night just to have a single meal, you were lavished with everything, living like royalty." I am silent, my eyes drooping. "After Leila passed away, my family couldn't take it anymore. My mum nearly went insane and we couldn't live in Mightera without being reminded of poor little Leila. But you, you did nothing to stop us from leaving."
"We were nine, Niall, Mother Queen and I didn't even know you were leaving." I say, feeling myself starting to get weaker because of the blood loss. My hands are stained with blood as I lie on the ground.
"That's not the point, we were suffering!" Niall nearly yells, his face red with rage. He laughs humourlessly. "And now, you're suffering."
"You're sick, Niall, you need help, you're a sick, pathetic being and not the good man I know." Caroline shrieks, her tears falling down on my face as she rips a part of her shirt and knots the fabric around my stomach.
Yet again, Niall laughs psychotically. "Who said I was a good man?" He turns away angrily for a second but turns to face us again.
"See, I moved away from Mightera to get away from you and start over but yet you came here and attracted the spotlight to yourself again, just like you always did," Niall says to me, "I thought I finally got something in my life right for once but you took that away from me too..."
"Do you know how hard it is for me to watch the girl of my dreams being happy and having kids with someone else?" He yells out, tears streaming down his face. Caroline looks up at him in shock and so do I.
"W-What?" Caroline asks in disbelief.
"Don't act all innocent, Princess, you wanted me at first. I saw it in your eyes, I was this close to having you as mine!" He snaps his finger, growling, "Until Mr.Royalty showed up and took everything away from me yet again."
"You know what? I was the one who informed King Ivan about your son being born, I was the one who told him where you were hiding, I wanted you to constantly feel the need to be running away!" My eyes widen slightly, my flesh beginning to throb with numbness.
"C-Caroline, I....I can't hold on..any longer." I breathe out sharply, my heart beginning to pound erratically for a few seconds and slowly starting to slow down.
"No, Harry, breathe!" She cries out, rubbing my cold cheek with her hand. I shake my head, bringing my weak hand up to lay it over hers.
"I can't...please...it hurts." I croak out, slowly beginning to close my eyes.
"No, Harry please don't leave me." Caroline presses her trembling lips to my forehead, crying against me.
"I love...you...C-Caroline Ann...Weston." I smile slightly, but the pain causes me to wince.
"Niall, I'm....I'm sorry...if I..if I made you..feel this way...I'm so...sorry." I gasp out, twisting my face in pain as my heart starts to burn uncontrollably. Niall's face softens as he yanks at his hair, sobbing.
"Oh no, oh no, oh no, what have I done?" He says repeatedly, falling to his knees as he takes in the sight in front of him. My vision starts to get blurry as drowsiness pulses in my head.
"Stay with me Harry, please!" Caroline continues to plead, shaking me frantically but I feel myself letting go. Everything I want to say, can only be mere thoughts.
Caroline, bearer of my mistakes, dancing wind through my willow tree. My sin, my virtue. Ca-ro-line; the song of my happiness in three short syllables, rolling off the tongue with such ease. Ca. Ro. Line.
She was only Caroline at three in the morning, plain Caroline...the true Caroline. With her skin as creamy as porcelain stained with the tears of the unwritten pain of her heart. With such beauty she drifted off to sleep, sun-streaked locks hiding the petal lids of her mesmeric blue eyes. She was royalty to the world, but an intimate lover to me. For I, fell in love with a beautifully broken woman.
Caroline.
"Death is not the end, my love...it is only the beginning of something new. Even so, I promise I'll come back for you." I whisper quietly, smiling as I watch this beautiful, crying woman as she tries to shake the life into me.
But sadly, love cannot stop you from passing the verge of death.
Closing my eyes in silence, I tell myself to remember the way it feels to have my hand on top of Caroline's for the very last time.
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C A R O L I N E
I feel Harry's hand loosen over mine and that's when I know that he gave up. My sobbing is uncontrollable, nuzzling my face in his curls. Immediately, I feel coldness. His body doesn't wrap me up in his warmth like it usually does and that's what makes me sadder.
He's gone.
"You did this, you heartless psychotic bastard!" I scream at Niall, still holding Harry's dead body close. Niall's eyes are wide as he pulls at his hair, slightly rocking back and forth.
"You're right, I am a heartless psychotic bastard." He mutters, "No one can know, no one can know." He shuffles off the ground repeating the same sentence over and over under his breath.
He picks up the knife from the ground and unexpectedly pins me down next to Harry, clamping my mouth shut as I try to scream out. "No one can know, and this is why I have to do this..." He says, wrapping Harry's lifeless fingers around the knife and picking up his hand.
"Sorry Caroline." With that, I cry out in pain against Niall's hand as he stabs me with Harry's lifeless one. The knob of the knife sticks out from my chest, just like it would in the nightmares I used to have. Feeling my heart rate dropping, I reach for Harry's fingers and lace them together. We are almost equally as cold. Gasping for air and life's last moment all at once, my heart completely stops.
Up in the clouds, all that surrounds me is white. I walk more and more into the thickness to see Harry standing there, his skin unwounded and a ghostly pale colour. An angelic smile graces his lips as his green eyes stare into mine from the distance. I run to him, ready to leap into his arms but an invisible barrier stops me from getting to him. I try to push through but I can't. My mouth calls out his name in an echo, and I watch in sadness as he leaves in the opposite direction, getting smaller and smaller to the eye as he goes farther and farther away from me.
Goodbye to my one true saviour who not only abducted my heart, but saved me from myself.
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A/N: There is an epilogue! Sorry if ABS didn't end like you expected, but I personally really like it. All the love Abductees x. M