"H-harper." A voice croaked. Tears ran no further down her cheeks as she stopped wearily to the voice that had called out. It couldn't be?
No, it couldn't be? It had to be a dream. Harper was just hearing things. It was making her believe things, this pain she felt within her heart. Encouraging her to believe that he was okay but she couldn't trust it.
Harper listened intently waiting for another response or slight movement. In a matter of moments, Harper felt his arm lift with ease from the existing position upon her body. With hesitation at first she gently lifted her head to meet brown, coloured chestnut eyes that met her own in return.
"J-James?" She choked as she slowly sat up taking closer inspection. Mirroring her own movement he sat up gently, disguising the true pain that was lodged within in stomach then blurted as soon as he was sitting up, "Get...here now." Opening his arms as Harper fled into them and cried out, "James! Y-You're awake. Oh God, James..." James held her close within his embrace as he consoled her tears gently rubbing his hand against her back. Tears prickled in his own eyes as he stressed, "Don't...l-let me f-f**king hear you blame yourself again. Understand?"
Harper was who crying in the arch of his neck, nodded then enabled him to pull her closer. "I love you too much to have allowed that... I won't have you feeling guilty, baby. It was my choice." He said as he gently pulled her off to inspect her face.
"B-But it was supposed to be for me." She protested.
James shook his head brushing both thumbs against her cheeks to wipe away her misery as he uttered, "No, Harper." Then brought his forehead close to hers as he muttered, "I love you, Harper Daniels. You mean too much to me and...I promise I'm never going to betray or hurt you again."
Harper sniffled as she replied bringing both her hands to his face, "I love you. Don't scare me like that again." Without no need for warning, clashed her lips against his, demanding more of him as she wrapped both arms around his neck loosely: wearily to not apply pressure to his injury. Everything about it despite the situation they both were in clawed back to the pleasure, passion and the love they once shared. It sent her heart racing beyond she had ever experienced and massively appointed tears to mix within as they streamed down her cheeks. She just couldn't believe it, here they were sharing an embrace she had never expected to happen. Harper had nearly lost hope at one point believing he would never awake...but he did.
At the point of pulling apart seamlessly both breathless, James was first to break, smiling as he pulled her into his embrace once again entangling his hands through her hair as Harper gently sunk into him. He kissed the top of her head then confessed, "I-I thought I wouldn't make it...I'm sorry, baby, for scaring you." Harper pulled away from his embrace as she rested her hand on his cheek, "Just promise me you'll never do something brave but stupid like that again." She said.
"I can't promise that. I'd take another bullet just to save you." James objected grabbing her hand and lightly kissing her knuckles. Harper sighed shaking her head briefly before leaning in to kiss his cheek then uttered close to his ear, "Thank you." A single tear fleeing down her cheek.
"Anything for you, baby." James replied closing his eyes for a second then opening them as she pulled back. James couldn't believe that she was here, within his arms like where she should be. No words could sum up how he had missed this. Missed holding her, her lips against his and that radiating smile that could light up the city. Why did he hurt her? Never again...
Harper sat back shaking her head frantically as she brought her hands towards her mouth, "I-I just can't believe it, you're here. Awake. Alive." She blubbered, pressing her lips together to prevail her from crying again. James smiled, "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." Harper sighed gently moving her hand towards his stomach, stopping mid-air, "Does it hurt?" She asked.
James glanced down towards his own stomach then returned to her troubled expression, "Slightly, it's sore but the pain is worth it. Reminds me how grateful I am to have you in my life." He said, smirking after causing Harper to smile in defeat.
Harper suddenly blurted out, "I've got to go alert the Doctors. And your parents a-and there's-
-"Harper." James said softly, smiling as he reached for her hand. Harper stopped fussing returning back to his attention. "I want to spend this night with you. Just you." He added.
"But, that would be unfair. Your parents are worried sick and the Doctors need to check over you. James! You've just woken up after...being unconscious for nearly a week!" Harper fretted.
James still continued to smile as he said, "Harper, you hear that?"
Harper stopped, frowning as she questioned his behaviour. James took a hold of her hand once more gently placing it across his chest or to be specific where she could feel his heart beating fast beneath her fingertips. Wetting his bottom lip he titled his head to left where Harper followed. "Hear that. That's my heart. And on that cardiac monitor it shows my heart beating at a consistent fast beat..." Harper glanced at the monitor watching it peak fast continually as James continued, "Know why? Because I'm crazy about you and I want nothing more than to spend this night with you. Let me...hold you, Harper. Let this fool who's madly in love with you spend this night with you." He pleaded squeezing her hand in his own. "I've missed us."
Harper couldn't deny the butterflies that attacked within her stomach and for that moment went against her conscious and followed her heart instead. "Okay, James." She smiled. James opened his arms bringing the tubes that latched onto his skin with him as he moved over allowing Harper to slip in.
Carefully she lay beside him and instantly he wrapped a single arm around her. Gradually his fingers began to caress her arm as he softly sang, "Because all of me, loves all of you...-
Harper smuggled in laughter, "You have a beautiful voice."
"Do I?" James asked.
"Yes." Harper replied.
"I love you." He murmured, slowly feeling dazed and lightheaded with exhaustion falling upon him. Harper moved in closer returning the same three words, "I love you." Then she heard his heavy breathing as he fell asleep. Harper smiled, kissed his arm then closing her own eyes in defeat.
It was real wasn't it?
The following morning, Harper was only in more tears only they were tears in joy instead as she shared the same reaction as his parents who fleeted on him without second thought. Mrs Brewer planted kisses all over his face that he squirmed teasingly, whereas with his father it shocked James that when he came to offer his hand, Michael refused and brought him into an immense hug. Violet had her fair share hugging him that James complained of suffocation.
-"You know I love you sis."
"You worth-ship me." She declared, smirking as she planted her hands on her hips. James smiled in return then indiscreetly shared a look with Harper who blushed.
-"So Doctors, they're pleased with your recovery. When do think they'll let you out." His Mother piped in. James stretched his arms out gently then replied, "Don't know. I'm hoping soon. What about the press? And have we got a hearing date yet?"
"I've sorted it, Son. Kept it minimal. And...we haven't been told as of yet." Michael cut in.
James scoffed, "I get f**king shot and they're still deciding on a date yet. I want that maniac locked up. Perhaps he'll enjoy the lack of p***y he'll get in there."
"James." His Mother scolded.
"What?" James innocently smiled as he shrugged his shoulders, "He will though. Sex can drive a man crazy for days." Then he briefly looked over to Harper as he added, "But not when you're truly head over heels in love."
Violet snorted, "Same old James with his cocky remarks but he's grown a pair." Harper laughed in response.
"Why thank you, Sis. You're just jealous that the looks went on my behalf. And might I add, I don't need to do any growing, big enough." Smirking as Violet coughed in disgust. Harper blushed as his eyes met hers and the left side of his lips tugged upwards.
The afternoon Harper had left or at least tried to escape from James to allow him to spend quality time with his family earning a well good pout off him.
-You'll stick like that." She giggled before kissing his cheek. James grasped her arm keeping her close to him, "Just you wait when I'm back on my feet. We've got some catching up to do." Then smirked as she pulled back.
There were no amount of words that could describe how in relief she felt knowing James was going to be okay. Not excluding the indescribable feeling of when their lips touched. Part of her that been missing so long had felt like it come back to reclaim the emptiness she felt within her heart.
James couldn't express how it felt when he opened his eyes to feel Harper beside him last night. It was like waking up as a kid for Christmas and finding out that Santa had brought the present you asked for. Only not even that could beat how he felt.
Tried, restless and impatient. Doctors permitted him to stay another night to check his conditions once more until Saturday when he finally could be discharged. Until then James was fought to stay where he was. He couldn't complain, Harper was there sitting beside him as she blabbered on. James would listen intently, he was just happy he could hear her voice instead of the squeaky, infuriating voice of Eleanor who last he heard of was still on the hunt for husband.
-"So...what's your plans when you get out of here?" Harper asked, diverting the spotlight onto him. James raised his eyebrows, "Do you really need to ask that?" He smirked, then took her hand into his. "I'm going home where you're coming with me."
-"J-Jam...
-"Where I'll need someone to tidy, clean and look after me." He cut in.
Harper rolled her eyes, gently smacking his arm as she retorted, "Cheeky."
"I'm kidding, babe. But you are coming home with me. Don't think for one second I'm letting you out my sight." James said. Harper blushed pushing a strand from her face as she muttered, "Are you sure?"
James rolled his eyes playfully, "Yes, I'm sure."
Harper went silent for a moment to look away. "What's up?" James asked softly, resting his hand on her cheek. Harper turned to face him, tears prickling within her eyes as she replied, "I...still feel to blame. My fault that you...got hurt. The guilt...will never go away." Harper sniffled wiping her own tears away as she turned away, embarrassed at her own behaviour. James gritted his teeth as he lifted himself up to manoeuvre his feet out the bed. Harper watched in surprise as he pushed his feet out of the quilt gently placing them on the floor.
"James?"
James pressed his hands down on the mattress to push himself off that with force he was able to stand up. Clenching his teeth at the initial pain, he exhaled then held both hands out for Harper to take. Gradually standing up she placed both hands into his still shocked at his sudden action.
"Harper...please don't torture yourself. Baby, you're never to blame." He said, squeezing her hands. "Harper, I have always had this guilt...it took me ages to realise that I was in love with you. And I hurt you through the process...that call and my near marriage. I hurt you Harper more than that bullet harmed me. Harper, please don't blame yourself." He said, then looked towards the floor before looking back up, "Harper...let me prove it to you that I'm sorry, prove to you that you mean everything to me. I want us. I want you to be my girlfriend."
Harper blinked several times, her eyes watering on site as she spluttered, "Y-yes. Yes." James brought her into his arms before crashing his lips to hers in his own desperation.
From behind on the bedside table, James stopped gently reaching over to grab it. Pulling back he muttered close to her ear to turn then gently clasped it around her neck. Harper closed her eyes feeling the pendant between her fingers as she laid against him.
"I love you." He declared.
Thank you for reading. Incredibly sorry about not getting it out on Christmas Day! Hopefully this will be able to win you back!!!
So can we just have a huge applause that James is awake! I swear I was blubbering myself....Man and when you listening to The Weeknd it doesn't help either! ;)
So, I have decided that 65 chapters should be enough then that will be the end. Of course this can't be the last chapter as we need to see through James' recovery and of course, the great last chapter I have up my sleeve for you guys!! :)
Epilogue will also follow up too. So don't worry about that.
NOTE NOT END CHAPTER
I bet a few of you were expecting him to propose? ;)
Hold your horses.
Not just yet ;)
Thanks for reading, please VOTE, COMMENT and SHARE!!!! Love you guys!!!
VAMPIREFANGSRULES
XXX