Harry
My eyes are focused on nothing in particular, a loud sound of the plane propellers filling the air, my muscles tensed, a heavy pressure settled in my chest. I'm seated on the seats lined against the plane sides, facing Louis, Niall, Liam, and Zayn who are sitting in front of me, studying me cautiously. My body still aches, faded bruises and healing wounds all over it. But I don't care, I don't care about any of it. The moment Lia came to give me the news about Elena, it was like a surge of adrenaline rushed through me, making me jump out of the bed immediately.
It took me a few hours to organise everything for the trip to the West and despite David's protests and offers to go for her by himself so I can rest, I refused. I didn't want to lose hours of driving by using the vehicles, so we used a military plane, my team consisting of my friends. This is not a mission where we'll risk our lives, I made sure about that before leaving Hazard.
"You had no right," I said to Anne harshly as I glared into her widened eyes. She came to visit Zayn and me earlier today, but neither of us was in the mood for her lies. Zayn did allow her to hug him, we knew it had to be shocking for her to see him alive considering none of us had bothered to tell her. "You had no fucking right to hide her from me, to leave her in the middle of nowhere when she was hurt! I'll go there now and you better pray she's alive and well or I swear I will forget about the fact you gave birth to me. You'll be the enemy in my eyes."
"Harry, I just wanted what's best for you-" Anne started.
"Bullshit!" I snapped. "You have no right to make decisions for me, just because you decided to give up on your family and the people you love, doesn't mean I'll do the same! Fuck, I love that girl! If you really wanted to help, you would've brought her back to me, not took her away."
She was silent for a few moments. "I. . . I had no idea you feel this way about her, but she still used you to get what she wants-"
"Stop. Just stop trying to change my mind, you don't know the half of it. I'll go there and you'll come with me to make sure those assholes don't attack us, is that clear? For once, be a real mother to me and help me instead of ruining everything and bringing nothing but pain."
Her serious expression slowly faded as she released a sigh. "Alright, son. I'll help you."
My knee is shaking nervously, my arms crossed over my chest, a deep frown on my face as my anxiety increases with each passing second, caging me in a bubble that is about to burst any second now if we don't arrive. My mind is reeling with options and scenarios when I finally see her and get a chance to properly talk to her, absolutely scared of the outcome. All I know is that I'll try everything to earn her forgiveness.
Liam puts his hands out, pretending as if he's pushing an invisible wall. "Damn, all that tension you're spreading is so thick I can't move."
"He's right, Harry. You won't accomplish anything with worrying," Louis says. "She's alright, you'll see."
"It's impossible not to worry," I tell them. "She was injured even worse than I was, but the difference is I had proper care, she was left in the middle of fucking nowhere in a damn tent."
They all remain silent, dropping their gazes. As I look at them, I suddenly remember Jess. When I found out the truth about her, I was angry beyond reason because she was one of my closest friends and she betrayed me. She was lucky she wasn't near when I heard the news from David, who knows what I would've done. When I calmed down, I thought about her reasons for doing it, about her regret and about whether or not should I forgive her. I realised that's not easy and not possible at this moment, but I allowed her to stay considering Alex really cares about her. I don't think I'll ever be able to trust her again, though.
My gaze slides to Zayn, who surprisingly looks as nervous as I am, letting out a huff in frustration, his fingers tousling his dark hair. His eyes catch mine and we hold eye contact for a few moments before his lips pull in a reassuring smile, somehow making me smile as well. I still resent him and a part of me always will since I went through hell when he was gone and the experience left permanent emotional scars that will never heal. But having him here somehow wipes away most of my pain and strange calmness takes over me whenever I look at him. I have a feeling I won't have any nightmares or hallucinations any time soon. I'm okay now, I'm finally okay.
I cover my face with my palms as I lean forward, my patience wearing thin. I'm worried about Elena's condition, but what worries me more is what her reaction might be when she sees me. Does she miss me too? Or perhaps she holds a grudge against me for the way I treated her? Honestly, I wouldn't blame her. But then again, Lia told me Elena sent her to Hazard so she can deliver her message to me. I'll take it as an assurance that Elena still wants me in her life.
The plane slowly lands as we arrive, my head snapping up as I hastily remove my seatbelt, letting out a long breath to ease my tension. We get out of the plane as the doors open for us, all of us armed and ready to act in case something goes wrong. I see Anne standing a few metres away with her arms crossed, surrounded by her soldiers. I told her to wait for us and make sure no one tries to stop us. My eyes trail around, noticing various tents and vehicles scattered over the area, people walking this way and that even though most eyes are on us. I steadily walk toward Anne with my team walking on my sides.
"Where is she?" I ask once I approach her, watching as she silently points toward one of the tents on her left. I immediately run toward it, my heart starting to beat faster as my legs carry me forward, decreasing the distance between us. My hands push the tent folds and I enter inside, eyes glancing around before they stop on a bed a few steps in front of me, her sleeping body on top of it. Finally.
My heart leaps in my chest in both fear and excitement as I slowly approach her, feeling a lump forming in my throat at the sight of bandaged wounds all over her body, my eyes closing for a few seconds as sadness spreads through my chest. I lean forward and brush my knuckles against her cheek, getting no reaction from her. "Elena?" I say, gently shaking her shoulder. Still nothing.
I frown, worriedly looking at the medical utensils and vials on the cart beside her bed, one of those probably being a sedative of some sort. I'd like to think it was to ease her pain, not to make her weak so she doesn't try to run away. Anger rises within me at the thought. I bend down and slip my arms beneath her back and legs, lifting her body, suddenly feeling a lot calmer when she's here.
I leave the tent, glancing at my friends who are waiting for me patiently. "Is she alright?" Zayn asks, an alarmed expression on his face as he walks toward me, looking down at her sleeping form. He hesitantly raises his hand and places it on her forehead, making me look at him in slight surprise. He shakes his head as if getting rid of some thought and steps away, clearing his throat. "Uh, the plane is ready to leave. Just say the word."
I nod and glare at deserters and Wildfire soldiers all around me as I move toward the plane, stopping beside Anne. "You can stay here. Your presence is not necessary at Hazard anymore." I don't wait for her to reply as I enter the plane with Elena in my arms.
I take a seat, deciding to hold Elena in my arms while we're flying back. Perhaps she's going to wake up and be disoriented and I want to be the first face she sees so I can tell her I'm finally here for her, I came for her. Her head is resting on my shoulder, arms folded over her stomach, legs hanging down as I adjust her in my lap, securing my arms around her shoulders and waist.
Considering she's wearing a tank top, I can see numerous red marks peeking beneath it, a storm of emotions coursing through me like a tidal wave. I can't process whether I'm sad, angry, disgusted, shocked. . . I think I feel all of it at once. She shouldn't have gone through that again, I shouldn't have let that happen.
"Let's go!" I shout loud enough for the pilot to hear me, the plane doors closing, everyone taking a seat and securing their bodies with seatbelts. My eyes are focused on Elena as we slowly start flying, hoping for the best once we reach Hazard.
. . . .
I stir from my light sleep, my eyes opening as I sit up hastily, settled on the bed next to Elena's. I refused to go back to my room, wanting to be here when she wakes up, agreeing to take a quick nap after David kept nagging me to rest since my body is recovering. Elena shifts her attention at me as I stand up, her hazel eyes observing me for a few moments, trailing over my features. My heart is thudding in my chest, her silence making me more nervous than I already am, my palms getting sweaty as I try to find the right words to tell her. When she suddenly removes her cover and sits up, my eyebrows furrow in confusion.
"Lena, what are you- uh, I really don't think you should be getting up- hey, why are you walking toward me?" I ramble nervously, watching as she struggles to walk without grimacing, standing frozen on the spot.
My eyes widen when she slides her arms around my waist, pressing our bodies together as she hugs me tightly, placing her cheek on top of my shoulder. It takes me a few seconds to react, a wide smile gradually appearing on my lips, the warmth of her body relaxing me. A heavy sigh pushes past my lips as everything somehow falls in its place, my eyes closing.
"Why aren't you hugging me back?" Elena asks softly.
"I'm scared," I reply nervously. "I know you have wounds all over your back, I don't want you to be in pain."
Her fingers wrap around my wrists and she leads my arms around her shoulders while she hugs my waist again. I hug her back very gently, careful not to apply too much pressure, feeling her relax under my touch. I lift one of my hands and press it to the back of her head while keeping the other one around her shoulders. I suddenly feel such a strong wave of relief, it brings tears to my eyes. Then I think about what she had to go through, almost forcing the tears to slide down my cheeks, but I quickly blink them away, looking up at the ceiling.
"I'm so sorry," I say quietly. "I'm so sorry for making you leave like that. You were always there for me when I needed it and I pushed you away in the worst way possible, I- I had no right to do that. It's my fault, those marks on your back, what you had to endure to free those children. . ." I push back the drive to break something at the thought, gritting my teeth. "And then you had to listen to me saying all that disgusting things to you, I- please forgive me, Elena. I'm truly sorry."
Elena pulls away slightly to look at me, her lips parted. I see no anger, no judgment on her face, something I surely expected to see. And as I look into her eyes, something powerful strikes me on the inside, a few moments of bravery forcing me to do something I should've done a long time ago instead of pushing her away.
"I love you," I say as I clasp her cheeks between my hands. "I love you so much, Elena."
And before she can say a word, I close the distance between us and press my lips to hers, letting them linger for a few moments as I savour the feeling, jolts of exhilaration running through my veins, my pulse quickening as everything fades around me. I pour out my love and emotions into the kiss as our lips move, her palms pressing against the sides of my neck. Heat courses between us, her skin warm beneath my palms, my thumbs stroking the curves of her cheekbones.
She's the first one to pull away, making me frown slightly, her eyes finding mine again. "I forgive you, Harry. I forgave you a long time ago, actually, I just want to leave all that behind."
"Really?" I smile, letting out a light laugh in utter relief.
"And Harry?" She adds. "I love you."
"Wait, you- you do?" I say with widened eyes, my mouth splitting in a wide grin. She laughs at my stunned reaction, the sound being something I dearly missed. All of this still feels so unreal. "You should lie down again, you're still weak."
"Look who's talking," she retorts with a smile. "David told me what you did, flying to get me while you should've been resting. He was here while you were asleep."
"I don't like it when people tell me what to do," I say. "Reminds me of someone else I know."
"Wait a minute. . . your hair is different," she mumbles, raising her hand to run her fingers through the short strands. "I like it."
Someone clears their throat, both of us looking at the door, seeing Zayn standing there with a small smile on his lips. "I know I'm completely ruining the moment, but could I get a hug too?"
Elena steps away, cold immediately engulfing my body at the loss of contact as she quickly walks toward him and gives him a hug, his smile widening. His arms sneak around her waist delicately, his chin resting on her shoulder. "Hiii," Zayn mumbles.
"Ha, I didn't- I didn't know you two were so close, that's nice," I mumble with a nervous smile as I watch them, clearing my throat awkwardly. "Yeah nice- oh look, you're still hugging, that's definitely more than a few seconds. . ."
"Did you two make up?" Elena asks as she pulls away, looking between us.
"You could say that," Zayn replies, looking at me.
I walk toward them and stand between them, making them take a few steps away to the side. I place my arms around their shoulders, noticing their confused expressions. "Things may not be perfect and we still have a war to win, but I couldn't be happier I have two people I thought I lost beside me."
Alex suddenly storms into the room, a grin forming on his face at the sight of Elena. "Lenny, you're awake!" He quickly hugs her, making her hiss in pain, my eyebrows drawing together in worry. "Oh shi- I'm sorry, oh no." He lets her go, lifting his hands. "But hey, once again my twin senses have proved to be correct!"
"Ha, same!" She replies excitedly, fisting her hand and raising it, making him bump his fist against hers, their fingers wiggling once they pull away. They laugh, both of them speaking at the same time then laughing again, quickly letting each other know what they were doing while they were apart.
"Oh, you guys are here too- ha, it's like a sibling reunion," Alex says as he looks at us, motioning between Elena and him and Zayn and me, smiling widely. We laugh and the four of us spend at least an hour just talking, making me feel careless and without the weight of the war on my back. For an hour, the world is perfect.
. . . .
"Are you sure you don't need any help?" I ask for the hundredth time, anxiously waiting for Elena to get out of the bathroom in her room. Ethan said she doesn't need to stay in the infirmary any longer, she should only visit him every day to rebandage her wounds, same thing he told me as well.
The door finally opens, revealing Elena in a plain shirt and sweatpants, her hair slightly damp from showering, her eyebrows raised and lips pursed. "Don't be mad, I care about you," I tell her with a grin, immediately making her smile.
"You staying here tonight?" She asks as she walks past me, pulling the cover on her bed and sitting down.
"If you don't mind," I reply and sit beside her, my eyes roaming over her features as a faint smile curves my lips. I feel the calmest I've felt in weeks. I lift my hand and gently brush my fingertips against her forehead, leading them down her cheeks and lips. The distance between us gets closed as she leans forward, a small gap dividing our lips now, our warm breaths mixing together. I feel an overwhelming need to have her and feel her close to me, to convince myself this is real and we're together again.
My hands grasp her hips and she lies down, pulling me with her, making me hold my weight with my hands. "Are you in pain?" I ask, searching her features, knowing the marks on her back are still in the process of healing.
"I'll live, don't worry," she whispers and smiles, her palms hunching my shirt up as they slide upward, leaving a trail of tingles behind them. I grip my shirt with one hand and pull it over my head, carelessly throwing it away.
One by one, our articles of clothing pile on the floor, leaving us both in nothing but our underwear. I feel a harsh sting of pain in my heart as I take a look at her exposed bruised skin, making me kneel up, my palms covering my face. Elena's fingers wrap around my wrists and she pries my hands away, her eyes filled with emotion as she looks at me.
"Harry, it's alright, stop blaming yourself," she tells me gently. "Forget about it, just for a little while."
I give her a nod as I slowly push her to lie back down, my desire and want to wipe away all of the marks amd bad memories only growing. I lean forward, pressing my palms on the tops of her hunched knees, letting my lips brush against the smooth skin of her inner thighs. She sucks in a breath at my action, encouraging me to continue as I proceed to leave a trail of feathery kisses along the skin of her thighs, somehow hoping they would wipe away the bruises scattered there. My gaze locks with hers as I hook my fingers beneath the fabric of her underwear, her hips bucking up to allow me to slide it down her legs, bearing her to my eyes.
I shift forward, pressing my lips on her navel then moving lower, brushing the tip of my nose over the flesh before reaching her exposed crotch, leaving yet another kiss there. When I slide my tongue over her core, she audibly gasps, her fingers fisting the sheets. A small smile appears on my lips as I repeat the gesture, drawing a stripe with my tongue before enclosing my pierced lips over the bundle of nerves and sucking, making her hips rise from the mattress, my palm immediately coming up and pressing against her stomach, keeping her in place.
She seems to be looking for something to grab as I continue with my actions, her fingers finding my hair and pulling at the strands, a quiet groan rumbling from my throat, vibrating against her, a strangled moan escaping her mouth. Before I can continue and pleasure her until she releases, her hands grasp my head and she pulls me up, covering my mouth with hers.
Our tongues meet in the midst of the kiss and I make sure not to shift all of my weight on her, careful not to cause her pain. My crotch grinds against hers, the material between us bothering me, our lips detaching and my hands moving down to push my boxers down. I smile and she smiles back, my body hovering over her own as I shift my weight to my arms, my tip brushing against her wet opening. I press my forehead on hers as I slide inside her, making her throw her head back, her lips parting as she releases a whimper, her head sinking deeper into the pillow, her fingers fisting my hair. Her warmth engulfs me, pleasure overflowing my senses as I begin moving my hips, rocking our bodies.
All of my previous fears and worries disperse as my hazy mind focuses on nothing but her. Her warmth, the sounds she makes when I sink deeper and deeper inside her intensely, pulling out of her almost completely only to plunge deep and harsh back inside, pinning her against the mattress repeatedly, the headboard rhythmically banging against the wall with each of my thrusts. Her palms trail over my body, touching every part of the bare skin available to her.
I manage to open my eyes to the half, meeting hers for a second before roaming her features, noticing her flushed cheeks and parted swollen lips, absolutely loving to know I'm the cause of it all. The concept of sex and how it affects a person is still something I'm getting used to and I can with certainty say I love it. Our skin is glistening with perspiration as my moves grow more intense and urgent, my fingertips digging into the skin of her thigh wrapped around my waist, cautious where I apply the pressure, not wanting to hurt her. I use the other hand to hold myself above her, my damp messy hair sticking to my forehead, head hanging low, lips parted.
Her legs coil tightly around my waist as I lower myself, my half opened eyes focusing on her expression projecting how I make her feel. Her wet lips leave hungry kisses over my neck, enclosing around it and sucking, making me groan at the sensation as I slam myself into her urgently over and over again, knowing both of us are nearing our ends. One of my hands trails over her waist, feeling the jagged scars combined with smooth patches of skin underneath my fingertips, all of it the result of fighting for survival.
Elena holds onto me as I clench my jaw, my eyebrows furrowed and eyes screwed shut as I near my end. "I- I love you," I manage to say as I release inside her. I give her a few deep thrusts as she hits her high as well, a quiet whimper of my name falling from her lips.
I pull myself out and lie beside her, my chest rising and falling heavily, body flushed with heat and glistening with sweat. When Elena shifts onto her stomach and folds her arms beneath her head, a pressure weighs me down at the sight of horrible markings all over the surface of her back. I frown and sit up, placing my feet on the floor as I lean forward, my head hanging low.
I feel Elena's arm wind around my shoulders, her chin resting on top of my shoulder. "If it's any consolation, I killed him, Harry. The one responsible for those marks. Stop beating yourself up and focus on the war we need to win, alright?"
"That's a consolation, actually. I know we have a war to win, I'm just. . . scared I guess. I have so much to lose, even more than I have to win, and I know I can't keep everyone safe. I need something to assure me we'll make it, we'll bring peace to our lives."
"We'll fight. We'll fight with all we've got and we won't give up, that's the only assurance I can give you. It's ironic how we have to fight and destroy to bring peace, but it's our only option and you know it. It's either kill or be killed, it all depends on how motivated you are to protect what you're fighting for. It has to be worth it, all that pain has to be worth it in the end."
"You're right. . . I have more than one reason to fight." My hand clamps over her forearm, thumb stroking the skin.
"Everything will be okay," Elena whispers as she kisses the nape of my neck. "You'll see."
A sigh leaves my lips as I turn my head, looking at her with a smile. "It will be."