Stars & Stripes
Don't make an old man repeat himself.
Olivia stood by her father for the next three days. The only time she ever left his side was to go to the bathroom. She slept there, she ate there, and she put her hair up and went without a shower. She wanted to be updated on his condition as soon as the doctor knew.
On the third day, the female Pakistani doctor came through the glass door and smiled. “I’ve got some good news.”
Olivia wanted to fall into a puddle of relief. In her exhaustion, tears almost fell down her face. “We caught it in time, and I’m pretty confident that if we keep up the chemo regiment, we’ll have it removed in a week or two.”
Charles smiled brightly, squeezing Olivia’s trembling hand. “I told you I was going to be fine. You worry too much.”
Olivia laughed a wet sort of sniffle and thanked the doctor. “Now that I’m going to be fine, don’t you have somewhere to be?” Charles asked pointedly.
“Where would I be besides here, dad?” Olivia rested her head on the side of his bed, just wanting to take a nap.
“I don’t know, maybe doing your job.” He raised his brows very fatherly like.
“Dad,” Olivia said incredulously, “You cannot be serious. Wren has it under control. There’s only one more show tomorrow and then they’re going back. The tour’s over.”
He had this mischievous gleam in his youthful eyes. “I don’t know about that.”
“You don’t know about that?” Olivia scoffed, sitting up straight, “Unless Julia added another week, they’re playing tomorrow in New York and then heading back to London. The tour’s over.”
“That’s not what I heard.”
“Well, you heard wrong.” She said defiantly. “Besides, I’m not going anywhere until you’re cured.”
“No, you’re not.” Charles argued. “You’re going to leave me, take a shower, and go see that Harry boy. Give him a kiss, pack your bags, and then head to London.”
Olivia stared at her father, unsure whether to laugh or take him seriously. “What?”
“You heard me, Olive.” He scolded lightly. “Don’t make an old man repeat himself.”
“You want me to go away? Now?” Olivia shook her head, stray hairs flying out of her half-assed messy bun of greasy hair. “Not a chance in hell. You need me. I’m not just going anywhere.”
“Olive, I’ve got Julia and these are capable doctors. You need to go and live your life before it’s over.” He said softly.
Fresh tears sprung to her eyes, “What does that even mean? Why are you trying to send me away? Now of all times! I’m not going anywhere until you’re cancer-free and that’s that!” She defied through clenched teeth. But, Charles simply gave her that ‘father-knows-best’ look. She was going to London whether she wanted to or not.
With a lack of sleep for seventy-two hours, the stress and confusion she’d juggled, Olivia leaned her head onto her father’s chest and cried. Charles ran a hand comfortably up and down her back, allowing her to let the tears out. She had been through an ordeal, and these past three days hadn’t even been the tip of the iceberg. As far as Charles was concerned, Olivia didn’t cry enough.
“Do this for me, Olive.” Charles whispered, “I’ll be here when you get back.”
Olivia just kept weeping into his blanket.
+ + +
Harry brewed some tea for the lads as they settled into the final apartment—which also happened to be their first one. Their last show was tomorrow night in Madison Square Garden. A huge arena. Niall was bouncing off the walls about it and that was the reason Harry was making tea. It always knocked the Irishman out.
Wren’s laugh mingled with the other band mates through the apartment. Something in Harry twitched. He wanted so badly for that to be Olivia’s laugh sounding through the halls that he involuntarily hated Wren.
Wren was a good guy. He didn’t deserve the hateful glares Harry sent him or the snide remarks. He was doing his best to take over Olivia’s job in the small amount of time he had to bond with them. Taking care of One Direction was a hard job and Wren was handling it quite well. But as tomorrow neared and Harry still hadn’t heard from Olivia since she texted him a few days back, Harry was worried that he wouldn’t see Olivia again.
It was a silly fear, really. Olivia worked for NYPR. Whatever One Direction did in America would be covered by them, so unless One Direction disbanded in the next year, he would most certainly see Olivia.
Harry didn’t want to express it, but he was worried about what would happen to him without Olivia in a few weeks. He would go back to London where Caroline was waiting with open temptatious legs. He didn’t want to go back to that now, especially now that he knew someone like Olivia existed. Someone who could make him feel anything but hunger for sex. He couldn’t bear to lose that. So, he pulled out his phone and pressed her name and watched it ring.
No answer.
Harry sighed; feeling like a huge weight was placed on his shoulders. He rubbed his face tiredly as the kettle went off. Harry placed it on a cooler part of the stove and heard the door knock.
“Oi, Wren!” Harry called, pulling out a few tea cups and sugar cubes. “The door!”
The voices and laughter ceased and the sound of the door opening filled Harry’s deaf ears. He was busy placing tea bags in the cups when he realized that it was a little too quiet. “Well, who the bloody hell was it?”
“Are you making tea?” A girl’s incredulous voice spoke. Harry whirled around, almost dropping the kettle.
“Olive?” He breathed.
“Harry Styles in the kitchen. I thought that was a woman’s place.” She cracked a small sad smile. Her hair was still damp from the shower she had recently taken, giving it a darker look. She wasn’t wearing any makeup but Harry still thought she was breathtakingly beautiful.
Without thinking, Harry strode across the room and kissed her swiftly. He pulled her lithe frame into a tight embrace, nuzzling her wet hair. “Harry?” She was caught off guard by his unnatural display of affection.
“I missed you.” He muttered, “I called. You never picked up.”
“My phone’s dead. I’ve been at the hospital.” Olivia explained. Harry nodded, deciding he didn’t need to forgive her for something that wasn’t her fault.
“I missed you.” He smiled widely, like this was something worth admitting twice.
Olivia gave him a strange look. “Yeah?”
He nodded, pressing his hungry lips against hers.
“Oi!” A voice cried. Harry pulled away, keeping Olivia still firmly in his arms, “Innocent bystanders here, yeah? We missed Olivia just as much as you did.” Louis gave him a look.
“I don’t think so mate.” Harry shook his head, chuckling a bit.
“He’s right.” Niall nodded. “He missed her sexually. We just missed her friendly, yeah?”
“Shut it, Nialler.” Liam laughed, nudging the blonde.
“You come to replace me?” Wren spoke up from the back of the pack.
Olivia smiled, which was a bit off-putting to Wren. Olivia didn’t usually talk to him much even though he was the one who had shown her the ropes her first month. She had taken over his job after all.
“Sorry about your dad, Olivia. Hope he’ll be okay.” Wren loosened his tie.
“Doctor said he’ll live.” Olivia informed him, “Thanks for covering. They can be a handful.”
“Obviously.” Wren nodded to the fact that Harry had Olivia wrapped in his arms. “I’m gonna head out. It was nice to meet you all. See you around, Olivia.” He waved and they all exchanged goodbyes. Niall gave him a tight hug before shutting the door.
“I never liked the wanker.” Niall said shiftily.
“Relax, Niall.” Olivia grinned, “You weren’t cheating on me by liking him.”
“Good, because I got his number and he said he’d text me whenever he was in Ireland.” Niall informed them.
“So, how is Charles?” Harry asked suddenly.
“Let’s head to the living room, yeah?” Zayn offered.
They piled in, taking seats on the various furniture items. Niall opted for the floor, claiming to like it better. Harry never left Olivia’s side.
She explained that her father had rare form a cancer and what that meant for his case. But, prognosis looked good, and with chemo and removing the mole, he should be coming out victorious.
There was a collective sigh of relief.
“That’s bloody good luck.” Liam decided. The rest agreed.
“Shall we have a toast to ol’ Mann’s health?” Niall proposed.
“No, I think I’m warding off alcohol for awhile.” Olivia shook her head defiantly. Harry smirked and placed his lips on her cool cheek, warming it up at the touch. “Besides, Harry made you all tea.”
They all gave elaborately shocked gasps. Harry rolled his eyes, despite the smile on his face that hadn’t left since the moment Olivia walked in. He got up to grab the drinks and was back before they could blink.
“Are you leaving?” Niall asked suddenly when Olivia stood up. Harry stopped handing out the tea cups and watched her with weary eyes.
“No, Niall.” Olivia shook her head, “I’m not going anywhere.”
Ten minutes later, Niall was passed out and everyone else dismissed themselves to get a good night’s sleep before their last show. Harry led Olivia back to his old room with their hands intertwined. He shut the door and the only thing that lit the room was a small nightlight that Harry kept with him wherever he went. Olivia looked even tanner in the dim light.
Harry pulled out her hair band and watched her chocolate locks fall. He smoothed them out with his large hands as they fell onto Harry’s neat bed. Automatically, Olivia folded herself into Harry, like they did this all the time, like they had known each other for a lot longer than four weeks.
Olivia listened to the soft thud of Harry’s heart beat. Harry played with her dried hair. They seemed content to sit together in silence but Olivia wanted to say something.
“My dad’s sending me to London.” She said quietly. Harry stopped what he was doing and sat up as far as he could without disturbing the girl on his chest.
“London, eh?” He asked excitedly.
“I’m not saying he’s sending me to be with you, but if we happen to bump into each other then what happens, hap—” Harry smashed his lips into hers, cutting Olivia off.
“So, you think it’s a good idea, too?” Olivia breathed when they pulled apart.
“I think it’s the most bloody brilliant idea anyone’s ever had.” Harry whispered, pushing a stray clump of hair out of the American beauties face.
“Even with Simon forming the super group One Direction on the table?" Olivia smirked lightly, running her free hand through his unruly curls.
“Priorities.” Harry muttered before attaching his lips onto hers once more.
On the third day, the female Pakistani doctor came through the glass door and smiled. “I’ve got some good news.”
Olivia wanted to fall into a puddle of relief. In her exhaustion, tears almost fell down her face. “We caught it in time, and I’m pretty confident that if we keep up the chemo regiment, we’ll have it removed in a week or two.”
Charles smiled brightly, squeezing Olivia’s trembling hand. “I told you I was going to be fine. You worry too much.”
Olivia laughed a wet sort of sniffle and thanked the doctor. “Now that I’m going to be fine, don’t you have somewhere to be?” Charles asked pointedly.
“Where would I be besides here, dad?” Olivia rested her head on the side of his bed, just wanting to take a nap.
“I don’t know, maybe doing your job.” He raised his brows very fatherly like.
“Dad,” Olivia said incredulously, “You cannot be serious. Wren has it under control. There’s only one more show tomorrow and then they’re going back. The tour’s over.”
He had this mischievous gleam in his youthful eyes. “I don’t know about that.”
“You don’t know about that?” Olivia scoffed, sitting up straight, “Unless Julia added another week, they’re playing tomorrow in New York and then heading back to London. The tour’s over.”
“That’s not what I heard.”
“Well, you heard wrong.” She said defiantly. “Besides, I’m not going anywhere until you’re cured.”
“No, you’re not.” Charles argued. “You’re going to leave me, take a shower, and go see that Harry boy. Give him a kiss, pack your bags, and then head to London.”
Olivia stared at her father, unsure whether to laugh or take him seriously. “What?”
“You heard me, Olive.” He scolded lightly. “Don’t make an old man repeat himself.”
“You want me to go away? Now?” Olivia shook her head, stray hairs flying out of her half-assed messy bun of greasy hair. “Not a chance in hell. You need me. I’m not just going anywhere.”
“Olive, I’ve got Julia and these are capable doctors. You need to go and live your life before it’s over.” He said softly.
Fresh tears sprung to her eyes, “What does that even mean? Why are you trying to send me away? Now of all times! I’m not going anywhere until you’re cancer-free and that’s that!” She defied through clenched teeth. But, Charles simply gave her that ‘father-knows-best’ look. She was going to London whether she wanted to or not.
With a lack of sleep for seventy-two hours, the stress and confusion she’d juggled, Olivia leaned her head onto her father’s chest and cried. Charles ran a hand comfortably up and down her back, allowing her to let the tears out. She had been through an ordeal, and these past three days hadn’t even been the tip of the iceberg. As far as Charles was concerned, Olivia didn’t cry enough.
“Do this for me, Olive.” Charles whispered, “I’ll be here when you get back.”
Olivia just kept weeping into his blanket.
+ + +
Harry brewed some tea for the lads as they settled into the final apartment—which also happened to be their first one. Their last show was tomorrow night in Madison Square Garden. A huge arena. Niall was bouncing off the walls about it and that was the reason Harry was making tea. It always knocked the Irishman out.
Wren’s laugh mingled with the other band mates through the apartment. Something in Harry twitched. He wanted so badly for that to be Olivia’s laugh sounding through the halls that he involuntarily hated Wren.
Wren was a good guy. He didn’t deserve the hateful glares Harry sent him or the snide remarks. He was doing his best to take over Olivia’s job in the small amount of time he had to bond with them. Taking care of One Direction was a hard job and Wren was handling it quite well. But as tomorrow neared and Harry still hadn’t heard from Olivia since she texted him a few days back, Harry was worried that he wouldn’t see Olivia again.
It was a silly fear, really. Olivia worked for NYPR. Whatever One Direction did in America would be covered by them, so unless One Direction disbanded in the next year, he would most certainly see Olivia.
Harry didn’t want to express it, but he was worried about what would happen to him without Olivia in a few weeks. He would go back to London where Caroline was waiting with open temptatious legs. He didn’t want to go back to that now, especially now that he knew someone like Olivia existed. Someone who could make him feel anything but hunger for sex. He couldn’t bear to lose that. So, he pulled out his phone and pressed her name and watched it ring.
No answer.
Harry sighed; feeling like a huge weight was placed on his shoulders. He rubbed his face tiredly as the kettle went off. Harry placed it on a cooler part of the stove and heard the door knock.
“Oi, Wren!” Harry called, pulling out a few tea cups and sugar cubes. “The door!”
The voices and laughter ceased and the sound of the door opening filled Harry’s deaf ears. He was busy placing tea bags in the cups when he realized that it was a little too quiet. “Well, who the bloody hell was it?”
“Are you making tea?” A girl’s incredulous voice spoke. Harry whirled around, almost dropping the kettle.
“Olive?” He breathed.
“Harry Styles in the kitchen. I thought that was a woman’s place.” She cracked a small sad smile. Her hair was still damp from the shower she had recently taken, giving it a darker look. She wasn’t wearing any makeup but Harry still thought she was breathtakingly beautiful.
Without thinking, Harry strode across the room and kissed her swiftly. He pulled her lithe frame into a tight embrace, nuzzling her wet hair. “Harry?” She was caught off guard by his unnatural display of affection.
“I missed you.” He muttered, “I called. You never picked up.”
“My phone’s dead. I’ve been at the hospital.” Olivia explained. Harry nodded, deciding he didn’t need to forgive her for something that wasn’t her fault.
“I missed you.” He smiled widely, like this was something worth admitting twice.
Olivia gave him a strange look. “Yeah?”
He nodded, pressing his hungry lips against hers.
“Oi!” A voice cried. Harry pulled away, keeping Olivia still firmly in his arms, “Innocent bystanders here, yeah? We missed Olivia just as much as you did.” Louis gave him a look.
“I don’t think so mate.” Harry shook his head, chuckling a bit.
“He’s right.” Niall nodded. “He missed her sexually. We just missed her friendly, yeah?”
“Shut it, Nialler.” Liam laughed, nudging the blonde.
“You come to replace me?” Wren spoke up from the back of the pack.
Olivia smiled, which was a bit off-putting to Wren. Olivia didn’t usually talk to him much even though he was the one who had shown her the ropes her first month. She had taken over his job after all.
“Sorry about your dad, Olivia. Hope he’ll be okay.” Wren loosened his tie.
“Doctor said he’ll live.” Olivia informed him, “Thanks for covering. They can be a handful.”
“Obviously.” Wren nodded to the fact that Harry had Olivia wrapped in his arms. “I’m gonna head out. It was nice to meet you all. See you around, Olivia.” He waved and they all exchanged goodbyes. Niall gave him a tight hug before shutting the door.
“I never liked the wanker.” Niall said shiftily.
“Relax, Niall.” Olivia grinned, “You weren’t cheating on me by liking him.”
“Good, because I got his number and he said he’d text me whenever he was in Ireland.” Niall informed them.
“So, how is Charles?” Harry asked suddenly.
“Let’s head to the living room, yeah?” Zayn offered.
They piled in, taking seats on the various furniture items. Niall opted for the floor, claiming to like it better. Harry never left Olivia’s side.
She explained that her father had rare form a cancer and what that meant for his case. But, prognosis looked good, and with chemo and removing the mole, he should be coming out victorious.
There was a collective sigh of relief.
“That’s bloody good luck.” Liam decided. The rest agreed.
“Shall we have a toast to ol’ Mann’s health?” Niall proposed.
“No, I think I’m warding off alcohol for awhile.” Olivia shook her head defiantly. Harry smirked and placed his lips on her cool cheek, warming it up at the touch. “Besides, Harry made you all tea.”
They all gave elaborately shocked gasps. Harry rolled his eyes, despite the smile on his face that hadn’t left since the moment Olivia walked in. He got up to grab the drinks and was back before they could blink.
“Are you leaving?” Niall asked suddenly when Olivia stood up. Harry stopped handing out the tea cups and watched her with weary eyes.
“No, Niall.” Olivia shook her head, “I’m not going anywhere.”
Ten minutes later, Niall was passed out and everyone else dismissed themselves to get a good night’s sleep before their last show. Harry led Olivia back to his old room with their hands intertwined. He shut the door and the only thing that lit the room was a small nightlight that Harry kept with him wherever he went. Olivia looked even tanner in the dim light.
Harry pulled out her hair band and watched her chocolate locks fall. He smoothed them out with his large hands as they fell onto Harry’s neat bed. Automatically, Olivia folded herself into Harry, like they did this all the time, like they had known each other for a lot longer than four weeks.
Olivia listened to the soft thud of Harry’s heart beat. Harry played with her dried hair. They seemed content to sit together in silence but Olivia wanted to say something.
“My dad’s sending me to London.” She said quietly. Harry stopped what he was doing and sat up as far as he could without disturbing the girl on his chest.
“London, eh?” He asked excitedly.
“I’m not saying he’s sending me to be with you, but if we happen to bump into each other then what happens, hap—” Harry smashed his lips into hers, cutting Olivia off.
“So, you think it’s a good idea, too?” Olivia breathed when they pulled apart.
“I think it’s the most bloody brilliant idea anyone’s ever had.” Harry whispered, pushing a stray clump of hair out of the American beauties face.
“Even with Simon forming the super group One Direction on the table?" Olivia smirked lightly, running her free hand through his unruly curls.
“Priorities.” Harry muttered before attaching his lips onto hers once more.
I can't find it on mibba did you change the name?
11/26/13