Stockholm Syndrome

Harry threw his mouse away in absolute anger, standing up with his nose flaring and about ready to hit something.

“Bullshit! After all that she just-she just! I would have bloody gave her-“

“Shit, mate, calm down. What happened? She kill you off?” Niall rushed in, wondering what got his friend so upset.

“Yes! Sorta- she killed me but revived me, well, she had your character do it but that’s is not what’s pissing me off, she killed herself! She just went all mother saint and fucking-BAM-“ Harry exclaimed, slamming his mouse on the counter and pointing two fingers to his head and made a forward motion like a gun going off. “Two bloody months! I waited two bloody-“

“Harry, it’s a story-storrrrryyyyyy. You still got all your toes, your tattoos are intact…so she killed her character off, so what? After what all the bitch did to you-“Niall started but Harry shook his head and stood up, beginning to pace.

“Two fucking months,” Harry growled turning to Niall. “TWO months to see if there would be a happy ending and she-fuck fan fiction, I’m sticking to regular writing. Isis Heart – Sorrow…why?” Harry finally asked, half tempted to write a review but anything he wanted to say seemed to be against the rules so he forced himself to calm down and close the webpage.

“I dunno man but we got a meet and greet so hurry up huh? We’re running a little late, Liam, Louise and Zayn are already there.”

Harry growled but followed his friend down to the convention center green room, taking a seat beside Liam and Niall sitting at the end beside Harry.

“Alright, let’s begin.” Harry nodded as groups of girls were lead in. He plastered on a smile and began the process of the meet and greet.

*

It was the last group of girls, probably met over a hundred and his hand was hurting from signing so many autographs and his face hurt from so many autographs so when the last girl came into his sight he looked up and smiled – faltering some in surprise.

“Hi.” She smiled kindly, reaching out her hand for him to shake.

He shook it with a somewhat surprised look.

Long red hair, blue eyes, thin… Harry noted, missing her name as she patiently waited for him to sign her poster.

“I-I’m sorry, I’m having an off day. What’s your name again, love?” Harry smiled, this time looking her in the face to make sure he caught it.

“Isis. Isis Heart.” She smiled, causing Harry to drop his pen in shocked. Not only that, he shot up like his chair was on fire.

“YOU! You killed her off! You’re the Stockholm syndrome writer chick! Aren’t you!” Harry demanded, grabbing her arm. He wasn’t rough but of all the places to meet-

Liam stood up, making Harry relinquish his hold on the poor frightened girl.

“I’m sorry, he forget to take his medication today.” Liam laughed nervously as Harry’s eyes bore into hers relentlessly.

“You are, aren’t you?” Harry demanded, calmer this time.

The girl just looked like she had been taken from a lineup and prosecuted before being sent to the guillotine. She now had the attention of all five boys and managed to enrage one of them at the same time.

“I-I, no, I don’t know.” She said, her eyes moving side to side quickly, grabbing her poster and making a head run toward the exit but never got that far as Harry was out from behind the table, much to the protest of the other boys and closing the exit door so she couldn’t leave.

Fear was blatant in her blue eyes as she tried to signal help from Harry’s friends but they just stared in awed shock, not having expected their friend to go complete ape shit.

“Don’t lie to me. Your eyes are moving back and forth, that’s a sign you’re fibbing.” Harry smiled, grasping the girl’s arm and directing her toward one of the couches. “We’re going to have a little chat, you and I.” He continued, noticing the girl was in tears-which is exactly what he felt after reading the last chapter of a story he spent time and energy reading.

Niall got up and sat beside Harry, a calming hand on his shoulder.

“Mate, you’re scaring her-stop. Talk but be nice.” Niall whispered before patting his shoulder and leaving to go back to the table to see what his unpredictable and very upset friend might do.

Liam reached over to whisper to Niall, pointing at the girl.

Niall shook his head, whispering back before laughing a little as the two people on the couch sat stone silent.

“Why did you kill her off? I want to know.” Harry breathed, trying to hold in his anger. He didn’t understand, he didn’t see the point. There were places, identities-multi of factors and she still was so broken that she would choose a bullet.

“I-I’m sorry if that upset you? I had to.” She replied meekly, curling into herself.

Harry started to feel a little bad but after reading that horror story he wanted more answers, he craved answers and he was getting them one way or another.

“Also, my tattoos? My small toe? Keeping me tied up, really? Are you into some sick sadist bdsm thing?” Harry tried teasing but he did want to know why she tortured him so much, no normal person does that!

“I-I…no.” She stuttered, her face flushing but she pulled down her shirt to her chest.

Harry looked before she traced it to her arms, where she pulled up her long sleeves, revealing deep scars and indents permanently etched into her flesh.

“Relationship gone bad, seven years. I wrote that story two years ago to help with the healing process, I wrote that story and already knew from the beginning that Sorrow would die. Because Sorrow was me. That represented my old life and when I had the freedom to choose, I killed her, I created someone new from something I use to be. Writing is a powerful thing Harry. Don’t read if you can’t handle the realities because some writing, some stories-are true.” She replied, her voice shaky as she stood up and readjusted her top, leaving the room more than speechless, Harry included.

“Wait,” Harry begged, standing up with Isis and putting a hand to stop her from leaving even though the green room was the last place she wanted to be at that second. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know-I was angry because I saw hope, I saw a second chance-I’m just sorry that you didn’t.” He let go of her.

“My second chance, Harry, is real life-here and now. My past is in that story, MY past and experiences are buried in the pages of the past where they need to be because I would not have been able to move forward if I didn’t kill her off. She was the epitome of everything I hated. This girl, the one here-the one that’s talking to you. This is my second chance and if you don’t or understand that, then you’re not worth my time.” She turned to leave, this time pulling her hand away when he reached out for it. She didn’t turn around, she simply slammed the door open and began down the hall toward her seat…even though that experience just ruined her whole fucking night.

“Wait!” Harry raced after her, catching Isis by the waste and spinning her with him into the wall, smiling slightly, his eyes now sparkling. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I want to know more-I want to understand.”

“That part of me is closed, it’s dead because SHE’S dead, don’t you get that?” Isis yelled, tears now dripping from the edge of her eyes as Harry reached up, tenderly brushing the ones that fell.

“I meant I’d like to get to know the girl you are now. I want to know this girl with the second chance.” Harry corrected gently, smiling in reassurance before hugging the girl close to him.

“I’m still not sure.” Isis whispered, her eyes glancing to the wrist of her charred skin.

“Then let me help you figure it out?” Harry offered, his lips lingering by her ear, his words meant only for her to hear.

She closed her eyes, turning so their faces were only inches apart but still gave them enough personal space to be comfortable. Her heart was beating like a jackhammer. She didn’t expect to him to ever know her past, let alone care…certainly not yell at her but the story was always for him, she was alive only because of him.

“When it happened, when he-“She swallowed, unsure of how to continue but somewhere deep inside her she knew. “Your voice came on the radio, the day that pistol was in my mouth. I found it in the closet, I had it cocked…one second later…” She broke off as his body slinked around hers protectively.

“I’m so sorry Isis, I didn’t know.” Harry comforted, breaking away to brush his hand through her hand. He needed to feel her touch-to know she was there, to know she was real.

“It’s ok.” She whispered, her body relaxed against his as they met each other’s eyes again – like a second chance was happening, his second chance.

“I want to know the girl beyond the tragedy…will you give me the time?” He smiled, playing on her words as her small hand went to his face, almost as if she herself were making sure this wasn’t some terrible cruel dream-finally, after so many years, it was in fact, real.

“Only if I’m worth yours.” She smiled sadly, his eyes completely holding hers, mesmerized by this one he only minutes ago screamed at. She was his book to read, her new chapter…his promise to her for a second chance, even if it wasn’t him, him who had promise dit. He just knew that he had to know the girl that captivated his heart, that he loved without even knowing. It really was a case of Stockholm syndrome and he fell hard but that didn’t matter. He’d wonder why later, he’d wonder how but at that moment there couldn’t have been a more perfect moment.

“Trust me, you won’t be getting rid of me that easy.” He chuckled, leaning in ever so slightly, their eye contact never breaking.

“People have told me that more than once.” She replied but swallowed hard, her head dizzy.

He smiled.

“I’m not just some person, but I think I know-“ He broke off in a whisper, leaning forward gently, his hand gracing the side of her cheek so fragilely that he was almost afraid she’d break…in truth, she had done just that, following his promise blindly – because as their lips met, she realized what he was doing. Harry was sealing the promise in the most powerful way you could, with a kiss.

Notes

You guys wanted a happy ending, right? Happy Harry? You got one, now - how'd I do? :-D