Brokedown Palace

I sighed knowing full well that my presence within this group was only dragging Louis down. I walked quietly back to my room, my feet light on the cool hard wood floors careful not to wake the sleeping boy down the long hallway. I quickly picked up my bag, made the bed and grabbed Cat.
As I turned to leave the room I slammed into a hard chest.
I looked up and met piercing green eyes,
"Where are you going?" he said, his voice deeper and dripping with sleep.
"I'm leaving." I said stepping around the large figure, annoyed that I hadn't been quiet enough.
"What am I supposed to tell him? That you ran away again? That you are taking the selfish way out again? You really think your sister would have wanted you to be like this?" He said now raising his voice.
This time I stopped dead in my tracks, "What did you just say?" I asked my voice barely even above a whisper, but filled with enough anger to suck any air out of the room.
His face filled with guilt, "I'm sor-"
"Save it," I snapped, "There's nothing I wouldn't give to get her back. To get him back. Nothing. I do this so he is safe. I do this so he can live this life. I don't live mine so he can live his! I'm sick of you yelling at me acting like you know what I'm doing better than I do."
I now was shaking with anger.
"Where'd the rose come from Dylan?" Was all that he said.
I looked right up at him, now he knew too much.
"I have to leave."
Panic shooting up into my chest, but a strong hand grabbed my arm before I could take another step.
"Harry.." I begged now to let me go.
"Dylan now you're scaring me, if you're not going to tell Louis what is going on you need to tell someone. Are you in trouble?"
I silently debated on whether or not I should do this after holding it in for so long, but decided that it had gone too far.
I nodded my head.
*****************************************************
I sat on the couch still trembling with nerves when Harry sat down next to me.
He put his hands on my legs to calm my shaking knees.
"What's going on?" He asked, all the anger from his voice gone.
I took a deep breath in,
"I didn't run away from Louis, I ran away from something-someone else."
He looked confused, "From Thomas, my stepfather."
"Why would you have-" Him not getting what I was saying.
I just pulled up the sleeves of my shirt revealing tiny scars lining my inner arms and shoulders from the countless burns I endured.
I heard Harry let out a sharp breath, "jesus christ."
"After my mom died, he started. It was small at first just yelling fits from time to time. Then he started with a slap, or a shove and it just escalated from there."
"She um never really got it as bad as I would, because I wouldn't let him, but she would hear it when he would-" My voice cut off knowing that he could piece it together.
"She broke mentally while I broke physically. I couldn't save her. I tried. I tried so hard Harry it's all my fault that she's gone I should have gotten us both out." I said as the tears flowed steadily from my eyes.
"You were 16 that is not your job, you are not to blame for any of this. Do you understand? This was his fault NOT yours." He said now holding my head in between his hands looking directly into my eyes.
"Why didn't you say anything before Dylan? Louis could have helped you go to the police, why would you run?"
"He is the police Harry. You think they would have believed me for one second? My sister was on anti-depressants for two years, we lost our mother. Of course people would think we were only hurting ourselves. He made sure to cover everything up. He knew what he was doing and he still does. He has been threatening me with Louis for the last four years. I couldn't watch him get hurt too. He's always one step ahead of me, he even had Lou fooled."
"Is that where the rose came from?" Harry asked.
I nodded, "He used to leave those outside our door after he was done. It was sick. And now he found me again and I am so tired of running Harry I'm so tried." Sobs erupted from me as I was pulled into his chest.
"Dylan there is no where safer for you than here, we have security surrounding us at all times and there is five of us you will never be alone do you understand? I will make sure that you will be safe." He said looking into my eyes again.
"Louis can't know. He will blame himself for never seeing and stopping it." I said looking down, knowing I was putting a lot onto Harry.
"I hate keeping things from him." He said sighing.
"I know but please it's for his own good."
"Yeah okay but if something happens or I start to think you can't handle it he's the first one I'm telling."
I nodded understanding, "I should probably go talk to him."
Harry nodded, and told me that he would walk me over.
When we reached Louis's house I didn't even knock when the door swung open.
"You two have some things to talk about so I'm gonna go home, alright?" Harry said, if I didn;t know any better there was a hint of disappointment in his voice when he saw the way Louis was looking at me.
"Before you say anything Lou, I am so sorry please forgive me. I love you I always have always will, I never should have said those things I just wanted you to be able to let me go." I said the words spilling from my mouth.
Louis didn't say anything he just crashed his lips onto mine.
I let out a quick gasp as a tear strolled down my cheek,
"Dylan I love you. So much, please don't leave me again." His voice was now filled with desperation.
To this I didn't reply just kissed him back. This kiss was unlike any other we had ever shared it was full of passion and need rather than want and desire.
He easily lifted me off the ground as I wrapped my legs around his waist. My back flew into his wall, a picture landing on the floor shattering. I couldn't help but laugh at the familiar situation as I ripped his shirt over his head.
Louis quickly ran his hands up and down my body removing my shirt with ease. There was nothing in this moment that I was thinking of except that I needed him more than I had ever known.
His mouth moved eagerly against my own and then moved down to trail my neck and collar bone. Pleasure coursed through my veins as he carried me over to his bed slamming the door shut behind him with his foot.

Notes