Different

Chapter 42

I hear the shot fire and then nothing.

But I don't feel anything. Or rather I still feel everything. The pain of losing Harry is still here, and so is the pain in my stomach. I can still feel the heat of his blood on my hands, I can feel the curls of his hair ruffling my cheek.

I'm not dead.

I slowly open my eyes and my jaw falls open at the sight in front of me. The shot didn't come from the psycho. It came from the police and they killed her when she was about to kill me.

Three policemen rush towards the psycho, their gun pointing at her while four others rush towards me and Harry.

"Miss are you ok ?" Someone says, but in my ears it sounds like a dull buzzing. I look up and see one of the policeman leant over me.

"I don't know" I mutter. Physically I'm quite fine but emotionally... I can't even find the words to describe how I'm feeling. I can't believe that this whole thing is over. The psycho is dead, but so is Harry. I feel... Empty. I'm still alive but inside, it feels like I'm dead.

"Miss, did you hear me ?" The man pulls me out of my thoughts and gently shakes my shoulder.

"Hm ?" I raise my eyebrow at him, my gaze focused on Harry's body.

"There's an ambulance waiting for you and your friend outside"

"Okay..."

I feel two arms wrapping around me and carrying me to a stretcher. I search for Harry who's also being put on one. As they lead us outside of the building, I see about ten bodies laid down on the floor, covered with blood. The display is horrible and I wanna vomit at the sight of so many blood and many dead people. I suddenly recognise one of them, Joe. But it doesn't affect me at all.

"Who called the police?" I ask the guy walking next to me. He's very young, probably too young to be part of this mission.

"Hmm a guy named Adam, I think"

Adam. How could I forget about him.

"Where is he ?"

"In the ambulance"

"Is he hurt ?" I worry.

"No, he just wanted to accompany you to the hospital"

~~

I wake up in the ambulance, laid down on a stretcher, a nurse next to me. I immediately notice that Harry is not on his stretcher anymore.

"Where's Harry ?"

Before the nurse can answer me, I get up at once and get out of the ambulance.

"Miss, come back ! He's in the hospital, you'll be able to see him after a doctor has checked you."

"I don't need a doctor, I'm fine" I shout to the nurse behind me and keep running towards the entrance of the hospital and ignoring the pain in my stomach.

When I enter, Niall, Liam, Zayn and Louis are standing by the reception, their face dropping. This situation reminds me of that nightmare I had at the beginning of our relationship when Harry had an accident and died because of me. But this time it's not a dream, it's reality.

"Char' are you ok ?!" Liam rushes towards me and I burst into tears into his arms. He hugs me and gently rubs my back.

"He... He's gone... He's dead ! He's dead because of me ! I killed him !" I shout between my sobs and pull away to sit on the floor.

"No Charlotte, that's no true ! Don't say that !"

"Where is he ? I need to see him !"

Without knowing where I'm going, I stand up and start to walk. The pain of losing him but also the pain in my stomach is driving me crazy. My vision is blurry and I fall on the floor a couple of times, but I always pick myself up and stumble again.

"Bloody hell, Charlotte ! You need to see a doctor, you can't seem him now !" Louis catches up with me and wraps his tiny arms around my chest to prevent me from moving. I try to struggle but I'm so weak that I can't.

"Let go of me !" I whine and kick him in the foot. He cringes but keeps holding me.

"Charlotte, please ! You're not ok ! You're acting crazy, just calm down please !" I keep struggling but give up and break into tears on the floor.
Louis releases the embrace he has on me and kneels down next to me.

"Ooh love, love" he whispers and takes me into his arms. I sob and curl up against his chest, soaking his shirt with my tears.

"Excuse, I would like to speak to someone from Mr. Styles's family" I look up towards the voice and immediately stands up when I see the doctor.

"Where is he ? Let me see him !"

"He's -"

"Charlotte will you shut the fuck up and calm down ? You're in a hospital !" Zayn shouts at me and I glare at him.

"No I won't. I need to see Harry !"

"She needs to see a doctor. She's been through a lot and she's not in her normal state right now. And I think the guy who was holding her captive hurt her." Liam tells to the doctor. This time I keep my mouth shut and look down, ashamed of my childish behaviour. I notice that I'm still covered in blood and I must look like I've come from hell. I lift up my shirt to look at the bruise on my stomach: it's getting worst.
Suddenly, my head starts spinning and I lean on Louis. My legs become like cotton wool and I feel the little strength I have left, drain from my body. I fall on the floor and vomit.

"Jeez ! When was the last time you ate ?"

"I... I don't know..."

Then I blackout.

~~

Harry.

I wake up at once, sweating. I'm in a white room, with a TV on the wall, and medical stuff next to my bed. I'm in a hospital room. I pull the covers off me and get out of the bed but the pain in my stomach immediately makes me sit back.
I try to ignore it and leave the room. Physically, I'm feeling much better than earlier, despite my stomach, but the pain of loosing Harry is still here.

The corridor is empty so I walk towards the reception where I find Niall and Zayn sat on a chair, talking to Harry's mother. They stand up when they see me and I shyly greet the mother.

"Hi, I'm Charlotte, I'm ...." What am I exactly ? The girl who caused his son's death ? The girl who broke his heart ? His girlfriend ? Or his ex ?

"I know who you are" she interrupts my thoughts, seeing I can't find a way to introduce myself.

"I'm so sorry for your son. I didn't want this to happen. I asked him not to come back for me but Harry's an amazing person and he didn't want to let me down. I wish I could have done something I'm so sorry" I start sobbing again and hide my face in my hands.

"You didn't tell him ?" I hear Anne whispering to Zayn and Niall. I wipe away my tears and look up at them.

"Tell me what ?"

"No we didn't, she blacked out and then slept for eight hours"

Eight hours ?

"Well she should know !"

"Know what ? Stop talking like I'm not here !" I snap

"He's alive Charlotte"

"W.. What ?"

"Harry's alive"