Stockholm Syndrome | Harry

t h i r t e e n

When I think of Harry's panic filled face, eyes flying across the room, looking scared when I touched him, my heart hurts.

I wanted to take him back to bed and hold his hand until he fell asleep. It took me ages to fall asleep. I couldn't stop thinking of what happened. I still don't know what happened.

***

Harry doesn't come to get me from the crib for another hour. He frowns when he sees me wide awake, sitting up.

"Awake already, baby?" He asks, crossing the room and lowering the sides of the cribs. There are dark blue circles under his eyes and his hair is a mess (and not the usual messy-cute hair).

I nod, reaching my hands around his neck and hopping into his arms. I hug him tightly, kissing his cheek.

He laughs and holds me tighter. "Sweet girl." He says. "Why're you so affectionate today, little one?"

I pull away to look at him, frowning. "I was worried about you." I tell him.

He smiles sadly, looking away from my eyes. "I'm perfectly fine, darling."

"What happened last night?" I ask, voice small and shy.

He frowns, brow furrowing. "Let's get you changed."

I pout. "Daddyyyyy." I whine, drawing it out.

He doesn't respond, just lays me out on the changing table. I sit up when he tries to undo the diaper, crossing my arms and looking at him pointedly.

He half smiles, amused. "You wanna sit in your messy diaper?" He asks.

"Tell me." I say pitifully. If I look extra sad, I can usually get Harry to do what I want.

He sighs, puts his head in his hands. I wait for him to gather himself.

He looks up at me, smiling now. "Just some night terrors." He shrugs. "It's not a big deal, baby. Don't worry about it."

I frown, confused. He motions for me to lay back. I do. Judging from last night, it is a big deal. I've never seen Harry like that. Harry was strong, and collected, and stable. The dreams had to be pretty bad to make him do something like that.

I don't know what to do, or how to help. I don't know if I did something wrong last night. Should I have let him calm down on his own?

Harry does up the diaper, and pulls me up so that I'm sitting on the table in front of him. He cups my cheeks, kissing me gently. He's so soft and tastes like orange.

I blush when he pulls away, smirking. He kisses my hand and scoops me up, carrying me downstairs for breakfast. The house is cold, and I cuddle close to Harry. He's always so warm. He turns the heat on and rubs his hand up and down on my arms.

"What do you want to drink, baby?" He asks once we're in the kitchen.

"Orange juice." I tell him, smiling.

***

Harry had suggested I take a nap after we'd had lunch. I usually didn't have naps unless I wanted one. It wasn't part of our routine. But, I was pretty tired anyways, so I hadn't argued.

Now, lying in the crib, my mind was buzzing. I was worried about Harry. I missed my family. I missed my cat.

I'd found that it was better to not think of my family. If I thought about them too much, I think I'd go crazy.

And I missed my cat (best friend...), Pricilla, so very much. She had the loveliest, softest, white and black fur. She'd been a gift for my 14th birthday (I was finally allowed to have a cat after my sister, who's allergic, moved out). She's the best gift I've ever been given. I wanted her here with me more than anything.

***

That afternoon, after my nap, Harry is in a much better mood. He lets me call Niall, and gives me a cookie from the jar.

"Niallllll!" I shriek when he answers the phone. At the same time, he says. "Baby Em!"

We talk for almost two hours about our day's and what we'll do when we see each other again. Niall tells me that Liam is taking him ice skating this week. I'm so jealous, but I acted excited. Harry makes me sit in his lap the entire time I'm on the phone (I guess so make sure I don't call the police or something), and frowns when I cry after hanging up.

I slump into his arms, pouting and wiping my tears away with his shirt.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" He asks, rubbing circles on my back.

I don't answer. I'm embarrassed that I'm so upset. I didn't even like ice skating, although I was happy that Niall was so excited.

I guess I'm just jealous that Liam and Niall do 'normal couple' things. I know that Harry and I will probably never get to do those kinds of things. I mean, people were looking for me, right?

Harry asked me if Niall had done something to upset me. I didn't respond. Then he told me he could call Liam and explain if Niall had done something. I begged Harry not to call. Niall hadn't upset me on purpose. I knew he wasn't trying to brag, or make me sad. He was just excited. I didn't want him to get in trouble for it.

Harry agreed not to call Liam. I thanked him, curling back up in his arms. He holds me close and kisses my head until my tears subside.

***

The rest of the day was peaceful. I didn't want to leave Harry's lap all day. He held me, watched movies and read stories, wrapped us up in blankets and made us popcorn.

"I miss my kitty." I told Harry, after we watched The Aristocats.

"Pricilla?" He asks.

I nod, cuddling into his chest.

"I do too, baby." I stilled at that. He missed my cat? I know he said that he'd watched me, but that was just at college, and outside my window, right? I still shivered whenever I thought about Harry watching me, following me. I once wondered if he'd ever seen Melanie and I having sex, but I dismissed the thought quickly. Being with Melanie already seemed like lifetimes ago.

But, Pricilla was an inside cat. He couldn't miss her if he'd never spent any time with her. Maybe he was just trying to share my sadness. But what if he did watch me from inside, hiding in my closet, or come in when everyone was gone? My room was on the ground floor, and I did have a habit of leaving my window open...

I suddenly remember a night where I'd come home from school, and noticed that the screen of the window was lying on the wet grass outside. I had dismissed it then, blamed it on wind or Pricilla playing with it.

The thought of Harry sneaking into my house nags me all night.

***

I'm updating a lot tonight. Maybe it's because I'm in the v day spirit.

I'll dedicate the next chapter to the first person that can name where I got the kitty's name from...ready, go!