nine ➸ harry styles

one.

R E G A N

i was located in the back of a police car, smudging the glass window from the condensation that had set on it. i admired the way the water vapor rubbed off onto the sleeve of my night gown.

i was dressed in tattered clothing, i had been for as long as i could remember. it came to no surprise that they smelt ridiculously bad, i was surprised the officer driving the car hadnt become lightheaded from the stench i was giving off.

"pick up of white female, mate. she's still claiming to be missing person, regan vogel" the officer stated into the radio, eyeing me through the wing-view mirror.

i furrowed my eyebrows at what he said. claiming? i wasnt claiming. i was regan vogel. it'd been nine years since i was kidnapped so why on earth would i be cruel, and stupid, enough to pretend i was her. id seen more things, felt more things, than a normal woman should have just at the age of 11 years old. i was 20 now, and i most definitely was not lying.

my eyes rolled back into my head at the comment he'd made, he was still looking at me. and no doubt he knew what he said had made angry, possibly upset, but even i didnt know what i was feeling at that moment.

the drive to which i assumed would be the police station was slow. each and every single car that passed the police car continued to gawk at me until i was out of their sight; funny how fascinating they found me. regan vogel, missing for nine years. still alive. who wouldve thought?

once we reached the station i immediately noticed a dark skinned woman stood by the doors, peering down at the police car. she smiled sweetly at the driver in the front, and he returned the gesture. i noticed the bump on her stomach almost straight away, she was showing. there was no hiding she was pregnant.

he long legs strode over to the side of the back passenger door and opened it, she poked her head in, "hello regan" she greeted, and i began undoing my seat belt. shifting towards the door she was stood it, it was too stuffy in that car, i wanted out.

"im acacia, i work with the avon and somerset constabulary. ill be your family officer. does that sound okay?" acacia explained. her name was beautiful; her voice was even more beautiful. each word rolled off her tongue so effortlessly, like she didnt have to worry about what she said would hurt her.

which, she didnt, have to worry. this was real life now. this was going to be my life too.

i nodded at her slowly, despite her lovely voice, i still didnt trust her. itd be a while before i ever trusted anyone ever again.

she closed the door behind me after i got out, and ducked her head under the window to see the police officer. "ill take her from here, thanks" she whispered politely to him. she then stood up straight once again and began walking up the stairs to the station. acacia looked back to see me not following her, so she held out her warm hand. i denied the gesture, of course.

i was scared to be touched, to feel. especially after what he did.

once we got inside the station, i was brought into what was the dna profiling room. or at least i think thats what they called it. in there, they shoved cotton buds inside my mouth to retrieve saliva to compare with what they found when i was eleven years old. they also snipped at my already thinned, damaged hair.

the woman taking the samples also began stripping me down without their consent, i tried to knock their hands away, but they still persisted. "please...please, give me a minute before you touch me" i begged. my eyes were welling with tears, and only then did they realise how utterly broken i was from the nine years i was away.