The Passage (h.s)

Chapter Twenty-Four

***Warning adult content. Not recommended for young readers. Another note, if you don't like it don't read it. Just move along. For the rest of you, enjoy the rebooted version of this chapter***

Chapter song "Know Your Worth" By Khalid 

It's been two days since I woke from the incident. I hate that word; it's completely understated because it wasn't just an incident. It was attempted murder; but fuck I can't live my life calling it that. Harry has kept me from emotionally spiraling. He's an absolute lifesaver. Never leaving my side except for going to the bathroom or the Starbucks that's located in the hospital cafeteria.

I'm being released from the hospital today. I haven't seen the girls yet; they don't need lifelong memories of me hooked up to a monitor and IV. It's bad enough I'll have bruises and stitches when I come home.

Sam has taken some time off work to stay with them at Harry's house. I don't think any of us are ready to stay at the cottage, and from what I understand my blood is just getting cleaned up today. Harry has hired someone to clean up the mess, the situation was too traumatic for any of us to have emotional strength to do it on our own. Every one of us needs a little time to process everything.

Harry comes waltzing back in the room. He's carrying my favorite coffee and pastry with a huge grin on his face.

"Iced vanilla latte and a cheese danish for the love of my life."

I flash him an endearing and grateful grin.

"When I get out of here, you'll have to stop bringing me treats with such high caloric value. Too many guilty pleasures, I'll be huge."

"First of all, most of your guilty pleasures don't involve intaking calories, they involve losing them." He winks at me with a cheeky smirk. "And second, you'll be beautiful no matter what. More of you to love."

I giggle quietly and pull him by his shirt so I can give him a chaste kiss.

"I love my little comedian."

He smiles triumphantly.

"Love you too Darling. Not to change the subject, but are you ready to go home today?"

My body immediately tenses: the thought of life outside the safety of the hospital walls is terrifying. Immediately following his question, Harry senses my emotional discomfort. Panic sets in when he mentioned home, I can't go back there, but I have nowhere else to go.

"Willow, it's okay Baby. I'll take you home with me. You don't ever have to go back to your place ever again. As far as I'm concerned, my home is our home now."

He intertwines our fingers and squeezes gently. Leaving a lingering kiss on my forehead, then another on my lips.

The idea of trying to sleep in my room makes me sob quietly. When I close my eyes, I can see James' terrifying stare. My thick blood is pooling on the floor by my head. These visions make that bedroom, and the entire house for that matter, the last place I want to be. It scares the shit out of me, and I'm angry, because I love that house. We'd made it our home. It's always been so sunshiny and full of life. I can't even imagine it being that way ever again.

The problem is, I don't have any other choice. Sam and I can't afford to find a new place and move. And I'm not letting Harry carry the burden of taking us in. We're not his responsibility, he's done so much already. Although I'm already madly in love with him, we've only known each other a week. I can't accept his offer to stay in his home, that's his sanctuary and he deserves his privacy.