Love Yourself So No One Has To

Chapter Four

A/N - It's short , and long overdue . Sorry about that .

I followed Alex upstairs , stepping carefully on the wooden steps as to make as little noise as possible . The walls on both sides were plank of pictures , only holding a few windows here and there . We stopped outside the first bedroom and Alex pressed his ear to the keyhole , listening for breathing . He glanced back at me and shook his head .

“Empty” He mouthed , before moving on .

We checked a few more doors before I saw an excited smile grow on one side of Alex's face . Without looking at me , he gave me a thumbs-up .

I waited as he opened the door slowly and stealthily sneaked across the floor . Now that the door was open I was able to hear soft snores – familiar snores that I remembered dimly from sharing a bus with Hazel . I smiled . Wow . Alex had done it . He'd found her .

“Halo” I heard Alex whisper . Hazel mumbled something incoherent in her sleep , and I could make out her shuffling around in her bed .

“Halo” Alex whispered again , “Halo … Wake up , Halo . Halo !”

I heard a feminine sounding cuss , and I smiled .

“Halo , wake the fuck up !” Alex said , raising his voice slightly from a whisper . Of course , this only aroused a sleepy grunt .

“Halo !” Alex whined loudly .

“Shut up , Alex !” I heard Hazel shout . I laughed to myself quietly . There was silence for a moment , until Hazel's trembling voice spoke again .

“...What are you doing here ?”

There was a short pause before Alex replied to her question .

“I'm kidnapping you” He answered smugly .

Again , it was silent . Until a sniffing sound , and then … full blown sobs .

“Halo ?” Alex said , his brain switching back into worry-worry-worry mode . “What's wrong ? Where does it hurt ?”

Hazel seemed to squeak , before answering . “I-I , I just don't w-want to w-wake up-p ...”

Alex laughed , relieved . I heard the bed groan a little – he must have sat down .

“You don't have to . You're already awake .”

Hazel continued to cry as Alex sat with her , talking gently to calm her down . After a few minutes , Rian hopped up the stairs , caught my eye and tapped his wrist impatiently . Time's up .

“Hey” I whispered , coming into Hazel's room for the first time .

“Oh my God , Pommie” Hazel said , standing up and hugging me . “Wow , I missed you .” Her voice broke a little , so I squeezed myself out of her arms .

“Don't start crying again , there's time for that later . But we've got to go know .”

She sniffed . “Okay . Alex , you're not going to use those handcuffs , are you ?”

He laughed . “No , don't worry . But , come on – put on a sweatshirt or something , you can change in the hotel . Start packing .”

Hazel nodded , tugging me sleepily towards her wardrobe . I helped her fill some bags with clothes as Alex went on downstairs to check on everyone else's progress .

“Pommie ?” Hazel yawned . “Can I ask you something ?”

“Sure” I smiled , clearing out a shelf of her closet .