SHE (bk 1)

THIRTY SIX

"Where could she have gone?," Harry stresses as he paced through the living room, phone up to his ear as he called Clementine for the thousandth time.

Gemma was watching him with a curious gaze, "Harry calm down I'm sure she is okay, Clementine is a smart girl," the words were meant to reassure him but the unknown person who just answered her phone said otherwise.

"Who is this? Why do you have Clementine's phone?," it was another man who had answered, it caused a slight anxiousness to sit in his chest. Had she left his apartment to go see another man?

The person sighed, "Sir this is Jackson Avery with the NYC Hospital and we have Clementine here. She has minor injuries so she can be picked up now but the police will be in contact," silence fills the phone as Harry hears what the man is saying. Why the hell was she at the hospital?

"Wait...why...what happened?," the hospital worker sighed before he finally explained her injuries and what the situation was. Anger burning in Harry's gaze as he lingered on Gemma, her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"I'll be right there," he assured before hanging up, fingers moving to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Gemma come with me please," she wanted to ask why he needed her but they had a rental car and Harry had none in New York.

Gemma watched Harry closely as he drove fast through the streets, the lights from the other cars lighting up his stern features. "What happened Harry? Is she okay?," Gem finally decided to speak, she had no idea what was going on or why they were driving through the city at 12am.

She jumped as his hand hit the steering wheel hard, "That son of a bitch," he slams the steering wheel again as they sit at a red light. "He attacked her at the Diner and hurt her again, he-he hurt her again," he placed his head into his hands as Gemma reached across to squeeze his arm.

She had never seen him so emotional in her life, "I wasn't there...I wasn't there for her again," a tear drips down his cheek before he can stop it, wiping it away quickly.

The light turned green and he was off driving way over the speed limit again, Gemma's hand grabbing the side of the car. "Harry you can't always be around...that's when he is going to get to her. When you aren't around to stop him, that's how abusers work," she tries to assure him but the look on his face told her it didn't work.

The walk from the parking garage to the hospital was silent and so was the trek through the emergency room. Harry had his eyes set forward as Gemma asked for Clementine at the desk, a gently finger pointing to a chair in the corner of the room. Gemma let her eyes glance around to where the nurse had pointed, an ache in her chest as she finally saw Clementine.

The small blonde was sitting in a chair with her knees brought into her chest, long hair in a messy bun and stitches occupying the right part of her forehead. Her eyes were downcast and the small frown on her lips was unbelievably noticeable as she played with the tips of her fingers. She looked so unbelievably broken it tore her heart in two. 

"Clementine," Gemma finally let her voice fill the empty silence as Harry refused to speak, mouth parted at the sight of her. She looked up and that's when they noticed she had a black eyes as well, part of it swollen so it was hard to open it to look at them. Her small body lifted out of the chair and scurried toward the two siblings as they observed her limp. 

Her eyes stayed downcast as the sister was the first one to wrap her arms around the small girl, squeezing her a little too hard. "Oh I am so sorry...how are you feeling?," the blonde pulled back from the hug slightly to observe a silent Harry. Was he angry with her?

"I'm okay," she smiled gently and Harry's sibling seemed absolutely taken back from her statement, Gemma was expecting anything but that answer. "It could have been worse."

"Let's go," Harry's cold voice was almost enough to bring Clementine to tears, all she wanted was a hug from the man who she felt the most safe with. But all she received was a view of his back as he led them from the emergency room, Gemma helping her walk through the streets and to the car. 

The ride was silent and so was the elevator ride up to the apartment, the rest of Harry's family greeting her as she stepped inside the living room. Hugs were passed around as she watched the tall, curly haired man make his way to his room, flinching as the door slammed behind him. 

Clementine played with her fingers, "Is he mad at me?," her voice was a whisper and Gemma felt the promise of her tears if she answered incorrectly.

Anne sighed before ushering Clementine over to sit on the couch with them, "He is upset with himself, not you sweetheart," she assures her, hand moving to wave Gemma in the direction of the kitchen where she started to make tea. "Just let him cool off and he will act like the gentleman I raised him to be...and if not I will have to take matters into my own hands. You are never to old to get a spanking from your mother," her words made a small smile appear on Clementine's mouth, Anne now realizing how infectious her happiness was. 

"Can I talk to Clementine really quick?," Harry's voice had startled everyone, the small blonde now scared of what he was going to say to her when they were alone. She was actually starting to feel anxiety pulse through her chest, she was just afraid of men.

Anne squeezed her hand before disappearing around the corner of the room, but not before giving Harry a sharp look that made his eyes widen. He strolled slowly toward the couch and sat beside Clementine, her eyes avoiding his gaze at all costs.

"How are you feeling?," the softness of his voice surprised her but it really shouldn't have, he was nothing like Max.

She nodded, "I'm okay...i'll be okay."

"I am so sorry," the blurted words caused her to furrow her eyebrows in confusion, why was he apologizing for something he had no control over? "I-I promised to never let him hurt you again but-he did and I am so sorry Clem," she realized he felt responsible for how she looked right now.

She grabbed onto his hand gently, "No one is to blame but him for this...he will get what he deserves believe me," Clementine had recalled the rough way the police officers had arrested Max before she passed out. 

"Clementine I will never let him hurt you again and I know I said that before but this time I am serious. If he ever tries to even look in your direction again I will kill-," Harry's words are cut off by Clementine's lips attaching to his a sweet kiss being enough to show him how appreciative she was. 

She was never good with words but as she pulled back to look at his expression, the large grin lighting up his features was the best reassurance she could have ever gotten.