Veiled Rose // Harry Hook

Chapter 11

The group assembled in the music room, looking to Carlos and Jane. "What is this about underestimating Azalea?" Ben asked.

"We've been underestimating how much she's suffering." Harry felt sick at the statement. Jane held up the notebook. "These are Azalea's compositions. She's been writing absolutely gorgeous songs and pieces all about us." The group looked to each other in slight shock. "But the last song in the book is what scares me."

She flipped it open to show the torn pages. "She's been tearing out this song, destroying it or throwing it away, then rewriting it again." Carlos explained.

"Why-why would she do that?" Harry asked, almost nervous to know the answer.

Jane swallowed harshly, tears starting to burn in her eyes. "It's..." She took a shaky breath. "It's a cycle of torture for her." Everyone's eyes widened. "The song is called Speechless. Honestly, it's kind of a masterpiece. It's powerful and the lyrics are raw and beautiful."

"By the title, I think we can guess what it's about." Ben interjected. Mal slipped her hand into his, squeezing it reassuringly.

Jane nodded. "The lyrics read like a rallying cry for anyone who's been oppressed but..." She looked down at the book. "She wrote in the margins. 'Don't let this be seen', 'Won't ever be good enough without vocals', 'Whether you destroy it or not, it's going to haunt your dreams'," She shuddered a bit. "'This is the song that will kill you'."

A pin dropping could be heard in the silence that followed. Harry felt like he could collapse right then and there. Azalea was suffering much more than she let on and it felt like someone had cut through him with a sword at the realization.

Jane snapped the book and put it back on the windowsill. "This song... it's meant for her to sing when she gets her voice back but... she's lost all hope she will. She won't let anyone else sing or play the song if that's the case."

"It would lose its significance if they did." Evie said quietly.

Jane nodded. "The song is torturing her with what she sees as false hope, a future where she can sing this song. And she keeps trying to destroy it but..."

"It comes back to haunt her." Jay finished.

"Don't you guys see?" Jane looked to all of them pleadingly, tears trickling down her face. "If she keeps up this cycle, she's going to snap and when she snaps..." She trailed off, not wanting to even put the thought into the universe.

"Are we sure she would go that far?" Lonnie asked desperately.

"The proof is right there." Jane motioned to the notebook. She looked to Harry. "Harry, please. I know you think she deserves better but she feels the same about you. What you have is true love. You can stop this. Please."

Harry froze. His mind was racing. He knew he had to help Azalea but what Jane had just said... it didn't connect in his brain. He was a pirate. A Hook. He wasn't supposed to save anyone. But Azalea... she didn't deserve to suffer in any way. To know she was thinking like this felt worse than any injury he'd ever gotten.

"I-I can't..." He finally managed to say. "Not... not right now. Just..."

He turned and walked out of the room. Everyone stood in stunned silence. They understood what was happening. It was what happened to Mal and all the VKs when they had to step up to help save Auradon in one way or the other. It didn't make sense for them to be heroes. But they were. And they knew Harry could be too.

If only to Azalea.

*******

Harry had probably read the text a million times. 

Meet me on the docks at sunset. Don't tell anyone. 

It had been the first anyone had heard from Azalea since everything went down. It had been some time since the notebook reveal and Harry wasn't any closer to processing what had been said. 

He wasn't a hero. He was a Hook. But that didn't mean he was going to leave Azalea when she needed him.

Stars were starting to sparkle in the sky as he finally came to the Auradon docks. He saw Azalea sitting on the edge, her legs swinging back and forth over the water. Harry cautiously approached and sat down next to her.

I didn't think that you were coming. She signed.

He glanced over to her and saw her mouth was uncovered, stitches on full display. "I honestly didn't think you would reach out." He responded quietly.

I don't think I trusted anyone would be there if I did. He was surprised she couldn't hear his heart cracking at the statement. But I'm glad you are. He smiled lightly. She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket, unfolding it and handing it to him. I wrote this while I was shutting myself in. It's for you.

Harry looked at her in shock. He glanced at the title. "Nightingale."

She shrugged with a ghost of a smile, still looking out onto the water. It doesn't have music yet but I'll get to that. She explained.

He nodded and looked down at the lyrics. His heart felt like it would beat right out of his chest as he read the words she'd written for him. 

You could be my sanity
Bring me peace
Sing me to sleep
Say you'll be my nightingale

He looked up at her, not quite believing what he was reading. It was then that it clicked in his head. 

Jane was talking as if he needed to step up and save Azalea when he was already doing that simply by being with her. His father's words when he said he wanted to give Azalea the world made sense now. Azalea didn't need or want the world, she wanted someone to catch her when she fell and that was Harry.

He glanced down and the world seemed to freeze. Her hand rested on her knee in a sign language gesture he never thought he'd see. Especially from her. Her middle two fingers were folded down with her pointer finger, pinkie, and thumb extended.

I love you.