Solace ~ h.s.

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This chapter is dedicated to... nutellalover1D! I hope you enjoy this chapter xx

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A Week and A Half Later.

H.

"Are you off, Dr. Styles?" The question, though thoughtful, isn't exactly what I want to hear at a time like now. I simply want to go home and sleep for the next twelve hours without interruption, from anyone.

"I am." The words make their way through a heavy yawn, the tiredness simply oozing from my body, as I turn to look at my colleague.

Dr. Liam Payne, yet another young, thriving doctor striving for excellence in our field of neurology by the age of twenty-five. Unlike I, Liam was only brought on at this hospital a short while ago, transferring from a hospital in London a year ago. I'll be honest, I was a little threatened with his arrival, but we've gotten on great, for the most part.

"You need some sleep, mate." He says, clapping me on the shoulder with his hand."You've been here for what, twenty hours?" He ponders and I find myself wishing I had only been here for twenty hours.

"More like twenty six, Payno." I respond, yet another yawn tumbling from my lips. "And I will, after I have lunch with my girl."

Liam has always had a suspicion about Miss Chambers and I, ever since her stay at the hospital. I don't blame him for figuring it out then either, I was, and still am, protective when it comes to Annabelle. I could have been a bit more discreet with my crazy, but alas here we are.

"Your girl, eh?" He chuckles lightly, raising a brow at me, to which I roll my eyes in his direction. "Made it official then?"

In fact, Annabelle and I hadn't made it official. We hadn't even had a conversation about what exactly we are to each other, but I know it's serious. I plan on making it official, and soon. With the surprise discovery of Annabelle's adoption, now's not the time.

"Not yet, but it's on my to-do list." Along with cleaning my flat, calling my father back, and buying Dusty more cat food.

"Well, enjoy your lunch." Liam says as a nurse calls him over to the nurses' station. He's a popular lad with the nurses, all of them pulled towards his charm and looks.

"Later Liam."

No more time was wasted in my place of employment, my feet dragging me directly to my vehicle before driving to one of Annabelle's favourite restaurants. I hadn't told her I was on my way to bring her lunch, actually I hadn't told her I was coming at all.

She had been extremely stressed this past week and a half, distancing herself from myself and focusing solely on work. I understand where it's coming from and I have no way of relating to what she's gone through this spring alone. But I can try to make her feel better, and soup and some bread from her favourite place in Manchester is just the way to do it.

Arriving outside Smith and Carlton Publishing, I gather all the food I've brought for Annabelle, hoping I'll be able to steal her away for a bit. I'd even go as far as begging her awful boss for a moment alone with Annabelle.

"Welcome to Smith and Carlton Publishing." I recognize the woman sitting at the receptionist desk, the space beside her open, the one where Annabelle usually sits.

As I approach the desk, the woman, whose name I'm not too confident in knowing, sits up a bit taller and shines a pearly wide smile in my direction. I return the smile, walking up to the desk in my scrubs and setting the food atop the ledge as I greet her.

"Hello, um..."

"Victoria. Harry, right?" I nod in response, "how may I help you?" She asks before I can continue.