Finding Elliott [Harry Styles] Completed

Fortyone.

After my father and I finished our conversation I found myself in unfamiliar territory. Sure this may have been the place I called home at some point and I might have stayed here recently whilst recovering from a gunshot wound, but things were different now. Now I was myself again, now my father had accepted me back into the home and I was unsure how that left things for me now. Was I supposed to just return to the life I had before? Did I return to the girl of a thousand rules? Was I now the person I wanted to be all this time? Sure, I had done things, sure I was now someone but it didn't mean I wasn't still the daughter of Terry Cole. 

Sitting on my bed after bathing I started to dry my hair with the hairdryer which made loads of noise as I stared in the mirror at my reflection. It felt like I was staying with a relative like it was the summer holidays. The truth couldn't have been more different, I was at home in my childhood home. 

Switching off the hairdryer I put it on the dressing table before running a brush through my semi-dry hair. I had other plans than just sitting in here hiding. 

Pulling my combat boots on I sighed at my appearance as I caught it in the mirror. Since showering I had dressed for bed in a place of long black leggings and a large baggy black top, now I had my combat boots on I looked a little stupid. Ignoring how I looked I left my bedroom and headed towards the stairs glancing in the rooms I passed on the way before going down the stairs. I didn't know what I had expected to see in those rooms but there was nothing of any importance. 

As I moved through the house I let my eyes become accustomed to the dark, as I walked into the kitchen I could see light from under the door to my father's side of the house. I ignored the light as I stood by the window and looked out into the garden, I had missed this house and the garden but I couldn't currently venture out there due to the dogs pacing in the garden. Looking up at the sky I looked at the large moon before smiling to myself, I was free, finally free. 

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" The voice made me jump, I placed my hand on my chest as I turned around and looked at the owner of the voice. 

"Hello, Louis," I smiled at him as I looked him up and down. His outfit was a mess like he'd been sweating loads, saying that he looked like he was wearing gym clothes. 

He rolled his eyes at me as he noticed my eyes looking at him. "Isn't it a bit late for you to be creeping around?"

"I'm not creeping, I'm just reacquainting myself with the place."

"Call it what you want, things certainly will be different now you're back."

I raised my eyebrows at him as I leaned against the wall behind me, the windowsill sticking into my lower back. I shrugged my shoulders as I let out a sigh, "I don't ever think things will ever be the same again." Moving into the room I sat on a chair at the table and watched as Louis did the same in the dark, my eyes looked over at the strip of lighting under the door before I returned my attention back to Louis. 

"What are you going to do now you're home?" He asked me as he leaned back on the seat and watched me. 

To be honest, I hadn't honestly thought about what happens next really, "I have no idea."

He raised an eyebrow, "Maybe this is the right time for you to set up alongside your father and become the person he wanted Thomas to be. Prove to him that you can handle this life."

A cold laugh left my lips as I looked at the guy in front of me, "Oh Louis, you are so cute." I ran my hands through my knotty hair before I spoke again, "I don't think my father is going to let me get involved in all that."

"With Max dead-"

"Nothing changes now he's dead," I reminded him. "So Max is dead, there will always be someone else."

He leaned forward on the table so he was close to me, "I have seen the way you can handle yourself. I've watched how fast you can move when you want to, I've seen you wielding a gun. You left this life here a girl and returned a woman, you are more than prepared to take on whoever stands in your way."

The door creaked open and as we both turned our heads to look where the light was now flooding into the room, my father was standing in the doorway. Louis looked at me, I noticed it out of the corner of my eyes before he returned his eyes to my father. He looked angry, his eyes were narrowed and his lips were in a straight line as he stared at Louis. "Out!" His voice was clear and loud as he spoke. 

I watched as Louis got to his feet and left the room quickly, exiting to the main part of the house before I looked at my father who was now looking at me. I watched him with a blank face waiting for whatever he had to say next. 

"Do not let his words affect you," he spoke calmly as he entered into the kitchen and sat in the empty seat before me. "Your place is back here, I need you here where I can keep you safe. I don't want you out there putting yourself in harm's way."

I raised an eyebrow as I crossed my arms over my chest, "I can look after myself."

"You are my responsibility!"

His short tone made me sit up straight in the chair, I noticed someone moving in the light and I shifted my eyes to see Harry standing in the doorway listening, I looked back at my dad before I crossed my right leg over my left and put my hands on my right knee. "Please don't keep me trapped in this house," I requested quietly. "I can do so much more now, I can do some much to help you. I am not that little girl anymore."

His eyes softened as he looked at me, "You might not be a little girl any more but you are still vulnerable."

My hands shook as I shrugged to control them, I had wanted to keep some things secret, somethings were mine to have. With every word that left his mouth it was forcing me to tell him things I wanted to keep to myself. "I was the one who ended Zayn's life." I watched as my father didn't change his expression, he just stared at me almost like he didn't believe me. I spoke again, this time words that were intended to shock him. "Your precious son, he didn't kill Max. I killed Max, I killed him," I got to my feet and stared down at my father. "I was the one who pulled that trigger and put a bullet through his chest, I was the one who blamed Thomas, I was the one who did it all."