Keeping Hope

Jon drove Emma home. Right before they left, the rich kid that attacked her and Nick was brought in, which meant Jon had to come straight to the station after letting Emma off at house.
The drive home was quiet, Emma looking out the window doing her best to ignore her father. Jon was deep in thought how to approach the last events that took place, everything from the attack and up to that kiss she shared with the Styles boy in front of everyone. He didn't think the kid was a bad boy, but he knew trouble came his way and he didn't want his daughter caught in it. He wasn't sure how he felt about her with Harry. He obviously didn't want her dating him, he knew Harry had an eye for her, catching the way he looked at his daughter but he didn't think Emma returned the feeling. On the other hand he could not tell her to stay away, since he was the one telling her she could be a good friend to him.
"Emma.. About what happened last night" Jon started when they turned into their street.
"I don't want to talk about it" Emma cut him off without even turning her head from the window.
"You will talk about it. I can't believe you didn't think of calling me when It happened- you should know better" Jon parked the car and turned to look at her.
"Nick didn't want us to call" She sighed finally glancing at him.
"I don't care what Nick wanted- you should have called, it could have saved me a lot of trouble" Jon frowned
"Oh- so it's about you? Saving you trouble? Great dad" Emma opened the door and got out, heading to the front door.
"You don't walk away when I talk to you" He called after her, leaving the car running.

Harry's POV

I heard the shouting outside and I inched near the living room window so I could hear better.
"I am walking away now" I hear Emma yell at her dad
"You should have called, we could have put an end to this whole thing last night" I hear the chief answer. He was right we should have called.
"My friend didn't want us to call so I listened to him, I did as he wanted" I hear the door slam. I run out to the back of the house and out to the garden. I am standing next to their window. I know what I am doing is wrong but I had to know what they were talking about- after all I was a part of last night too.
"You know better than that Emma" The chief answered.
"You weren't there, you don't know- and I am already the CHIEF'S DAUGHTER I don't need to call you every time something happens" Emma shouts.
"Yes you do- when it's stuff like that you should be calling me- what has gotten into you? I didn't raise you like this! Getting into fights? Sleeping at boys homes and wearing their clothes" Her dad sounded more disappointed then angry.
"You're right- you didn't raise me! mum did" I hear the silence that came after that comment loud and clear.
"What did you just say?"
"You heard me- mum raised me- you were never home, always working a case out somewhere" Emma was crying now, I can hear her sobs, and it takes her dad a few moment before he finds his voice to answer her.
"Is this what this is about? Mum?" He finally asks
"No.. It's about.. It's.. never mind" Emma gives up on explaining herself
"Look Em, I need to go back to the station.. We will talk about this when I get back"
I don't hear Emma's answer, and after a few minutes the front door closes.
I am ready to go back into my house when the back door to Emma's home slides open and she steps out. She is crying, taking a seat on her little chair by the tree where she always sits, her knees brought up to her chest, hugging them with her arms, shielding her face from the world.
I think about our kiss a half an hour ago, and my heart aches for her. I walk over, making sure she can hear my footsteps as I do so I don't startle her.
"I want to be alone" She says her voice muffled by her knees.
"Yeah well.. I will just be sitting here until you calm down" I tell her. I move to lean on the tree trunk next to her, watch as her shoulders shudder from her quiet sobs.
Her hair spills over her knees and back and I have the strongest urge to touch it. Fuck. I extend my hand and stroke it letting the strands run between my fingers. I was sure she would push my hand away but she doesn't. Slowly she calms down and her shoulders stop shaking.
"I hate him when he is like this" She finally says lifting her head, though she was staring straight. Her eyes were red and so were her cheeks and forehead, where her face was pressed to her arms and knees. She was still beautiful, even after crying.
"You don't hate your dad" I answer
"I do- when he thinks he knows me I do" She hisses. I have never seen her like this before, but then again there is a lot about Emma I don't know.
"You heard the fight" She didn't ask, but stated, so I wasn't going to deny it.
"You miss your mum" I say, since she already knows I heard everything.
"I can't remember the last fight I had with my dad.. With my mum yeah, though not with dad.. He was never around like I said, and then once my mum died he tried his best, and it's not like I was a bad kid or anything, we both tried our best to get along" She sighs getting to her feet.
"You have a good father Emma.. You know that right?"

Emma's POV

Yes. I know I have a good dad. Everyone keeps telling me that, so how could I not know. Being the chief's daughter, I had to share my dad with the world, but sometimes I wished he could only be mine, specially at times I need him most- as a father not as chief of police.
"I just wish sometimes my mum was here.. that's all" I say. I don't need to see Harry's face to know he is stunned. I never talk about my mum with anyone, dodging the questions by changing the subject.
"How long ago did she die?" Harry asked. He takes some steps towards me until he is standing by my side.
"Last year.. That's why we moved to this town, to be closer to family.. my dad wanted me to finish the school year before we moved" I sigh. I don't look at him, but straight ahead, too scared to see sympathy in his eyes. I hate it when people feel sorry for me.
"She died from breast cancer you said.." Harry started, but I shook my head.
"She had breast cancer but she didn't die from it" I tell him. I need to take a deep breath and exhale before I continue, scared I will start crying again.
"She went into remission for a while, her hair even started to grow back" I smile at the memory of us running down the beach, she had little spikes and a bandana around her forehead.
"So where is she?" Harry wondered.
"She's dead" I reply and finally turn to look at him. I search his eyes, but there is no sympathy in them. Good.
"You want to know why I don't get into pools or the ocean anymore?" I ask him.
He nods, and I look back ahead.
"It happened in the middle of last year… My mum was better, and once the weather got warmer we decided to take a swim- I used to live on the beach and Niall and his family where by us visiting" I start, remembering that day, chills running up my spine.
"The water was still cold but after some swimming we warmed up.. We were splashing each other when it happened" I feel the tears in the back of my eyes and I blink them away. "Suddenly my mum's eyes rolled back and she started shaking. I got hold of her, and her hands closed on my shoulders. She had a seizure, and we started drowning. I was screaming for help and trying to hold us above the water line, but she was shaking, and she was too heavy for me, and she pushed me down by my shoulders" My voice cracks so I stop.
"What happen after that?" Harry asked softly. I forgot he was standing next to me, lost in the last memory I have of my mum.
"I woke up in the hospital. Apparently Niall came out to look for us and saw us in the water calling my father for help.. They were able to save me.. but my mum never woke up.. after a few tests they found out the cancer spread, and it was everywhere- also in her brain, which was what caused the seizure" I wipe away the tear that got away and was running down my cheek.
"Don't feel sorry for me" I say sharply turning my head up at Harry. His eyes were a dark shade of green and he was looking straight at me, not like my friends back home did when they heard about what happened.
"I do feel sorry for you, you shouldn't have gone through such a thing, but it doesn't mean that you need to keep away from water because of it" He says.
"You don't understand" I take a step back
"I do" He cuts in, and I go silent, no one ever cut me off this way when I spoke about my past.
"I understand very well- you lost your mum by drowning so you are too scared to get back in the water.. I know how it feels to lose someone, thinking you might have been able to save them if you tried hard enough"
It downs on me then the reason Harry had no sympathy for me. He knows very well what I am going through, maybe even better than me, since my mum would have died anyway, being as sick as she was, but Hope, his sister, she could have lived a long and happy life.
"I'm sorry" I whisper up at him. He looks back at my house before turning back to me.
"What are you doing later today?" He asks ignoring my apology
"I… nothing really" I was thinking of my dad and the conversation he wanted to have once he gets back home
"Good, be ready at 18:00 I am taking you out" He turns and walks back to his house.
"Taking me out?" I repeat not sure what he was saying.
"Yeah.. out on a date" He flashes me a smile "And Emma, wear something nice" He winked and shut the sliding door behind him.

Emma stared after Harry in amazement before going back in to her own house.
She stood by the door going through what just happened in her head. She turns and climbs the stairs to her room going straight to her closet. She opened it up and looked through the things she owned, after all he did ask her to wear something nice. As she went through the garments she didn't noticed Harry, standing at his window peeking in on her, noting the happy smile on her face, she never noticed appear.

Notes

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