Stockholm Syndrome - A Harry Styles Fic

“Come on, up you get.” Kohl ordered, taking the straps off Niall and handing him back his phone-pointing at the TV as he did so.

“It should be on any moment. I made the necessary calls, my guys got them switched to a new plane and they should arrive in one piece, a few hours after this plane blows up.” Kohl explained, sitting next to the singer and offering him an unopened bottle of cold water, a bottle of orange juice and a morning croissant as he explained the going on of what to expect. “Just because the news reports on it doesn’t always make it so. Nancy is actually one of our people, paid by Phillandrias. Shame really, I asked her out on a date years ago and she told me to fuck off, so no loss.”

Niall chuckled despite himself. He was nervous about the plane, about his friends but he trusted Kohl-he had to, he made a deal with him and he has been nothing but nice.

“Thank you.” Niall replied quietly beginning to eat, watching the news as he did so.

“Don’t thank me just yet, you still owe me a favor, remember?” Kohl reminded him, watching Niall nod-although somewhat grimly.

“I know, you have my word. I will transport-I made a sacrifice for my friends and I’ll honor that.” Niall promised, a little surprised when Kohl laughed and ruffled his hair.

“Nah, we’re sort of going off the radar. I got a place you and me are staying at for a little bit, a place where the Organization can’t find us. It won’t be the four points where you’re use to staying but it will have the comforts of home-just until I can figure out a way to get Harry out of Jason’s grasp and Sorrow away from Christian. That’s what I need you for. You’re going to be the distraction. It may take a few months and I’ve called in all my favors from these guys so I’m afraid we’re on our own.” Kohl sighed, seeing Niall almost choke on the bite he had taken.

“You want me to be the bait? That’s a suicide mission.” Niall exclaimed, now not having such a good feeling on this.

“I haven’t planned it out all the way yet but I just got word this morning that Jackson is dead and William stepped down-not on his own accord. Harry might not have more than a three month window but they won’t kill him without reason and they want him to break-it’s a sick game they play with the hostages. Given now that Jason is in charge-it’s a matter to see how long. The best time to strike it December-the weather in unpredictable.”

“That’s over two months away-surely we could think of something sooner?” Niall exclaimed, really not liking the idea of Harry trapped more months with those monsters.

“Christian and Jason go out to the local bar and get drunk every Christmas eve, they do every year. I know where the cabin is quite well, I’ve dropped loads of transports out there.” He revealed, getting a disapproving look from Niall.

“Hey I told you, don’t judge me for what I do and I won’t judge you for your profession. Now eat up, Phillandrias will be around soon.” Kohl urged, standing up and taking out his phone again to dial William’s number, his stomach filled with butterflies.

*

It was midday and William was still out with Christian looking for Harry. He didn’t see any trace of the kid and his feet were beginning to get tired.

“He didn’t come this way, the ground would be disturbed.” William pointed to Christian who continued to ignore him and follow forward. Honestly there’s a million different paths Harry could have taken and having to find out which one would leave them out past midnight well into the early morning. The land they were on was huge – a hundred miles out from civilization and thousands of trees overlapping one another that they needed a plane just to leave. William hated to say it but with the freezing temperatures that had plagued them the last few weeks, if Harry wasn’t found by the time it reached night, especially being shirtless, he had a very good chance of freezing to death-at least in the basement or locked in William’s room-whatever Jason allowed, it would at least give him shelter.

Before he could think too much on it, his phone rang.

Looking at the number William knew who it was. He saw the number yesterday and briefly wondered what Kohl could want. Maybe there was trouble, with a sigh he picked it up.

“This isn’t a good time, Kohl.” William answered the phone, hearing the silence on the other end for a few short seconds.

“I know you told me never to call you again after I just left-“Kohl cut himself off with a sigh. “I need you to keep Sorrow safe until I can come get her, Harry too. I have Niall here with me. It will take me a few months to secure a plan. I’m going into hiding and taking Niall with me, if I don’t Phillandrias is going to kill him. You should see what he tried doing to the others-”

William cut him off.

“I saw, and what do you mean tried? You mean they’re-“He looked at Christian who was listening intently in on the conversation.

“Yes, I called in my favors. They’re on another plane to England. Niall fell into my transport van, Phillandrias has gone nuts and Jackson gave me permission to-to take him out. Now that he’s dead and Jason is in charge he’s going to call for an extermination to tie up loose ends-I’m one of the loose ropes. I have to disappear off the map until I’m in the clear, I can’t trust anyone and now that Niall is involved-I’m afraid he’s stuck too. Please tell Sorrow that I love her and that I always will. I regret leaving her there every day. Just, just keep her and Harry safe. You’re a good man Will, more than I’ve ever been-more than I’ll ever be.” Kohl told sincerely, his voice cracking with a small amount of emotion.

“Sorrow’s safe but in trouble. I’ll protect her the best I can but-I’m trapped, Kohl. I’m…my hands are tied. Do what you got to do and-“Will never got the chance to say anymore before Christian grabbed the phone from his hand and put it to his own ear.

“Kohl? Long time no speak.” Christian started pleasantly, eyeing William off and continuing toward the stream up ahead, its sound peaceful despite the cold.

“It has Chris, I’d ask you how you’re doing but I heard. Sorry man.” Kohl drawled, pacing the floor in front of Niall, whose face had fallen depressed-knowing he wouldn’t get to see his family or his friends until this thing ended. Whether with him and Harry going home or him and Harry ending up in body bags – it was the final stretch and the odds looked out of their favor now more than ever.

“Yeah. Let’s skip pleasantries, eh? Sorrow is mine. If I find you around here I will kill you and make her watch. Harry is more trouble than he’s worth but his usefulness has not ran out. When we find him he will be chained back in the basement until we figure out what to do, right now we stick to the original plan. Sorrow? Well, she’s tied up in my room, on my bed and I am taking care of her-it will be like it was when you left. I will love her and I will care for her. This is your one and only warning to stay away, heed my advice and start running because now that dad is in charge, he’s doing a sweep and your kind will be the first to get exterminated. You were my best friend growing up Kohl and I respect you but you gave your sister up to us, she is mine and you’re going to have to live with that.” Christian replied calmly before hanging up and handing William back his phone.

William took it wordlessly, put it back in his pocket and followed beside Christian for another mile in silence.

“What about the baby? What-what do you expect me to do when Jason asks me to abort it? You can’t just let him, that’s not you and I know that can’t be what you want.” William insisted, watching Christian turn back with a harsh glare.

“Of course I don’t. I want this baby, especially with her being so beautiful and me being handsome, the child would be gorgeous. Father has his reasons though and there’s nothing I can do…nothing but hold her hand and whisper false promises and reassurances. I’m not the same man as I was. I have gone through Jackson’s training-raped by other men, raped by women, starved, and beaten-my mouth sewn shut, amongst other things. I’m a number now, William, Jackson had a tattoo put on me. I can’t say I didn’t deserve what happened to me, I did. More than anything I did but I wasn’t doing it to be cruel, I wanted to protect Sorrow. What I should have been doing was protecting her from herself…from me even, maybe. I don’t know. What would you do?” He asked William at a loss, unbuttoning his shirt and pointing to the number that was on his chest in deep red black ink. He bore the number 1793.

William bent to examine it, his finger tenderly tracing the numbers before standing and pulling up his own shirt. 1433.

“I’m sorry...” Christian trailed off, seeing the faded inked number on the man’s chest.

“I’m sorry he did that to you too.” William returned the sentiment before sighing.

“Yeah but-you were his son he…what kind of father does that?” Christian stammered, hardly able to believe his eyes.

“The same father that did a number on your face. Jason is a monster and if you truly love Sorrow, you’ll protect her. I can only do so much. I am a prisoner as much as they are. Just-no more hitting her, no more yelling. Convince Jason to keep the baby because I don’t think I can perform the abortion-not on her…life or death, Chris-gun to my head or not…I can’t.”

Christian nodded.

“Alright.” Christian agreed, walking down the stream.

*

Harry got a few miles away from the cabin before figuring that he wasn’t going to get far with no shirt or shoes. It seemed hopeless to continue given the temperature was cold and dropping. He didn’t know where to seek shelter and he had been looking. So instead he turned about face and headed back toward the cabin. Sorrow knew these woods better than anyone and she could show him-at least he hoped.

When he finally reached the cabin it appeared vacant, they must have been still out looking for him. Harry knew he couldn’t turn back now, Sorrow depended on him and he on her. It was the only way the two of them were going to survive was to depend on each other.

With caution he approached the old brown looking cabin, making sure to look around carefully as he made his way to the door, slipping inside easily.

“Sorrow?” Harry called, keeping his voice low just in case. When he received no answer he checked a few rooms before coming to the closed one, he swallowed and opened it, seeing Sorrow tied up on the bed.

He let his breath go and went straight for her, noticing the blood that seeped from her shoulder onto the bed, she had lost a lot of it. He could almost feel himself lose control, panic feeling his body and running his own blood cold.

“Sorrow?” Harry whispered gently and shook her. She didn’t stir but he could tell she was breathing slow and steady. “Come on sweetheart, you have to wake up. I need you.” He insisted, reaching behind her and unknotting the gag, pulling it from her mouth.

It was almost hopeless, everything felt like a dead end.

He dropped to his knees in a wail, covering his face and letting out a small sob.

“Harry? Why are you crying?” Sorrow asked, her voice thick with sleep. She had lost her battle with consciousness and succumbed to it readily, anything was better than lying awake for hours on end.

“Everything is hopeless, we’re never getting out of here are we? It’s completely cut off everywhere with trees.” Harry cried, his feet hurting from walking, his body cold and his skin dirty from falling on the ground a few times.

Sorrow bit her lip and wailed when the pain hit but she pushed through it and caught her breath.

“Harry? I can help-just untie me and I can help.” She promised softly, feeling the ribbon cutting into her skin.

Harry nodded and reached behind her, still struggling to not break apart completely but managed to untie her hands, helping to untie her feet as well.

When she was free she fell from the bed, weakened from the blood loss but wrapped her arms around Harry and let herself fall into his embrace. She felt safe, she was safe. Despite the pain, all she wanted was his embrace.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything.” Sorrow started to cry, her own strength draining.

“Don’t be,” Harry insisted, guiding her chin so that their eyes met. “I wasn’t always right either but we have to seek shelter. It will take a while but we can make it out of this hell hole-I can only do it with you though, will you come with me? I can give you that second chance…I can give you so much. Your baby will be safe and you’ll never want for anything again. I can set you up with a job, a new name, a place the Organization could never reach you. All you have to do is believe we’ll make it…all you have to do is trust me.” Harry promised, grasping her hand and guiding his mouth to hers, sealing it with a kiss.

Sorrow nodded and fell back against him again for one last embrace-and it would be her last one for some time.

“I trust you.” She whispered but started to panic when she heard footsteps outside on the porch. Harry heard them too.

She looked around in panic before pointing to the closet with her good hand.

“Hide in there, I don’t know how long but crouch in the very back of the closet and keep hidden-no matter what. When the coast is clear, head West-there’s an old oak tree-it’ll be good for shelter.” Sorrow whispered, rejecting his help from the floor. “Go!” She hissed, relaxing when he dove in and closed the door.

Sorrow held her breath for what felt like an eternity, hearing Christian and William-heading straight back to the bedroom.

When the door opened both stopped at the threshold to see Sorrow laying on the ground, blood already on the carpet and still gushing from her shoulder, which meant the bullet was still lodged inside since the blood had continuously gushed.

“How did you get untied?” Christian demanded, making his way to her.

Sorrow flinched back, a small sob escaping her throat.

“It hurts and it was bleeding, I had to stop the blood,” She replied, looking up at him in agony. “Please, have mercy on my Chris. If I never ask anything of you again it would be your mercy-surely there is some left inside of you.” Sorrow pleaded, feeling him lift her body back on the bed and grab the ribbon, pushing her gently onto her stomach and bringing her hands behind her back again, wrapping, tying and knotting it tightly this time. She flinched in pain, not only from her shoulder but how tight he secured her.

“I am showing you mercy. I’m not beating the shit out of you for kissing another boy and I haven’t killed Harry yet. That’s the extent of my kindness. You need protected-even if it is from yourself.” Christian growled, yanking the measuring ribbon harshly one last time and checking his work before tying her feet in the same fashion, leaving her sobbing on the bed. “Cry all you want, you have no one to blame but yourself. Now, Will is going to check your shoulder, I expect you to be a good girl and listen to him-otherwise you’re spending the night in the dog cage outside.” Christian warned her before grabbing the scarf gag again and wrapping each end around his palms, forcing the knot into her mouth roughly and tying the silky material around her head, adding a few tightly secured knots for good measure.

She gagged, feeling the knot forced to almost the back of her throat, making her panic and struggle for a second before Christian glared at her to stop-making her almost wish he’d hit her and get it over with. Anything was better than this.

Her sobs were muffled as he positioned Sorrow back on her side, gave her temple another gentle kiss and gave William a satisfied nod before leaving out the door to attend to what to do about Harry-they needed to find him.

William didn’t say anything until Christian was well out of earshot, patting Sorrow’s head in apathy.

“Oh honey, I’m sorry. I am so, so sorry.” William murmured, going to his room to get his black doctor bag and came back, closing the door behind him. “I know you’re in here Harry.” He murmured, making sure no one outside the door could hear him.

“Yeah and? Are you gonna blow a whistle or something?” Harry challenged but didn’t come out of the closet.

“Nah, I’m just here to get the bullet from Sorrow’s shoulder-although I’d get comfortable if I were you. Everyone seems to be coming back for the night, or for a break.” William warned taking scissors from his bag-cutting Sorrow’s top from her to allow access to the entry point of the wound, flinching as he peeled the ruined garment back.

“Oh honey, I need to get this bullet out and get you some blood back in your body before you go into shock-this is bad, you’ve lost a lot of blood.” William told her, going back into his bag and taking out a syringe, uncapping it before injecting it into her arm. “I can’t get the bullet out without causing you excruciating agony.” He sounded apologetic, going to the back of her head and attempted to unknot the gag-realizing Christian tightened the knots to where they’d have to be cut off. He sighed and just petted her head, knowing it would be a few minutes before the drug took effect.

The silence was almost deafening with Harry quiet, which was a smart move in case Christian came by and Sorrow staring ahead, her silent cries nearly silent. So he started to sing softly to her, a song she had been singing when she took a shower a few days prior. He had walked in to ask her a question and stopped by the door to listen, it was comforting and he hoped it would make her feel better. Not having much musical talent he gave it his best.

I'm staring out into the night,
Trying to hide the pain.
I'm going to the place where love
And feeling good don't ever cost a thing.
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain.

Sorrow’s eyes seemed to sparkle, recognizing the song. She found comfort in it and hadn’t known William to be listening-least of all her music. She let her body relax and waited for the tranquilizer to kick in, it tingled her insides-which was comforting in knowing that just a few short minutes, she would be asleep. Anything was better than this reality.

Well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
Well I'm going home.

Old…yes, old. Regret… She thought sparsely, knowing that she couldn’t regret a choice she never had. This wasn’t her doing, this was never her doing. Kohl left her here-Kohl, her brother…the one who was supposed to protect and love her, he left her to die.

Silent tears made their way out of her eyes, her body letting go of the fight.

The miles are getting longer, it seems,
The closer I get to you.
I've not always been the best man or friend for you.
But your love remains true.
And I don't know why.
You always seem to give me another try.

William’s voice was growing distant and she briefly wondered if she let go completely if it would even matter, if any of it would.

So she did, she let the dark unconsciousness take her, its beautiful deathly ink swallowing her into a warm blanket of nothingness. Williams voice fading to silence and the pain no longer crippling because she felt nothing at all, she loved the feeling of oblivion. It was as close to freedom as she had been in a long time. Her last coherent thought was if she had a choice, if she was in charge, she would make it so that she would never wake up again.

Notes