THALIA

“I can’t believe you’re leaving us,” Greta whispered, hugging me tightly. We had just finished lunch, and were now in the process of packing my life into the back of Tom’s rental car. It all seemed so unreal still.

“Oh you’ll forget all about me in a couple weeks when you’re a famous designer in Milano,” I teased, rocking us back and forth.

"You'll have to come visit."

"Only if you come visit me in England."

"We will."

"Oh I'm going to miss you," I said, giving her another tight squeeze before forcing myself to let go. Greta and I had grown very close, very quickly this past year. Her and Francesco's friendship will be the thing I'll miss about Roma the most. If they weren’t leaving in a month, I doubt I would be leaving at all.

Greta bit her lip and nodded, tears dotting her eyes. "I will miss you too Thalia. I have never had a little sister, but I consider you as one."

I almost burst into tears right on the spot. After wrapping her in one last hug, I wiped my eyes and turned to Francesco.

"Are you sure you've got everything?"

I nodded.

"Your books from the shelf?"

"Yes."

"The art in the living room?"

"Yes I've got them.”

“I’m not going to find any drawing pencils lying around will I?”

I let out a laugh, which ended up sounding more like a sob. “Of course, I stuck five in the couch just before I left.”

He looked down at me with a small smile before pulling me into a big bear hug.

"Take care Thalia," he said, kissing the top of my head like Paul used to do. "And, if you ever need to run away from England again, you know where to find us."

I broke into another laugh and forced myself to let go of him. Francesco wrapped an arm around a crying Greta and together the two shot me one last, encouraging smile. I grabbed my bags and, after a deep breath turned around to see Harry waiting. He was watched me excitedly as I neared, his dimples popping on his cheeks. My heart, broken not a minute before from my goodbyes, was already filling with happiness as I looked at him.

"Ready?” His raspy voice asked sweetly.

I nodded, "Lets go home."

With one last glance back at Greta and Francesco, I climbed into the car. Harry slipped his hand through mine, giving me a light squeeze as I waved goodbye to my life in Roma.

"Are you alright?" I heard him ask quietly.

"I'm going to miss them a lot."

"They are pretty awesome."

"So are you," I said, turning to find him staring at me intently. "Thank you again for doing this."

"It's my pleasure."

We fell into a comfortable silence. Harry began gently running his thumb across my hand and left me to my thoughts of family, Marco, and London. Was I really ready to go back to this? Back to London? Back to my responsibilities? Back to Harry?

“Here!” Tom's voice pulled me crashing back to earth. I squeezed Harry’s had tightly before we were ushered out of the car and through a private hanger. There was a small plane sitting ten yards out with a smiling pilot standing atop a small red carpet. I tried not to gawk as Harry led me towards the luxurious vehicle.

“Careful love,” Harry called, holding out a hand as I ascended the small staircase. Once inside I moved through the space, feeling very out of place, and took a seat on one of the lounge chairs near the middle of the plane. My heart was hammering through my chest and I felt giddy with anticipation. In attempt to distract myself from the impending anxiety attack I glanced out the window to see Harry and Tom chatting with the pilot. Harry was tugging on his lip, listening intently to the pilot.

He looked anxious himself. After a moment Harry shot a glance back at the plane, his hand flying to his hair absentmindedly. He nodded to the pilot and then climbed the stairs.

"Everything alright?" I asked hesitantly.

"So..." Harry said, clapping his hands and falling into the seat across from me. "Apparently we can't drop you off in London just now."

"What?" My shoulders sagged as my heart sunk.

"There's no available runway for us to land until tomorrow."

"You're shitting me."

"I'm serious,” Harry laughed, "A rainstorm flooded part of the runway at Heathrow and everything's gone to shit.”

“Of course,” I cried out dramatically, throwing my hands in the air for effect. “Did mother nature find out I was heading back to London?”

“Probably. But don't worry, I have alternative options.”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to try and smuggle me to America."

“How did you know?” Harry teased, but on seeing my face added, “I’m joking. Now will you shut up and listen?"

“No."

"We could postpone our travels a day so we stop in London…”

“…or?”

“We could go to Holmes Chapel and visit with my family for a night and then get you to London tomorrow."

He said all of this very quickly before breaking into a strained and nervous smile. I blinked back at him in shock. He wanted to take me to see his family? Was he insane?

"It's up to you," Harry continued.

"Me?" I cried. "Why do I have to decide?"

"Because I'm fine with either option." Harry shrugged.

I felt myself growing irritated by the no-win situation this placed me in. But, as Harry watched me I realized we both knew what my answer would be. "Well I don't want to take away time you could be spending with your family."

"I know it's asking too much," Harry insisted, reaching out to wrap his hands around mine. "They'd love to see you of course but I don't want you to feel obligated-"

Obligated was exactly how I felt. "No, no it's fine."

"Are you sure?"

I gulped. "Yep."

"Thalia..."

"Why is it that you never believe me?" I asked, attempting to lighten the sudden intensity that had fallen over us. "I'm sure. Besides, I owe you don't I? After all it is your jet."

Harry rolled his eyes, clearly unamused.

"I'll have to rent a truck to get all my paintings back," I thought aloud.

"I can still have them shipped," Harry offered quickly, already reaching for his phone to make it happen like the wizard he was.

"Don't be silly. You don't need to do that."

He broke into a smile, "why is it that neither of us want the other to do them any favors? I'll get your paintings back to London, as a thank you for stopping by my parents."

"My stopping by your parents as a thank you for you giving me a lift! That means I still owe you."

"I think can live with you being in my debt," Harry teased, wiggling his eyebrows mischievously. My stomach clenched as that gorgeous smirk of his widened into a dazzling smile.

Last night Harry and I had nearly gotten back together...well on a sexual level anyway. I had been trying to keep my mind off of those perfect plump lips and the feel of his fingers on my skin all day. And the sexy, charming comments weren't helping.

"I can't," I huffed.

Harry chuckled before giving my hands a gentle squeeze. "You're doing me a favor by coming along. Seriously. You know I can't stand being alone."

"Not even for four hours?” I asked doubtfully.

"Nope."

I narrowed my eyes at him in suspicion. "Fine. But you're not buying me anything in Holmes Chapel, and that includes a train ticket to London."

Harry let out a bark of a laugh. "Deal.”

A moment later he had jumped up to inform the pilot of our decision. I fell back into my seat and texted Maeve before letting my nerves consume me once more. His family?! Jesus what have I gotten myself into? I had known he would do this and I had gone along with it anyway. He had done me a favor and unintentionally guilt tripped me in to flying to visit his fucking family. What were they going to say when I showed up on their doorstep with Harry's arm wrapped around my shoulder? I was the evil ex-girlfriend who had broken their son's heart so spectacularly.

Harry returned after a few minutes, rambling about planes and flying. I smiled, watching him but not absorbing a thing he said. "Thalia?"

"Hmm?" I asked, realizing he had asked me a question.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, his eyebrows knit in concern. I frowned and he rolled his eyes. "You're quiet. You're never quiet unless something's wrong. So, what's wrong."

I let out a small laugh at this depiction of me. With a sigh I asked, "what have you told them?"

"Who?"

"Your family!” I cried, amazed that he was feeling so at ease with all of this. "Do they at least know I'm coming?"

"Yeah, I just gave them a ring," Harry shrugged before breaking into a smile and adding, "Mum's excited to see you."

Not helpful. "What have you told them?”

"About what? Our break up? The villa? Our fateful reunion-"

"In serious Harry. What have I gotten myself into?"

Harry let out a sigh, running his hands through his long locks for the umpteenth time. "They know we broke up an haven’t spoken in nearly a year. They also know we reconnected at the villa and have spent the past couple of days together."

"And they're okay with it?"

"They don't have a say."

I shot him a look. "I know how much their opinion means to you Harry."

"And they know how much you mean to me," he shrugged. I bit my lip, attempting to hide how amazing it felt to hear him say that. Harry misread my reaction though and let out another heavy sigh. "They don't know why we broke up. I never told anyone, not even Gemma."

I frowned. "Why?"

"Because I blamed myself," he replied, as if that were obvious. "I thought I had driven you away. That plus the whole Val thing..."

"I never told anyone either," I admitted quietly.

"Not even your sisters?"

I shook my head. "They saw and heard the build up but they knew I couldn't talk about that night."

Harry nodded slowly, playing with his lip between his thumb and index finger. I wanted him to say something, anything to keep this conversation going but wasn’t sure what.

The plane began to accelerate, pulling me back into the seat. I looked out the window as the world began rushing by faster and faster. Then all of the sudden we were rising, my stomach lurching as the vehicles and trees shrunk into the quilt of the land.

"You alright?" Harry chuckled.

"Fine," I grimaced, tensing as the plane dropped for a moment. "Just forgot how much I hate planes."

"When was the last time you were on one?" Harry asked curiously.

"When we went to Greece."

"That was an amazing trip."

I blushed at the memory. Harry had accompanied my mother and I on a week long getaway trip to Greece. We had met my extended family before Harry and I ran off to a private villa off the coast. It had been complete paradise.

"It really was," I agreed, trying to rid myself of the images of us lying tangled together on the beach before I lost it.

Harry continued to watch me, no doubt recollecting his own memories. My cheeks began to burn and I quickly looked for a distraction to avoid his piercing gaze.

"Harry look!" I cried, pressing my face against the window. We had broken through the dark clouds and were now floating between the white fluffy layers. Harry jumped from his seat to move by my side.

"You're floating on a sea of clouds," Harry smiled.

"Look at the texture!" I pointed to the layer of clouds level with the plane. "They look like cotton."

I rummaged in my bag until I found my camera, snapping pictures as we continued to rise into the sky. Harry fell back against the small couch running down the length of the plane and watched me with a bemused smile.

"So much for hating flying."

I rolled my eyes and joined him on the couch, letting him pull my legs onto his lap. This was mad. I was mad. I was in a fucking plane with my famous ex-boyfriend on the way to visit his mum. But looking over at Harry I instantly calmed.

He had begun absentmindedly messaging my leg, his head leant back against the sofa and his eyes closed. A small smile remained plastered onto his lips and it was enough to set all my fears at ease. Perhaps I was mad and maybe I didn’t know what I was doing. But being able to glance over and see him there with his worn jeans, unruly hair, and dimpled smile was not something I was willing to give up.

Harry must have sensed me watching him for a moment later he peaked his eye open and rolled his head to look over at me. With a raspy voice he asked, “You alright?"

I nodded, then broke into a smile. "I’m going home.”

“About time.”

“Is this how you feel after tour?" I asked curiously?

“Dunno. How do you feel?"

"Like my heart is so filled with love and happiness that it might leap from my chest."

His smile widened and that lovely little dimple appeared on his cheek. "That's exactly how it feels."

Notes

Betcha weren't expecting that were you? Hope you enjoyed it!