The Silence That Surrounds: Screams of the Damned

Narrator’s POV:

When Harry left, Sophia was up at the door faster than a blink of an eye and listening carefully with her ear against the hollow wood.

Though it was muffled, she heard the leader clearly and lingered there long enough to hear his haste footsteps pass hers without even a second of pause. He was tired and if there was a marathon who could get to their bed faster, Harry would win.

She glanced over at the still sleeping hostages, noticing their drying hair and peaceful features. She had no doubt those wouldn’t be on their faces long when they were finally able to wake up, which should be in a few hours.

Taking Harry’s phone from her pocket, she bypassed the beds and settled back onto the windowsill where she was comfortable, opening the flip phone.

“I think I remember the number from the card.” Sophia murmured, dialing it without a moment’s hesitation.

It rang a few times, Colton’s voice answering on the third ring.

“London Investigations, Colton Grear speaking.” Colton answered.

“Colton, it’s me.” Sophia replied, keeping her voice quiet so she wouldn’t be heard from outside the door.

“Sadie! Hi, luv. How are you this morning? What can I do for you?” Colton asked cheerily, a door closing off in the distance and another voice speaking lowly on the other end.

“Nothing much, I was wondering if you were free to talk?” Sophia asked, her eyes furrowing at Colton’s greeting. “And you work in an investigations office?”

Colton chuckled.

“Yes, I work for my father. The best in London – though I haven’t been able to get a hold of him since last week. He went to meet a client and haven’t heard a word since, but it’s not uncommon for him to go away without checking in so I’m not too worried. What about you? Did you and Leo enjoy your outing? I heard there was a mishap at a bar involving a group of people and a redhead in a beautiful green dress…” He trailed off, his tone taking on a sort of tease. “I take it you wouldn’t know a thing about that?”

Sophia smirked.

“Nope, don’t know a thing about that. Come on, there’s a ton of redheads in green dresses out and about all over London.” Sophia laughed.

“Mhm, but only one that looks like a Goddess?” Colton flirted, making Sophia snort.

“Yeah, a Goddess that took a gun to a knife fight. Anyhow, I was wondering if you could do me a sort of favor? Would you look up Sophia Stone? Get some intel on her father’s business and see if you can dig up some more information on what happened to them? According to reports, there’s been no known activity. I believe Damien Styles is involved.”

Sophia heard silence at the end of the other line, like Colton had just been told to go find a magical unicorn and sacrifice it.

“Colton?” Sophia called, growing concerned.

“I got to go, Sadie. I’ll call you later.” Colton answered briskly, hanging up before she could reply.

She looked at the phone for a few moments and shut the phone, opening it back up and dialing her brother’s number. Sophia knew he was dead and gone, but she felt the need to hear his voice, if the number still existed.

That had been the main reason she swiped the phone in the first place.

The phone went straight to voicemail and it made her heart flutter with the familiarity of a voice she recognized.

“This is Dylan Stone, I am not in right now to take your call. If you leave your name, number, bank account information and the winning lottery numbers, I’ll be sure to give you a call back to thank you for your gullibility. Just kidding. Leave just your name and number – lotto too if you know and I will give you a call back when I can. Except for you Sophie. You can sod off. Lots of love all and have a wonderful day.”

Sophia felt her lips straining against her mouth from how big it had reached. Her brother had some funny voicemails and it was nice to hear the last one he had recorded was a step up from the one before.

She hung up and redialed his number to replay the message again and then did it again just because it was so funny.

In fact, she dialed his number one-hundred and forty time – which was roughly two hours of just listening to the same recording. It reminded her of something happy and all she wanted to know was if his number was in service.

It still was, which means the bill was still being paid for.

“Automatic payment probably.” Sophia murmured, dialing it one last time and doing something she hadn’t the other hundred and forty-one times.

When the voicemail beeped, she smiled and left a message.

“Hi Dylan, it’s been awhile, hasn’t it? I know you won’t ever get to listen to this – not physically at least, but I wanted to tell you that I love you. This seemed like the right way to say goodbye. I know it’s stupid and you probably won’t approve because of how corny it is, but I needed to find some peace on this. I suppose in a sense I am moving on, but I still think about you and mum a lot. We had our problems and what family doesn’t, right? I just wanted to let you know that I think I’m finally finding some happiness and that I hope you are too…wherever you are. I hope it’s someplace nice. All my love, Dy. I’ll see you soon.”

With that she clamped the phone shut again, jumping when the sudden volume of the room shifted unexpectedly.

“Beautiful sentiment, doll.” Jace spoke, his voice thick from forced sleep.

Sophia’s head whipped around wide eyed.

“I been watching you dial that number over and over for an hour. Do you mind untying me? I need to stretch my feet.” He snorted dismissively.

“Only Harry has the authority to release hostages and that black eye you’re sporting already tells me you asked and he said no.” Sophia shrugged, turning her attention back out towards the outside longingly.

“Sophia? My little brother is in this too and he is innocent. He’s going to be scared when he wakes up and I need to be there to calm him down, I’m the only one that can do it. I need to physically be touching him, that part I am not lying about.” Jace pleaded, watching Sophia for any sort of reaction.

She gave him a shrug as a response.

“A fuck you then?” Jace glowered, tightening his aching muscles against the secured straps.

“I didn’t say that, calm do – “She jammed the phone into her pocket hurriedly when the door unlocked and opened, revealing a very tired Liam.

“Hey angel, how are you holding up?” He asked, coming in with a few wrapping bandages and a plate of food. “I would have been here a few hours ago, but I was helping Zayn repair the kitchen table.”

Sophia smiled.

“No stress, Li. I was here, looking out the window and staying out of trouble.” She shot Jace a warning look when he looked ready to object.

“I need let up, dude. I need to check on Daylen.” Jace pleaded, struggling in the ten point restraints they had locked him in.

Liam ignored Jace and strode over to the window.

“Harry ordered me to take your cast off and wrap it with something less constrictive. He thinks it will help your reaction time if there should be any unforeseen problems.” Liam said, sitting beside her when she moved her legs over the side of the sill and silently gave the doctor her casted wrist.

“He probably has a point, not that I can feel pain in it anymore.” Sophia shrugged.

Liam hummed thoughtfully to her reply and set the tray down beside him, taking the food off first and setting it away from where he was about to work.

“I’m not hungry.” Sophia muttered, eyeing the small plate with distain.

“Wouldn’t have guessed otherwise, angel.” Liam shook his head. “I’d like to question your eating habits as much as the next bloke, but I’m way too tired and that’s actually mine so, no worries. Niall will be in to feed these two this avro. If they get too out of hand –“ Liam’s words were cut off.

“Out of hand?! I’m strapped to a Goddamn bed! My brother is laying tied up and you have the nerve to describe my reaction as out of hand?! FUCK YOU!” Jace howled out with hostility and struggled a few times, breathing hard when he stilled again.

Liam took a breath through his nose and out through his mouth a few times in a silent countdown before turning to the boy.

“Listen mate, we do what we’re told. My instruction was to make sure you’re looked after. That was it, but if you don’t calm down in about half a tick, I will put you back to sleep. Everyone is exhausted and we don’t need to hear anything out of your mouth other than a no sir, yes sir or thank you sir. I left the gag out for your benefit, not mine.” Liam responded to his rant calmly, his eyes going back to the plaster of Sophia’s cast.

Jace scowled.

“Why am I here? What do you people want? My dad won’t pay ransom; he doesn’t believe in negotiating with idiotic English terrorists and Damien fucking Styles is a world renowned fucking idiot!” Jace growled, making Sophia laugh unintentionally.

“Don’t rile him up, angel. Let him calm dow – “Liam was again cut off.

“Fuck you! Calm down? Like I’m not tied up to a bed and being told I was just kidnapped with my ELEVEN-year-old brother? Yeah, because that’s logical!” Jace ranted, his chest heaving from exertion for his efforts.

Sophia shook her head with a soft smile.

“I’m sorry, Li. I wasn’t trying to make him upset. He just reminds me of my first night and you all didn’t spare any punches. That and he’s calling a renowned criminal an imbecile. It’s a little funny if you look at the irony.” She shrugged, eyeing Jace while he tried to move his wrists around.

Liam groaned, rubbing his forehead.

“Yeah, you woke up around three in the morning. Harry didn’t leave your side until you were conscious and had been watching over you since the early evening when he and Louis brought you back,” Liam recalled thoughtfully. “Lou accidently overdosed you with chloroform and Harry insisted that we stay up to make sure no problems arose. When I sedated you back to sleep, we took that opportunity to go to bed; except Harry. He gave it another hour to make sure the shot hadn’t been too much.”

Sophia felt her heart flutter a small bit. Even being an inhuman twat, Harry still had cared enough to make sure she was in good health.

“I didn’t know that, but I suppose I wouldn’t. No one ever tells me anything around here.”

Liam chuckled.

“Between you and me, flower? I wish they would stop telling me.” He shook his head, breaking off a piece of plaster.

Sophia winced.

“You’re all fucking insane! Who just has a normal conversation about their kidnapping with their kidnappers like that?!” Jace asked incredulously, trying to kick his feet to see how well he was tied down – which happened to be amicably.

“Jace? You can recall the worst thing that has ever happened to you and in hindsight, it doesn’t seem so bad at the end of the day. My past is dead, there’s nothing I can do to change it, but I can discuss my kidnapping with my abductors because they themselves would know better than anyone. I can relate to it I suppose and it’s just easier to discuss it with them because they understand. No one else really would.” Sophia shrugged.

Jace was quiet for a few moments, a scoff of disbelief leaving his mouth.

“It’s something you won’t understand. Your time with us is more limited than what mine was.” Sophia told him, earning a sharp ‘shh’ from Liam.

Sophia sighed, nodding in understanding.

“I wasn’t saying anything, he and Daylen have a month here, yeah? I was here for three months. No one ever bothered and that’s what I find so funny. My father couldn’t be blackmailed either. It must run in the business genes of corporate men. Sell their children off for a pound, fuck a bitch for a shilling and get a replacement. Everything is so disposable today, even family.” Sophia grumbled.

“I think you’re tired too, hun. Come on, I’ll get this wrapped and then bring you to Louis’s room so you can get a proper wink, yeah?” Liam tried, knowing their conversation was treading on dangerous waters.

Sophia huffed and said no more, but she did take the phone out of her pocket with her good hand and delete Harry’s call history, Liam’s eye brow quirking up in surprise.

“I nicked Harry’s phone to see how long it would take him to notice.” Sophia smirked, handing it over to the gang’s doctor. “You can return it to him if you want?” She finished innocently.

Liam snorted.

“Yeah, because I totally want him chewing out my ear from now till Sunday. Nice try, luv, but as the old saying goes ‘if you stole it, you return it.’”

Sophia simply held her smile.

“Speaking of nicking, is Louis alright?” Sophia changed the subject, watching Liam work diligently in making quick work with her cast.

“Lou is fine, Soph. He is sleeping comfortably on the bed downstairs in the basement and I cleaned up his wrists.” Liam assured her with a light pat on the back of her bad hand.

Sophia nodded.

“Will I be able to see him later?” She asked hopefully, meeting Liam’s eyes while simultaneously putting Harry’s phone back into her nightgown pocket.

“Harry doesn’t want anyone down there for the remainder of the week. Louis is in solitary confinement.” Liam explained, snapping the last of the plaster from her wrist and throwing it down onto the floor.

Sophia let out a hiss of breath from the sudden weight leaving her limb.

“You’ve been in a cast for a bit, not having it will take some time to get used to.” Liam warned, beginning to gently wrap the bandage around her hand.

“You people are not playing with a full deck,” Jace muttered, before yelling as far as his voice would carry – which happened to be all throughout the cabin. “SOMEBODY, HELP! I BEEN ABDUCTED!”

Liam was over at Jace’s side faster than Sophia could blink, throwing his hand across his mouth in an attempt to stop the younger lad from waking Harry up.

That would not end well for him or anyone else around the general vicinity.

“For all that is Godly, will you shut your gob up!? Christ almighty, lad. Are you trying to bring wrath upon this cabin? Harry is not the kind of person you want to get angry, take it from us and if you can’t, look up his bloody rap sheet!” Liam hissed.

Jace glared and tried to jerk his head away from Liam’s strong grip.

“Sorry lad, but you leave me no choice.” Liam murmured, using his other hand to reach into the drawer and pull out a simple looking black collar.

“What’s that?” Sophia asked, watching Liam force it around Jace’s neck and position the black like speaker directly above his vocals.

“A shock collar for dogs. I found it in the basement when I was looking for something earlier. God knows how we acquired it, must have been left over from our teenaged years.” Liam replied, seeing the little red dot come to life when his turned the small knob to the maximum voltage.

Jace stilled, eyes wide.

“I’m going to take my hand away and if you talk above a whisper, you will not be having a good day. Understand?” Liam asked sternly, watching Jace nod.

“Good. Now – I don’t want to have to gag you, so here’s the deal: you can still talk, but do not yell. If this picks up above a certain pitch, it will go off and I know none of us want that.” Liam told him with trepidation.

Jace merely kept his black look of death on the doctor.

Sophia frowned at the two men, understanding Jace better than he thought. All things considered, he was taking his abduction rather well. Better than she had.

“Liam? May I have a moment with him, please? I’ll lock the door when I’m done.” Sophia promised, slipping from the windowsill and going to sit at the edge of Jace’s bed.

Liam nodded and grabbed his plate of food, leaving without another word. He would clean up the plaster and his tools later. He really was too tired to give a damn. He was finishing his food and going the fuck to sleep.

“Goodnight, Li. Sleep well.” Sophia bid him, smiling when he waved with his one hand that wasn’t carrying the plate.

When the door clicked closed, she was locking eyes with Jace.

“Way to go, stupid.” Was the first thing that left her lips with a soft smile to accompany the insult.

Jace’s glare turned murderous.

“Don’t take that look with me, Master Attwater. I’m trying to help you avoid my mistakes, being as I was held here for three months, it’s safe to say I have some experience with what happens to uncooperative hostages,” Sophia told Jace strictly, her good hand going to pull a few pieces of hair from his eyes. “Long story short, luv, my father didn’t pay my ransom either. I was spared, but the harsh reality for you and your brother is that you two won’t be. Damien intends on killing you, regardless if ransom is paid or not.”

Jace’s face paled.

He started to say something, but his body jerked up as a jolt of electric coursed through his body.

Sophia saw a few tears make their way down and reached up to gently wipe them away.

“I’m sorry, I can’t morally give you false hope and I can’t help you.” Sophia sighed, turning down the collar a little bit so he would be able to talk normally.

“If you know this, then why won’t you help us? My brother is eleven years old, he doesn’t deserve to die.” Jace reasoned with a small sob.

“I only told you because I thought you needed to know. If you cooperate and don’t make waves, I can try to help you as much as I can, but I can’t do that if you are constantly angering Harry or getting yourself punished. If you don’t fight them, they’ll take these restraints off and move you down from ten point to four point. Your brother, since he’s so young he will be let up to stretch his legs and I think I might even be able to help him gain more freedom. Just behave, it’s the only way I can help.” Sophia advised, glancing over at Daylen with a small frown.

“You have a phone, why can’t you call my dad? If I explain the situation – “Sophia shook her head.

“Too risky, all he needs to do is get a good tracker. Just trust me, Jace. I know it’s hard to take that statement lightly, but you’re going to need to if you want to survive this hellhole.” Sophia pleaded, knowing that if Harry was in guard it would make it unpleasant for everyone and she really did have Jace’s best interest at heart.

“That phone is untraceable, my father has one for when he conducts business. Please? I’ll do anything.” Jace pleaded, picking his head up from the pillow, which was a switch from the cocky disposition he had earlier.

Sophia bit her lip and looked at the door.

It was risky, a little too much so if she was being completely honest.

“I’ll make you a deal, tonight – when everyone is asleep, okay? You need to do what you are told though. Do not argue or fight back, no matter how much you want to and eat when you’re told to, drink what’s given to you and don’t make waves. If you can keep this up, I will come back tonight and let you use it – providing Harry goes the whole day without realizing its missing it,” Sophia chuckled, sticking her hand to where his was strapped down. “Do we have an accord?”

She put her good one into his and he squeezed it gently.

“Agreed.” Jace whispered, swallowing hard.

“Good. Now, if you promise not to scream I’ll take the collar off. I know you’re scared, no matter what façade you hide under, but I need you to be good and in the mean time I’ll try to make sure I get Daylen under my care today.” Sophia reasoned, reaching behind him and unbuckling the collar, tossing it on the nightstand.

“I’ll be good.” Jace promised, making Sophia smile gently.

“I know,” She assured him, wiping the drying trails on his face. “Chances are Harry will have me on hostage care, I’m still training.”

She stood up and stretched her sore limbs.

“Anyhow, don’t scream and draw attention to yourself or we’ll both be in trouble.” Sophia warned as she headed to the door.

“Wait.” Jace stopped her, lifting his head up to catch the dark blue eyes of his captor.

Sophia turned back and looked at the younger boy patiently.

He just stared back at her for a moment, his eyes roaming over her body observantly.

“I don’t care what happens to me, but Daylen needs to come out of this unharmed. I need him to get back to dad, because he deserves a chance. I maybe a prick, but that’s my brother and I would move Heaven and Hell for the little dweeb. You’re an older sister, you should know how it goes.”

A deep pain throbbed in Sophia’s chest at her captive’s words and paused for a few powerful seconds to let the heaviness seep from her.

“I know, but the difference between you and me, Jace, is that I failed at protecting my brother. He spent more time shielding me and the shame of it is, when it all boils down – I was too blind to see past my own fear and in turn, I wasn’t there for him. He hung himself, on that windowsill in fact,” Sophia pointed to where her brother’s body was hanging, shrugging off the memory and forcing it away. “I found him hanging there the next morning and I didn’t even get to tell him that I loved him. So, I do know how it goes, but you can no more protect your brother from his fate as I could Dylan. So, cherish the time you have, because I don’t know what’s going to happen.” Sophia finished and reached to open the door again.

“Then, help my brother get out. If you couldn’t protect yours from tragedy, at least honor his memory and do the right thing. Let mine have a chance, we’re all victims of circumstance here, Sophia. My father did business agreements with yours. We both know a businessman’s code of conduct regarding ransom and my father won’t pay. Yours didn’t either. You KNOW the chances are slim.” Jace insisted, fear overshadowing his eyes.

Sophia turned and walked back to the bed, sitting heavily at the side of it.

“My father sold me for a debt, Jace. So, in case you’re wondering how I fell so far from grace, well, don’t hurt yourself too much. At least yours loves you both enough to want a better life and maybe I’m wrong. Maybe it will turn out differently, but I’m not going to feed you false hope, because the only people who come through this cabin are the ones who have come to die.”

Jace swallowed and let the silence settle around them again for a few seconds.

Sophia noticed and took her two fingers, rubbing them up Jace’s arm.

“My brother and I did this all the time to wake each other up when we were kids. It used to be calming and you look like you need it right now.” Sophia noted his paling face and she hated to scare him, but why should she keep him in the dark? It wasn’t fair to him to survive on false hope.

“As one brother to another sister – for everything that is good in this world, I am begging you, get my brother out of here. I will do anything and I mean anything to make sure he returns safe.” Jace pleaded, his hands balling into fists and moving self-consciously in their prison.

Sophia bent down to Jace’s ear, whispering the most calming words that she could think to pacify the boy.

“Let me see what’s going on and then I promise, I will do what I can to get Daylen back to your dad.”

She leaned back again and stood up.

“Just do what Harry or the others ask you to do, luv. I’ll be back later.” Sophia promised, taking a step to leave.

“Wait.” Jace called again, making Sophia sigh and turn around.

“Your hair, it’s beautiful.” Jace complimented awkwardly, making Sophia smile.

“Goodbye, Jace.” Sophia waved, stepping out into the hall with a sigh, locking the door behind as she did so and going to Louis’s room.

When she walked in the blinds were drawn shut and the dark stretched its inky blackness to fill the small quiet space.

With a sigh of relief, she went to shut the door.

However, before she could a hand shot from the side of the door and pinned her to the wood, the door shutting with a little force.

“Hello, bint.” Zayn growled in her ear.

Sophia tensed, but refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her in fear.

“Hello, assrat. Come to beat me again?” Sophia asked bravely, staring into the shining outlines of his black orbs that seemed to penetrate through the dark room like a hawk.

“I would, but I’m much too tired. I’ve come to give you a warning though.” Zayn gritted his teeth, pressing his hand into her throat a little tighter.

“Oh? That you’re going to get ev –“ His other hand found her mouth and effectively cut her off abruptly from finishing by slapping it across to silence the annoying redhead.

“No. From one former fucking hostage to another, you don’t want to get involved with said current hostages, because you can’t help them. No one can help them and if you try to return them back to their father, we all fucking DIE. You got it? We. DIE. I overheard you through the door and I figure I would give you a onetime courtesy warning, because if you try to help them, I’ll put a fucking bullet into you myself and I’ll make sure it’s in a place where you don’t die straight away.” Zayn promised, shoving her small body against the door harshly, dropping her from his grip at the same time.

“I really wish you would, because I am getting tired of hearing you threaten me,” Sophia challenged, taking out one of the knives that she nicked from Harry and held it handle first towards her irate fellow gang member. “You have a chance now, take it. I won’t hold it against you.” She continued to instigate, watching the other man with caution.

Zayn just snorted in disbelief.

“It’s no fun when you ask for it. I prefer to try and kill you when you least expect it, this takes away my fun.”

Sophia frowned, because she knew he was harboring pain beneath his rage and it was going to eat him alive.

“Then hurt me. If it will make you feel better, go on. Stab me, get the satisfaction you yearn to…just as killing seems to make you happy now, yeah?” Sophia encouraged, holding it towards the stiff man, he truly looked like he was debating with himself.

“Get fucked. You WANT me to stab you so you can go and narc on me to Harry. Nuh-uh, I got your number sweetheart. I’m not stupid.” Zayn waved her off, grabbing the handle and plunging the knife into the door with force, the blade only a half of an inch from slicing Sophia’s neck.

Sophia smiled, hiding behind a façade of confidence.

“Consider your warning noted, now; I’m tired and you’re tired, so why don’t you go to your room, I’m going to sleep here and we can put this whole thing to bed until later. That way I can think of some better comebacks and you can continue on with hating me. Sound good?”

She heard him grow in agitation and decided that she’s had enough fun poking the angry bear with a stick for one day.

“Zayn? Do you want me to apologize? Because I can’t take back what I did and I can’t make up for it. I don’t understand what you want from me. Nothing I say will make this situation better and I’m sorry would just be slapping you in the face, so tell me what you want and I’ll do it.” Sophia sighed, knowing she was running out of energy to continue the hostile battle she had going on with the older gentlemen.

“I want you to stay the fuck out of my way and dropping dead would be an added bonus, but being as you’re like a cockroach without a head who refuses to die – I’ll settle with not having to see your ugly, deformed face. Just stay the fuck out of my Goddamn way and we’ll get along just ace.” Zayn replied to her offer and shoved her from the door she was still pressed against, leaving her in the silence of his departure with a bitter sour feeling brewing in the core of her stomach.

“And they say Brits are gentlemen, how very rude of him for not taking the knife from the door before he left. Louis is going to be pissed.” Sophia muttered after a moment, swallowing the hurt in her chest and bringing forth the little bit of sass that she could manage in her tired state.

“Sleep. Sleep fixes everything.” She nodded to herself, walking to the bed she shared with Louis and laid down heavily in the pine scented sheets, pulling them up to her shoulders and falling asleep almost as soon as her eyes closed.

*

Harry was nursing a hot cup of caffeinated coffee a few hours past three PM, his eyes still dropping from the eventful day before and he honestly felt like sleeping the rest of it away, especially since he still had to deal with Tomlinson and make sure the hostages were taken care of. He just didn’t have the energy in him to care about anything else.

“Zayn? Niall? Liam? Take Daylen to the bathroom and then bring him out here while Zayn and I deal with Jace. I’m gonna have to use force and it’s better that his little brother doesn’t see that,” Harry ordered, taking a sip of his brew and groaning in misery. “Fuck my life.” He finished with a grunt.

Zayn folded his arms across his chest.

“And Sophia? The lazy urchin is still about in bed at this time and the rest of us have to pull for her slack? Why doesn’t she deal with Jace?” Zayn challenged, making Harry snort in disbelief.

“Yeah, because Jace isn’t a second degree blackbelt and Sophia doesn’t only has one good hand at the moment – logical sense, mate. Now, are you done being a whining git? Truthfully, I’m getting tired of it. It you don’t want to help, then don’t. I’m way too tired to give a fuck either way.” Harry dismissed, unbothered by the sneer he received after.

“I’m the whining git? What does that make Sophia? The dry cow? She’s gotten away with murder around here while everyone else has to make up for it and I’m SICK of it too! You’re the leader, isn’t your fucking job based on keeping everything in order!?” Zayn yelled, making Liam reach over and grab his arm to keep him from lunging at Harry.

Harry just looked at him blankly for a few short moments and as quiet as a cemetery. Well, that is until a smirk started to slowly spread across his face.

“You know something, Zayn? You’re absolutely right. I have been a terrible leader, haven’t I? What with making sure Damien doesn’t kill any of you, trying to train Sophia is like trying to train a dragon and Goddamn, I just been so busy trying to keep everything else in order that I just couldn’t see the light that I was neglecting everybody. Thank you, Z. Truly, you have shown me the error of my ways. Now, instead of asking you three nicely to follow my orders – “Harry paused and took his gun out from the waistband of his jeans and uncocking it, aiming it point blank at the others. “I’ll just have to take a page from your book,” Harry trained a murderous glare on the slightly older one. “Ten minutes to get Daylen out here so that we can go and handle his brother. Niall and Liam can watch the lad, I’m sure he won’t do much in their care…except cry, as he has been doing.”

Zayn rolled his eyes.

“These two couldn’t watch a toddler, you really expect them to watch an eleven-year-old without some sort of issue?” Zayn challenged.

“I’d ask Tomlinson, but he’s a bit tied up at the moment and Sophia would be useless with her one arm. Let her sleep, bout all she’s bloody good for right now anyhow.” Harry waved him off, the gun carelessly moving with it.

“You’re allowing her to get away with murder.” Zayn insisted.

Liam’s grip tightened.

“Z? That’s enough, we need to all calm down a tick, yeah? Sophia can do nothing regarding the lads, expect maybe light work like feeding them or making sure they stay out of trouble.” He insisted, making Zayn sit back down in his chair.

“She’s getting a pussy pass. Just because she has a cunt, that doesn’t excuse her from actually participating. You’re being far too bloody soft, Styles. You know it, I know it and fucking Damien knows it too! Get her u –“ His words were cut off when Sophia appeared in the kitchen with a frown.

“What the bloody hell is going on in here? What’s with all the screaming – and why do you have a gun pointed at them, Harry?” Sophia demanded, making Zayn huff, gesture out towards her and snort.

“See? Twat pass because she has a vagina and not a prick.” Zayn insisted.

“Oh, do shut up.” Niall spoke up, walking to the kitchen and taking a wrapped plate from the counter, walking back.

He handed it to Sophia wordlessly as her disheveled form sat down at the table.

“Put the gun away, Harry.” Sophia murmured, reaching up with her good hand and forcing the barrel of the pistol down, Harry remaining silent all the while, his glance unwavering from Zayn.

“She’s a woman and she’s telling you what to do? Harry Styles shouldn’t -OW!” Zayn yelled, feeling Liam’s hand slap hard against the back of his head.

“Harry is about to murder you, now would be an ace time to use your right and remain silent.” Liam warned.

Sophia frowned before looking down at her plate.

Eggs, bacon and toast with mushrooms sat behind protective plastic, looking unappetizing to her already flippant stomach.

“It’s lovely, Niall. Thank you.” She said softly, uncovering the dish and reaching over to take the fork that had been placed beside the toast.

She hated the uncomfortable feeling that settled inside of her as she picked at the eggs and mushrooms, ignoring the tension in the room as best she could.

Harry’s eyes settled on her then, shaking his head and standing up.

“Sophia? You will feed Jace, once Zayn and I have him back to his room and chained down. Meanwhile, you can go check up on Tomlinson.” Harry ordered as he put his gun away.

“Okay.” Sophia said, dropping the fork in relief and standing to go do as Harry ordered.

“After you eat.” Harry rolled his eyes.

Sophia nodded and dropped back to the chair with defeat.

“You look like someone just killed your mu – “Niall started, but realized the word vomit and tried to change course before he went down with the ship on his bad paraphrasing. “Monkey.”

“I’m not hungry.” Sophia muttered, biting the egg off her fork anyhow.

“Then why the bother? Be amusing to see how long you go before starving yourself to death.” Zayn smiled, earning another slap, this time from Niall.

“And they tell me I don’t know how to button up.” Niall muttered, sitting beside Sophia.

“Because Louis told me to. He told me that I’ve got to press on and that means pressing on, even if some days I don’t feel like it. He said Harry isn’t going to force me and that I need to find reason. I have reason, but it still feels like I’ve fallen a long way down and I have nothing to grasp onto while being pulled by the current. Eating is the only choice I have over my body now and even with my father – I never did eat more than a bird’s portion…I suppose.” Sophia murmured with a shrug, ignoring Zayn’s other rant.

“You had a chance to leave, you decided to stay.” Harry reminded her darkly, putting his cooling coffee against his lips and taking a sip.

“You’re wrong, Harry. I been thinking about this all-day yesterday avro and just because you gave me the chance to leave, you knew that I couldn’t. It was nothing more than a test – be it consciously or subconsciously. You knew I would stay because if I left, Damien would kill you; if not you then the other men, Louis included. He was willing to give me that shot to get rid of this tracker, he was unselfish. Even if he knew he would have died, he told me the stone-cold truth and in good faith, I couldn’t just walk away.” Sophia gritted her teeth, standing up.

Harry watching her cautiously, unbothered by her accusations.

“Are you quite finished, Ms. Stone?” Harry asked bored, chuckling at the nonsense.

“No! I’m far from finished you bloody gorilla. Another thing! You – “Harry’s hand slapped across her mouth faster than anyone could blink. His eyes darkening to their beautiful jaded deep sea green and she only looked back with dulled deep oceans.

The intensity between the sea and sky was breathtaking when both of their natures combined momentarily, because the sea could not reach the sky and the sky could not see the ocean and for the two to meet, meant the gravitational pull of the atmosphere was crushing in on itself – just like the tense air suffocating the very air in the room.

“Sophia? Go check on Louis and uncuff him so he can eat. There’s another plate on the counter for him. I’m not debating this with you. I let you go, I risked my men and my safety to do it. You enjoy being locked in my cage, for some inexplicable reason, you love the chains binding your wings down and the sight of the gilded cage in front of you. I won’t pretend to understand it, but I can tell you that you are bang out of order and I won’t stand for it,” Harry spoke softly, gritting his teeth in controlled anger, continuing on.

“My heart cared enough to release you, it cared enough to want you and Lilly to be safe. I cared, but you of course wouldn’t see it like that. You still see me as a monster in some ways and if you want a villain so badly, then so be it. I will not disappoint. Now, go do as I’ve said to do and since you don’t care much to eat, you just won’t have anything. Consider that your punishment. I’m thinking a week? Unless of course you don’t object to two?” Harry raised his eyebrow calmly, seeing Sophia just stare at him blankly.

“Two will kill her, she barely eats enough as is.” Niall spoke up in Sophia’s defense.

“Two is fine.” Sophia murmured, walking to the kitchen and picking up Louis’s plate, stopping by the fridge and grabbing the door with her bad hand, pulling it open with a flinch.

“You don’t get a choice, how does that make you feel now, Ms. Stone?” Harry egged on for a response, seeing her try to balance the plate and grab a water.

Harry rolled his eyes and stood up, grabbing it for her and putting it atop the saran wrap on Louis’s plate.

“Thank you, sir.” Sophia murmured, pausing when Harry grabbed her arm and forced her to face him again.

“How does it feel? I just took the last bit of freedom away and you say nothing. Are you really going to let me take the only decision you can freely make away?” Harry challenged, faltering a small bit when her ocean blues yet again met his jaded greens.

“You’re in charge, Harry. If having that power over me makes you feel better, then what would you have me do? Beg you not to? Object?” Sophia reasoned, remember Louis’s words from yesterday and playing down Harry’s challenge.

Harry growled, releasing her.

“You are infuriating.” He said, walking back to the table and sitting back down.

“Maybe so, sir, but at least I get credit for being something other than useless, right?” Sophia shrugged, walking out of the kitchen and to the basement without further word.

She opened the door carefully and balanced the tray with her good hand and her bad arm, walking slowly down the short flight of steps to make sure she didn’t miscalculate and fall.

At the bottom she saw Louis laying quietly on the bed she had been raped in while blue eyes lay unblinking at the dusty dirt ceiling and his mind wondering far from the situation he was currently in.

Sophia smiled and came to the side of him, sitting down next to him on the bed.

“Good avro, Lou.” Sophia greeted, seeing a small bobby pin in his left hand, though he hadn’t bothered to pick the locks with it.

“Lou?” Sophia continued softly, setting the tray down on the floor and taking the pin from him, making quick work on his cuffs.

They fell off him.

“Food is here.” Sophia murmured, using her two fingers to try and jolt Louis’s deep thoughts out of twilight.

Louis grabbed her hand gently, glancing at her brokenly with wet eyes, like he had been crying silently alone for hours.

She saw his white bandaged wrists and looked back to his lifeless blue pupils.

“What happened, Lou?” Sophia demanded fragile, helping him sit up into a sitting position with slight difficulty.

“Zayn.” Louis answered tiredly, wiping his face to erase any traces of weakness that he had shown only moments ago.

Sophia nodded in understanding.

“Seems he’s being a right arse to everyone today, Harry included. I came into the kitchen to see him pointing his gun at Zayn, Niall and Liam. He even punished me from food for two weeks. We’ll see how long that lasts.” Sophia rolled her eyes.

Louis snorted, unamused to say the least.

“Yeah, he’s being a prick.” Louis agreed, bending down and taking the tray from the floor, uncovering it.

One egg, one piece of toast and four sliced mushrooms. Prisoners in the local jail got more to eat than that.

“Lou?” Sophia watched him, seeing the troubled look he wore.

“Hm?” Louis hummed, shoving a few pieces of egg with mushrooms into his mouth, chewing quickly.

“Are you okay? You still seem upset, what happened when I was punched out last night?” Sophia asked cautiously.

“Matt died, El was killed by Zayn. I had the pleasure of watching.” Louis answered dismissively, hardening his gaze to his plate again.

Sophia’s eyes went wide, her own demeanor faltering.

“Oh Lou –“ She started, but he grabbed her arm and looked at her stealthily.

“Don’t. Please, spare me the pity and just don’t.” He spoke with authority and ungripped his hand while stuffing a piece of toast in before grabbing the water bottle.

She watched him worriedly, nodding hesitantly.

“Okay, but I know what it’s like –“ Sophia trailed off, his eyes shifting to her again in hardened lifelessness.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, luv; but you don’t have a fucking bloody clue what I’m feeling right now.” Louis insisted, taking a swig of his water, capping it and throwing it with a little bit of force beside him.

Sophia nodded and stood up, making to head for the basement steps.

Louis noticed.

“Where are you going?” He asked, watching her pause at a few steps and turn back.

“To see what my next orders were. You want to be alone, don’t you? I just thought – “Sophia started, but was cut off.

“I never said I wanted that. In fact, that’s the last fucking thing I want right now. I’m not a pussy, Flower. I just don’t go around sharing my feelings and if asking me to open up about my old girlfriend and her brutal murder by a fellow gang member who I thought I could trust – well, I’m all out of tissues. I can’t do it; I won’t do it. However, what I could use right now is someone I can call a friend and surprise, surprise, you’re the bloody winner,” Louis rolled his eyes, patting the side of the bed. “Now, come be the beautiful and careable redhead that I know you are and sit back down.”

“Careable isn’t a word.” Sophia sassed, making her way back to the bed and sitting beside Louis.

Louis smirked.

“Don’t go taking over my job, luv. I’m the sassy one.”

Sophia felt herself smiling despite the disheartening situation around them.

“Can I give you a hug?” Sophia asked, taking the tray from his lap and setting it on the floor when he threw the fork onto the now empty plate.

Louis cocked a brow.

“Why? Do you need one?” Louis asked sarcastically, his smile widening, but it in no way reached his eyes as it normally would have.

Sophia reached out and grasped his wrist, looking seriously at her friend – or, she thought they were friends anyhow.

He looked away at her intense stare and shrugged.

“If it makes you feel better.” He replied dully.

Sophia sighed.

“It’s not what I need.”

Louis snorted.

“Then why did you ask for one?” Louis responded back.

Sophia rolled her eyes. He was being impossible.

“It’s what you need, Louis. Stop being difficult.” Sophia argued back, hearing Louis chuckle.

“I don’t need anything, I’ve dealt with difficulty plenty of times in my life, this is no different.” Louis shrugged.

Sophia turned and brought her arms out, encircling Louis into a gentle embrace.

“This is different, Louis and you know it. You cared about the person you lost. You loved her and it’s alright to show that loss. It’s only me and I won’t tell anyone. So, stop being difficult, let go of your pride and just hug me. It will make you feel better.” Sophia insisted, feeling him hesitate a moment before she felt his tight hug surround her.

He didn’t speak nor let go. Louis simply hugged the girl out of sheer need. She had been right; touch did make all the difference, especially to a broken heart.

Sophia felt a trail of wetness trailing down her neck, but there was no sob to accompany the pain.

“It’s okay. It’s all going to be alright.” Sophia promised, taking her good hand and massaging the back of his head as he finally lost the battle.

A quiet sob left from his mouth as he burrowed his face into her shoulder, neither letting go of one another.

“You’re not alone, Lou. You’ll never be alone.” Sophia vowed, hugging onto his heavy shaking figure a little tighter.

“You can’t promise that.” Louis cried, his chest heaving from the heavy feeling that was storming inside him.

Sophia simply kissed the side of his head in reply, waiting for him to calm down. He needed her right now, even if he himself would never admit it.

Notes