THE DEATH OF YOU

Harry's pov

I am dancing with Eleanor and Louis when Perrie shows out of nowhere in a complete frenzy of hysterics. She shouts something in Eleanor's ear. I can't make out what she is saying but one thing doesn't escape me. Cassie's name. I watch the shock take over Eleanor and then the realization. Something is wrong. Cassie's in trouble. I follow after Perrie and El who hurry swiftly over to the girl’s toilets. Perrie pushes open the door and I clench my jaw when I see Cassie lying on the floor passed out. Both girls are on their knees next to her, trying to wake her up. I push passed them, making myself room next to her head.
"Cass love? Can you hear me?" I question softly.
She twitches in my arms, her eyes flutter.
"What's wrong with her?" Eleanor murmurs, fear written all over her face.
"Oh my gosh! Cassie! Oh my gosh! Cass! What happened?!" Sarah bursts into the little space.
"What did she drink?" I turn to the girls, anger taking over me.
"Shots with me," Sarah stutters.
"And she was holding a cocktail when I stood with her," Perrie notes.
I slid my arms under her right as Ed and Louis come in.
I pick her up and start my way out. I need to get her out of here.
"Harry," one of the blondes I was making out with before comes over.
"Leave me alone!" I snap at her as Ed and Louis clear the way for me. The girls following close behind me.
"What are we doing? We need to take her to the hospital!" Sarah exclaims.
"That will get the police over to the shack," Louis notes.
"I don't care! Look at her!" Sarah shouts.
"She was drugged," I state. I slip Cassie into her car.
"We need to find what she was given!" Eleanor points out.
"When I got to Cassie at the bar, Nick was talking to her!" Perrie smacks her forehead as if she just remembered this.
"Why the fuck have you waited so long to say something?!" I hiss crossly, just as Zayn and Guy join us.
"Stay here," I demand of the girls and Zayn. I don't want to leave Cassie but I know I must get to Nick.
Louis, Ed and Guy follow me back to the shack.
I stop them at the entrance and frown.
"Who is this Nick?!" I growl.
"Shit.. Harry," Louis makes a pained face.
"Another boyfriend?" I rack my brain trying to remember.
"No chance in hell lad.. I'll remind you later.. For now.. keep in mind this is not the first time he hurt Cassie," Louis tugs at my shirt.
"And definitely not the first time he gave her supplements," Ed remarks.
Without another word we spread out looking for Nick. It isn't long before Ed spots him and points him out. I stride up and smash into him, holding him up against the wall.
"Styles.. nice of you to join," he attempts a smile. However I wipe it off his face with a punch. A sickening crunching sound is made as blood splatters out of his nose and mouth. Blood hits my face but I don't care.
"What the hell did you give her?" I shake him.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" He smirks. I'm about to hit him again, but someone catches my fist tightly. I swipe my head to see who in the hell is strong enough for stopping me.
"Not here man... take him in there," Guy tells me, signaling towards the supply room. I suddenly remember all the people around us and agree. We move him and push him into the small room.
"Now.. where were we?" Guy inquires after shutting the door after us.
Ed is stood outside the door guarding it.
"I don't know what he put in her drink!" Nick finally confesses.
"You're lying!" I boom.
"I am not! I know he slipped her something- but I bloody hell don't know what it is!" He shouts, as Guy slams into him holding his arm in a way that if he moves it slightly in a wrong way it would surely snap.
"Who is 'he'?" Guy demands to know, and I must admit, I'm impressed with him.
"I'll find out what he gave her," Nick hurries as Guy starts to squeeze his arm.
"You might want this bloke," Ed pushes another young man into the room and I trap him in a corner.
"Is this him?" Guy questions Nick.
Nick glances at him and then nods ever so lightly.
"Guess he never had your back after all," I tell the new guy before punching him. He falls to the floor and I start going through his pockets.
I find a bunch of pills and am about to leave him on the floor when I come across something more. A pendant.
I pick it up and then kick him again.
"You fucking took this from her?! You touched her?!" I scream.
"Harry.. We've got the pills, let him go before you do any damage," Ed says.
"What are these?" I hold up the bag to Nick.
"Let her sleep it off.. she'll be fine," Nick swears.
Guy pushes him and we leave the room, our back to them.
Once outside again I get into the back seat with Cassie, pulling her against me.
"I can't take her home like this.. My dad will kill us," Sarah claims.
"Text him you're crashing at El's.. drive to my place," I decide. Sarah is shaking, so Guy takes the keys from her and shoves her softly into the passenger seat.
"I'll follow," Ed says and walks to our shared car.
After I promise to let Eleanor and Perrie know once Cass is better we drive off.
"Where did you learn such tactics Guy?" I question him.
"Army.."
"You were in the army?" I'm surprised.
"In my country.. Once you graduate high school you do the army for three years.. I was in a special unit.." his voice is low.. As if he doesn't want to talk about it.
" Mossad?" Sarah asks, which makes both Guy and me chuckle.
"No.. I wish but no.. let’s just say.. I know how to get confessions out of people," he sighs.
I reach for the pendent and hold it up.
"Cassie's pendent," Sarah notes.
"He took it," I say courtly.
"Is that the one you got her for Christmas?" Guy questions.
"Yeah.. it's the one with the angels phrase you told me he should have engraved on it," Sarah informs.
"I lot of help that was," I snap. She said it should look after her.. at least Guy said it should.
"It did.. we got to her in time.. no real harm was done to her," Guy states.
"She was drugged!"
"And that is all.. look man.. shit happens.. all the time.. she can't be safe all the time but this could have ended up much worse and it didn't. . That is what that prevents," Guy explains. I nod in agreement.

We get to my new flat and I pick Cassie up gently. Ed is already there holding open the door. I hold Cassie close to me as we head up.
Once inside I take her straight to my room.
I place her gently on the bed, and then start taking of her shoes, thankful today she isn't wearing those Dr. Martins she seems to always be stomping about in.
"Dad won't be a problem.. he just texted back good night," Sarah whispered coming in.
"So this is the famous Styles' room? Nice.." she is wide eyed while she stares around. Her eyes catch the photo of Cassie and me from a dance I went with her to.
"Here, This is for you and her.. I would help you change her but I don't think she would want me to," I place a bunch of clothes for them on the end of the bed and walk out.
I find Ed on the sofa speaking quietly on the phone. He mouths Eleanor to me as I take a seat next to Guy.
"You're a tough dude aren't you," Guy speaks up.
"I used to believe so.. Until you Israeli showed up.. Are they all like you?" I smirk at him.
"How do you think we win all our wars?" He leans back, making himself comfortable. Ed finishes the call and turns to us.
"So.. is she still out?"
"Yes.. Explain to me about this Nick bloke.. Don’t recall ever meeting his ugly face before," I tell him.
"You should... when Cassie's Nan died.. Cass got really depressed and she was in so much pain emotionally and physically from the accident which she then kind of got addicted to her pain killers.. When her doctor wouldn't give her anymore she found other places to get them.. One of those places was Nick."
"Was he a friend from school?" I hum.
"No.. friend of a friend.. anyway one night he was at the Shack right after you saw him give her pills and you both got in a huge fight.. you went at him and ended up getting arrested. You had to stay the night. Zayn went to Cassie to lay into her, blaming her for you being locked up," Ed stops then. He looks up, Sarah just joined us. She walks over and sits on Guy's lap. He pulls her to him and she leans into him.
"Why would that be her fault?" I get back to Ed.
"Doesn't matter.. what matters is he went.. Which was a good thing since Nick was there.. He was trying... he tried to.... Zayn got there just in time."
I let out a long hiss of curses my blood boiling over with blinding anger.
"Zayn beat him real good.. and a few weeks later when we found Cass has nightmares of him we all went hunting him down and gave him one more beating," Ed finishes his story.
I have an image then of an ally with Ed, Zayn and Louis but I'm not sure if it's a figment of imagination or a memory.
"You both staying the night?" Ed questions Guy and Sarah. He gets to his feet and strides to the kitchen for some drinks.
"I guess.. I don't want to leave her," Sarah responds, trying to hide a yarn.
"You're beat, you should go to sleep," Guy rubs her back.
"I want to stay with Cass," she shakes her head.
"No. I'll stay with her, you can stay in the spare bedroom," I get up and point at the closed door. Guy watches me as I wait for Sarah's agreement. She finally does and I mumble goodnight as I head into my room.

I change and slide into bed beside Cassie. I watch her as she sleeps. How do I not remember? How can I not remember the worse days of her life?
She steers and her eyes flutter.
She is sluggish in her movements. Her eyes open and she jumps startled, not recognizing her surroundings.
"It's alright.. You’re safe," I hurry to catch her arm.
"I was.. There was someone..." she is confused and disoriented. My heart goes out for her and I pull her to me.
"Harry... there was... I think I was.." she is working herself into a state.
"Shhh.. You’re fine.. I got you.. Go back to sleep.. No one will hurt you.. I promise," I whisper into her hair.
"The pendent. . He has it," she mumbles before closing her eyes.
"I have it.. I took it from him.. don't worry," I promise.
"You won't leave me?"
"Never," I assure her as she falls asleep.
Her phone vibrates and I reach out and answer.
"Cassie love? How's the party?" Austin answers.
"It's Harry.. she's asleep.. I'll let her know you called," I cut in.
Austin stays quiet, and it dawns on me what this might sound like to him.
Though after a moment I decide I don't care. He should have been here. If he was.. This might have never happened.

Notes