chapter 35

The group glanced at each other not sure of what to do. On the one hand, it is the chief after all, and this is what they wanted all along, to sit down and tell him the truth, but on the other hand they weren't ready. It came to fast, much faster than what they thought it would, and now they were at a loss of words, not sure where to start, what to say and what to keep out.

Emma found Harry's eyes, which were cold and hard. She knew it would be so, since he didn't want them to have this meeting from the start, so he is now blaming them for this.

"Tell me what is going on," Jon demanded, looking from Emma to Harry to Dylan.

"There is nothing to tell," Harry leaned back on his chair, looking nonchalant, though his cold hard stare gave him away.

"You can start singing, or you can all come down to the station if it makes it easier," Jon answered with a smile.

Emma's POV

This is not happening! But it is, dad is here, and he knows we are keeping something from him.

"What use will it make? Harry did the time for a crime he did not commit, no one listened then, so why would you listen now?" Eleanor spoke up finally.

"You're coach Calder's daughter are you not?" Dad asks her.

"I am," She agrees, not breaking their stare.

"And your name?"

"Eleanor," She answers.

"Well Eleanor, Then I wasn't chief, but now I am," He replies.

"It is cute you think that, but it is different in reality," Harry says.

"How so?" Dad seems interested, and I hope only good will come out of this.

"Because, as you said, you are new here, and there are people more powerful then you in this town, which means that no matter how much you would like to help, there is little you can actually do," Harry answer's simply.

"Harry, I believe you didn't kill Hope," My dad says softly, and I hear the sharp take of breath around us. When I look up at my friends I see the wide eyes running from face to face, telling each other silently that this is our chance- someone that believes us, someone who can put an end to all this.

"How can you be so sure?" Harry questions, a smirk on his lips, and I can whack him one. What the hell does he think he is doing?! 

"Because, the moment you started going out with my daughter I had to find out all I could about you, knowing you have been locked up for two years. The case- the facts didn't add up to me, and I suspected things were covered up, I started asking around, and the more I did the more people around me asked me to let it be. What's done is done, but I can't let it go, not if it means the killer is still out there," Dad explains.

"Well, I told them two years ago, It was Tyler who pulled the trigger on my sister, and it is the same as I will say now," Harry replies stubbornly.

"I believe that, but there is more you aren't telling me" Dad watches Harry carefully. 

"There is nothing else, I am leaving," Harry gets to his feet.

"Who else was there Harry?" Dad calls after him. Harry freezes in his step, but recovers fast. "Hope was there, and then she was shot."

With that he storms into the house, and moments later I hear the front door slam.

"Well that went well," Dad smiles at my friends.

They all look down at their feet now, not sure what to say or do.

"Eleanor, you and Hope, you were close right?"

"Perrie, Hope and I were best friends, yes," She points at Perrie and agrees.

"I read your statements, about not knowing much, and about not thinking Harry has done it, being him and Hope were close," Dad tells them.

"That's correct, but what does that have to do with this?" Eleanor looks confused.

"Well, later on, it was claimed to be an accident" Dad raises his brows.

"Because Harry's prints were found on the gun.. so that was the explanation that was given, so who are we to judge that decision?" Perrie cuts in.

"But you don't believe that.. not really, do you?" Dad questions.

"No! How could one believe such a thing? We grew up with Harry and Hope- he would never pull the trigger on her- not even by accident," Eleanor scoffs.

"What does it even matter? I mean.. What's done is done, there is no going back," Louis says quietly.

"Like I said to Harry, that is not true, we can still do right by him, and find the person who's really to blame."

"And how would you do that?" I inquire.

"Well, first, if there is someone else that was there.. Like Dylan here, this is the time to come clean about it," Dad frowns at him intensively.

Dylan's eyes run from my dad to me.

"But he wasn't," Jennifer speaks up. I forgot she was even here, since she was so quiet.

"I heard otherwise," Dad states.

"No you didn't, I know you're the chief and it's you job to deal with things like this, but really you walked into a conversation, hearing only parts of it, and putting things together without finding out if they are true or not- You thought you heard Dylan say he was there, but the truth is, we were talking about what would have happened if he was there- since he almost was, then maybe Harry wouldn't have gotten framed for a crime he didn't commit."

Dad sits there watching us, taking in Jen's words, while my friends and I hold our breaths while finding out if he believes her.

Harry POV

I knew I shouldn't have come to that stupid gathering, I fucking knew it!

I was up in my room throwing things- anything I could get my hands on that would break and smashed them up against the wall. We didn't have enough to bring Tyler down! I told them that over and over again, and now it's too late! FUCK!!!

"Harry!"

My arm froze mid air at the sound of Emma's voice. I turned around and let the lamp fall out of my hands.

I was ready for her to scold me for the mess I have made, telling me I am mad, turning away and leaving me in my mess.

Instead Emma paced over the broken pieces of my belongings, over to me, her arms open, and a moment later I felt them around my waist. I felt her warm body against mine, and I brought down my cheek to lay on top of her head, finally getting my arms to work their way around her little frame.

"You'll be all right," She promised me. I wanted to believe her, but I knew she was wrong. This will all open up again, Tyler's parents will dig him out and the whole town will remember that I killed my sister. It will be the talk of town again, and it will shame my mum.

My mum. I forgot I am angry with her.

"Dammit," I sighed, and Emma let go of me, taking a step back.

"What?" She questioned, her brows coming closer together in a frown.

"Everything is so fucked up, my parents, your dad, Tyler.. I should have never come back home, I should have gone someplace else, away from here," I breathed.

Emma seemed as if I had just slapped her, and it hit me. What I just said, the way it sounded.

"No Emma- I would never change it though, you are the best thing I have here," I hurried to say.

She nodded silently, but the hurt in her eyes still lingered.

"What happened then? Does your dad know everything now? What is he going to do?" I changed the subject.

"Jennifer bought you some more time.. She told him we were just speculating what would have happened if Dylan was there," She informed me.

"Did he believe it?" I am stunned.

"I don't think so, but he let it go for now," She sighed. I nodded, and she took a deep breath before continuing.

"My dad won't let this go for long, he can tell something is up, and he will find out, but I think we have enough time to get Sam to speak up for us before my dad finds out Dylan was there that night," She was talking fast, trying to get everything out.

"Ok," I took a step closer to her, place my hands on her little waist. I love the way we just fit together.

Emma places her hands on my chest, and I remember the time at the pool party at Jen's when we walked in on this bird giving some random guy a blow job. I wondered if Em ever did, and imagined how her lips would look closed around someone's cock, but now the thought of her with anyone kills me, and I need to shut my eyes to get the image out of my head.

"What is it?" She questioned, those blue eyes, the ones I dreamed about at night looked up at me with wonder.

"Nothing, come here," I bent down my head so my lips can meet hers, craving for her.

"Harry? Are you home?" I heard my mum call for me.

I let my forehead fall to Emma's in surrender, and sighed. Every time I thought I finally have my moment with her, someone or something comes along to break us apart.

"It's ok, you're ok," Emma whispered to me, her fingers grazed my cheek softly.

She placed her hand in mine, and we head down to meet my mum.

When Harry and Emma reach the bottom of the stairs, they come to a sharp stop. I know Emma can feel my brother's sharp breaths because she steps a little closer to him in reassurance. 

I get it though, I can understand him. I hated him just as much as Harry does. But death does something to you, it puts everything in perspective, and you learn to forgive. You see things different, you see things and understand things in a way you didn't when you were alive. So I forgave our father for the things he's done, and I have a feeling it is time for Harry to forgive him too.

"I think it's time we all talked," Our dad spoke.

"You might be right,"

A/N- Not long until this story comes to an end, only another couple of chapters.. So if you like my story, please could you review and rate? It would be much appreciated x