♕Harley Anderson♕

"The case of the missing detective- Frank Lopez- still has no leads, even after two weeks, with nobody knowing where he is. It is said that the last person to see him was his work colleague who saw nothing suspicious going on." The reporter says on the TV. When a woman with blonde hair steps in front of the camera with tears running down her face, I switch the black box off and reach for my bag.

As I turn around, I bump into Danté who walks out without a shirt out and is still wiping his damp hair with a towel. "You ready?" He asks and I nod, pushing my hair back.

"Yeah."

"Aren't you struggling with only one arm?" He asks and I shake my head. If I could shoot a man with one arm, I'm sure I can take orders.

"Nope." I step forward and place one hand behind his neck before kissing his lips. "We should get going." I say and he nods, walking away to put a shirt on. When he comes back, he grabs his car keys and we leave the apartment.

The car ride is silent and when he pulls up outside of Joe's Coffee Shop I peck his cheek. "See you later."

He grabs my wrist before I can leave and I look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Take it easy." He tells me and I nod, shuttling his car door on the way into the shop. The shop smells of coffee, like usual, and I almost look around to try and spot Frank sitting at his usual table, waiting for me to take his order of coffee and an apple tart. I don't though and instead carry on until Joe spots me behind the counter and smiles widely at me.

"Harley!" He exclaims before hugging me. "How are you?"

I smile. "Good and you?"

He waves a hand dismissively. "I'm perfect. I'm so glad you decided to come back to work this week."

Even though my arm is still in a cast and I'm not fully recovered yet, I've decided to come back to work this week. The longer I stay home, the more I lose my sanity. Besides, I need start getting back into my usual routine now that spring break is over next week. And even though I can drive myself as long as it's automatic- that's how I got to the lot that day- Danté still insists on driving me.

"I'm glad to be back." I say honestly. However, Danté isn't. But he couldn't sway my decision this time.

"Things have being so quiet without you and Allison." Joe explains and I nod.

"At least Allison is taking being a mother well." I respond, remembering how excited she was when I visited her the other day.

"Of course." Joe chuckles before reaching for my apron and handing it to me. I pull it on and he ties it for me. "You can work the cash register today, that alright?" He asks and I nod. He smiles and walks towards the door leading to the kitchen. However, before he enters the room he turns back to me. "Also is there any chance you can lock up for me? I got a meeting tonight and Allison was supposed to lock up today."

I nod. "Sure thing."

"Thank you Harley. You're a life saver."

My smile falters.

Joe leaves the room and I sigh, my eyes trailing to the seat that was once always occupied by Frank. It's being two weeks since I... killed him and I've never had such unusual sleeping patterns, such terrifying nightmares and so much guilt on my shoulders. Danté has tried to support me as much as he can but he can't take the guilt for me. Neither of us really speak about that day, knowing that it's better we don't. But he's always there when I cry after a nightmare or when I can't sleep.

"Excuse me?" Someone says and I turn to a customer, pushing a smile onto my face.

"How may I help you?" I ask. The customer tells me what she wants and I serve her what she requests before moving onto the next. I don't allow myself to dwell on the blood on my hands and instead focus on the smell of coffee, knowing that that's all I can really do at this point.

****

I flip the sign to 'closed' after the last customer leaves and set to cleaning up the last bit of glasses left on tables. I pick up one with remnants of Pepsi in it, cursing out loud when it spills onto the floor. I groan as I bend down to wipe it with a cloth in my apron when I hear the bell behind me ring. I stand up and look over my shoulder to see the customer.

Green eyes stare back at me.

The glass in my grasp slips out of my hands and hits the floor. His eyes look at the now shattered item in surprise before looking back at me.

"Cyrus." I stutter and he smiles.

"Hey Harley," that familiar voice says. It's a lot deeper now though.

I take a moment to observe how handsome he is. His blonde hair is styled perfectly, a few strands sticking up in different directions. His jaw is clean shaven, revealing the light freckles that both of us share and his eyes are greener than I remember, reminding me of a lush jungle. His lips are thin and his sharp jawline gives way to his defined cheeks. He fits his nose better too, growing into the feature. He's much taller now as well, making me have to look up to him.

I clear my throat when I realize I'm staring, "The shop is closed." I state and he glances at the sign hanging by the door.

"I know."

"Then why did you come in?" I ask and he cocks his head to the side.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Well I don't." I respond coldly. I don't have the strength to do this right now.

"Lee."

I snap my head up to him. "Don't call me that."

I see hurt flicker through his eyes.

"I'm sorry." Cyrus says. "I'm sorry for what I did."

His words make me freeze. I've waited my whole life to hear those words. All I've ever wanted from him since he left was an apology but now that I'm here, legitimately hearing it, I realize that what happened has long since passed and nothing can patch that up again.

"Why'd you never come back?" I ask, my voice laced with hurt. He purses his lips.

"I got involved with the wrong crowd. I would have dragged you from one mess to another." He says.

"So you just decided to leave me with him?" I reply incredulously.

He shakes his head. "It wasn't like that."

I sigh. "I waited for you Cyrus. I waited for so long and you never came." I confess. "Do you know how much that hurts? My own brother abandoning me?"

He looks away in shame. "I know. And I wish I could take it back, I really do. But I can't. That's why I'm here- I want to fix it."

I shake my head. "I can't let you back into my life Cyrus."

The expression he has is one of pain and disappointment. "You can trust me Harley. I'm not going to hurt you."

"It's taken me so long to move on from what you did, from what everyone did, and now I have to let you back in? I'm not going to rip the band aid off when the wound has only just started healing."

He purses his lips.

This hurts, so, so much. I wish I could get my brother back- that we could finally fix what he broke. But not all things in life can be repaired and not all things are meant to be. I'm not ready to let him in again, especially not when my life is already in a mess, and I'm definitely not prepared to be dragged into an even bigger mess.

"What about mom?" I find myself asking.

He frowns. "She was murdered?" He says and I shiver.

A murderer- someone like me.

"I mean what was she doing before that?" I press and he shrugs.

"Cashier."

I nod, but don't respond.

"What happened to your arm?" He asks, pointing at it and I look at the cast.

"Car accident."

I see the questioning look on his face. "From racing?"

I simply nod.

"You alright?"

His concern over my well-being shouldn't warm me as much as it does so I shrug before chewing on my lip and checking my watch, wishing Danté could arrive any minute so this could end. Cyrus looks at me curiously before opening his mouth to speak again.

"You with someone?"

I eye him carefully and contemplate lying about Danté. However, the thought of the man I love makes me proud to say he's mine.

"Yes."

"Does he make you happy?"

"I wouldn't be with him if he didn't."

"Then I'm happy for you."

I give him a sad smile before looking out the window to the now dark sky. "You should probably leave. I'll be going home any second now and my boss won't be too pleased if he checks footage and sees me socializing here after hours."

Cyrus nods, stepping forward to touch me but I take a step back. Hurt flickers across his features and he puts his hands in his pockets. I don't like being the reason he looks so heartbroken.

"I know I messed up and I'm really sorry. I just want you to know that even if you think otherwise, I will always love you Harley. And you'll always be my little sister."

Tears spring to my eyes.

"I'm sorry." He repeats, his voice pleading, and I give a grim smile.

"Yeah. Me too."

Cyrus stares at me for a second too long, both of us soaking in the moment so we can remember each other before he gives me a sad smile and walks away on his heel, opening and closing the door. The minute he's out of the room, I slap a hand over my mouth and feel the tears slip out of my eyes.

I can't believe I finally saw him. I finally saw my brother.

I bend down to pick up the pieces of glass on the floor, crying as I do so. After all this time, I've finally seen the one person who I loved with every inch of my being. But at the same time abandoned me.

I throw the pieces away, hoping that it will be as easy as this to clean up the broken pieces of my life.

When there are no longer any pieces of glass on the floor and I see Danté's car pull up, I shut the door behind me and lock it before climbing into the car. I put my bag in the backseat and when I turn my attention to Danté, I see him already watching me.

He doesn't have to say anything before I start crying again. He holds me as best as he can in the confined space and strokes my hair. Memories of Cyrus and I come to my mind- of him teaching me how to swim and ride a bike, of him buying me ice-cream, of him protecting me. I wish we could have had a normal family.

I eventually pull back from his embrace and wipe at my eyes with my wrists.

"What happened?" He asks in concern.

"I saw my brother." I say.

His eyebrows raise in surprise.

"He apologized. But I can't let him back in. Not now." I shake my head to myself. Danté rests his hand on my thigh.

"You have every right to feel that way. You have a lot to deal with without him." He assures me and I nod, knowing things are too messy.

"I know."

He's quiet after that but I feel the weight of his gaze on me.

"I think we should leave town for a little."

I look over at him, "And go where?"

He chews on his lip. "I don't know. California? New York? I just think we need to leave here for the next week we have before college starts again."

The thought of leaving this place for a little while sounds inviting and I nod my head.

"I think that's a really good idea."

He smiles at me, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

"So... New York or California?"

"I'd prefer a beach,"

He pecks my lips quickly before starting up the car. "Then beach it will be."

****

My bags that are packed for our trip to Miami sit idly on my bed, waiting to be put in the car, but I set off to do one more thing. I enter the bathroom with a packet in my hands, the contents inside making it heavier.

I stare back at the girl in the mirror. She's not the same person who once looked back at me a few months ago. No, this girl is no longer chained by the demons she faced when she was younger. But she's also a girl with the blood of someone's life on her hands.

I thought the hardest thing I would have to do is carry the scars my family gave me and yes, they have indeed being a painful weight, but now I have something bigger to carry. The guilt of killing a man but the relief of saving another.

I killed one to save another- that's how I have to see it.

I will never be the same person and I have to learn to accept that. As long as I have Danté by my side, our love being my support, I think I'll be okay. After all, he's the one who helped me see the beauty in my scars, he's the one who has showed me what love really feels like.

It's going to take me a while to heal. But I will. Eventually.

I have a lot I need to focus on. My family and friends, college and recovery. I'll be okay.

I stare down at the scissors and hair dye in front of me.

But I will no longer be that scared and broken little girl.

Not anymore.

•••

Please don't forget to drop one last vote and comment <3
So Guns and Roses has officially come to an end and I hope you all enjoyed the story. I'm so grateful for all of you who gave this story a chance. Harley's character is very close to my heart and it was so pleasant that she received no hate for how she dealt with her anxiety.
To see where we go from here, please do read the acknowledgments.
Lots of love xx

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