Beth's POV

"Please tell me you didn't go to James' house," I whisper.

"Depends if it's gonna piss you off or not I guess," Harry replies.

I groan and keep hold of his hand while I let my head fall onto Harry's chest.

I slowly bang my forehead against it a few times.

You stupidhead Harry.

"You did, didn't you," I state it rather than ask.

He lets out a heavy sigh and wraps his other arm around me.

"Are you mad at me?" he whispers against my hair before he kisses the top of my head.

"I think I'm too tired to be angry Harry," I lift my head and look up at him, "but I'm pretty positive I'm going to have to find somewhere else to stay now."

"Yeah, about that..." Harry says.

"Did you not stop to think of that?" I cut him off.

"You hit him first," he replies.

Is he serious?

"I was justified!" I step back and throw my hands up in the air in disbelief.

"And I wasn't?" he says with the same look, "he's tried it on with both you and Gemma and he put his hands on Nick!"

"Well...yes...but I'm renting out this house to his mother," I say in an exasperated tone, "you think she's going to somehow be okay with this? That we've both assaulted her son?! Do you think she's going to say 'gee thanks for using my son as a punching bag, have a scone and a cup of tea?' I don't bloody think so Harry!"

I start to pace around the kitchen which is slightly difficult to do as it's not overly huge.

"So you are angry," he says quietly.

"I should be," I agree, "but we can't change anything so what's the point?"

Harry looks at me like he can't quite believe it.

"You know," I begin, "Heath treated me well, would do absolutely anything for me."

I watch Harry frown as he listens to me.

"But he always put everyone else's feelings before mine," I finish.

"How so?" he asks.

"He hated confrontation and hated the thought of people being angry or upset with him," I say, "he was the type of bloke that if he had a broken leg, and someone else had a broken leg, he'd give them his crutches to help."

"I see," Harry nods.

"But if it came down to having to choose between me and someone else, he always chose the other person over me, my feelings were easier to disregard."

I look at Harry and he's really frowning at me now.

"How...I could never do that to you," he says, shaking his head, "I'd always put you first."

"Clearly," I give him half a smile, "you went and punched someone up on my behalf, you absolutely took my side."

Heath never did that.

"I'd like to think it was a gentle reminder," he says.

How many more reminders is he going to give this guy?

"Was that the first?" I ask.

He nods.

"And the last?" I continue, "because you can't make a habit of this."

"I know," he says, taking a few steps closer to me.

"Not so fast," I hold up my hand to stop him, "you also promised to tell me when you were going to do things that would involve us or have repercussions for the both of us."

"Technically you weren't there," he takes a step.

Ooh.

"But you hit him because of me so it counts," I reply.

"Well you didn't give me a start date," he muses as he now stands in front of me.

Smart ass.

He wraps his arms around me and I find myself too tired to resist so I simply just return his hug and snuggle into his chest.

"Don't do it again," I smack him on his back.

However, the feeling that I'm probably homeless gnaws away at me and I realise I'll have to probably start looking for somewhere else tomorrow.

"Let's go and eat some dinner," Harry suggests, "you need to get your energy levels back up."

I nod in agreement and we start to walk towards the lounge when there is a knock at the door.

Harry and I look at each other and he motions for me to stay where I am before he walks back to the door and peeps through the curtain.

He looks back at me, guilt all over his face as he opens the door.

There, on the front step, stands Mrs. Watkins.

Fuck.

She couldn't even wait until the morning to evict me.

I am so going to kick Harry up the ass for this.

"Ah! Harry, how are you dear?" she says, smiling up at Harry.

Dear?

Is that how you address someone around here who beat up your son?

"I...uh...I'm fine Mrs. Watkins," he replies.

She turns her attention to me.

"Mrs. Westlake, might I have a quick word?" she asks politely.

Here we go.

Pack your bags and get the hell out.

But she'll add a 'please' to it cause she's so darn nice.

"Of course," I reply and walk towards the door.

Mrs. Watkins has already turned her back and is heading down the stairs.

'You' I mouth angrily at Harry, pointing my finger at him.

'What?' he mouths back, shrugging his shoulders.

I smack him over the head as I walk out the door.

"Oh Harry," she turns around and Harry and I stop pointing at each other like a couple of kids.

"Yes ma'am?" he replies.

"You might want to ice that hand before it bruises," she says.

Oh my fuck.

I'm definitely packing my bags tonight.

I don't even bother to grab a coat as I think this conversation is obviously going to be pretty quick.

Now that we're both outside, I wait for Mrs. Watkins to speak first.

"I believe my son paid you a visit today," she finally says.

"Yes he did," I reply.

"He tells me you yourself hit him, is that true?" she asks.

I wince and let out a sigh.

"Yes," I reply.

"May I ask why?" she says.

"He pushed my son and grabbed me by the arm...I...I just saw red," I try to explain, knowing it won't do any good though.

"As any mother would," she interrupts me.

Oh.

I nod silently.

"I also believe young Harry paid him a visit this evening," she says.

"Yes I believe so," I reply.

Here it comes.

"You know," she looks off into the distance, "unless I hadn't actually gone through the process of giving birth to that boy, I'd swear he was adopted," she says.

I'm sorry, what?

"I mean, he's nothing like myself, his sister, or his father, god rest his soul," he continues, "lord knows where he got this abhorrent behaviour from..."

I don't know what to say.

She looks at me and steps closer, placing her hand on my shoulder.

"You've got a good young man in there," she says, "and by the looks of things, you could be just what each other needs."

Oh.

I don't know if I need Harry, but I've been incredibly blessed to have met him.

And I'm pretty sure he'd be just fine without me.

"So you're not...kicking me out?" I ask hesitantly.

"Why would I kick you out dear, you haven't done anything that would require me to do such a thing..." she says.

Again I don't say anything.

I'm actually too stunned to.

"But...Harry..." I gesture behind me to the door.

"Is a lovely young man who I'm sure is waiting for you judging by the incessant moving of the curtains," she replies.

"Soooo..." I start to say.

"So I bid you a lovely evening Mrs. Westlake," she smiles and winks before squeezing my arm gently.

I watch as she turns and walks back to her car and starts the engine, winding down the window.

"Make sure you give that Harry a proper thank you dear!" she calls out before she drives off.

What?

I certainly did not think the conversation was going to go that way at all.

It's not until I hear the door open and a familiar pair of arms wrap around me from behind that I realise I'm just standing out in the cold in a daze.

"Christ Beth, you're freezing!" he says as he pulls me inside, closing the door behind us.

Harry guides me into the kitchen and starts rubbing his hands up and down my arms vigorously to warm me up.

"What did she say? Is she pissed? Do you have to move out? I can help you pack..." he starts firing questions at me.

Wait.

"What do you mean you can help me pack?" I say, "you almost sound a little too eager there."

Harry freezes, like a dear caught in the headlights.

I cock my head to the side, waiting for him to answer.

"Look," he says, "I'd simply been thinking about worst case scenarios if you were kicked out of here and I was going to be more than happy to offer you my place for you and the kids to stay..."

Oh my gosh.

Move in with him?

It's only been a week.

"Harry, I'm not..." I begin.

"Oh it wouldn't have been like a 'move in with me because we're a thing," he starts, "just somewhere for you all to stay, you could even have your own room if you were more comfortable with that but I'd be lying if I said it wouldn't have been damn nice to wake up to your face every morning...or during the night..." he smiles sheepishly.

A thought runs through my mind that Harry planned all this but it's a fleeting one and I disregard it because I actually hit James first and I don't think Harry would purposely try to deceive me in that way.

Sometimes he does things before he thinks and he is young and passionate and over-presumptuous but he surely wouldn't go to such measures.

"No she hasn't kicked me out, quite the opposite actually," I tell him, still a bit stunned if I'm honest.

"She's not angry?" he asks in disbelief.

Or is it disappointment?

"Not at all, in fact," I look up at him, "she seemed kind of happy about it..."

Harry starts to giggle.

"Are you fucking serious?" he says.

"Quite," I reply, "she also said you were a lovely young man and that I should give you a proper thank you."

Harry's eyes light up at the suggestion.

"Did she now?" a smirk now on his face, "well I've got a couple of ideas that we could start off with..." he raises his eyebrow.

I'm sure you do sunshine.

I stand on my toes and put my mouth next to his ear.

"I can think of one way too..." I whisper, nipping at his earlobe, "close your eyes and open your mouth Harry."

I move back and watch him visibly swallow before closing his eyes and opening his mouth slightly.

I quietly reach over to the bench for what I'm after and grab hold of it.

I reach up again and gently place a kiss on the corner of Harry's mouth before I run the tip of my tongue over his bottom lip.

He goes to move his mouth to kiss me but before he can, I shove what I have in my hand into it.

"Thank you," I smirk as I walk off to the lounge and leave Harry staring there with a cookie in his mouth and a boner in his jeans.

I walk back into the lounge and take a seat on the floor in front of the fire to warm myself up.

"Here mummy," Chloe hands me a plate with two slices of pizza on it.

"Plain cheese?" Gemma comments.

"I like to live dangerously," I reply, which earns me a grin from her.

I take a bite and chew on it thoughtfully.

I know I should to talk to Gemma but I was hoping Harry would be here with me.

He still hasn't come in yet.

Here we go then.

"Thank you so much for coming over today," I begin, "I really do appreciate it, especially when you didn't have to."

Gemma smiles at me.

"When Harry rang and told us, I didn't hesitate," she replies, "besides, I wanted to meet the woman who's stolen my brothers heart."

I...what?

"Oh I hardly think that's the case," I blush and look down at my plate.

"Are you kidding? You didn't see..." Gemma stops when Harry walks into the lounge, sending a playful glare my way.

He sits down next to Gemma and also puts some pizza onto a plate.

Gemma sits there grinning like the Cheshire cat, which kind of worries me.

She's up to something.

"So Beth," she finally says.

"Yes?" I reply.

Oh shit.

Oh shit.

Oh shit.

"Mum would love it if you came over to our place tomorrow for New Year's Eve," she smiles at me.

And I can't help but return it because it is totally genuine.

But the thought of meeting his mother terrifies me and Harry must see it on my face.

"Uh...Gem..." he begins.

"Yes mummy!" Please!" Chloe yells out, "can we, can we, can we please? I want to go to Gemma's!"

Of course you do.

Gemma sits back looking very pleased with herself.

Oh she's good.

"That would be...lovely," I smile weakly and I see Harry mouth the word 'sorry' to me.

It's not his fault.

"Oh my gosh, mum will be so excited! She's dying to meet you Beth," Gemma says, clapping her hands together.

I'm sure she is.

So it looks like I'm going to meet Harry's mum tomorrow night.

Fantastic.

"Well Harry, it's getting late brother dear," Gemma says, "I think these kiddiewinks should be heading to bed, as should you Beth, you've had a pretty traumatic day."

"Yes you're right," I smile gratefully at her.

The kids groan in protest but Gemma places her finger to her lips.

"Hush! I'll see you all tomorrow and you'll be able to stay up until midnight with me!" she says.

The boys agree and head upstairs while Chloe wraps her arms around Gemma's waist and gives her a hug.

"Good night Gemma, see you tomorrow," she says and skips over to the stairs and head up them.

"What about me?" Harry says, his lip pouting as he goes without a cuddle from her, "I've been downgraded!"

"It's a fickle world Harold in the eyes of a child, what can I say?" she smirks.

We walk her over to the door and she turns and gives me a tight hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay Beth, really I am," she says.

"Thank you Gemma, for everything," I reply, smiling at her.

Harry and Gemma give each other a hug.

"Why don't you walk her out to her car Harry, just in case?" I say, thinking James could possibly be out there, even though I know he's probably not.

It's just my imagination running away with me.

"Okay," he agrees and kisses me on the cheek, "I'll be up in a minute."

I close the door behind them and head up the stairs and into my bedroom.

I strip down to my knickers, throw on a singlet and climb into bed, glad to be lying down again.

Minutes later, Harry walks in quietly and sits on the bed next to me.

He runs his hand along my arm but doesn't look at me.

"You really scared me today," he says, "what if Chloe hadn't called me, what if James hadn't left, what would have happened to you?" he runs his hand through his hair.

I sit back up so we're facing each other.

I know he had mentioned it before, but I can see how this has really thrown him.

More than I thought.

"You can't think about 'what ifs' or hindsight Harry, you'll go crazy," I try to soften him up, "be thankful that she did call you and you were here when I fainted so it all worked out well in the end okay?"

He nods slowly before sighing.

"Maybe you should move in with me," he says.

I reach out for his hand and hold it in mine.

"I'm not ready for that yet Harry, and I don't think you are either," I reason with him, "I think you're just reacting to today to be honest. You haven't stopped to let this all sink in either and I think it's just hitting you now," he looks at me as I talk, "a good night's sleep will do you the world of good as well."

He bites his lip in concentration.

"You're right, I don't know what I was thinking," he says.

"I think you were being the wonderful and caring soul that I know you to be Harry," I smile at him, "and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. But we've got bigger problems to work on anyway," I say.

"What do you mean?" he looks confused.

"I'm meeting your mother tomorrow!" I remind him, "I'm not ready for that!"

Harry laughs before running his hand through his hair.

I throw the covers back on the empty side of the bed.

"So are you going to sit there and laugh at me or are you going to get in here and cuddle my stresses away?" I ask.

Harry gets up off the bed and walks around to his side, stripping off to his boxers before hopping in.

I don't think I'll ever get tired of looking at that somehow.

He pulls me close to him, wrapping his arms around me and tangling his legs in mine.

"Don't worry love, she's going to..." he starts.

"Going to what?" I ask, starting to worry.

"She's going to think you're as wonderful as I think you are," he finishes.

I snuggle back into his chest.

"You're very cheesy Harry," I mumble.

"Is that a bad thing?" he asks.

"Not at all, I like cheesy," I reply, "but still I'm nervous as hell about tomorrow."

"You'll be fine Beth," he says, "you'll get along perfectly."

"I hope so Harry," I say, "I hope so."