AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This chapter nearly killed me, but I managed to pull through.

All the love.

TWITTER: @lovethedinklage

dedicated to my AuntieEm55
She doesn't comment, but I know she's out there. xoxo

*****

SHERRY:

Harry: FROYO? OMG. Large vanilla with strawberries and bananas, please. *bats eyelashes*

ME: But I'm off tonight. *evil, sinister, 666 laugh*

Harry: But I'm paralyzed. Bed-ridden. An invalid with a broken arm who may never recover. Once my spirit is broken, I WON'T EVEN HAVE THE WILL TO CARRY ON. *sobs uncontrollably*

Harry: ((Is this working? Even a little?))

ME: Shut UP. I'll see you in 30.

*****

SHERRY

When I arrive at Harry's and ring the bell, Mr. Twist greets me with a look of relief.

"Is everything okay?" I ask.

"Harry's had a bit of a day today. He told me you were dropping by for a visit. I know he'll be glad to see you," Mr. Twist smiles.

After a brief exchange, I'm en route to Harry's room with our yogurts.

His eyes light up somewhat when I enter the room, but I can tell he's a bit worse for the wear.

My eyes take in his mussed hair and the fact that he's wearing the same Rolling Stones t-shirt from yesterday, only now it has a stain that wasn't there previously. His right arm is no longer in the sling, so that gives him a bit of mobility with that hand despite the fact that he's still wearing a cast.

I approach his bedside and set the bag of yogurts on his tray table. "Are you alright?" I ask him as I open the bag and remove its contents.

Harry rolls his eyes in irritation. "My mother came by today." He pauses. "And Paige called."

I chuckle, "Oh shit. Both on the same day?"

I give him a sympathetic look and he pouts.

"That bad, huh?" I ask, taking the lid off his yogurt. I unwrap his spoon and stick it the cup, setting it in front of him.

"Sherry...." he begins.

I look at him. I wait. Nothing. I guess it's worse than I thought.

"Do you need a hug?" I ask him.

He nods, but doesn't speak. I push the tray table down toward the foot of the bed so that I have room to get to Harry, poor thing.

He reaches out and takes my wrist, pulling me to him. I sit carefully on the edge of bed and he pulls me forward, curling his good arm around me and burying his face lightly in my neck. My arms wrap around his shoulders and I squeeze him tightly to me, giving him a solid hug. I can feel his body relax into mine, and I lay my head on his collarbone.

After a moment passes, "Harry, our yogurts are melting," I state the obvious.

"Yogurt schmogurt," he replies, still holding on tight.

I pull back, "Let's eat them while they're still cold. You can have more hugs later if you want. Hugs'll keep."

"If I want? Of course, I want."

I move the tray table back up with a laugh and take a seat. "What did mom have to say?"

Harry groans, "What didn't she say? That woman always has something to say. Am I walking yet? Are Paige and I back together yet? Will I be walking in time for the banquet my dad's company is hosting? Blah, blah, blah." Harry shoves in a bite of banana from his yogurt cup.

"So she thinks you'll be good as new overnight?" I speculate while licking chocolate off my pink plastic spoon.

"Yeah, she does," he explains, "but that's not even the part that bothers me. She isn't concerned about me on an emotional level, like how I feel about all this." Harry gestures to his legs. "She just wants to project this perfect family image at the banquet, when she doesn't even live here anymore."

"Maybe it hurts her to think of you being hurt, and about your recovery," I offer. "Maybe 'full steam ahead' is her way of not having to deal with this emotionally."

Harry scrapes his cup to scoop up any remaining yogurt remnants. "Her eyes look so empty now. She used to be so full of life. Then when my dad left, it's like he took the good parts of her with him. She's never been the same."

"I know what you mean. It's weird how people change, sometimes."

There's a comfortable silence for a moment, then I remember, "Oh, speaking of visitors, guess who I saw this morning?"

"Umm, besides Kate?"

"Yeah, but.... okay, so when I went home this morning, Kate was there with Niall."

"Niall?" Harry's mouth drops open. "I wondered why he hasn't returned my calls. I haven't heard from him since the accident. I thought we were better friends than that." Harry runs his hand through his dirty hair in frustration.

"What do you know about the accident, Harry? Do you remember anything?"

"Nothing. I remember arguing with Paige. I remember me and you eating candy in the closet. That's it." He explains.

"Do you remember Zayn coming in and wanting to take your car on a beer run?"

"Oh, yeah. Then he fell asleep on the bed. That drunk bastard."

I think for a moment. "What did your mom and step-dad tell you? Did you talk to the police?"

"Police? No." Harry looks stressed. "They just said my car was totaled and an ambulance brought me to the hospital. They asked if anyone was with me."

"Did Zayn end up going with you?" I ask.

"No. I mean, I don't think so. He was still passed out when I left my room," Harry pauses. "Why?"

Why haven't his parents told him anything? Why haven't any police questioned him? What the fuck is going on here? Someone walked away from the accident and left Harry to die, and it doesn't seem like anyone is doing anything about it.

"Sherry?" Harry's voice brings me back from my mind-rant.

"Someone was with you, Harry. You don't remember who, but they were," I confess.

"What do you mean?" A confused Harry looks to me for answers, eyes wide. There's a brief moment of realization before the color drains from his face. "Oh my God. Who? Are they okay?"

Harry looks stricken. I abandon the bedside chair I'd been eating yogurt in and once again take up residence next to Harry in his bed. "Everyone's fine, Harry. No one else was hurt."

I touch his leg lightly in an effort to console him, but then I remember he can't feel it so I move my hand away. As I do so, Harry catches it in his, his palm sliding easily against mine. He watches our hands in a bit of a daze as he slides his hand back down so his fingertips graze my palm almost sensually. He is such a distraction.

"What aren't you telling me?" His need-filled eyes flick up to meet mine.

We sit there like that and talk for about an hour. I tell Harry everything I know from my conversation that morning with Kate and Niall. The fact that Niall went to check on him when he didn't return in a timely manner from the beer run, Niall's discovery of the accident, and Niall calling the ambulance which probably saved Harry's life.

Harry listens, nods, and asks questions here and there, all the while his eyes are focused on our hands as he moves them about this way and that, playing with my fingers while we talk.

I absent-mindedly flip my shoes off on the floor as I wrap up the story with the worst parts, that someone else was driving his car, that this person abandoned him at the scene of the accident, and that the cops tried to pin the blame on Niall since he'd phoned it in.

Harry is pretty spaced-out by the time we finish, which doesn't surprise me considering how shocking the details are.

We sit close and quiet for a few minutes afterward, Harry's tired mind undoubtedly trying to assimilate all this new information into something he can make some sense of.

"I didn't realize my yogurt delivery came with such a huge information package," Harry semi-joked, but his tone was emotional.

"I'm terribly sorry about that," I bring his hand up to my lips and kiss one of his knuckles. My eyes sweep over him, again noticing his wild hair and dirty t-shirt. He's a mess. "Hey, let's make you feel better."

Harry looks suspicious, "How?"

"Let's clean you up some. Your shirt is dirty, your hair needs combed. Did Liam give you a bath?"

"A BATH?"

"He's been giving you baths, right?" I lean forward and sniff him.

"Yeah, he gives me baths. What are you sniffing me for?" He's annoyed, but a little laugh escapes him anyway. Good.

"When was the last time?" I ask.

"Umm. Maybe Thursday?" Harry's brow furrows.

"Thursday? Unacceptable. This situation must be remedied."

"I don't want you to do my baths. Absolutely not."

"Harry, Liam cannot do everything. Your dad pays me to care for you, not just to be your playmate."

"You are not merely a playmate. You are my..." he's searching for a word, "confidante." He smiles, satisfied with his choice.

"No baths." He's serious again.

No way I'm giving up this easy.

"You'll be all clean and fresh. Shiny, soft hair. New t-shirt that's snuggly soft."

"Nope," Harry deadpans.

"I can do it in a way where I don't see any important parts."

"Never gonna happen." Stubborn bastard.

"Just think of it. You, almost naked. Me, slowly sponging water up and down your arm, your chest, your neck. You're all wet and slippery."

"You're evil. Pure evil." I detect something in his eyes that tells me I'm close to success.

"A nice shampoo. My fingers running through your hair. Maybe a little scalp and neck massage?"

"I hate you. Truly, I do."

"Have I sold it yet, cause I'm equipped to go further," I lick my lips.

"Have you no decency?" Harry laughs.

"Mmmm, not so much." I stick my tongue out.

"Tempting, but no." Motherfuck. Have I lost my persuasive mojo?

"Alright. Here's my final offer. Which comes with an additional surprise bonus. I'll even give you the bonus first."

"I'm listening." Harry looks intrigued.

"You let me do your bath and shampoo, and in return I will watch 9 ½ Weeks with you. Either after we're done, or at another time of your choosing since it's getting late."

His excitement and surprise is indescribable. "9 ½ Weeks?!  Fucking finally!" Harry does a fist pump.

"What do you mean finally? This is only my second time over here. You're insane. Dirty and insane," I laugh.

"I can't help it," Harry grins, "I've been fantasizing about it for weeks!"

"Just to confirm, this means you accept the final offer as I've presented it to you?"

Harry raises his broken right arm, "I, Harry Styles, accept the final offer as it's been presented to me provided you are able to accomplish said bath in a non-humiliating way that does not expose my naughty bits." He smiles the whole way through, even at the naughty bits. I'm relieved.

"Alrighty, it appears we have reached an agreement. I'll go fill the water tubs and get the towels. Don't go anywhere." I joke and head toward the door.

"Hey," Harry calls, "where's my up-front bonus?"

I stop in the doorway, my back to him and unzip my jeans. Then I look over my shoulder, watching his eyes widen in surprise as I slowly and deliberately wiggle my jeans down to just below my ass.

I'm rewarded with that beautiful smile and a blush when he sees that my panties have "Saturday" embroidered across the rear.

"Three words." Harry says. "Best. Bonus. Ever."