Lewis's POV:
Lewis was shaken from his thoughts when Simon spoke, "Are you alright?" The question rang in his mind as the two of them stepped on the elevator, and began the ride to their floor. Lewis didn't necessarily enjoy being in the enclosed space with his companion, since Simon was rather large, and his scruffy orange hair stuck out in all directions. No one would have ever believed that the two of them could be friends, and found such a successful company as the Yogscast, because Simon couldn't have differed more from Lewis. He had a tall, fragile frame, with his black hair smoothed back and well kept.
Lewis had spent quite a lot of time in his own mind as of late. He and his ex-girlfriend Hannah had broken up nearly two years ago, and during that time, she had started dating someone named Jake. The raven-haired co-founder wouldn't voice it out loud, but he had never really gotten over loving her. They had been together for over four years, and even if they didn't love each other as much as they used too, they must have loved one another at some point or the relationship wouldn't have lasted as long as it did. Lewis knew this to be true for himself, and he believed it must be the same for Hannah, or at the least he hoped so.
"I'm fine," Lewis said simply as the lift shot upwards still.
The ginger-haired man looked over to his friend, worry shining behind his blue gaze, "Okay…you just seem really out of it lately."
He was trying not to get frustrated with his co-worker, "Honestly, I'm okay…I'm just tired. I've been working on extra streams with the Team Double Dragon Channel," Lewis lied.
"Alright…" Simon sounded as though he didn't really believe his friend, but he didn't press for answers which Lewis was thankful for, "Just let me know if you need anything."
The doors slid open and spilled the two of them out into the corridor that housed their offices. It was early, well early for the Yogscast. It was around nine in the morning, so not many people were in yet. It looked as if Colin, Duncan and Hannah were the only other people in the offices besides the main duo.
When they had decided to rent YogTowers, Lewis and Hannah, who at the time were dating, had thought it would be a wonderful idea for their offices to be right across the hall from each other. Now that they were apart, Lewis had begun to regret that decision.
The halls echoed, and Hannah had left her door open while editing as she always had. This meant there was no way for him to slip unnoticed into his office, and right now, that was exactly what he wanted to do. The raven-haired worker sighed inwardly and began making his way down the corridor, his footfall growing seemingly louder with every step. With one swift motion he turned the handle and stepped inside, making sure to latch the door behind him, but he was certain Hannah had glanced across the hall, and that made his already sinking heart plummet even further.
"Thanks for watching everyone! Bye!" Lewis said as he and the others ended their recording session of their newest Minecraft series. He was relieved as he got to turn off his microphone and stop acting as if he were okay for the fans, and his friends.
Send me your footage. Lewis typed the message and sent it over Skype chat to his friends so he could edit the videos to go up on the main channel. Within a few minutes he had gotten all of the others' recordings. He dragged the files into the editing software, trying to ward off an oncoming headache; Lewis stood to get some water.
Keeping his head low and his eyes on the floor, he headed for the kitchen, passing Hannah and Kim as he went. He cast a quick glance in their direction and Kim seemed no different from normal in her casual dress, her hair down around her shoulders, but something seemed different about Hannah. Her blonde hair was dull and messy and she seemed to be wearing far more make-up than she ever had in the past.
Just when he thought he had slipped by unnoticed, Kim called out to him, "Hey Lewis, when are you going to be posting the recording and editing schedules for the upcoming week?"
Lewis felt like a fool, he should have posted the schedules last night. He had them all made and ready, but he had forgotten to send them to their respective owners, "This evening."
He had been so unfocused that he had forgotten to do so.
"I thought you were editing the Minecraft footage tonight." This time it was Hannah that spoke, but he voice sounded too proper.
If he felt like a fool before, now he felt like a complete wreck, how was he supposed to salvage this one? He lifted his head and looked Hannah in the eye, which turned out to be far more difficult than he expected, but he did manage to confirm that she was wearing quite a bit of make-up. "I'm going to do both."
"You'll be here till midnight if you do all that." Lewis would almost say she sounded worried, but before he had time to give it much thought she spoke again, "Stay till midnight if you like, but don't expect me to." She looked uncomfortable for a moment under the suspicious eyes of him and Kim, but before they could respond the blonde turned and practically ran back into her office.
He looked pensively after her, "Is she okay?" The man tried to keep the tone of affection from lacing his words.
"I don't know…she doesn't tell me much anymore." Kim's tone was more serious than he had heard it in quite some time. "Are you okay?"
He looked down at the Malaysian girl indignantly, "Why does everyone keep asking me that?! I'm absolutely fine!"
Kim shook her head in exasperation, her voice sharp, "Because you don't look fine. You act as if your whole world is crumbling around you, but you keep building walls so no one knows why. Fortunately for you, I have spent most of my life doing the same, so just know this, if you need someone, you can always come and talk to me."
Lewis stood shocked for a moment before he regained his bearings. She was in counseling and struggled with some of the same anxiety and depression that weighed on him from day to day. Still there was no way he was going to let her get to him, "There's really nothing to talk about." He piped as he continued on his way to the kitchen.
"Oh yes there is, you'll come around!" Kim called after him, "You may not even confide in me, but you'll talk to someone eventually, you'll see!"
Lewis didn't reply as he rounded the corner. Silently he took a water from the fridge and headed back for his office; thankfully Kim was no longer standing in the corridor. As odd as her reaction had been, Hannah was right, if he didn't work diligently, he would be here all night.
Hannah's POV:
You idiot! Hannah scolded herself, she felt ridiculous for her outburst in the hall. She knew she shouldn't have feelings for Lewis anymore, and yet her heart still raced when she was around him. She knew it was ludicrous, they hadn't been together in years, he didn't love her anymore, and she had her boyfriend Jake now. Hannah shivered at the thought.
Kim had questioned her on why she was wearing so much make-up, then she had seen Lewis glance at her suspiciously, and it took all of her strength to not start crying. Under the thick layers of foundation that were plastered to her face, there were bruises and cuts. There was no question about it, Jake was abusive, and yet Hannah was too much of a coward to stand up to him. If she even sounded like she was going to criticize him, it ended with another bruise finding its way to her cheeks.
Just as the blonde sat back down at her desk, her phone lit up with a text from Jake, Can you be home by five?
Hannah was afraid to say no, but she had far too much work to do to ask off early, so she said it anyway. I get off at seven; I have quite a bit of editing that needs doing.
The minutes ticked by agonizingly slow while she sat in fear, waiting for his reply. Finally his text appeared, saying exactly what she had expected it to, Fine then. The words sent a chill down her spine. That was the same phrase he used whenever he was angry with her. With a start, she found herself wishing she never had to go home, but more than that, wishing she could talk to Lewis. He was the one person she felt she could confide in; and yet, they no longer had that kind of relationship between them. Now they could hardly look at one another; still, the blonde girl knew in her heart of hearts that something had to be done, and Lewis was the only person she felt comfortable talking to.
Despite her new resolution, she still had no idea of how to approach the subject until a memory made its way to the forefront of her mind. When they were dating, she and Lewis used to use a code when they wanted to talk without being bothered by the others. Can you come help me with the new editing software updates? They knew the editing software better than almost anyone else in the Yogscast; they could figure it out on their own, which is why it was such a good code. No matter when they said it, they couldn't confuse it with the actual question, now she just had to pray that he still remembered the meaning behind it.
Hannah typed the phrase into her phone, and sat staring at it for ten minutes before she plucked up the courage to send it. She held her breath for the few seconds before Lewis's reply appeared on the screen, and she could almost imagine the confusion sparkling in his eyes. Is it imperative, or can it wait until this evening?
She let out a sigh of relief at Lewis's response. He remembered their common response for judging if they needed to talk just then or after they got off work. She didn't particularly want everyone else in the offices to know exactly what was going on just yet. There was a close relationship among everyone in the Yogscast, so she knew the secret couldn't be kept forever, but she needed to gather her own bearings before the others found out. Without another thought she made her decision, and began typing. It can wait, I have to go home at seven, but I'll come back at nine. Will you still be here?
Lewis's rejoinder took next to no time at all. I'll still be here. I'll talk to you then, let me know if you need anything.
Hannah's heart fluttered at the kindness he was showing her. She knew how much he had to do, and yet here he was, talking time out of his busy schedule to talk with her. She felt bad, but she wouldn't ask him for this if it wasn't important to her. Thank you, Lewis. I'll talk to you soon. Hannah had already impulsively typed 'I love you' before she quickly removed it and sent the text. As soon as she had she took the precaution of deleting the conversation from her phone, so not to upset Jake further if he decided to go through her phone.
The blonde worked until seven when she packed her things and started heading back to her flat, afraid of what she was going to go home to
Lewis's POV:
Lewis jumped as his phone went off; he had been so focused on his work when the alert echoed through the room that he'd nearly fallen out of his chair. Glancing over to his phone, he could scarcely believe it was Hannah's contact ID that flashed on the screen. Opening his phone he briskly read the text, Can you come help me with the new editing software updates?
He stared at the phone for a few moments in confusion, why would Hannah need help with the editing software; she knew it better than almost anyone. Just as he was about to brush the text off, a faint memory pulled at him as he remembered the pair of them using the question to talk to each other in private. Is it imperative, or can it wait till this evening?
Hannah didn't take long to reply, It can wait, I have to go home at seven, but I'll come back at nine. Will you still be here?
Lewis was beginning to worry as she texted him. Why would she want to talk to him? Why couldn't she just talk to Jake or Kim? What did she need him for? He decided she wouldn't be reaching out to him if it wasn't important, so he responded. I'll still be here. I'll talk to you then, let me know if you need anything.
He hoped she was alright, he glanced through the window on his office door, trying to see into Hannah's, but the two rooms didn't line up, so there was no way he could judge the seriousness of the situation by her expression.
Thanks Lewis, will do. She responded quickly, and he longed for a time when 'I love you' would have been tacked onto the end of that sentence, and yet he knew those days were over.
The conversation had had an aura of civility, and still there was an air of perplexity about the whole thing. Why would she want to talk to him, they had hardly even spoken in months. Eventually he set his phone to the side and let the thought fade from his mind as he refocused on his work.
Hannah's POV:
Hannah checked her make-up in the little mirror from her handbag. She'd been right, when she got home, Jake had been livid with her for not being able to come home when he'd wanted her to. The blonde had been terrified, but she had stood her ground, taking whatever Jake had to throw at her. Now there was a new mark on her face, and make-up could only do so much, but Hannah had succeeded in making her black eyes look like dark circles from lack of sleep. It would still get her questions, but at this point, it was the lesser of two evils.
She returned the little mirror to its place and shouldered her bag as she pulled open the doors that lead her into YogTowers. The building had always seemed like a mysteriously different place at night, even more so when it as empty, but she had to remind herself that it wasn't really empty. A few floors above her, Lewis would be at his computer slaving away on the different projects the company created for him. Worry pierced the girl like a dagger at the thought of him having been at work for over twelve hours, and yet again, the feelings she still had for the raven-haired man blind-sided her.
Hannah tried not to focus on her feelings for him; because, even if she broke up with Jake, she knew Lewis didn't love her anymore; so, there was no reason in fawning over someone who didn't feel the same way.
When the elevator doors opened to let her off, the corridor was dark except for the light spilling through the window on Lewis's office door. As she had guessed, he was still working. Despite his knowing she was coming, it took her almost fifteen minutes to muster the courage to knock on the door. She hated to interrupt him while he was working, because she knew it would only make him stay that much later, still she knew she had to talk to him.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Come in." Lewis's muffled voice came from inside his office.
Tentatively Hannah stepped into the room; Lewis turned to away from his computer and looked over at her. The poor thing looked even more tired than she did, and yet he was completely alert. She felt awkward even being in the same office with him, and yet his presence was calming too.
"I'm taking it you didn't just come back to the offices for me to help you with the recording software, considering it hasn't been updated in nearly three months." Lewis stated, looking over the top of his glasses as he always did when he was suspicious.
"Er…no that's not why I'm here." Hannah stammered. "I have something…important…I need to talk to you about."
She couldn't tell, but the owl obsessed girl would almost say he leaned forward slightly as he replied, a glimmer of concern shinning in his eyes, "I'm all ears."
Hannah hadn't expected her emotions to react so strongly to the situation, but before she could say a single word, she broke into tears. She didn't hear him get up, but the next thing she knew, Lewis's arms were wrapped around her comfortingly, giving her a sense of security she hadn't felt in almost two years.
"What's wrong?" Lewis whispered.
Hannah choked back a sob; there was no easy way to explain what had been going on, especially since she was crying too hard to speak. She lifted her hands gingerly to her face and wiped away the make-up that hid the marks beneath. She heard the man stifle a gasp as he rested his eyes on her bruised and battered stature.
"What happened?" She could tell by the way he growled the words that he knew exactly what had happened, but this was not the kind of situation he would want to go into blindly.
She looked up at him and he gently brushed the tears from her injured cheeks, "J-Jake!" She sobbed and Lewis pulled her back into an embrace.
Lewis's POV:
Lewis looked at his phone, the time read 9:14, and he wondered if Hannah was still coming to talk to him.
Knock. Knock. Knock. There was that question answered.
"Come in." He called.
Hannah walked into the room she looked tired and worn down yet there was a certain determination in her eyes that scared him.
Lewis could tell she felt out of her element so he tried to use his dry humor to show her he was still the same person he had been two years ago. "I'm taking it you didn't just come back to the offices for me to help you with the recording software, considering it hasn't been updated in nearly three months."
When she responded, she looked almost as if she wanted to run from the office but at the same time he knew there was something she had to get off her chest. "Er…no that's not why I'm here. I have something…important…I need to tell you." She lingered on the word important as if that one word held more meaning than it ever had before.
He leaned forward in concern, he knew something was wrong with the owl girl, and all he wanted to do was help her, "I'm all ears."
There was a long pause; then much to his surprise and befuddlement, Hannah began sobbing. Without a second thought, he walked over, drawing her into a deep embrace. "What's wrong?" He whispered to the crying girl.
She was so choked with emotion, she couldn't speak, but she lifted her hands to her face and wiped away the layers of make-up he had noticed earlier. Lewis just barely stopped himself from gasping as he saw the colors of purple, black and yellow that laced her normally flawless cheeks.
"What happened?" He growled. As the co-founder spoke, he had to stop himself from storming out of the offices and hunting down that good-for-nothing Jake, but he managed to stay where he was and softly brushed the tears from her face.
"J-Jake!" Hannah sobbed and Lewis pulled her back into his arms.
When she had calmed down enough for him to walk away for a few moments, he left the room and grabbed another office chair for her. She sat down slowly and drew her knees to her chest as Lewis sat back down in his own seat. When she did so, he could see the cuts and bruises around her wrists just below the sleeves, as if someone had grabbed them with extreme force and threw her to the ground.
"In your own time, tell me what happened…" He stopped for a moment to keep his anger in check, so not to let it bleed into his voice, "And how many times this has happened."
Hannah pulled her knees closer, and he realized how badly she was shaking. "I-I've lost count of how many times." Her voice was almost too low for him to him to hear, "But really anytime I do something that doesn't suit him…this happens." Lewis felt sorry for the girl as he saw a fresh wave of tears roll down her cheeks. "Th-This," she gestured to a bruise on her jaw that looked as if it were fairly new, "Was from me not being able to go home before f-five today."
"You could have asked to go home early." Lewis said softly.
"But I had work to do…I couldn't just abandon the Y-Yogscast." She sniffled after a brief pause.
"The Yogscast isn't worth this!" Lewis felt guilty that it was his scheduling that had brought some of this on. "Nothing is worth this!" Hannah looked up at him in fear and he realized his voice had risen in infuriation. Lowering his tone he spoke once more, "Hannah you deserve so much better than this."
When she replied, she didn't sound anything like herself. Her voice was soft and broken, "I know…that's part of the reason I needed to come talk to you. I don't know what to do…and you're the only person I dare trust with this."
Hannah's POV:
"The Yogscast isn't worth this! Nothing is worth this!" Lewis shouted, sending a jolt of fear through the blonde girl. He must have noticed the change in her demeanor; because he lowered his voice to the same calming whisper she used to love, and still did. "Hannah you deserve so much better than this."
She couldn't bear to meet his gaze, "I know…that's part of the reason I needed to come talk to you. I don't know what to do…and you're the only person I dare trust with this."
Lewis looked thoughtful for a moment, "What do you want me to do? I'll do whatever you need me to, just say the word."
Hannah was shocked that he was still so willing to go out of his way for her. "I-I don't know…but I do know this. I can't keep doing this, he's literally killing me."
She saw anger blaze in his eyes, but when he spoke his words were calming, "Do you want me to call the authorities?"
Tears blurred her own vision as she heard the compassion that filled his tone. "I want to do whatever has the least amount of negative consequences for me and the Yogscast."
For a moment Hannah sat in the chair, tears streaming from her eyes. She soon realized what she wanted more than anything at the moment was another hug. She stood silently and held out her arms, and without a question or protest, Lewis stood and drew her back into his embrace once more. As he did, every wall she had built to keep people out, and her emotions in, crumbled. They stood there, wrapped in each other's arms as Hannah sobbed into his shirt. Minutes ticked by, and gradually she calmed down before Lewis's voice broke the reticence, "If you want me to call the authorities, I will. Personally, I think that's the best option right now."
"But if I go home and-"
Lewis cut her off, "There's no way in hell I'm letting you go back!" He wasn't yelling, but there was a sense of protectiveness about him, one she hadn't felt since they were dating. "You can either spend the night with me at my flat, or I'll stay the night with you here, but there is no way I'm letting you go home until I can ensure your safety there."
Hannah's heart shattered as she saw the compassion glittering in the depths of his gaze. "Al-alright, I'll stay the night here." Lewis turned to get some of the blankets he had piled in the corner, "Oh and L-Lewis?"
"Yes?" He turned back to face her.
"Pl-please call the police." She sniffled.
"Absolutely," The raven-haired man picked up his phone from where it sat on his desk and dialed the number.
Hannah walked out of the room and into her own office, unable to listen to him make the call, so she grabbed Mr. Owl from her desk and held the stuffed animal as if it were her only tether to reality. After a minute or two Lewis walked into her office and looked over at her fondly. "The police said they are going to go to your flat and take Jake into custody for questioning…they want both of us down at the police station, as soon as we can get there."
Fear gripped at Hannah like ice, she couldn't bear to face Jake, "I-I can't!"
"Yes you can. He won't be able to hurt you, he will be restrained." Lewis took her gently by the shoulders and made her look him in the eyes before he continued, "And he won't lay a finger on you so long as I'm there."
Lewis's POV:
Hannah held out her arms for a hug, and Lewis couldn't help but oblige. She was so broken and fragile, how could he dare refuse her. Without a word between them, Lewis instated himself as her guard, vowing to never let Jake hurt her again.
When she finally calmed down enough to hear what he had to say, Lewis lifted his voice once more. "If you want me to call the authorities, I will. Personally, I think that's the best option right now."
"But if I go home and-"
Lewis was taken aback that she thought she had to go home to that bastard that he barely managed to keep the anger from his exclamation, "There's no way in hell I'm letting you go back! You can either spend the night with me at my flat, or I'll stay the night here with you, but there is no way I'm letting you go home until I can ensure your safety there." He couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of compassion for the blonde girl, but he did his best not to let it show.
"Al-alright, I'll stay the night here." Lewis turned to get some of the blankets he kept piled in the corner of his office when her voice piped up again, "Oh and L-Lewis?"
The co-founder stopped and turned to face her, "Yes?"
Her voice cracked as she spoke, "Pl-please call the police."
"Absolutely," Lewis took his phone from his desk as Hannah walked from the room, and called the police station down the road.
"Bristol Police, who is this and how may we help you?" A female voice came from the other end of the line.
"Yes, I'm Lewis Brindley; I'm calling with an abuse case." He said firmly.
"Alright Mr. Brindley, do you have evidence of the abuse?" She asked the question so calmly; he could hardly believe they were discussing the same topic.
Lewis bit back a sharp retort, "Yes."
"If you give us the name and address, we can take the abuser into custody for questioning, but we will need you and the victim to make an appearance at the police station to tell your sides of the story, tonight if possible." She seemed not to notice his agitation.
"Alright, his name is Jacob Nathanial." Lewis proceeded in giving her the address, "And we'll be there as soon as possible."
"When you get here, if the police haven't returned with the defendant yet, you'll wait in the lobby until he arrives. The defendant and the victim will be kept apart until the defendant is properly restrained."
"Understood, thank you," Lewis said before hanging up the phone and walking across the corridor to speak with Hannah.
When he walked into the room, the poor girl was standing by her desk hugging Mr. Owl. He smiled at her as she looked at him pleadingly.
Lewis spoke softly to the owl girl, "The police said they are going to go to your flat and take Jake into custody for questioning…they want both of us down at the police station, as soon as we can get there."
Despite his efforts, Hannah still looked fearful, "I-I can't!"
"Yes you can. He won't be able to hurt you, he will be restrained." Lewis took her gently by the shoulders and made sure she met his gaze before he continued, "And he won't lay a finger on you so long as I'm there."
"O-okay." Hannah's voice quavered as she spoke.
As soon as she'd agreed, the two went downstairs to go to the police station. They were quiet as they drove down the road, the silence only broken by the occasional siren or the far too frequent cry of a seagull. Lewis sighed inwardly as yet another gull's call broke interrupted his thoughts, it proved that summer was approaching, and soon their videos would be bombarded by the bothersome birds.
With a glance at the clock, he realized it as much later than he had originally thought; it was nearly 10 o'clock now. Lewis had to drive past the police station everyday on his way to and from YogTowers, and yet the drive had never seemed so long. Out of the corner of his eye, the YouTuber saw Hannah gradually shaking more, her breath quickening as they neared their destination.
"Everything is going to be fine." Lewis whispered, trying to calm the owl girl.
"How do you know?" Hannah's voice was shaking as much as she was.
He never took his eyes off the road, "Because I'm going to make sure of it. You're going to be fine."
She took a deep breath before she replied, "I-I just don't want there to be repercussions that affect you, me, or any of the Yogscast."
The co-founder had to think for a moment before he responded. "I can't promise you that there won't be a change in attitude around the offices for a while…but I can say that as far as I can see, there will be no legal repercussions that will affect us. Well, apart from you more than likely getting compensation." Lewis couldn't tell where the confident tone in his voice had come from, but he was thankful for it.
Hannah seemed calmed for a moment, but when she spoke; her voice was scarcely audible. "I-I'm not sure I can face…Jake alone." The fear in her voice escalated as she said his name.
"You won't be alone." Lewis said quietly, "I'll be with you."
There was no mistaking the note of shock in her voice, "You will?"
"Of course," He tried to make sure he wasn't letting his emotion bleed into his voice. "I'll stay by your side the whole time."
Lewis noticed the tears that trailed down her cheeks as he pulled into the car park of the police station. "Th-thanks Lewis." Hannah sniffed.
His only response was a sad smile as the pair got out of the car and headed for the door. Hannah paused as she got up to the entrance, and took a deep breath, walking up next to her, he made sure she knew she wasn't alone in what she was about to face.
Together they stepped into the building. He saw the police woman's eyes widen as she saw Hannah, and Lewis silently pleaded with the woman to not comment on the matter.
Instead she regained her professional demeanor and looked to him, "You must be Mr. Brindley, you called earlier. Can I get both of your names for the record?"
Hannah looked too frightened to speak, so he spoke for her, "I'm Lewis Brindley, and this is Hannah Rutherford." Saying her name sent an unexpected shock through Lewis as he realized he hadn't said her full name in almost two years.
"Alright," The police lady scribbled their names down on a clipboard before she spoke again, "The police haven't returned yet, so if you could just take a seat over there, we will let you know when they get back."
Lewis and Hannah walked over to the chairs that lined the far wall of the lobby. They sat for a few moments in silence when a thought struck the co-founder. Neither of them would be in any state to go into work tomorrow, it was already getting late, and it didn't look as if either of them would be going home or getting any rest anytime soon. He needed to let someone know they wouldn't be coming into the Towers the next day and he could only think of one person he could trust enough to tell; Simon. Before typing anything into his phone, Lewis turned to the blonde sitting next to him, "Neither of us is going to get much sleep tonight, so I don't think we will be able to go into work tomorrow, so I have to let someone know we won't be there, and to take us off the schedule for the day, I was thinking the best person to tell would be Simon."
Hannah looked up at him, her eyes glittering with uncertainty, "Are you going to tell him everything?"
"Only what you feel comfortable with me telling him for now, we won't be able to keep this a secret for very long, and you know that, and I can't just tell him nothing or he'll wonder what our reasoning is for not coming into the offices." Lewis responded making sure she didn't feel like he was going to tell Simon her life story without her permission.
Hannah didn't say anything for so long that he began to worry that she hadn't heard him, and when she finally responded her voice was shaky yet thoughtful. "You can tell him what happened and where we are but don't tell him just how severe things are just yet."
Lewis nodded and pulled out his phone to text Simon. Hey friend, sorry to text you so late, but I needed to let you know that neither Hannah nor I will be able to come into work tomorrow. Hannah asked me earlier if she could come in and talk to me, when she did, she explained that Jake is physically abusive, we are at the police station now, they've gone to get Jake and bring him in for questioning. Anyway, it doesn't look like Hannah is going to be able to go home anytime soon, and I don't want to leave her here alone, so if you could change the schedule, and preferably not bring this up to anyone else quite yet, that would be great, thanks friend, talk to you soon.
He let Hannah read the text before he sent it, making sure she approved of what it said. When she nodded slightly, he sent the text, praying Simon would take the whole situation seriously.
A few minutes later Lewis's phone went off as Simon replied. Oh my god! I had no idea! Of course I'll change the schedule and I'll keep it on the down low, this is Hannah's matter not mine, so she should be the one to tell the other Yogs, so for now my lips are sealed. Let her know if she needs anything, that she can ask me, if you like I'll come down to the police station as well, although if not I completely understand. Thanks for letting me know friend. Lewis let out a sigh of relief as he saw the seriousness of Simon's response.
He showed the text to Hannah, waiting for her to give him some idea on how to respond to the ginger co-founder.
"I wouldn't mind if he came down here." She said quietly, "That's very sweet of him."
With a few swift taps on the screen of his phone, Lewis formulated his response. Hannah says she would like it if you came down here, see you soon.
Hardly any time passed before Simon replied. See you soon friend.
The pair sat in silence for about five minutes before Simon arrived, when he caught sight of Hannah he didn't react like anyone else, he just pulled her into a hug as she began crying again.
When Hannah sat back down Simon walked up to Lewis. "How is she?" He whispered, putting his normal childish nature to the side.
"Not great, but I would say she's handling this better than I ever could." Lewis responded in the same soft voice.
"The police have just returned with the defendant and are taking him in for questioning, so it will be over half an hour before you can see him." The secretary piped, getting up from where she had been sat behind the desk. Turning to look at Hannah, she spoke once more, "We will need to talk to you as well."
The owl girl looked petrified, "C-Can they come with me?" The blonde gestured towards him and Simon.
The secretary looked sympathetic, and Lewis realized as she responded that she was probably breaking protocol. "Only one of them, the other will have to wait here."
"You go with her." Lewis stopped as Simon spoke. "You know more about this situation than I do, and you know more about Hannah than me." He lowered his voice so only Lewis could hear, "And anyone could see how much you care about her…and how much she cares about you."
"But-I-" The raven-haired boy tripped over his words.
"Don't protest, just go on." Simon gestured to the secretary who was waiting for them by the door.
Lewis let his gaze soften slightly, "Thanks friend." The co-founder walked up to Hannah and offered her a hand, which she took and rose unsteadily to her feet. "I'll be accompanying you if that's okay."
Hannah looked up at him, and her eyes shone with thanks, "I really appreciate this…all of this."
Hannah's POV:
"The police have just returned with the defendant and are taking him in for questioning, so it will be over half an hour before you can see him." She got up from where she had been sitting behind the desk. Turning to look at her, she spoke once more, "We will need to talk to you as well."
She felt a rush of fear pierce through her, "C-Can they come with me?" Hannah gestured towards her friends.
There was a sympathetic glimmer in the secretary's eyes, and for a moment Hannah was afraid she was going to say no, but she had apparently reached a moral compromise, "Only one of them, the other will have to wait here." The blonde girl was appreciative that she would let her have even one of the duo with her, because she wasn't sure she could face the challenge before her alone.
Silently she hoped that it would be Lewis who would go with her, she didn't know what it was, but something about him had managed to calm her, if only slightly. She felt safer with him, and he had a way with making sure she was as comfortable as she could be in the situations they would often get roped into together, and she all around just enjoyed his presence. The shock that coursed through her felt like a physical blow to the chest as she realized she was falling head-over-heels for the raven-haired boy, just as she had over half a decade prior.
"You go with her." Hannah was torn from her thoughts as the dwarf piped up. "You know more about this situation than I do, and you know more about Hannah than me." Simon was right, Lewis did know more about her than he did, how could he not, he had lived with her for so many years. Then Simon leaned towards his friend and said something just quiet enough that Hannah was unable to make it out. Whatever Simon said to Lewis had obviously startled him, because he struggled to formulate a response, but the ginger never did let him reply. "Don't protest, just go on."
Hannah saw the hard glare that had laced Lewis's eyes since he had discovered the seriousness of the situation fade slightly. "Thanks friend," The co-founder turned from his friend and walked towards her. He extended his hand and helped her up, "I'll be accompanying you if that's okay."
She looked up and met his gaze, "I really appreciate this…all of this."
Lewis smiled at her sadly, "I wish you didn't have to go through all this mess, but I will do whatever I can to help carry the burden."
Hannah blinked and looked away, it would probably be hard for anyone else to tell with the bruises that covered her face, but she could feel herself blushing as she turned to follow the secretary. Lewis followed by her side as they made their way down the winding corridors.
The blonde girl wasn't sure what she expected of the room that they were taken to, but it looked nothing like it. She had partially expected it to look like interrogation rooms from movies with cold metal walls and folding chairs; but instead, they were taken to a plush office room. It reminded her almost of the offices back at YogTowers, except without all the stuffed animals and video game merch. The room was a dark burgundy with one window on the far wall. There was a desk with a police officer who looked as if he had served time in the armed forces sitting behind it, with two chairs on the other side. The room looked more like they were going into a counseling session rather than an interrogation.
"Ah, you must be Mr. Brindley and Ms. Rutherford." The police officer's voice was much softer and more calming than Hannah had expected, and yet it still had an underlying tone of authority. "I'm Officer Trapp; I just have a few questions for the two of you, would you please take a seat?"
Lewis and Hannah made their way into the room and sat down in the chairs opposite the police officer. Sitting in front of the man, Hannah could make out his features far better than before. He had black hair that was beginning to grey in its short cut and his cheek bones and jaw line looked as if they had been chiseled from stone.
"Can you tell me when you got involved in this Mr. Brindley, and what you know of the situation?" Officer Trapp asked, waving for the secretary to leave.
Hannah glanced over at him as he began to speak, "Yes, I wasn't made aware of the situation until earlier this evening." She listened carefully as Lewis recounted the last few hours, letting her gaze flit between him and the officer.
"Thank you." Officer Trapp said as he finished scribbling something down on his notepad. He then turned to Hannah, letting his impending blue eyes rest on her. "Could you please tell me your end of the story? When did all of this start, what all has been done to you?"
The owl girl felt her eyes fill with tears, she hadn't said any of what she was about to tell the officer now, because if she had, it would have solidified it and made it real. Now she was going to have to admit everything that had happened not only to Officer Trapp and Lewis, but herself as well, and that was almost too much for her to bear.
She could feel the emotion rising like water filling a vase, and just as it was about to overflow she felt Lewis take her hand in his. She knew in that moment that she would never be able to repay him for the help he gave her with that one simple gesture.
"You can do this." Hannah took a deep breath as Lewis whispered the words.
Shakily the blonde started speaking, using Lewis's hand as an anchor to keep her grounded in reality. "The abuse started about a month after we started dating…so about eleven months ago now, but the physical abuse didn't start until about eight months ago. Before that it had just been verbal." She forced her rapid breathing to slow before she went on.
"And what has he done to hurt you?" The officer's voice was strong and professional, but Hannah could hear the sympathy that was threatening to bleed through. "I know this is hard for you, and I'm sorry I have to ask, but I must have the facts from everyone involved."
Hannah nodded and continued, trying to keep her voice steady. She didn't want to say it out loud, it would be too real, and she knew Lewis would feel the repercussions of the pain that were affecting her if he knew how serious things had gotten. "Other than the obvious," The owl girl gestured towards the bruise on her jaw that had been given to her earlier that evening. "He would cut me with a r-razor blade." She saw shock shimmering in Officer Trapp's eyes and she felt Lewis's hand tighten around hers.
"Please continue." The officer replaced his professional demeanor.
Hannah knew she needed to give Lewis some background information on the next one so she turned to him, "Do you remember when I came into the offices with a broken ankle about six months ago?"
Lewis looked startled as she addressed him, "Yes…why?"
"I didn't slip in the snow…tha-that's just what I told everyone…Jake actually pushed me down the stairs in our flat." Hannah didn't dare to meet Lewis's gaze, she knew that under the shock and anger there would be a hint of betrayal. She knew then and she knew now that she should have told someone about what had really happened but she had always been too afraid of the retaliation Jake would have taken out on her because of it.
"He pushed you down a flight of stairs?" Lewis's voice was filled with a calm rage. Hannah could tell he was beyond the point of yelling, beyond anger. He was in the misty haze of rage that made him completely calm. She didn't respond, she just kept her eyes fixed on the carpet. "Hannah?"
"Yes," She whispered, "I-I was too afraid to tell anyone the truth."
"Mr. Brindley, Ms. Rutherford, I need one more piece of information from you. What is your relationship with each other?" Officer Trapp asked.
"We're friends, but we did date for almost four years." Lewis said thoughtfully.
"I figured you two had been together at some point." Officer Trapp said scribbling Lewis's answer on his notepad.
"Why's that?" He replied.
"Just the way you two react to one another, there is a level of trust there that you can't develop through friendship alone." Officer Trapp stood and gestured for them to do the same. As they rose, Lewis and Hannah released each other and massaged their hands. "Would you like to see the defendant?"
Lewis's POV:
Officer Trapp looked to Hannah, "Could you please tell me your end of the story? When did all of this start, what all has been done to you?"
Lewis saw the girl's eyes fill with tears at the prospect of answering the questions laid out before her. With a swift motion he took her hand, assuring her that she wasn't alone. "You can do this." He breathed.
Her voice was shaky as she spoke, "The abuse started about a month after we started dating…so about eleven months ago now, but the physical abuse didn't start until about four months ago. Before that it had just been verbal."
Lewis could almost feel the pain she was going through as he watched herself force her breathing to slow.
"And what has he done to hurt you?" The officer looked as if he really didn't want to press for the answers that were to follow. "I know this is hard for you, and I'm sorry I have to ask, but I must have the facts from everyone involved."
Hannah nodded slightly, "Other than the obvious," She gestured towards the bruise on her jaw that she had shown him earlier. "He would cut me with a r-razor blade." Lewis couldn't believe what he was hearing, but that would explain the cuts he had seen on her wrists when they were at the offices. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, hoping she would be able to make it through the questioning without falling to pieces.
"Please continue." The officer looked almost as shocked as Lewis did.
Lewis was startled as Hannah turned and spoke to him, "Do you remember when I came into the offices with a broken ankle about six months ago?"
"Yes…Why?"
Hannah kept her eyes fixed on the carpet at her feet as she responded, "I didn't slip in the snow…tha-that's just what I told everyone…Jake actually pushed me down the stairs in our flat."
"He pushed you down a flight of stairs?" Lewis was beyond the point of anger or rage, he knew that if Jake were to walk into the room at the given moment Lewis would probably kill him on the spot, but for now he was just strangely calm. When she didn't respond Lewis spoke again, "Hannah?"
"Yes," She whispered, "I-I was too afraid to tell anyone the truth."
"Mr. Brindley, Ms. Rutherford, I need one more piece of information from you. What is your relationship with each other?" Officer Trapp glanced between the two of them.
"We're friends, but we did date for almost four years." Lewis could understand why the background information might be useful in this scenario.
"I figured you two had been together at some point." Officer Trapp said scribbling his answer on his notepad.
"Why's that?" Lewis was slightly dumbfounded by the officer's response.
"Just the way you two react to one another, there is a level of trust there that you can't develop through friendship alone." Officer Trapp stood and gestured for them to do the same. When they got up they let go of each other's hands and massaged their own. "Would you like to see the defendant?"
He saw Hannah tense next to him, "We don't have to if you don't want to." Lewis whispered.
She shook her head, "No…I need to see him…and finish this once and for all, and this is the only way to do that." She paused and looked up at him, "You will come with me though…won't you?"
"Of course I will!" The co-founder knew he would stay by her side as long as she needed him to.
Without another word they followed Officer Trapp further into the building to the holding cells in the back. There were three other officers on guard with only two of the cells being used. One looked as though it was occupied by someone in a drunken state, while the other as inhabited by Jake.
"I was wondering when you'd show up." Jake sneered.
Lewis had to stop himself shooting back a retort, this wasn't his battle, it was Hannah's, and he needed to stay silent until he was addressed. Officer Trapp stepped forward and read off a list of rights before stepping back to stand with the other guards.
"I suspect you've come to get me out of here and explain to them that all of this was just a big misunderstanding." Lewis could tell by the malicious glimmer in his eyes that Jake wasn't asking, he was trying to manipulate Hannah into bailing him out.
He was proud of her as she spoke, despite her voice shaking and catching at the end of her sentences, she had the same determination in her voice that he had seen in her eyes when she had come into his office earlier. "Actually I'm here for exactly the opposite. You wouldn't be here if I hadn't told someone about the situation."
"You did this?" Jake lowered his voice to a growl and Lewis saw Hannah flinch and the grin that crept onto the defendant's face as she did so. He really was a sick bastard.
"Y-yes." Hannah said taking a pace away from the bars of the cell, tears in her eyes.
Suddenly Jake turned his attention away from Hannah and placed it on Lewis. "I should have known that you were involved. You and your band of misfits have brainwashed her! I spent so much time fixing the damage you all caused and now you've gone and done it again!"
"Damage we've caused?" Lewis heard the same calm rage from the interrogation bleed into his voice, "The Yogscast is a family…one that loves unconditionally…a family that would do anything to help each other and believes in everyone being able to do as they please, without fear of retribution. I doubt you even know what that's like."
"And why should I believe you…the ex-boyfriend," Lewis had to admit that the words stung, but he wasn't going to let Jake get to him. "In my opinion that gives me the perfect reasoning to question your motives behind all this…if I'm correct it was you who called the police wasn't it?"
Hannah spoke before Lewis had the chance to respond, "At my request!" Her voice began to rise, "I can't believe your even trying to play this off as a misunderstanding when the proof is so obvious you'd have to be blind to miss it!" Lewis saw her clinch her fists to stop herself from shaking so much before she spoke again. "Lewis is right! The Yogscast is my family, and they have always treated me with more love and compassion than you ever did!"
"I should have known you weren't loyal." Jake's voice sounded gravelly. "You always did side with that miserable band of misfits! You always did side with him." Lewis saw the hatred that burned in Jake's gaze as he looked at the co-founder, and he just shrugged.
"Perhaps you're right." He couldn't believe what he was hearing, was she really falling into the trap, but just before he could say anything, Hannah spoke up again. "My loyalty did waver…I never should have started dating you, I should have kept my loyalty with the Yogscast, If I had, none of this bullshit would have ever happened." As Hannah said the words, Lewis caught a glimpse of the old Hannah, the Hannah that wouldn't put up with disrespect towards her or anyone else she cared for.
The co-founder saw the wild look that took over Jake's eyes and he jumped at the bars, trying to get out of his confinement. Hannah shrieked and jumped back, grabbing Lewis's arm as the guards ran forward and restrained the human who had been reduced to no more than a wild animal.
"You two should go, I have a feeling that you've gotten all you're going to get out of this meeting." Officer Trapp ushered them back down the corridor. "I trust you know that both of you will be called on to testify when this gets taken before the jury."
They both nodded silently.
"Alright then," He looked at Hannah, "I'm truly sorry that you had to go through this, but I can assure you that it is all over now." He turned to Lewis, "As for you, she's lucky to have someone like you; I don't know many people who would stick their neck out like this in this kind of situation…and you're both lucky to have such a good family." With that he walked back down the corridor, leaving the two of them just outside the lobby.
They stepped back out into the waiting area where Simon was sat patiently awaiting their return. As they walked in Lewis could see Hannah was struggling to maintain her composure. Their friend glanced over in shock as he saw the pair and he realized, with the owl girl's battered and bruised frame and Lewis not having slept in almost a week that they must be a sight for soar eyes.
Hannah too must have seen the look in the dwarf's eyes; because, she completely lost it. As Lewis wrapped his arms around the broken girl he saw Simon look over at him apologetically.
'It's not your fault.' The co-founder mouthed over Hannah's shoulder to a very uncomfortable looking Simon as she sobbed.
Lewis's counterpart nodded silently and began heading for the door as he spoke, "I'm tired…so if this has been resolved for the night, then I think I'll head home…and it might be wise for you two to do the same," And with that he walked out the door.
Hannah jerked he head up so fast Lewis had to pull back from the hug to keep her from breaking his jaw. "I-I can't go back to my flat!" She began to shake even more than she was before.
"My offer still stands from earlier," Lewis whispered. "If you don't feel safe in your flat, you can spend the night at mine or we can both spend the night in YogTowers…I promised I wouldn't let you go back to your flat until I could ensure your safety there. If you don't feel safe, then I'm not letting you go back. Simple as that."
Hannah looked up at him, her blue eyes swimming with tears, "I-I guess I'll come home with you for the night."
Lewis smiled sadly, "Alright, let's go then."
The two of them made their way back to the car and the journey home. As they drove, Hannah piped up quietly, "I know I've said it already…but I do want you to know how much I appreciate everything you've done for me tonight. I'll never be able to thank you enough for this."
He kept his eyes on the road as he responded, "You don't need to thank me…like I said before…the Yogscast is a family that loves unconditionally, that means helping one of the members if they're in need."
Lewis was glad he had said that earlier, because it was the perfect excuse for reasoning behind his actions. The truth was he had done it because he still loved her and he would do anything for her, but in the end he knew it was a love that would never again be reciprocated.
Looking back he realized that the last two years had been some of the worst of his life, but the pain of the last two years combined couldn't add up to the pain he had felt when he saw Hannah reduced to the terrified child she had been tonight. He had known when she had come to him instead of Jake or Kim that something was seriously wrong. He had felt terrible for the blonde girl when he found out, but at the same time, he felt honored and hopeful that she still trusted him with something this important.
They were silent for the rest of the short ride and exchanged little more than glances as they made their way to the door.
Hannah's POV:
"You don't need to thank me…like I said before…the Yogscast is a family that loves unconditionally, that means helping one of the members if they're in need." Lewis's voice was as quiet as hers had been.
As he drove, the co-founder looked thoughtful, his dark eyes shimmering every time they passed under a street lamp. His raven-colored hair was messy, as though he had been running his hands through it, and his skin looked pale in the same amber light that reflected off his eyes.
She felt bad for him; he looked so tired, as if it had been days since he'd slept, and knowing the workaholic that he had always been, it probably had. He had never been good about sleeping, many nights he was kept awake by his asthma, others his mind was riddled with nightmares.
More than once she remembered waking in the dark of night and seeing the fear that glittered in his eyes from the shaft of moonlight that cut in through the gap in the curtains. He used to brush it off as nothing when she would question him on the matter. "Nightmares," Was always the response he would give her, but he never did elaborate on what the nightmares consisted of, and she had never had the heart to make him relive whatever had managed to scare him so.
Soon they pulled into the car park of Lewis's apartment complex. They made their way to the door without making a sound, and stepped into the dark flat. She had to keep herself from gasping as Lewis turned on the lights. The flat itself had scarcely changed in the two years of her absence. Here and there things had been moved or replaced, but overall the layout had stayed the same.
Lewis must have noticed her reaction because his voice rose above the eerie silence of her old home, "Not much has changed, has it?"
"Not really," Hannah let her gaze sweep around the main room that consisted of the living room with an island that marked where the living room ended and the kitchen began.
With a few words to signal 'good-night' to one another, the duo parted ways. It was odd sleeping in the guest room of an apartment that she had lived in for nearly half a decade, but she would never voice it. Lewis was being beyond gracious in letting her stay the night with him, and she would do nothing to demean that.
The adrenaline that had been rushing though the girl for most of the night finally gave way and she all but collapsed into the soft duvet. Despite the fatigue that pulled at her limbs, the blonde girl still struggled to find sleep as the memories of the night ran through her mind.
Eventually she was dragged under by the effects of weariness, but her slumber wasn't restful. Much like Lewis in the past, nightmares racked her subconscious. She could see Jake in her dreams and herself cowering in fear, and for the first time she was able to see the whole situation from a third person perspective and it terrified her. Was this what it had been like to Lewis or Simon? Still she knew that as the victim it was worse for her. Even though the physical marks would fade, she would always bear the emotional trauma of her past.
She prayed she hadn't woken Lewis as she woke screaming. Her breathing was quick and she was shaking, and yet she tried her hardest not to fall into the panic attack that was trying its hardest to set in.
She cursed herself silently as Lewis's silhouette appeared in the doorway, his voice soft and kind, "Hannah? Are you alright?"
She thought about lying and saying she was fine, but she was in no state to muster the courage she needed to make her voice steady. Instead she just shook her head no, drawing her knees to her chest, trying hard to ward off the panic that was slowly building in her throat.
Hannah felt the weight of the bed shift slightly as Lewis sat down on the edge. She glanced over at him, tears making his already shadowed figure that much more difficult to see.
"Hannah please talk to me, I want to do anything I can to help you…but I need to know how." His voice resonated through her despite its low volume.
"I-I don't know what else you can do…you-you've done so much for me already…I can't ask anymore of you." She whispered.
"Don't worry about what I've already done for you, or paying me back or anything like that. I don't want you to thank me, I want to make sure you're okay, and to do that you need to accept help…you have to let me help you." In her heart she knew he was right, and who did she trust more than him. She knew it was stupid and she shouldn't be relying on him the way she was, they weren't a couple anymore, and yet she couldn't get past the level of trust that Officer Trapp had mentioned earlier.
"I-I just don't know where to go from here!" She felt her emotions take over, "What should I do?! I can't face my flat…not yet, and I-I don't know how to go about telling the other Yogs what happened!"
"First of all you don't have to do any of that yet. For now you're staying here, and neither of us is going into work tomorrow so you have time to think about what you want to say to the others." She met Lewis's gaze, "But for now you are tired and need to get some rest."
Hannah didn't want to go back to sleep, because she knew that nightmares would ensue. Still, she knew he was right so she let him tuck her back into bed, whispering calming words before she slipped back into sleep.
Lewis's POV:
Lewis shot upright, practically throwing the covers across the room as he heard Hannah's fear filled scream. With swift and quiet movements he jumped up from his bed and made his way down the corridor to the guest room.
"Hannah? Are you alright?" He asked as he reached the doorway. Lewis could just see Hannah sitting on the bed as she shook her head and pulled her knees close to her chest.
Making as little noise as possible, he made his way into the room and sat down on the edge of the mattress. She glanced over at him, the tears in her eyes glittering in the half-light, but she said nothing.
"Hannah please talk to me, I want to do anything I can to help you…but I need to know how." He wanted to help the owl girl, but he felt so useless trying to defend her against the emotions within herself.
"I-I don't know what else you can do…you-you've done so much for me already…I can't ask anymore of you." Her voice was so quiet; he could barely make out what she had said, but as he deciphered her words, his heart broke for her. She still felt as though she was taking advantage of, or asking too much of him, when the truth was exactly the opposite.
He stopped her before she could continue to make herself think that she was asking too much of him, "Don't worry about what I've already done for you, or paying me back or anything like that. I don't want you to thank me, I want to make sure you're okay, and to do that you need to accept help…you have to let me help you."
She was silent for a moment, but when she spoke her voice was full of sadness and panic, "I-I just don't know where to go from here! What should I do?! I can't face my flat…not yet, and I-I don't know how to go about telling the other Yogs what happened!"
Lewis couldn't help but feel relieved, these were problems he could help her with, "First of all you don't have to do any of that yet. For now you're staying here, and neither of us is going into work tomorrow so you have time to think about what you want to say to the others." Hannah looked up at him, "But for now you are tired and need to get some rest."
She looked as though she wanted to protest, but instead she lied back down and let him pull the duvet around her shoulders. He whispered reassurances as the girl drifted back into dreamland.
When he was sure she was asleep he made his way back down to his own room, making sure to leave both doors open in case she were to wake once more. Climbing back into his own bed, his mind reeled from the events of the day. The more he pondered what had happened, the more he realized how much he truly still loved the girl…and how far he would really go for her. Eventually, much like Hannah, he too fell into the realm of sleep.
Lewis woke the next morning to the persistent beep of his alarm, for a moment he thought through what he needed to get done at the offices before he remembered he had taken the day off. He had set his alarm for an earlier hour than usual so he could get up and have breakfast ready before Hannah got up.
The co-founder made his way down the corridor, his sock-clad feet making no noise against the carpeted floor. He stopped by the guest room to check on Hannah before making his way to the kitchen. The blonde girl was still sleeping soundly wrapped in blankets, her long hair draped across the pillows. Turning away from the door Lewis finished the trek to the kitchen where he put a kettle on to boil. Over the course of nearly forty-five minutes Lewis made pancakes, French toast, eggs and bacon. Finally he poured two cups of tea, making sure to put two scoops of sugar and just a little milk in Hannah's, the way she always made it.
Just as Lewis placed the mugs on the table he heard Hannah stir in the guest room. He sat down at the table and nibbled on a slice of toast while he waited. Soon enough a very exhausted looking Hannah entered the room, a blanket pulled tightly around her shoulders. She blinked in surprise at the breakfast sitting on the table before looking over at him. He gestured to the other chair and she sat down, taking a piece of bacon from one of the plates.
"You didn't have to do all this." Hannah tried to giggle half-heartedly.
Lewis took a sip of his tea and shrugged, "Well we needed breakfast and you needed some sleep, so I thought I'd get up and make it myself."
A small smile played across her lips, and the wonderful thing was it was genuine, which meant she was on the right track to recovery.
They spent most of the day together chatting about any and everything from movies to video games to books. All in all, Lewis had forgotten just how much he enjoyed spending time with and talking to Hannah.
In what felt like a blink of an eye, the clock on the mantel chimed midnight, "Is it really that late?" It was hard for him to tell, but Lewis would almost say there was a hint of disappointment in the girl's voice.
"It would seem so." He responded glancing at the clock on his phone. "We should probably get some sleep."
Hannah took a shaky breath, "I don't want to go to sleep." She sounded almost like a child defying her mother. "How do you do it?"
He looked over at her in confusion, "Do what?"
"Deal with the nightmares? You used to wake up from them all the time and something tells me you still do." Everything made since as Hannah looked at the floor.
"You don't really…I know that doesn't help, but you just learn to cope. You learn to get up and keep walking after you wake up from one…that's really all you can do." He replied.
"Or just never sleep." Hannah murmured under her breath.
"That I don't suggest." She looked shocked that Lewis had heard her. "It just makes you more tired and stressed which doesn't do anyone any good. If anything it makes matters worse, because when you finally do get some sleep, the nightmares just become more vivid and terrifying."
Hannah nodded, "I know."
"Y-You do?" It was Lewis's turn to be shocked.
"You seem to forget that I lived with you for quite a few years, I remember you waking up from those vivid nightmares, and how scared you looked." Hannah kept her eyes fixed on a string that was loose on the arm of the couch, "After nearly a week of you not sleeping."
He knew she was right, but the tone of sadness in her voice confused him further, had his nightmares affected her? Shaking his head he knew it would be better for both of them if he changed the topic, "Have you thought about what you are going to tell the others?"
Hannah's shoulders slumped forward in defeat, "Yes…but I still don't know how to approach the subject."
Lewis thought about it for a moment trying to come up with a possible solution to the stressful problem, "There really is no easy way to go about this…you just have to tell them what you feel is right." He paused for a moment, seeing the anxious look in her eyes, "You know none of them will judge you, they all care about you…now…I think it's time we went to bed." Hannah nodded and Lewis gave her a hug before they began walking to their separate rooms.
"Oh Lewis…one more thing," Hannah piped.
He turned to face her, "Yes?"
"You might just want to remember that they care about you too…you should try talking to them sometime instead of just locking yourself away in your office day and night." With that she nodded to him and walked into the guest room, closing the door behind her.
The words tumbled through his mind as he tried to sleep. In a way he knew she was right, the others were his friends, and they would want to help him the same way he helped them. Still there was this nagging sensation that made him want to keep to himself and not burden the others with the problems in his head.
Perhaps Kim had been right, and Hannah was too, he needed to talk to someone, but he couldn't decide who. The one person his mind kept going back to was Hannah, but at the moment she had enough on her plate, not to mention they really didn't have that kind of relationship anymore. Though he felt he may be wrong, Hannah had come to him in a time of need which showed him that she still trusted the co-founder, maybe he should respond to her with the same trust she'd shown him.
Eventually his thoughts slowed to a dull murmur in his mind and he was able to drift into less than restful sleep.
Hannah's POV:
Hannah stopped before she walked into the guest room, "Oh Lewis…one more thing."
He turned back to face the blonde girl, "Yes?"
"You might just want to remember that they care about you too…you should try talking to them sometime instead of just locking yourself away in your office day and night." She nodded to him one more time and stepped into the room, pulling the door closed behind her.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed she wondered how she would manage to confess to the rest of her friends just how much hell she had been through in the last year. Would she do what she did with Lewis and completely fall apart despite her best efforts, or would she end up being void of all emotion and seem overly placid with the situation like Spock may have been? Most of all, she didn't know what to say, how would she even begin to address the matter? She had only been able to talk to Lewis because she knew exactly how he was going to react.
She was taken aback by the thought, maybe she still knew Lewis better than she thought she did. As Hannah looked back through her memories, she began to realize she remembered many little things about the co-founder that were seemingly insignificant, but held more meaning to her than she could ever say. She remembered where he kept his emergency asthma inhaler, which cereal he preferred, and his favourite episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It dawned on the owl girl that he might remember just as much as she did, it had been him who had made her tea that morning, and it was perfect as it had always been in the past.
With sleep trying it's hardest to drag her under, she decided the best way to explain the situation to her friends would be to round them up so she would only have to tell the story once, and just be very straight forward and give them the facts. With a plan of action in mind she was able to shut her mind up for a little while and fall asleep.
Hannah shuttered as she woke the next morning, knowing all the day implied. Quickly she got up and got dressed, making sure the bruises and marks that laced her broken frame were well hidden from view. When she left the room, she saw Lewis in the kitchen, nonchalantly sipping at a cup of tea as he scrolled through his phone.
"Morning," Hannah tried to keep the nervousness that she felt out of her voice, but she could tell by the sad smile Lewis gave her that she had failed miserably.
Still he played it off as though he hadn't noticed, "Morning, would you like some tea?"
She nodded silently, walking into the kitchen as Lewis reached for the kettle that resided on the stove next to him. He handed her the cup of tea and she couldn't help but smile as she realized it was perfect, just as it had been the night before, and all the times he had made tea for her when they were dating.
As they finished the last of the warm drinks, the clock chimed in the living room, signaling that it was time for them to head into the offices. With a sigh Hannah rinsed her mug and placed it in the dishwasher with Lewis's, just as they had done every morning when they had lived together.
Despite the nervousness and depression that weighed at her, she still found it interesting that without a word between them, they had fallen back into their old routine so easily. They acted as though they had never stopped living together and as if they hadn't forgotten a thing about one another.
The ride to the offices was far more uneventful than the rides to and from the police station, and filled with a lot more talk of what the day held.
Lewis seemed timid as he spoke up, as if he were afraid of approaching the topic he wanted to discuss, "Have you put anymore thought into what you're going to say to the others?"
"Yes," The blonde paused, trying to put the thoughts in her head into a plan of action. "I want to tell everyone at once so I don't have to keep re-living- I mean re-telling the story. Still…I don't even know if I can talk to them…"
"You were able to talk to me." Lewis cast a quick glance at her before fixing his eyes on the road once more.
"Yes…but I completely fell apart in the process…something I don't necessarily want to do in front of the others. I know they won't judge me for it…but I'll still judge myself." She took a deep breath before she continued, "Not to mention, I know you, I know your personality…therefore I knew for the most part how you would react to me and how you would react to the situation as a whole." The co-founder nodded slowly as he took in the information Hannah had just given him, and she prayed she hadn't given too much of her feelings away with the comments.
"In the end, what you need to do is tell them the truth. You don't have to give them every last detail, and I can assure you that they won't press you to tell them more if you're uncomfortable with sharing." Lewis had a way of taking the authoritative tone that he usually possessed outside recordings and making it sound more calming, like he was a protective family member rather than the founder of a company. "They'll understand and be supportive…and much like me, they will want to help you in any way they know how. So, the best advice I can give you if you're still nervous, is to pretend that you are recounting everything to me, like I'm the only person in the room."
Hannah mulled over his words for the rest of the ride to YogTowers. When they got onto the elevator she told him she was planning to tell everyone during lunch, that way she wouldn't have to worry about scheduling around recording times.
With a small smile they parted ways and went into their own offices. No matter how hard she tried, Hannah couldn't seem to focus on any of the tasks she needed to complete. Her eyes kept flitting up to the clock she had on the wall, and she couldn't decide if she was willing it to go faster or slower. Part of the blonde girl wanted to get it all over with, while at the same time she wished she didn't have to go through the ordeal at all.
All too soon and not soon enough, it was lunch hour and, many of the Yogs had been asked to stay at the towers for a few minutes before going to get their food. She watched out her window as Kim made her way to the common room with Duncan. Hannah felt bad, because on multiple occasions, Kim had inquired about the make-up she had been wearing, and she feared the Malaysian girl might have been suspicious of the whole situation. Now she was going to have to confess that she had straight up lied to her best friend.
Hannah stayed in her own office until she saw Lewis enter the commons. Knowing he was there made her far more comfortable with the meeting. After he disappeared around the corner, she timidly stepped into the corridor as if the floor was made of cracked glass that may give out any moment, and followed the others.
Lewis caught her eye the moment she walked into the room, giving her an encouraging smile. A quick glance around the room showed that a few were still missing, namely Trott, Martyn and Turps. A few people where whispering, laces of curiosity and concern in their voices. Simon stood near Lewis, and she couldn't help but see the saddened glance that passed between them, they didn't like the situation anymore than she did.
It didn't take long for the others to join them, but as soon as they were all there Lewis stepped forward, "I know you all are eager to go to lunch, but we are just asking for a few minutes for you to listen to something rather important." With that he nodded towards Hannah and returned to his place so the two co-founders stood side by side.
Everyone had fallen silent at the seriousness in Lewis's voice, and now looked expectantly at Hannah. She glanced around and realized there wasn't a person in the room who didn't look worried for her.
"Er…I really don't know how to approach this lightly, but I have been in a pretty serious situation as of late." The blonde girl's anxiety level rose with every word she spoke, "Many of you probably know I was in a relationship with Jake…that has ended but not for the reasons you all may be thinking…" Hannah's voice caught in her throat, she wasn't sure how to approach the subject without completely falling apart, and she was even less sure of how much she really wanted them to know. "…He was abusive."
Gasps and exclamations rang through the room until some rather harsh looks from Lewis and Simon coaxed them into a stunned silence. Hannah continued to explain points of her story over the past year. Multiple times her eyes filled with tears and her hands were shaking by her sides.
When she had finished her story Kim stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her friend. The gesture of kindness, one that had grown so alien to Hannah over the last year, completely broke her resolve and she sobbed as her friends…scratch that…her family joined in on what turned into a group hug.
Slowly the meeting broke up and one by one everybody went to lunch until Hannah was left only with Kim.
"I- I know your probably mad that I didn't tell you what was going on…and I'm sorry…I truly am." Hannah knew she had betrayed her friend's trust, she just hoped she could gain it back again.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. Situations like this aren't easy to talk about…especially when you have the fear of retribution hanging over your head. I'm not mad, I'm just glad you finally got everything resolved." Kim responded quietly. "Though I do want to know who you got to help you…because you kept saying 'we' when you were explaining what happened the other night…who was the other person in 'we'?"
For a moment Hannah thought maybe she should have chosen to talk to Kim instead, but that didn't last long, when it came down to it, she was certain she had made the right decision. "The one person in YogTowers who actually knows me better than you do…Lewis."
"I had a feeling that would be your answer," Kim looked at her as if she knew something the owl girl didn't. "The way he kept looking at you during the meeting suggested perhaps he knew more than the rest of us."
Hannah shrugged off the look, "Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks; you offered to help me so many times, despite the fact I always turned it down."
Kim's only reply was a nod as she made her way out the door with the others.
-Three Months Later-
Lewis's POV:
Lewis could hardly believe it had been nearly three months since the night Hannah had asked him for help. In many ways that night had helped the blonde girl, but it had helped Lewis too. Since that night both of them had taken each other's advice to heart and opened up more to their friends rather than just keeping their problems to themselves and adding stress to their own lives. They talked to the others in person around the offices instead of hiding behind their microphones and only being social during recordings, still Yogs checked in on them on a regular basis, just to make sure they were still doing well, especially Hannah.
Their new-found interaction with the others had lifted spirits in YogTowers exponentially, in ways they never would have imagined. Even better than that, he and Hannah had managed to develop a stable friendship, instead of just avoiding each other at every turn.
Despite all the new changes in YogTowers, Lewis couldn't get rid of the feeling that something was missing. Ever since Jake's trial, he had been trying to figure out what it was, but so far he hadn't had much luck.
A knock at the door pulled Lewis from his thoughts, "Come in."
"Hey friend what's up?" Simon piped as he opened the door.
"Just doing some editing for the Garry's Mod video that we're supposed to put up Saturday," Lewis leaned back in his chair as he spoke.
"Cool, I just wanted to come see how you were doing; I hadn't seen you today since I came in late." He said with his normal dwarfish nature.
"I'm doing alright, just getting a little bit of work done." Lewis replied in a lighter tone that he had adapted over the last few months.
"Alright, well I'll leave you to it then, just let me know if you need anything, I'll be right down the hall." Simon waved as he walked out the door.
When the ginger co-founder walked away he saw Hannah slip into her office and turn the recording light on. As Lewis turned back to his computer, he caught himself smiling at nothing. The smile caught him off guard, even in the last few months that were better than the last few years combined, he still found himself forcing smiles. He couldn't find what was missing and it bothered him, everything else in his life at the moment was wonderful, and yet that one thing still managed to stop him in his tracks.
As his mind reeled it finally occurred to him why he was smiling, why he was happy all of a sudden, and what was missing. The answer was Hannah. He had known even before the night she had come to him for help that he still had feelings for her, and yet over the last few months he had continued to push them to the side for the sake of the new friendship that they had been able to uphold.
No matter how hard he tried, Lewis couldn't seem to push his feelings to the side and move on. No matter how much he tried to deny it, he was still in love with her, and that's what was missing, that's what was tearing him apart. The fact that he was trying to be friends with someone he was still considered to be more than a friend.
A thought struck the co-founder as he came upon his revelation; he had always had the habit of calling everyone 'friend', and yet he had never called Hannah that. To him the word just never really fit with her, the owl girl had been much more than a friend to him. Even now he realized he still never called her friend, because it still wasn't true.
Lewis knew he needed to talk to the blonde girl, even if she didn't love him back, he at least needed the closure, so without another thought, he reached for his phone. Unlocking it he sent a simple text to Hannah, Can you come help me with the new recording software updates?
It didn't take long for his text alert to go off and she answered with the usual response, Is it imperative, or can it wait till this evening?
This evening is fine, just let me know when, I'm going to be staying late tonight anyway to work on the recording schedules. Lewis tapped the words into his phone, sending them to Hannah's phone across the hall.
Okay, I'll swing by your office around seven if that's okay with you, is something wrong with the software? Lewis had almost forgotten the part of the code they had used to make sure that the other person was okay and the situations wasn't too serious. He wished he had remembered that the night that Hannah had confided in him.
Seven's right around my break, so that will work great, and no nothing is wrong with the software. Lewis smiled to himself as he sent the reply, knowing there would be a sense of relief in the blonde girl.
The co-founder spent most of the day editing the Garry's Mod video, but started on the recording schedules around six:30 after most of the others had left for the night. He was so engrossed in trying to make sure everyone's schedules matched up, that he almost forgot he had asked Hannah to come talk to him.
A little after seven there was a knock on his office door that broke his concentration.
"Come in," Lewis piped without looking up from his computer. He was currently working on Kim's schedule, but he was having a hard time balancing Duncan's with hers.
He spun around in his office chair as Hannah spoke, "Whatcha working on?"
"Right now Kim's schedule…I have to work on Hat Films next," Lewis responded completely ignoring his half-finished project.
There was a long silence; Lewis was about to break it, but Hannah beat him to it, "So…what did you want to talk to me about?" A sudden wave of nervousness overcame him and for a moment he thought about dismissing the whole topic and making something up for asking the girl to come talk to him.
Looking at the girl, his resolve solidified once more as he saw her at ease stature. The spaceman stood and walked over to the girl, and he prayed that she couldn't hear his heart racing as he clasped his hands behind his back. "I-er…I wanted to say I'm glad that we are actually talking to each other again…rather than just avoiding one another."
A small grin started in the owl girls eyes before making its way to her lips, but she stayed silent waiting for him to continue.
Running his hand across the back of his neck, he tried to sound confident and failed miserably, "You have- I wanted to-" Before he could stop himself he pulled her into an embrace. "Thank you."
"Thank you? For what?" Hannah's voice sounded shocked, but she returned the hug all the same.
"Being you, despite the problems you've had over the last few months, you've still managed to help me as well…and for that I am immeasurably grateful." He said burying his face in her hair.
"Y-you're welcome…I guess?" Hannah sounded even more astounded than she had before.
Pulling back, he held her by the shoulders he let his dark eyes rest on her blue ones. Neither said anything before Lewis pressed his lips to hers.
Hannah's POV:
Passing Simon in the corridor, Hannah turned on her recording light before she slipped into her office.
Her computer booted up quickly and she chatted with Kim on Skype, making sure she was still up for recording some horror play-throughs that afternoon. The fluxed girl confirmed her scheduling and Hannah got to work on the editing she needed to do before hand.
The owl girl was pulled from her work as her text alert sounded from where her phone was placed in her bag. Despite the time that had passed and the steps she had made towards recovery, fear still shot through her like a bullet when her phone went off.
Shaking her head to clear the resounding fears, Hannah reached for her phone and unlocked it to see Lewis's contact ID. With a few swift taps she opened his text; Can you come help me with the new recording software updates?
The fear the girl had shaken off began to return. Was he okay? Was something wrong? Hannah caught herself falling into the same trap that had been trying to consume her for the past few months. She was still in love with the raven-haired co-founder, and yet she knew the love wasn't reciprocated, so she couldn't let her feelings for him eat away at her heart.
Quickly she typed in the usual response and sent it, Is it imperative, or can it wait till this evening?
It didn't take long for him to reply, This evening is fine, just let me know when, I'm going to be staying late tonight anyway to work on the recording schedules.
Hannah nodded to herself as she read the text, of course he would be staying late, when did he not? Still she needed some way of knowing if the situation was serious or if there was just something nagging at his mind. A thought triggered in her memories as she thought of the texts they used to exchange when they were dating, and she typed the message into her phone, Okay, I'll swing by your office around seven if that's okay with you, is something wrong with the software?
The blonde girl let out a sigh of relief as his response appeared on the screen, Seven's right around my break, so that will work great, and no nothing is wrong with the software.
The rest of the day went by fairly quickly; she went to get dinner with Kim after their recording session before heading back to the offices to talk to Lewis. The corridor was mostly vacant as almost everyone had gone home for the evening.
"Come in," The spaceman's voice quickly followed her knocking on the door. By the looks of it he had already begun working on the recording and editing schedules for the next week.
"Whatcha working on?" Lewis looked as though he hadn't even noticed her as he spun around to face her.
"Right now Kim's schedule…I have to work on Hat Films next," Lewis didn't sound too excited about the task.
There was a long pause, even though they had developed a stable friendship, there was still a feeling of awkwardness between them, so Hannah decided she would speak first. "So…what did you want to talk to me about?"
It was hard to tell, but she would almost say the co-founder was blushing. He walked forward and looked almost too professional with his hands clasped behind his back, not to mention the tone of anxiety that laced his voice. "I-er…I wanted to say I'm glad that we are actually talking to each other again…rather than just avoiding one another."
Hannah couldn't help but smile at how awkward and uncomfortable he looked; sometimes the duo would forget the other was human too.
"You have- I wanted to-" Running his hand across the back of his neck, Lewis didn't seem to be able to get out whatever he was trying to tell her. Finally he pulled her into a hug and managed two words, "Thank you!"
Hannah spoke in surprise as she returned the embrace, "Thank you? For what?"
"Being you, despite the problems you've had over the last few months, you've still managed to help me as well…and for that I am immeasurably grateful," He murmured.
"Y-you're welcome…I guess?" Hannah was almost too shocked to speak by this point; she hadn't expected Lewis to be quite so emotional.
The raven-haired boy pulled back from the embrace and held her at arm's length. His dark eyes were entrancing as they reflected the florescent light of the offices.
In one swift motion that Hannah wasn't expecting, the spaceman pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers. For a moment she didn't know how to react, but after a few seconds, she more than willingly returned the kiss.
When they broke apart, she rested her head on his shoulder, and he kept his arms around her waist.
"I-I'm sorry...I had to get that out of my system and-"
Hannah cut him off, "Don't apologize…I didn't know you still felt that way…I've missed you Lewis."
"Y-you have?" He stammered quietly, "I thought you stopped loving me…"
Hannah's heart broke slightly as he trailed off, she had always assumed, that he had stopped loving her. Now it had come to light that it was all a misunderstanding, one that had lasted over two years. If only they hadn't avoided one another the way they did, may be then everything would have made since sooner.
"I thought it was you who stopped loving me," By now there were tears in the owl girl's eyes. "I thought…" She was so choked with emotion that she couldn't continue.
"No, that was never the case…I love you Hannah…You were always a part of my heart." Lewis's voice was soft and full of love, the way it had always been all those years ago.
"I love you too," She whispered, looking up and meeting his warm gaze, "And you were always a part of mine."
With that she leaned in and pressed another kiss to his lips, the misunderstanding in the past, and the love between them rekindled.
