Chapter 24 – Patience

The wrath of Troy did not come. He either didn't remember what happened, or was too much of a coward to retaliate. He didn't even bother showing up at Linda's house. Nelly was relieved, but decided not to tempt faith and stayed as far away from her father as possible. It wasn't hard, since she spent as much time as she could with Harry, while he got better. Mr. Winston told her there was an extra bedroom in their house if she ever needed a place to stay, and she was grateful for his offer. It was clear where Harry got his protective instincts and learned how to administer justice. Piney didn't keep what happened a secret, and Harry was livid with her father. Her boyfriend pleaded with Nel never to return to her Troy's house, promised to take care of her and to keep her safe. And deep in her bones, Nelly knew he meant it. She had no intentions of living with her father again, but truthfully, aunt Linda could get in trouble with Simon at any time, and then Nel would have no choice. Living with Donna's family was no longer an option, and she wasn't close enough with Tara to impose on her. Staying with Harry and Piney was a refuge she wasn't ready to accept yet. Nelly lived with a constant, gnawing fear of her father and his unpredictable moods, afraid that one day all the imagined infractions of hers would push Troy over the edge, that he would explode like a volcano and his rage would engulf and consume her.

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It took Harry nearly a week to get back to feeling like himself again. Nelly came over often, and he was glad to have her near, keep her out of harm's way. Harry was seething when Piney told him what happened at Troy's house, ready to beat old Hathaway to a pulp, but his rage evaporated as soon as Nel touched his face and told him to let go of the anger. She fed him delicious food she cooked for him, kept him company with quiet conversation and her kind, loving presence. And he wouldn't admit it, but he loved it, he totally enjoyed being pampered. It was probably the best time of his life and Harry soaked up every second of it. Every memory of their time together was like a treasure he'd put away, to be revisited and turned around like precious jewels whenever she was away.

Once they returned to school, things remained the same - they would hold hands while walking down the school hallways and sneak kisses when no one was watching. At lunch, instead of sitting opposite each other, across the table, Nel would slide in next to him, and he wouldn't hesitate to put his arm around her narrow back and pull her closer to his side. Jax and Tara teased, while Cliffy – who was now a regular in their little circle of social misfits - pretended to be disgusted by this new PDA between them. Harry didn't care - he was happy and ready to shout it out to the world. But most of all, for the first time in his life, Harry felt like he could talk to someone, that he could share his thoughts and his feelings without being ridiculed or judged. That Nel cared for him unconditionally. He had worshipped Nelly from a distance for a long time, dreaming of getting to know her, but he never expected that their paths would cross and that he'd fall for her so completely. Harry never imagined that Nel would become so much more than his girlfriend, that she would be a friend who would listen and care.

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Two weeks had passed before they were able to get back to Harry's thinking rock. They've made the trek with Nel's hand securely in Harry's, and sat down next to each other on top of the outcrop. Cool wind whipped around them, sending a spray of stray drops of lake water up over the edge of the rock.

He leaned into her side and teased, "Last time we were here, I wanted to share my shirt and you wouldn't take it."

"I was being silly." Nel remembered those early conversations they had here, the planting of a seed. So much has happened since then, but she wasn't above teasing, "This time I didn't forget my jacket."

"Now you don't need a jacket, cause you've got me." He moved to sit behind her, enveloped her in a cocoon of his long arms and legs, and she leaned against his broad chest. Nel felt encased in a protective shell that no Darby, no Troy, no misery and pain would ever penetrate.

It was just as he said, Nel wasn't alone anymore, she had Harry now. And although she didn't say it, Nelly felt like she belonged to him too.

She watched the sky colour with grey, sheets of rain coming down and hitting the surface of the lake, creeping closer with every wave. "The rain is coming," she whispered.

Nel felt his chest rumble and warm breath in her ear, as he chuckled, "Damn, we just got here."

They stayed as long as they could, which was a mistake, and then had to hurry back to his pick-up while the rain came down hard. By the time they got to the truck, they were dripping wet and soaked to the bone. They climbed in quickly, while they laughed and shivered. Harry turned on the car's engine and cranked up the heating. The stale air blowing out of the vents was cool to start with, but warmed up quickly. The windows of the cab fogged up instantly, enclosing them in tiny bubble of their own universe, while and the raindrops thundered on the windshield and daylight ebbed away.

They both stripped off their jackets, but the clothes underneath were just as wet. Nelly rung out water out of her long hair, making a puddle on the floor, then have done the same with the front of her t-shirt, but it made no difference.

"You're going to catch wet death here." Harry joked, as he wiped rain-drops from her face. Then he reached under the seat bench and pulled out a scruffy, old blanket. He unfolded it and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Here, get under this."

"Wait," Nel stopped him. "We'll only get the blanket wet." There was no other way of avoiding it other than stripping down to their underwear. Harry seemed to have come to the same conclusion and they exchanged a charged, apprehensive glance. There was a moment when Nelly wanted to hold back, anxious and excited at a thought of where this could lead them, but a warm light in Harry's eyes calmed her. She pulled on the hem of her shirt, struggling to wiggle out of it as it clung to her body, while Harry gracefully striped his off in one fast swoop.

"Let me help," he offered, and when she didn't object, he pulled off Nel's shirt, leaving her only in a bra and rain-soaked pair of jeans.

The action pushed them closer together. Nelly could feel the heat radiating from Harry's naked chest, as hers accidentally brushed against it. This brief contact with his skin, still moist with rain, sent a spark that started a fire. As he pulled her gently towards him, she saw that he felt it too. The kisses that followed were urgent and luscious, made Nelly's body tingle and her head swim. Nel's hands sneaked up his neck and into his hair, tugging and smoothing in turns, as her lips melted with Harry's. His hands skimmed over her body, caressed her in broad strokes. She felt the tips of his fingers dance on the edges of her breast, then follow the band of her bra, until they reached the closure at the back. Harry broke the kiss and his eyes silently asked for permission. All she had to do is give a slight nod of a head and his fingers released the hooks.

Nelly shivered when her naked chest touched the heat of his, the warmth of his skin burning the coolness of hers. Harry engulfed her in an embrace and lowered her to the car bench. He bent over her and trailed soft kisses down her neck, reaching her collar bone, but travelling no further. Then he lied down next to Nel, containing her, the right side of his body resting on top of hers, his thick arm making a pillow for her head. Nelly's fingers traced the outline of his bicep, caressed his smooth chest, as their lips met again.

"You are so beautiful..." Harry whispered, while his eyes took her in, his hand sweeping up from her waist, delicately stroking the curve of her breast. Nelly held her breath as Harry explored, while her body was becoming heavy with sudden warmth.

Within moments, Nelly felt Harry's hardness against her, and cold dread flooded her at the memory of Darby's body so recently pressed against hers. The yearning stirring deep within her drained instantly, leaving her cold and rigid.

Harry noticed the change just as quickly. "What's wrong, Nelly?" He moved to the side, but still held her close. His warm, gentle hand moved away from her body and up to her face. His tenderness, so unexpected, broke her heart. He didn't deserve this, but she couldn't shake the fear that gripped her.

"It's happening so fast, Harry... Can you wait?"

"Yeah... we can wait." There was a naughty spark in his eyes. "I'm burning for you, Nel, but I want you to feel ready. Otherwise, it wouldn't be... right."

It wasn't fair to Harry, this kind of teasing, even if unintentional. Nelly felt that letting him go was only reasonable. "Listen, Harry, I'll understand if you want to break up with me because of this..."
Harry's eyes narrowed, hurt and surprised. "Do you think that's all I care about?"

His reaction confirmed to Nelly that he was being sincere. "I'm sorry, Harry, I know you're not like that, but most boys are..." She pulled his face to hers, kissed his lips. "Forgive me. It's just that you say all the right things."

"I mean everything I say, Nel. I'd never do anything to hurt you." Harry said, his eyes intent and serious on hers. Then he reassured her with a long, sweet kiss. He wasn't forceful, just affectionate, and convinced Nelly that he meant it.

Then he asked quietly. "Is it because of what my dad saw? The way that skinhead got to you?"

Nel just nodded, suppressing tears. Harry pulled her closer, tucking her head under his chin, his arms cradling her. "It's OK, Nel, we'll take it slow."

Nelly felt crushed. Why couldn't she enjoy the closeness and tenderness of this wonderful guy? Instead, she was filled with anxiety and heartache. Tears overwhelmed her as she told him, "I'm sorry I'm so messed up."

"You're not, you're perfect." Harry whispered as he kissed her temple, "You are everything to me, Nel. I love you."

She sobbed against this chest in reply, cursing herself for being so guarded and withdrawn, feeling that she didn't deserve Harry and his love. And all he did was hold her until the trembling stopped and the tears subsided.