Careful Where You Stand (Sequel to Stand Behind The Music)

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Song: Dying To Live Again by Hedley

~ Harry POV ~

2 Months. It had been 2 months since Nicholas Ryder passed, leaving behind a fragile girl with a broken soul. 2 months since she'd last been seen. She left the day after her boyfriend passed, no traces of where she went, no clue of where she was. She left despite promising Nick and I that she wouldn't.

Liz had been gone for 2 months, no contact with me, or the boys, or anyone. At first people said this was normal for her. Last time something this scarring happened, she shut down, left the country to clear her mind for weeks. People had told me not to worry, but how was I supposed to do that when she had been missing for months. 

Saying I was worried was an understatement. I was, and have been, a nervous wreck for as long as she's been gone. I didn't know where or how she was. I didn't know what she did, to others or herself. I had promised to take care of her and I was already breaking that. 

Sometimes I had calmed down, when she appeared in pictures with her fans every now and then. They had been in the oddest places, in the most secluded parts of the world. But every time I went to where she should be, she would be gone. I would go to the hotel she stayed only to find out she left a couple hours before, with them having no idea where she went. It was awfully difficult to keep track of her. 

That day that Nick passed away, she sobbed, having me comfort her. She clung onto the body that the doctors wheeled away after some time, never to be seen again. Nick never wanted a funeral, he didn't want people to feel upset or bad because of his condition so he told us not to host a funeral, and we obliged. 

That night, we were forced to leave the hospital, so I took Liz home. I fed her trying to get some food into her mouth, despite the constant crying. She hadn't eaten that whole day so it was necessary she consumed something. After she ate, I took her to her room, without any talking. She hadn't resisted anything either so I assumed that she started to accept me and would stay just the way she promised but I was wrong. 

I had put her to sleep, shushing her tears and sobs, the whole time she was muttering something about leaving the world, but I didn't take it too seriously. I had fallen asleep right beside her that night, cuddled up together, for comfort of course.

The next morning I had woken up, stretched my arms, feeling around for her body, but I was met with emptiness. I had looked around, the room a mess, clothes missing from the closet, all her medication taken off the dresser where she usually kept it, it had seemed like parts of the room were missing. 

I wasn't sure about letting her leave, and was ready to go look for her, when a voice had told me to give her space, and I had made the mistake of listening to that voice. I hadn't even considered the possibility of her escaping, running away, only thought that she was out for the day. I had waited all night for her, but she didn't return. I continued to wait, day after day until I finally told a couple of her friends who had told me not to worry but how could I not. She was broken and in state that was so dangerous for herself, the past night she had talked of leaving the world, only god knew where or how she was. 

After a week of waiting for her, people finally let me file a missing person's report. The police didn't think it would be too hard but they were in for a shocker. Everyone was shocked in fact, it seemed like she disappeared off the face of the earth. 

First time any sign of her was given, she was in Denver, Colorado. As soon as we went there and to her hotel, she was gone. Next time she showed up in Calgary, Alberta in Canada, and once again when we arrived she was gone. It seemed like she showed up all over the continent. It was like she was running constantly, but whether it was away from something or towards something, I wasn't sure.