One Shots

Caroline&Niall

"Tell me the story again?" his worn voice acts. I smile down at his weathered face, taking his wrinkled hand in mine as my mind travels back all those years ago. "Once upon a time there was a girl named Caroline...."

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"Caroline you're needed in the children's ward" a nurse calls out. I look up surprised. Normally I was just behind the desk doing paperwork or whatever the nurse needed done. I was rarely ever called up to a floor. She must have seen the surprise in my face. "Make a Wish is here with a few celebrities" she explains. I nod in understanding, standing up quickly. Celebrities could be pretty demanding. They were always kind to the kids, but they were still demanding with the staff. Insisting they have this or that. We'd had a few famous people here and I briefly wonder who it will be this time. I always had tried my best to be professional, even if I was a huge fan of the person. Justin Bieber had made an appearance and it had been all I could take not to pass out when I had walked in the room. I'd done the best I could and at the end of the day I'd been able to get a picture with him which was still hanging in my room. As I walk up to the floor, I hear loud noises echoing down the hall. I frown, confused since the kids were rarely this loud, even when their favorite stars come to visit. I walk into the playroom that the kids would all be in here and immediately burst into laughter at the sight in front of me. There was a curly haired boy being tackled by some of the kids for tackling a boy in stripes, a darker skinned boy backed up against the wall, his hands up to block his hair, with a scared expression as a few kids advanced on him with scissors, a boy sitting at a kiddy table explaining something about spoons, and a blond haired boy doing a ridiculous dance with a few kids nearby.

"Nice dance" I say teasingly to the blond causing him to stop and blush slightly.

"Oh Caroline thank god you're here" a frazzled nurse says hurrying over to me. "The boys are almost harder to handle then the kids" she whispers to me. I smile, my eyes sweeping over the boys in front of me. I knew who they were of course. It was One Direction. They were just like the biggest thing that ever happened to the X-Factor. Even though I was from America, I still had watched it. I was pretty much obsessed with every talent search competition.

"I've got it taken care of" I assure her with a smile and she smiles back at me with relief. I turn back to the kids and clap my hands in a certain rhythm that is supposed to mean it’s time to be quiet. The kids repeat the clap back to me like they are supposed to and soon I have the attention of the room.

"Ok kids, who wants to hear One Direction sing?" I ask. The kids instantly respond with a cheer as the boys walk over to where I was. Niall smiles, grabbing his guitar from a back wall as the nurses assemble a few stools for them to sit on. I get the kids to sit down in front of them and sit down with them, scooping up a little girl into my lap. She smiled up happily at me and took the princess crown she'd been wearing and setting it on my head. This was exactly why I loved little kids; they did cute things like that. The boys instantly launch into What Makes You Beautiful. I frown slightly. I knew all the words and glancing around the room, my eyes landed on the kids with cancer. Those who were missing all their hair. My fears were soon alleviated though as the boys change "The way you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed" to "The strength of your fight gets me overwhelmed". To be honest, my heart melted at that. I could tell the kids loved it, their eyes brightening. As we watched, I couldn't help but notice that the Irish boy kept glancing over at me. Every time he did, I'd feel my cheeks heat up and I'd look away, trying to hide the shyness by making it look like I was trying to engage the girl on my lap in the song by clapping her hands or trying to get her to sing along. But every time I'd look up, there he was, watching me. After a few more songs, with the boys changing a few lyrics, it was time for them to go. I help the little girl off my lap and stand up walking to where the boys were standing while their security were talking with the nurses.

"Thanks so much for coming, I know the kids loved it" I say.

"Always happy to help" Liam replies with a smile.

"We love little kids" Louis chirps. I laugh slightly.

"I can tell" I say with a grin.

"Nice crown by the way" Harry says with a wink and I feel my face heat up as I grab the forgotten crown off my head.

"You're just jealous you don't have one" I say teasingly. I glance over at Niall who is still watching me, making me feel slightly awkward. The boys see me look over at him and I see a devilish look appear in Louis's eyes.

"Niall has a crush" he crows excitedly causing the blond haired boy to turn beat red. I swear, his face was the same color as Louis's pants. I bite back a grin watching this until Harry starts insisting I give Niall my number. I protest but it’s no use. The boys won't let it go until I do.

"You really don't have to," Niall mumbles embarrassed as the security calls the boys over to leave.

"It’s fine, I don't mind. Besides, how often can a girl say that One Direction asked for her phone number?" I joke, pleased when I see a smile emerge on his face.

"I'll call you later then yea?" he asks pocketing the slip of paper as he heads over to security. I nod, watching as the boys disappeared out the door, the blond haired boy's smile still imprinted in my mind.

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I look down at the elderly man lying beside me. Who'd have thought that 50 years later I'd be here looking down at the same smile.

"I knew, the second I saw you in that crown, that you were meant for me." he says, his voice creaking. "Mia principessa"