Breaking For You *|A Niam Fanfic|*

Chapter 41: I See Life In You

'No, no, no, no, no, no!' My mind chanted miserably. It couldn't be possible. IT COULDN'T. The boy on the stretcher, the one covered in blood and so utterly lifeless as he lay there, he couldn't be dead.

"Zayn!" I heard a wail, filled with fear and grief. My eyes watered but the tears made no move to slip past my eyes. I didn't move even when I found a struggle beside me, her screams filling the room above all else. The hurried movements of the men and women in scrubs and white coats glanced at her. Even I could see the pity in their eyes as they watched the broken girl.

"Get off! GET OFF ME! HE CAN'T BE GONE!" She thrashed violently in the person's arms. I turned my head slowly, catching that it was Louis who held her back. Louis--one of my band mates, one of my best friends who wasn't dead--he looked...terrible. His face was pinched, his eyes red, biting his lip roughly between his teeth to stop the sobs from wracking his body. He held the girl close in his arms, trying to soothe her even as she beat at his chest with her fists.

I remained silent as everything soon became a blur. All I could see now was the sadness, the grief, that took over the people I cared for. The boy on the stretcher, dead to the world now, his lips quickly started to go pale just like the rest of his face. His smooth cheekbones, the ones that always had people swooning, began to sink in on themselves as a haunted death look replaced the once peaceful face.

I watched, emotionless, as they tried to pump him back to life, the electric shocks making his limp body jump violently on the stretcher. I looked away, feeling my hand around to grasp onto something as a wave of dizziness hit me. I felt fingers grasp my bicep before I was pulled into a warm chest.

Liam. I thought in gratitude as my shoulders slumped. I buried my nose into his neck, wanting nothing more than to just fade away from everything, stay wrapped in Liam's arms forever.

I felt something slick and wet drop onto my cheek and trail down near my mouth. I stuck my tongue out to taste the saltiness and instantly knew it was Liam's, not mine. Without a word, I squeezed him gently and pressed my ear above his fluttering heart.