"The rest of Hope's sort of family."
"Alright. Well, you were right under Lou Treasdale on emergency contacts, and Mrs Lou did not answer. So we called you."
Niall nodded again. "So what exactly was I called for?"
The doctor sighed. "It's complicated."
Niall laughed. "It can't be that complicated. Just tell us the story and the damage doc. It can't be that bad."
"Well." The doctor sighed. "She was shot in the back of the head."
There was a moment of shocked silence before Louis started to laugh. "You're joking, right? Is this some kind of prank? I mean, who would want to shoot Hope fucking Stillwell?" He laughs turned into sobs as he grabbed Harry's arm for support. "This isn't real, is it?"
"I'm afraid it is. She's in quite the coma right now, and we fear for her life. See, usually, when shot in the back of the head, your brain fluid is most likely to leak out, killing you instantly. But the bullet was never taken out, so instead of no brain fluid, we fear she has lost a lot of brain cells. We had to shave her hair to see it, so please do not be surprised when you see Miss Hagerddy bald."
"This is too much to process." Liam mumbled. "And what do you mean by Hagerddy?"
"Well that's her birth last name."
"Who shot her?" Liam finally spoke up, his entire body visibly shaking.
"A man by the name of Bill Hagerddy."
Niall gasped as Louis cried out. "All my fault." Niall started to mumble, over and over again.
"Do you know this man?"
"I set them up to meet. He's her father, she had told me she hadn't seen him in a while." Niall replied, through tears.
"Has she in any way in the past spoken of any other kind of abuse from this man?" The doctor asked.
"She's told me that he wasn't the best kind of person, but she never spoke of abuse or anything like that." Harry mumbled.
The doctor nodded. "Well, he is in a jail at this moment, so we do not need to worry about him."
Louis snorted through his tears. "I wasn't worried about him. I'm worried about Hope. Do you know if she's going to wake up? Or live?"
The doctor shook his head. "No."
"Let me see her." Liam finally whispered. "Let me see her now."
The doctor simply nodded, before opening the door.
One by one, the boys walked in, Liam in front and Harry and Louis holding hands.
Now most people have an avid imagination, one that will never fail to make something look more intense, or worse, than it already is.
But even with all the boy's imagination combined, there was no way to make the sight in front of them any worse. It was already horrible.
Laying on a sad looking hospital bed, was a fragment of Hope Stillwell. Her famous silver locks were gone, and replacing them was a bandage stained with blood. Battered and bruised, there was almost no white skin left on her body. Her right eye was swelled shut and her left eye had an ugly gash under it. Her raggedy breathing was slow and unsteady, and even though most people in comas look peaceful, she looked as though she was reliving a nightmare.
Liam choked out a small cry, holding her bruised and small hand.
Suddenly, her eyes fluttered open drowsily as she smiled at him. "Zayn?"
