Niall's POV
The end of the European leg of the tour is a smashing success- not that anything less was expected. We rush off stage in the usual post-concert high but I'm the first to break away for a shower. I'd made plans to head back to the UK tonight instead of tomorrow with the rest of the gang. Portugal was lovely, but I've made plans to spend my ten days of break prior to heading to the States at home just doing absolutely nothing. I am ready for my own bed.
Once out of the shower I'm quick to collect my things, throwing them into a duffel. I know the rest of my things will ship to the US with the bus so I don't worry about clearing my bunk. I'm so in my own world that I don't notice Liam shadowing me in his actions til I'm calling out bye to the lads. It's then that I see Liam has a duffel of his own and his hair is also damp from a shower.
"I decided to head back tonight as well. Mind if I catch a ride to the airport with you?" Liam smiles at me in an innocent way. I figure 'what's the chance he's on my flight?' and agree. Besides, I'm not so rude to the security guys to make them make two trips.
When we get to the airport and check-in, only for Liam to be on my flight, I get suspicious. "What, we can't share a plane?" It isn't until we end up side by side in first class I know I didn't conceal my trip back so well from the boys since Liam must've drawn the short straw as my baby-sitter. Stupid luck of the Irish.
...
Once we get to my place in London, I figure Liam will drop me off and be on his merry way. Instead he grabs his duffel and follows me inside!
"What're you doing? It's break. I get my me time starting three hours ago," I'm not the nicest but I don't bite his head off.
He dances around it before he says exactly what I expected. "Me and the lads think it would be good for you to have some Little Niall time, ya know, escape a little. And well, you need one of us around to do that safely so I decided since I wasn't doing anything, I could be the one to stay with you. Harry's headed up to Cheshire for a few days and Louis has Eleanor to catch up with, the same with Zayn and Perrie."
"Of course," I get defensive. "I need a babysitter." I glower at him.
"No, not a babysitter Niall, just someone to help so you can destress. It's not good for you to be wound so tight and everything with the cancer."
I want to yell at him, scream at him, throw some punches, something. But what he says hits me to my core. So I sullenly nod and let Liam help me get ready for bed.
...
The next morning, it's quarter to 11 and I'm just getting up. I stretch some and hobble down the stairs to see Liam's made a brunch of sorts. Now this, this is something I could get used to.
I sit down at the bar and allow Liam to plate up my food and cut the pancakes into little triangles. I get over the fact Liam's not given me coffee but milk, and I dive in once the plate is set down. "Juice, pwease?" I lisp, knowing it's a weakness of Liam's.
Liam caves and fills a plastic cup with juice before going over the agenda for the day with me. "Niall, we have your oncology check-up today. It's at 2 but we'll need to leave quarter past 1. Now I can go in with you or I can sit in the waiting room but you need someone there."
I nod, and agree to let him sit in the waiting room before I go get ready.
...
Once Dr. Mikhail is done examining me, he sits back in his chair in the little examination room. "You're healing well Niall. I like the progress I see, your surgeon may just sign off on throwing out those crutches when you see him at the end of the week. But let's talk about your cancer. I see no new signs of growth, nothing to be worried about on the scans. But I'm worried about the toll this battle is taking on your body. You've lost a lot of weight, you look exhausted. Niall, I'm not sure if I should sign off on you returning to tour at the end of next week." Dr. Mikhail says with a frown.
"What do you need from me to make it happen? I can't let the fans down doc. I can't let them know what's wrong." I plead.
"If you can put on at least 3kg by your pre-tour checkup and if you get some more sleep, I'm talking 10 hours a night and some napping and just let your body rest, I'll sign off. But Niall, you really have to commit to it."
"I will, I promise, thanks doc. See ya next week!" I shout as I begin walking out, checking out with the receptionist before meeting Liam in the lobby.
"Niall! Wait up, you're going too fast for me! What'd the doc say?" Liam asks as we enter the elevator and head to the parking garage.
"You want me to be Little Niall? You've got it. I need to gain 3kg and sleep a f*ck ton if I'm gonna be cleared for tour. So if you can make those two things happen, then I'll be Little Niall for however long it takes."
"Alright then, we'll start with getting you in some comfy clothes and getting you a snack when we get home. Then we can watch a movie to get you in your headspace- sound good?"
I stare Liam dead in the eye as I say, "Whatever it takes." Maybe I'll end up regretting that but right now I could care less.
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The Pacifier
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