"Can I have another cough drop?" Niall asked from his spot on the couch, rubbing at his blood-shot eyes.
"You've gone through almost two packets in less than eight hours Ni, I'm not sure if we should be letting you have any more,"
Liam frowned as he picked up the packet to read off the back speculatively.
"I don't think it's possible to overdose on cough drops Liam, just give me one please?" Niall whined.
I flinched as he sneezed into his hands. Better than the air, but I still felt like I could see the germs crawling towards me and the rest of us that were healthy.
I wanted to leave the room, get far away from Niall and his stupid cold as I could but what would the others say? They would probably accuse me of not caring about him, or being too lazy to help out when really that wasn't the case at all.
I didn't want to look like an idiot when I told them that I was scared.
I tucked my hands into my pockets and tried to forget about how contaminated the air was.
Liam seemed to be struggling with the new packet of cough drops and Niall quickly grew impatient.
He tipped his head back and groaned, "I'll cough on you in the night if you don't hurry the fuck up, Liam."
I shuffled a little further over on the arm of the couch that I was sitting on.
Liam pulled a face as he tried again to rip into the paper tube, "I'm trying, it's harder than it looks."
Harry pinched it from his grasp and ripped the entire thing in one swift motion, making all of the contents fall onto the floor.
"That's one way to do it," Liam said and Harry shrugged with a smirk as he picked them up, biffing one over to Niall who tore the wrapper off and hurriedly put it into his mouth with a wet sniff.
I cringed, my hands tightening into fists.
"Why do I feel so terrible?" Niall moaned.
Harry rolled his eyes, "because you're an idiot who decided it would be fun to mess about in the rain."
"Rhetorical question, Harry. . ." Niall whined as he turned onto his back, "and anyway, Louis did it with me."
"Yeah, and I showered right afterwards while you sat right down and inhaled the fridge," I pointed out. The offer was too fun to pass up at the time, and I definitely didn't regret it, it as the most fun I've had in ages, but I knew that if I didn't get warm and dry fast afterwards I'd get ill. I'd tried warning Niall but as expected, he didn't listen so here we were.
I guess we should just be glad we had the week off before we got stuck into recording the new album.
"Shut up, I'm stupid, I get it."
Niall's voice crackled and let out a few chesty coughs.
I jumped out of my seat and started for the way out of the living room, moving at a slightly quicker than brisk pace.
"Where you off to, Lou?" Liam called after me as I slipped through the doorway.
"Bathroom," I yelled back. It was true, I was going to bathroom to have a long hot shower where I could scrub myself clean from the army of germs I could feel all over my skin.
***
Liam's POV:
I detested my luck the next morning when I woke up with a killer headache and a stuffy nose.
I could hear Niall in his bedroom coughing a lung up by the sounds of it but it took me a few seconds to work up the courage to get up out of bed and help him.
My head throbbed painfully as I stood up and I had to wipe a sleeve under my drippy nose.
I shuffled to Niall's room and opened the door wearily. His coughing was loud enough to make my head ache even more but I moved to pat his back gently anyway. He was perched on the edge of the bed leaning over his knees so I simply sat down next to him.
I reached over him and picked up the glass of water on the bedside table. Once he got a quick break he hurriedly took it from me and drowned it all in seconds, breathing heavily afterwards.
There were literal tears in his eyes.
"Thought I was gonna die, thanks Li."
He sniffled at the same time I did and a look of realisation passed over his pale face.
"You not feeling g-good, Li?" He asked me with his raw voice.
"Got a bit of a headache," I murmured, noticing the beads of sweat gathering in Niall's hairline. His cheeks and nose were red his glassy eyes pretty much screamed fever.
"You must've caught this thing off me, sorry mate," Niall said.
"S'algood, I'm alright," I replied with a shrug, "you feeling hot? You're sweating."
"Hot?" Niall looked surprised, "Its bloody freezing in here."
"I'm gonna go find the thermometer I'll be b-"
"Get Harry to do it, you're sick Li, you gotta take advantage of it," Niall said.
I laughed, but there was a flaw in his plan.
"It's barely nine o' clock Ni, I couldn't get him up if I tried."
My throat twanged and I winced. Great.
"Louis then, he'll be awake," Niall suggested.
I shook my head dismissively , "nah, it's alright Ni, I'll go grab it."
I could just go back to sleep afterwards, it would take all of five minutes.
Niall smiled and climbed back under the duvet, "ugh, fine, hurry back though, I'll be your cuddle buddy."
I grinned and left the room.
As I stepped out into the hall I crashed straight into something, stumbling back against the wall.
"Oh, shit sorry, Liam."
Louis pulled me back straight apologetically.
"It's okay," I replied.
Suddenly Louis wrenched his hands back off my upper arms and shoved them into his pockets, his eyes wide.
"You look sick," he blurted.
"I think I'm coming down with Niall's cold, nothing too horrible," I admitted, running a hand through my hair.
"Feel better," he said quickly and then hurried off down the hall. I watched after him and a few moments later the shower turned on.
I sighed. Weird dude. Even weirder in the mornings.
By the time I got back to Niall's room, thermometer in hand, the blond was slouched against the headboard half asleep. He sneezed a couple of times, his body shaking as I grew closer and smiled at me lazily.
"Get in, Payno," he ordered patting the mattress next to him. I was already sick so I didn't see any harm in it. I sluggishly joined him underneath the duvet and passed him the thermometer, "you can do it."
"Do I have to?"
"Just do it and then we can go to sleep," I muttered.
"If I have to then you have to," Niall replied stubbornly.
I pressed my face into the pillow to block out the light, "fine, hurry up."
A few minutes later the thermometer whined.
"101.8, that's fine right?" Niall asked, coughing again.
I hummed, barely registering his words. I just wanted to sleep.
"I'm not going to make you do this now, but when we wake up it's your turn, Li."
Niall put the thermometer on the bedside table and snuggled down onto his side.
***
Harry's POV:
"Do you know why Liam's in Niall's bed? He's gonna get sick if he stays so close," I said to Louis as I plopped down onto the bar-stool next to him with an identical bowl of cereal.
"I bumped into him this morning, he reckons he's already sick," Louis replied after swallowing.
"You're kidding me?"
"He looked like crap," Louis added.
"Guess it's just you and me then Lou," I said, sighing down at my breakfast. I knew it would only be a short amount of time before this thing caught up with me too. I was surprised it hadn't already to be honest, usually I was the first.
Louis licked his lips and put his empty bowl into the sink, "sorry mate, I'm going out today, you're on your own."
"You're seriously gonna leave me alone with those two snot-rags?" I groaned, "where are you even going? Please, please, please stay, I need help!"
"I'm going to catch up with the family Haz, and you'll be alright, you're good at this stuff," Louis assured me.
"Good at this stuff? Remember when I was left to look after Liam when he had that stomach flu? He ended up in the hospital!"
Louis rolled his eyes, "you were seventeen, I think you'll be okay now. Look I've gotta go, call me if there's anything you need picking up on the way home," he said and then left, sliding his shoes on and disappearing through the front door.
"This is just fucking fantastic," I muttered to myself. Leave the catastrophically uncoordinated and target for every sickness known to man alone with two extremely contagious people who expected him to tend to their every need.
Thank you so much, Louis.
Sure enough, barely an hour later my name was being called and I halfheartedly jogged to Niall's bedroom.
"What do you need?" I asked, peeping my head through the door.
"Medicine, shit load of it please," Liam whimpered in reply. I couldn't even see him under the massive white duvet but his voice was croaky and strained.
"I can do that, just cold and flu I suppose?"
"And panadol before I throw up," he moaned.
"What?" I blurted, eyes wide. Please don't be that kind of sick, that stuff reeks and I really didn't want to have to scrub it out of the carpet.
"Migraine, hurts," Liam explained. I could hear his teeth grinding.
"Shit, okay, I'll be back then," I said, hurrying off to find the pills. When I finally found them I rushed back to the room, balancing two glasses of water in one hand. Thankfully I managed to get there without spilling them everywhere.
"You're gonna have to sit up or you'll choke," I whispered, already popping the pills out.
Niall poked his head out from under the blanket, a tissue stuffed up his left nostril. I would've laughed if he hadn't started coughing violently, the whole bed shaking. Liam groaned. I moved over to Niall and eased him out of the fit before he made Liam puke everywhere.
"Thanks," he gasped, trying to slow down his breathing.
I handed him a couple of the cold and flu with a glass of water, "don't mention it. Here, take these."
He didn't look too impressed but he did as I said anyway.
Liam took his as well and then vanished back underneath the covers, squirming a little before settling.
"I really hope you don't get sick Hazza," Niall yawned.
"So do I, but you and I both know that it's probably gonna happen soon enough."
Niall just yawned again and closed his eyes.
***
Louis' POV:
I didn't want to go back to the house to be completely honest. I was starting to feel like the main character in a zombie apocalypse movie, desperately just trying to not get infected.
I was feeling guilty about leaving Harry there alone though and it was getting late so I knew I had to get back.
After pulling into the driveway, I reluctantly got out of the car and let myself in through the front door.
I was welcomed by dead silence when I opened the door. I couldn't hear a single thing and it was kinda weird.
"I'm back!" I called.
"We're in Niall's room, Lou," Harry replied from down the hallway. I slung my jacket over the chair and sighed. I didn't want to sit out here by myself but I didn't exactly want to go into the germ infested room either.
I sat down on the couch and turned the TV on, getting comfortable on the cushions.
About ten minutes later a pair of hands landed on my shoulders and I jumped in fright.
"Oops, sorry Lou, didn't mean to scare ya," Harry apologised with a grin.
I smiled as my heart slowed down, "s'okay"
"The guys are coming out to watch a movie, they're getting bored in there. Reckon you can give up the couch?" He asked.
"Argh, if I must," I complained with a playful roll of my eyes.
"Thanks, how was your day?" Harry questioned as I stood up.
"Pretty good, the weathers gorgeous out there," I replied.
Before Harry could say anything a very messy head of hair poked out from the hallway and Niall peered into the living room.
Liam waved him forward, "come on, Lou's even gotten off the couch for you."
Niall cleared his throat and shuffled over to the couch. I slowly edged away, trying not to be too obvious.
Liam followed after Niall, looking downright miserable with puffy eyes and awfully pale skin and I wanted to go up and give him a big hug.
Of course I didn't though, no way. I couldn't.
"Hey, Li."
Harry moved to help him, seeing the stumble in his step.
Once he was sat down he shot a tired smile up at Harry, "thanks H."
"What are we watching?" Niall asked stuffily.
"You don't mind if we change it Tommo?" Harry asked.
I smiled, "no, go ahead,"
I was almost at the door now, almost away, "I'm just gonna go grab something to eat."
"Oh I'll have one of whatever you're having? " Niall piped, stopping me mid way through the door.
"I'll take something too, Liam?"
"Yes please."
I sighed quietly to myself, great, now I was gonna have to come back in.
"Okay, I'll be back soon," I said and then finally slipped through the doorway. I opened a few windows to freshen the air and then got to work making a few sandwiches. I purposefully took my time but I had to finish at some point, despite dreading what came next.
Nevertheless, I got my shit together and walked straight back in, balancing three plates on my arms.
"Food's served!"
I handed a plate to Harry and he put it on his lap with a yawn before taking the others and giving them to Niall and Liam, meaning that I didn't have to. A stroke of luck that I'd definitely take.
"You gonna watch the movie with us? It's Spongebob," Niall asked with a bright smile and a cough that made my fingers tingle.
"I think I'm just gonna go have a nap, I'm exhausted for some reason," I lied.
"Hmmm, same, I'm so tir-" Harry sneezed and everyone looked at him expectantly.
"Bless you. . ." Niall muttered carefully, "you good?"
Harry sniffed once with a wave of his hand, "yeah, just a sneeze, I feel fi-"
And there it goes again.
"Ugh, for fucks sake," he grumbled after sneezing another five times in quick succession, "please tell me that it's dusty in here."
"It was cleaned three days ago," Liam said, earning a groan from Harry.
Meanwhile I was just about shitting myself. Three down. I was the only one not sick now which meant that they were gonna expect me to look after them all, which was pretty much impossible considering I was almost shitting myself at the mere thought of getting close to them.
Harry grinned up me, eyes watering from sneezing, "it's up to you now, Lou."
"Uh- I, um. . .I'm scared," I blurted before I could zip my stupid lips shut. I had to stop myself from slapping myself in the head. Why the hell did I say that?
"Huh? What are you scared of Lou?"
Harry plugged his nose hurriedly.
"You guys," I blurted again because I'm a fucking idiot with no filter what so ever.
"What are you going on about, Tommo?" Niall questioned, his face scrunched up in confusion.
I shuddered involuntarily, "all full of germs..."
Harry looked at me for a moment before cracking a toothy grin, "you a germaphobe Lou?"
He laughed a bit.
"Can't help it."
I blushed in embarrassment, Harry was quick to jump up but when he tried to get close for a hug I shied away and he smiled, "I'm not laughing at you Lou, it's just. . .cute."
"Adorable," Niall added.
Liam let out a strangled sound that was barely recognisable at laughter, "explains why you've had at least eight showers in the past three days"
"Yeah. . ." I mumbled with a light smile. At least they didn't seem to think I was a weirdo.
Harry sneezed again and I took another step back.
"Sorry," he murmured, rubbing at his reddening nose in annoyance.
"It's alright," I said, smiling and holding out a tissue. He took it gratefully and backed off onto the couch.
"I do want to help, whenever anyone needs something just call out, I just can't be in this room," I said, watching for reactions. I still felt kind of stupid but at least they knew why I was being so strange now.
Liam grinned tiredly, "thank you Lou, that's perfect."
"Yeah, thanks Tommo, love you man," Niall whispered.
***
Harry's POV:
By the next morning I was really beginning to understand why this thing had Niall and Liam feeling so miserable. I'd been simply annoyed last night but when I woke up I just felt sick and shitty.
Liam was snoring terrifyingly loudly, his mouth hanging open. I could've sworn the walls were shaking.
Niall was out cold still too. He was shivering like mad and his nose was whistling but he was asleep.
I poked an arm out from under the duvet and swiped my phone off the coffee table. It was nine o' clock.
I yawned and realised how sore my throat was, it felt like it was on fire. I sneezed once into a tissue and groaned lowly before going into a fit of them, making the couch quake underneath me.
Would Louis be awake yet? I didn't want to wake him up but I really did want some medicine so that I could go back to sleep.
"Louis!" I croaked, my voice sounding like chalk on a black board. I figured that he couldn't possibly have heard so I cleared my throat painfully and tried again, managing to emit a slightly louder squeak.
A few moments later the door slowly swung opened and Louis poked his head in hesitantly. His hair was messed up and from what I could see he was still in pyjamas.
He scanned the room and upon seeing the other two asleep zoned in on me.
"Was that you? It sounded like a dinosaur," he said, sounding a bit airy. I figured I'd just woken him up.
I choked out a crackly laugh, "sorry. Can you please grab me something to help?"
"Yeah, be back in a sec."
He grinned tightly and left. When he came back he chucked a sheet of pills at me, not coming out of the doorway. I stifled another laugh, it had hurt like a bitch last time.
The whole germaphobe thing was totally weird but it suited him to be honest.
I smiled tiredly and drowned a couple down with water from my bottle, "thanks Lou"
"No problem, you need anything else? I feel bad for leaving you here alone yesterday, it's probably why you got sick," Louis said.
I shook my head, "I would've gotten sick anyway, don't worry about it."
I could tell that he was about to continue fighting me about it, but he was interrupted by Niall flying upright, breathing heavily through his mouth. I could hear his chest wheezing.
I put a shaky hand on his forearm, "hey, what's wrong?"
"Nightmare," he gasped as he started to cough again, loud hacking coughs that made me feel like he was going to spit out a lung any time.
" 'M d-dizzy" he spluttered between coughs, latching onto my hand with his nails digging into my skin.
Scared, I patted his back and held onto him and the coughs slowly eased off to two or three a minute. I glanced back to where Louis had been to find the door closed.
"I'm sorry, Haz! I can't do it!" he yelled through the wood.
"It's okay Lou," I rasped in reply, doubting again that he had even heard me.
Niall finally let go of my arm and leaned against the back of the couch. Liam was still snoring as I tucked my bleeding arm away, not wanting Niall to feel bad about it. I don't know how Liam managed to sleep through that.
"It's alright," I replied, sneezing twice between the words.
Niall wrapped his arms around himself as a shiver shook through him, "why is it so damn cold in h-here?"
"The heat pumps on 19 degrees," I said, "it's not that cold."
"I'm freezing."
His teeth started to chatter and I noticed that his top half was completely bare, "where's your shirt?"
He looked down at his bare chest with a confused frown.
"I dunno. . .I must've gotten hot and taken it off at some point last night," he concluded. "Man, I feel sick as fuck."
I rummaged through his duvet for a bit before pulling out a wrinkled sweat-smelling T-shirt, "here. put this on."
He took it and pulled it down over his head with a cough.
"Thank you, now go to sleep, you look terrible," he ordered, wiping a hand across his forehead.
"Starting to feel it too. . ."
I sneezed again as I snuggled down into the couch, burying myself under the duvet.
"Would you two please shut the hell up?" Liam whined before I could realise that the snoring had stopped.
"Sorry Li," Niall muttered.
Liam pushed his face into his duvet, "shush."
"Someone's grumpy."
"I feel like shit, leave me alone," he moaned.
Niall gestured to the gap in between the two of us on the couch, "come sit up here with us."
Liam opened one eye to peer at the cushions from his splayed out position on the floor.
"Will you be quiet?"
"Promise," I said.
Liam sighed and slowly picked himself up off the floor, joints creaking and shaking. He sat down heavily in the middle of the couch and leaned over onto my shoulder.
"You comfy?" I questioned as he wriggled.
"Not overly," he replied.
Moments later though he was back to snoring so it mustn't have been that bad.
***
Louis' POV:
An hour later I stuck my head back through the door to check they were all still alive. Liam and Harry were a tangled knot of limbs sound asleep by the looks of it but Niall was awake, laying on his back and staring at the ceiling blankly.
"Hey Ni, are you alright?" I asked, seeing as he was the only one who had a chance of responding.
He peered at me with his scarily bloodshot eyes, "I think I h-have a f-fever."
They were puffy as if he'd been crying and his face was dreadfully pale. What kind of cold was this?
"Should I go find the thermometer for you?" I asked.
"It's-" he coughed wetly, "in my r-room."
"Hang tight," I blurted and quickly got out of there.
I found the device on Niall's bedside table and made my way back to the living room where I chucked it in his direction. His arm went up to catch it but it was delayed enough to worry me.
It hit the ground beside the couch and he hung an arm over the edge to scoop it up.
He murmured a slow thank you and tucked the thermometer into his armpit wearily with a groan, "fuck my head hurts. . ."
The thermometer beeped and he tugged it out.
"What's it say?"
"I don't e-even know," he muttered, holding it at different distances an attempt to see the numbers on the screen. I didn't know much about sickness, considering I usually hid in my room when stuff like this happens, but I wasn't stupid and I knew that this couldn't possibly be a good thing.
"Wake up one of the others," I suggested. I didn't want to touch the damn thing.
He lazily chucked the thermometer and Harry whined as it collided with his face.
"Why'd ya wake me. . .?" he grumbled lethargically.
"Can you read it f-for me?" Niall asked.
Harry coughed, "why?"
"I can't," Niall replied and Harry opened his eyes.
"What? Seriou-"
He broke off into a flurry of sneezes, curling over himself.
Once it was done he blinked the tears from his eyes and looked at the thermometer. His eyes widened and he cleared his throat.
"Harry?" I said, "what is it?"
"104.2."
"Is that bad?"
"He needs to- huh- go to the hospital."
Harry stifled another sneeze as my heart dropped all the way down to my toes.
Niall squeaked frightfully.
"What?"
Harry sneezed another eight times and this time Liam woke up, lifting his slightly to see what all the commotion was about. "Harry. . .cover. . ." he complained, trying to squirm out of the way.
"Can't we just cool him down? Get him in the shower or something?" I tried desperately.
Nothing was worse than a hospital for me. Nothing. Even the thought of a hospital was enough to give me nightmares.
"What's going on?" Liam questioned, "can we talk about this quieter?"
"Please," Niall whimpered.
"Lou, I know you're scared b-"
Harry's voice completely broke off. He cleared his throat and tried again but it was barely a whisper, and it sounded like it hurt too, "this is serious. He has to go."
"I have to take him?" I squeaked, realising the situation. Liam and Harry weren't going anywhere any time soon and I was perfectly healthy still. I was the only one who could do it.
"What? Who's being taken where?" Liam sniffed, peering around in confusion. His glassy eyes landed on Niall. "Geez Ni, you're not looking so hot, are you-" he cut of in realisation.
"Hospital?"
"He's burning," Harry whispered.
He grimaced as he swallowed.
"Do you you think you can do this Lou? It's okay if you can't, I'll go."
I looked at him. Pale and sweaty, with barely any voice left and stifling sneezes every few seconds.
I really didn't want to go anywhere near the hospital, but I didn't want Harry driving as he was either. There was nothing good that could come from letting a sick, dizzy guy behind the wheel.
Which meant that I was just going to have to try. I had to.
I put on a brave face and stepped into the room, ignoring the racing of my heart in my chest. I could do this. For Niall, I had to.
"You can't Haz, I can do this."
I nodded with as much confidence as I could muster. Sweat had already begun pouring down my back.
Liam smiled at me tiredly as I forced myself closer and closer to the swarm of germs, "we know you can, Lou."
I felt like they were crawling under my skin, fluttering in my ears.
I clenched my muscles and held out a hand for Niall to take, looking him straight in them eyes.
He looked at me doubtfully, "are you sure?"
I nodded stiffly and he shakily slid a clammy hand into mine. I locked all my muscles so that I wouldn't shudder and pulled him upright as gently as I could.
The moment his weight was on his legs though he tipped and clung onto me, his entire sweaty body pressed against mine. I felt like I could be sick.
"I'm sorry, L-Lou! I'm s-so sorry!"
He burst into tears, sniffling and coughing all over me.
I gulped and tried to keep my breathing steady for his sake. Come on Tomlinson, you've got this.
I swiftly picked him up and hurriedly made my way out to the car, opening the back door and placing him down as quickly as I could. He was still crying and honestly I kind of wanted to as well.
I was covered in snot and spit and I was freaking the fuck out and we weren't even at the hospital yet.
I inhaled a shuddery breath and got into the drivers seat, telling myself over and over that I could do this.
I drove way too fast for two reasons, one being fear for Niall's life, and the other being the fact that I just wanted out of the car as soon as possible.
I pulled into the car park and followed the arrows to the emergency bay. As I said, I didn't know too much but the look on Harry's face when he saw the numbers was enough to make me think that this was an emergency.
I pulled into a park and wrenched the car into park, my breath catching in my throat when I remembered what the next part of the plan involved.
It was quiet in the car and I glanced back to see that Niall had stopped crying. His face was splotchy and his eyes had a far away look in them but somehow the guy was still watching me worriedly, as if I was the one with the killer fever.
"Let's move," I blurted before I could talk myself out of it and swung the door open.
I got out and opened Niall's door. He leaned on my heavily as he tried to get to his feet and his breathing was rapid. I slung an arm under his shoulder to keep him upright, my breathing almost as fast as his as I tried to keep my calm.
I was fighting with myself, half of me wanted to get Niall inside, and be there for him, while the other half just wanted to drop him and run for the hills.
I started tugging him towards the doors, my steps getting smaller and smaller the closer we got.
It was only when black started falling into the edges of my sight that I realised just how fast and shallow my breathing was and I stumbled against the wall right next to the entrance, a strangled sob tearing from my throat as I struggled to get the oxygen I so desperately needed.
"Lou. . ." Niall gasped as I sagged onto my knees, dragging him down with me.
"Mate, it's okay, you've gotta breathe," Niall coughed.
"S-scared," I cried out uselessly.
"So am I, come on Lou, you can do this."
I looked at him and somewhere behind my panicked state a wave of guilt washed over me. Here I was breaking down over something as simple as stepping into a building while my friend with a frightening fever tried to calm me down.
Niall slumped even further, his eyes drooping and my lungs suddenly opened, finally allowing air back into them.
I had to get him inside, no more messing about Louis, just do it.
I hoisted him up and with a determined swallow marched straight through the doors.
***
"You're amazing Lou," Niall croaked with a tired smile from his bed.
I sighed, "I'm an idiot"
"And you look damn good in that mask, you should be a surgeon," Niall said, chuckling.
I blushed a little and adjusted the cover over my nose and mouth. There were a pair of gloves on my hands too.
After Niall was taken from me I pretty much had another panic attack in front of twenty people embarrassingly enough. Once someone realised why though, I was given the protection stuff which helped a lot thankfully.
"You're feeling a bit better?" I asked.
"Getting there, still can't believe I ended up in hospital over a cold."
He coughed with a roll of his eyes, which were thankfully a lot clearer and familiar than they had been earlier.
After a few hours the doctors managed to get his fever down to 100 and we were let out. Being out of the hospital was a massive relief, a weight lifted off my shoulders, especially because I was leaving with a Niall who wasn't about to pass out or burn to death from the inside out.
Liam and Harry were asleep when we got back and Niall joined them straight away, falling asleep in moments. He definitely needed it.