Louis
“I'm sorry I shouted at you” I tell Liam, when he comes back to my room a few hours later.
“I'm sorry I . . . I'm sorry I didn't try to help” he says, looking down at his feet. I frown.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“I ran” he says. “I knew you were out there and I just ran. I knew people were in trouble and I ran and I didn't look back.”
And then I feel bad for Liam.
I didn't think other people might be guilty as well.
“I did the same thing” I say softly. “I thought that man shot you and I didn't got back to find out.”
“You thought I was dead” Liam says. “I don't blame you.”
“I don't blame you either” I tell him. “I can't blame you.”
“We sound pathetic” Liam says, the corner of his mouth, twitching up. “'It's not your fault, it's mine.' Can't we just decide to blame the bastards that did this?” I sigh.
“I'll never stop blaming myself” I tell him. “No matter what you say.”
“Promise me they're at least half to blame then” Liam says, the corner of his mouth turning up.
“Fine” I say. “I promise.”
“Have the doctors said anything about Zayn or Niall?” Liam asks, finally taking a seat in the chair next to my bed. I shake my head.
“They haven't said anything to you?” I ask him. I would've thought he'd know all the things that nobody wanted to tell me.
“I was getting a hotel” he tells me. “Though I don't think I'll be spending much time there.”
“Oh” I say, for lack of a better word. “Uhm . . . well, they don't tell me anything.”
“I guess that's good” Liam replies. “I mean . . . no news is good news, right?”
I know what he means.
They'd tell us if Niall or Zayn . . . if they . . . I can't even think it.
I don't want to think it.
“They have to be fine” I mumble.
Liam rests a hand on mine, a gesture that's supposed to be comforting, but it just reminds me of Harry. That's something he does.
Used to do.
No, does.
That's something he does.
“They will be” Liam says softly. “Don't worry.”
-
Callin
There's another girl sitting here, with me, outside of operation.
I don't know who she is, but she's on the verge of tears, staring intently at the door.
I don't try to talk to her, and I don't think she even knows I'm here.
I wonder who she is.
But the intensity in her glare, the way her body is curled up, like she's protecting herself from something. It reminds me of Louis. How he was sitting, in the hospital bed earlier today.
She's trying, futilely, to protect herself from something that can't be stopped.
I'm waiting here for news about Niall, because I know they won't tell me otherwise. Preston wheeled my chair out here, and promised to come back at dinnertime.
I've been sitting here, with this strange girl, for about an hour. But she's been here longer; she was here when I arrived. I wonder who she's waiting for. I wonder if maybe she knows Niall, or if beyond closed doors, there's another operating room, with someone else on a table, fighting for their life.
The door that I'm staring at opens slowly, silently. A man sticks his head out.
“You two for Niall Horan?” he asks us. I nod. So does the girl. She casts a quick glance behind her, and seems surprised that I'm here. But the man's news is more important to her then who I am, and so she turns back to him.
“He's out of surgery” the man says. “Moved to room 306. We don't know yet if he'll recover, we'll have to see if he wakes up. Do you know the way?”
“Yeah” the girl says. And actually, I do as well. Niall's room is next to mine.
“Thanks” I say softly. The man smiles sadly, and then retreats into the room.
“Callin?” the girl asks me.
“Yeah?” I reply, a bit confused. How does she know my name?
“Oh, uhm, hi” she says. “I'm Robin.” She stands up. “You were here a few days ago. I was kinda waiting for you to wake up. I mean, it gets lonely here in the hospital. But then you left. N-Niall was waiting outside your room that day and we ended up talking and that's why I'm here.”
“N-nice to meet you” I say softly.
“Uhm . . . d'you want to go to Niall's room with me?” she asks.
“Sure” I reply. “Uhm . . . d'you mind pushing me?”
“Not at all” she says, smiling at me. I send Preston a text on my brand new mobile, telling him where I've gone, as Robin pushes me through the hallways to Niall's room.
He's in his room, in the bed. His face is pale, his chest moves so slightly I think I've imagined it for a moment. His eyes are shut tightly.
I hope they don't stay that way.
Robin pushes my chair into the room, and then falls into the chair by Niall's bed. I don't mean to listen, but I hear her whisper something to him.
“Please wake up.”
I wonder what she and Niall talked about, to make them this close.
I also wonder what she's doing in this hospital.
-
Louis
“I don't get how we can just leave Zayn and Niall” I say angrily. Preston sighs.
“Louis, you can't stay here anymore” he says. “We've gotten you rooms in the hotel next door-”
“And you're making us do another interview!” I explode. “Because the first one didn't nearly get us killed!” The police told us yesterday that the two men found us because of the interview.
They followed us home.
“Is the hotel safe?” Liam asks softly, with a glance at me. “Wouldn't, uhm, everyone guess that we're staying there?”
He's trying not to remind me that there are still people after me.
At least he cares.
I'm starting to doubt that Preston does.
He's scheduled Liam, Callin, and I another interview. Apparently, 'the world' wants to know about the attack.
And 'the world' doesn't care that I don't really want to talk about it.
It's been five days since the attack. They're finally kicking Callin and I out of the hospital. And today's Callin's last day with the wheelchair. She's in her room, right now, and Liam, Preston, and I are in mine.
“What are we going to tell them?” I ask softly. “When they ask where Niall and Zayn and Harry are?”
It turns out I interrupted Preston's answer to Liam's question. They both stare at me.
“The truth” Preston finally replies. “We'll put out a call for Harry, and tell them that Niall and Zayn are in the hospital.”
“Will we be safe?” I ask.
“As I was just telling Liam, we will” Preston says. “The London police will be on guard outside the hotel at all times. Our security us inside.”
“So you, Patrick, and Jonas” I say. “I feel safer already.” Liam glares at me.
“Paul's coming” Preston says.
A massive grin breaks out on my face before I can stop it.
Paul is our real head of security, but for the past two months, he's been at home, with his family. Something he had to take care of. But now he's coming back.
“We're also getting six new security guards” Preston continues.
“That's like two for each of us” Liam says, half-smiling.
“Five for each of us” I say softly. Liam sighs.
“They'll be fine” he says, and I know he's talking about our friends. But I also know that he can't be sure. He can't possibly know that they'll be okay.
“Louis, we've got to go now” Preston says. “Patrick and Jonas and a few police officers are escorting us over.” He hands me my crutches, since I still can't walk on my foot. I really did some damage with that damn plate.
I heave myself out of the bed, Liam and Preston watching nervously, ready to catch me if I fall.
“Daddy Direction strikes again” I mumble, mostly to disguise my embarrassment.
I don't want to have to depend on them.
Liam leads the way out of the room, and next door, to where Callin is. Niall's room is next to hers, and I really want to go and visit him, but I know we don't have time.
Preston heads into the room to get Callin, and Liam and I wait in the hallway.
“I don't want to fight” Liam says after a moment. “I'm really sorry . . . I wasn't there. I didn't help you.”
“I'm not mad at you” I mumble. “I'm mad at me.”
“You're mad at the world” Liam replies. “You're mad that some guy decided to come after you. You're mad that Niall and Zayn haven't woken up yet. You're mad that Harry's still gone.”
He's right.
Liam's really wise. People might not notice, but he's a really great guy to talk to. He always knows what's wrong.
And how to fix it.
The door to Callin's room opens, and she walks out.
Walks.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Liam grin.
My eyes meet hers.
And I'm surprised at what I see in her eyes.
She's been crying.
-
Callin
I walk out of my room, and Louis' face lights up. He looks . . . proud of me.
But I can't focus on that for more then a second.
His eyes meet mine, and his smile falls slightly. He sees the redness that I know is there.
Preston places a hand on my shoulder, to give me strength, I guess.
It doesn't help.
I can't believe I didn't notice before, but I left it in the house, and that means it's gone.
Delaney's giraffe.
---
A/N: Hello
Oops.
Should've seen that coming.
OMG so I was lsitening to a really sad song while I wrote this. Therefore it's probably more depressing then it was supposed to be.
Please excuse any typos . . . I usually don't edit my author's notes, and my hands are cold, because it's cold in my bedroom, and yeah. Frozen fingers = not fun.
Food.
I don't know wher that came from.
Okay, what did you think about this chapter?
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If you're lucky, the next update will be tomorrow . . . maybe. Or the next day. I don't know. Soon.
True to last chapter's promise, I ACTUALLY have over a thousand votes on this story, so I think I'll stop the vote counts c:
VOTE ANYWAY.
I'd REALLY love to place in the Watty Awards . . .
Oh, those of you that voted for me in various contests, you may have noticed that Run won two of them c:
First place, against other big stories, so thank you so much!
So updates for this story, starting in October, should be on Monday, Thursday, and Sunday. Look forward to actual updates!
Maybe on time.
Maybe not.
I'm trying this for the first time, okay?
I'm bad with deadlines.
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Love you <3
~Brook