Niall POV
"I'm busy", I told him, pushing the phone back towards him, "tell him to call back".
"I don't really think that's an option", Liam said, "take the phone".
He put the phone in my hand.
Grabbing Megan's hand, he said "Care to dance?"
Laughing, she responded, "I'd love to. Niall, go talk to Paul".
He took her away, and I was alone.
"Hello", I tried to say on the phone over the music.
"Hey, Niall", he said, "come outside to the waiting room".
Crap, he was here. I didn't feel like dealing with this right now. I reluctantly walked to the waiting room to find him waiting there.
"Paul, look. I know I'm going to be punished somehow, maybe even fined. But, tonight is Megan's night, and I don't want anything to r-".
"Horan, hush", he said.
He beckoned for me to take a seat beside him.
"Calm down. I didn't come down here to yell at you. I just wanted to let you know that I don't blame you for hitting John. He deserved it, he was a dick".
"Then, why were you so pissed at the studio?"
"Niall, my job is to look after you boys. What kind of example would I be setting if I told you it was okay to hit him while we were still on the radio?"
I laughed.
"So, you really don't care?"
"Well, let's not get crazy. I think you were both being dumb. You should have kept your composure. He should have never said such an idiotic thing. But, nevertheless, he deserved it".
"So, I'm not in trouble?"
"After going back down there and saying a few choice words to him, I'll spare you the details, but I'm sure you've said worse, he agreed not to press charges. And, you'll be getting an apology from him soon. You're fine".
I smiled and hugged him. He was taken by surprise and started laughing.
"Now, get back in there and enjoy your night. You should go enjoy Megan".
"I will".
As I was walking away, he stopped me.
"Niall, are you okay? You know...with everything that's going on? How are you holding up?"
"Well, I haven't completely broken down if that's what you mean, but I'm still together. I have to be...for her".
"Well, I'm sure she'll understand if you shed a couple of tears. But, if you need someone to talk to, don't hesistate to come to me".
"Thanks, Paul. I'll remember that".
He nodded his head and walked away. What Paul said had gotten me a little emotional. I put on a smile and walked back in there to enjoy my night with Megan.
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It was about 1 when the party finally ended. Ashley decided to stay with me while the rest of the boys went home.
"Bye, babe", she said to Harry, "I'll call you in the morning, okay?"
She kissed him, and he drove home with the rest of the boys. I grabbed some blankets for Ashley out of the closet.
"How are you?", I heard Ashley ask Megan.
"I'm...okay".
The hesistation in her voice was hard to miss.
"Niall, could you give us a minute, please?"
I nodded towards Ashley and walked out.
Megan POV
"Megan, tell me the truth. How do you feel?"
"To put it in nice terms, I feel like absolute crap. I can barely breathe, and I still hate that he has to take care of me all the time. It just seems like he is completely turning his life around for me, and I hate being fussed over".
"Do you realize that he wouldn't be fussing over you if he didn't love you? He's here because of how he feeels about you. None of us would be here if we didn't actually care about you".
"I know, but I still wish that it wasn't necessary".
She grabbed my hand.
"I know you do. None of this is fair to you. But, we have to make the best of it".
I tried my best to smile., but I just didn't have the strength. Ashley kissed my forehead, and Doris walked back in.
"Hey there....", she trailed off when she saw Ashley, "Uh, am I going crazy, or are there 2 of you in the room?"
They laughed, and I watched them. It hurt my chest to laugh.
"Yes, there are 2 of us. I'm her identical twin, Ashley".
"Well, it's lovely to meet you. Megan is a joy to have, so I'm sure you'll be the same".
Niall walked back in as Doris took my blood pressure. He let Ashley have the couch, and he slept in the chair pulled up next to me.
Niall POV
During the middle of the night, I noticed that Megan's breathing was ragged. It was like she was trying her hardest with every breath. It was hard for me to sleep because I was worried about her. My eyes were finally closing when she started coughing. The monitor started going crazy, and she leaned up and clutched her chest. Doris came in.
"Is she all right?", I asked.
"She's fine, but I'm prepared for what's coming".
Megan was still coughing, and Doris put a bucket in front of her. I turned my head when I saw red fluid leave her mouth. Blood.
"What? Why is there blood?"
"Her lungs are trying to help her breathe, and they have to get any fluid out as quickly as possible. So, every now and then, she might cough up blood".
"Is there anything that I can do?"
"Yes. Every time it happens, you need to make her drink water. You need to flush her system out or else it get clogged in there, and her lungs will give out".
She didn't continue, but I knew what that meant.
"Every time? Is this going to happen a lot?"
Doris put a hand on shoulder. She didn't say anything, but I also knew what that meant. She walked out, and I glanced at Ashley. She hadn't moved at all. That girl could sleep through anything. Over the next few hours, Megan had 2 more coughing fits. Each time, I kept forcing water down her throat. I wasn't even sure that she knew it was me doing it. She never opened her eyes. At about 7, I got up. There was no point in trying to sleep, but, I was exhausted. Megan woke up an hour later.
"Hey, babe", she said.
"Hey", I forced a smile.
"How'd you sleep?"
"Fine. You?"
"Not well. My dreams kept getting interrupted, but I'm not quite sure why. I don't remember what happened last night".
Good.
"Oh, well. I bet it was fine. Nothing special happened".
Ashley turned over and looked at us.
"You are a heavy sleeper", I said to her.
She laughed.
"Yeah, Harry says the same thing".
Speaking of Harry, he and Liam walked in.
"Good morning", Harry said, kissing Ashley, "how are all of you?"
"I'm fine", I told him.
"Same", Megan said, but she didn't look it.
"Guess what?", Liam asked, smiling, "we have a surprise for you".
Megan look confused. Liam walked out of the room and came back in with a dog.
"APOLLO", she screamed.
He sat Apollo on top of the hospital bed with her. She was beaming with happiness.
"Niall mentioned that you missed him, so we decided to bring him with us. Doris said it was fine for 15 minutes, then he has to go".
Megan glanced my way.
"Don't look at me. That was all them. It was a fine idea, actually".
"I would hug both of you", she said, "but my hands are a little full".
"We know. We're just happy to see you're happy".
"It's good to see him one last time".
Harry and Liam glanced at me, and I avoided eye contact. One last time? It was November 1st. Why would this be her last time seeing him? Liam intervened.
"He's a great dog, Apollo. I want to get one like him. He's quite friendly".
"He is", Megan said.
Doris came in and apologized for saying that Apollo had to leave.
"We'll be right back", Harry, Ashley, and Liam said.
They walked down to the snack machine, and Zayn walked in.
"Hey, mate", I said, "how are you doing?"
"I'm fine. I just wanted to see how my favorite patient was".
Megan blushed.
"I'm okay. I'm actually glad that you stopped by. I wanted to talk to you".
He sat down and faced us.
"What?"
"What ever happened to you and Parker?"
Zayn threw his head back and laughed.
"Seriously?"
"Yes, I'm serious".
"Well, while in America, we had sex, and she avoided me for a while. We came back here, she saw me once, and never spoke to me again".
"Why don't you call her?"
"She was still hung up on Niall the last time I spoke to her".
"Well, wouldn't you be?", I chuckled.
Zayn rolled his eyes and continued.
"I don't want to be her rebound guy".
"Look, Zayn. When I lived with Parker, she was a lovely girl. And, she talked about you a lot".
"What's your point?"
"Call her".
He smiled and tried to avoid the subject.
"I appreciate the thought, babe. I'll think about it".
"That's all I ask".
He kissed her forehead and walked out.
"I'm sorry about that last night", Doris said, walking back in.
"What are you talking about?", Megan asked.
I tried to signal to Doris that I didn't want Megan to know about her coughs. She didn't get the message.
"Well, he didn't get any sleep last night because he was up all night with you".
"With me? Why?"
"You went into the those coughing fits I explained to you a long time ago. He stayed up and held your head over a bucket and made you drink water".
Megan eyed me.
"Is that why you look utterly exhausted?"
I looked away and nodded.
"Doris, could you give us a minute please?"
She walked out, and Megan turned to me.
"Don't talk just listen".
I couldn't look at her. So, I kept my eyes on the tv where The Notebook was playing.
"I know how you feel. I'm tired too. I'm tired of being sick. I want to feel better just for a little bit. I want to forget that I might not make it through. I want to forget that I will probably die. Niall......I know what you're doing. Stop trying to be strong".
I kept my eyes focused on the tv where the movie was getting ready to end. Noah had just gotten in the hospital bed with Allie.
"I'm not trying to be strong".
She grabbed my hand.
"Niall....".
She was right. Paul was right. I had been holding it in. But, now I just let the tears flow out. She was crying now too.
"I'm sorry that we won't be able to have that".
She was gesturing towards the tv.
"I'm sorry that we won't be able to grow old together...have kids...get married".
We cried in silence for a second. Then, I thought of something. Wiping my tears, I stood up.
"Well, maybe part of it can".
"What?", she asked.
I took a breath and continued.
"Marry me, Megan".
HAHA! Told you that you would expect it! Think she's gonna say yes? Think she'll even survive long enough to make it to the wedding? We'll see! I MIGHT update on Wednesday. I start my new, and I need to see how writing will fit in. If I don't update on Wednesday, expect a new chapter on Thursday! Enjoy! (: