In The Nick Of Time

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

Summary:

Let the shadows fall behind.

When Liam woke up the next morning, he was head heavy but he didn't mind not getting up for the bit. Just closing his eyes and laying there in the silence of the morning, the cracked open curtains stilled as the fireplace was cleaned out probably before he could wake up. Some one had to be up to do that. Slowly sitting up, he heard a screen door open and a crackle of thunder rumble the house. His heart raced to the loud whip and Niall's loud cackle following. Liam leaned to look into the door way to see Niall holding a basket, soaking wet from outside and the rain that'd suddenly began beating against the windows.

He noticed Liam. "Liam, you're up early." He smiled widely, he shifted the basket in one hand. "Normally, I'm the only up in this hour." He disappeared into the kitchen. "Are you allergic to any fruits, Liam?"

Liam threw the blankets off. "No, well - I can't have berries. That's it."

Next thing he knows is that soaking wet Niall is standing in front of him holding out a plum. Liam stared at him confused as he took it. "We have a garden of our own." Niall informed, "I was out getting the last of the fruits before the rain came down." He looked to the windows, "It's raining buckets out there now."

Liam took a bite of the ripe fruit, wiping his chin of the fruit that dripped down.

Niall smiled, "Good, yeah?"

"Very. Thank you."

Niall smiled again and walked out, "Every one gets up in a couple of hours normally." Niall muttered from the kitchen, behind a bunch of running water from the faucet and fridge door opening and closing.

"What time is it?"

"About eight in the morning."

Liam went wide eyed. Eight in the morning, he'd still be sleeping any other day. Harry would be up and already finished making breakfast for when Liam woke up later, maybe it was the new surroundings that pulled him out of his sleep. He hadn't grown used to sleeping on the couch with just a thin blanket over him in the fall season, it just wasn't natural. He looked to the shirt that Niall handed him the night before, and picked it up. Lin said she was still sewing his shirt, but Niall insisted that she should just throw it out considering it was all tattered and the stains of blood were not going to come out entirely.

"How're you feeling then?" Niall asked, coming in and putting a cup of tea on the table for Liam.

"Fine. Thank you." Liam said, as he leaned forward and picked up the cup gently. He'd gained strength for the hours he was conscious, he could grip but it wasn't the best if he did.

Niall scoffed and held Liam's cup upright in his hand. Insisting he'd grab it, he assisted Liam in drinking the tea and put the down the cup soon after. "How's the bandages holding out?" Niall said, reaching for Liam's shoulder and bicep.

"Alright."

"I'll go and change them." Niall came back after with new gauze and medical tape. Replacing the old bandages with new ones on Liam's shoulder, bicep, and ribs, Niall started undoing the one on Liam's thigh.

"Could I ask you some thing, Niall?" Liam asked suddenly, when he put the plum seed aside.

"Sure."

Liam cleared his still scratchy throat. "You said you had traps out in the woods. What for?"

Niall reached for the new gauze, inspecting the healing cut on Liam's leg first. "Some times Z traps things so he can put them out."

"Put them out?" Liam muttered.