After The End: Book 1

19. Important Discussions

Naomis POV

Harry didn't show many improvements throughout the first day. I went back to see him once but he had just looked at me curiously and said, "I saw you in my doorway. You looked very frightened."

I had nodded, trying to hold back my surprise. "I was frightened."

"I don't know what happened next though," he added. His expression was somber and laced in confusion.

He hadn't waited for me to respond before going back to staring at his hands, holding them before his face and attempting to hold them still. He was concentrating intently and seemed to forget I was there almost immediately. Aside from these short interactions, he slept periodically and would argue with the nurses and doctors when they would rouse him to check his vitals and cognition. He was easy to temper and easy to deescalate but following his changes was dizzying. His common complaints, according to Louis were: "I'm confused," "I'm tired," "Everything hurts," and "I'm dizzy." He refused food and pulled out his IV twice for reasons we hadn't understood when he'd tried to explain. He asked to see Louis often and when Louis would arrive, he told us that Harry would simply confirm that he was in fact okay and then go back to whatever he was occupying his time with. He sat staring into space often as well. He seemed to be sitting right on the cusp of lucidity, aware that he was only just a little disconnected, but enough to be scared shitless by the circular thoughts that he couldn't escape from. It was troubling.

Me and Louis didn't talk about the baby. He had made it pretty clear that he needed time and I wanted to give it to him. I wasn't in a position to start demanding communication after my hiatus and Harry was obviously taking up all of our emotional energy.

Still, it was Louis who suggested we go back to his flat for the night. Despite what looked like serious drawbacks, Louis anxiety towards the Harry situation had deflated considerably after Harry woke up. Niall had finally agreed to take his leave towards the end of the day, stating that as long as Harry was awake and in good hands, he felt confident in heading back to his family. He'd travelled a distance to be here for Harry's birthday and he was already getting homesick, especially after the commotion of the past days. He had hugged Louis, whispered something encouraging and then hugged me. "Be nice to Prince Charming," he'd whispered before letting me go. I would miss Nialls presence.

After Niall had left, Louis brought me back with him to Harry's room to tell him we were leaving. Harry was the most cooperative when Louis was around. Louis said he was actually enjoying watching Harry give everyone else, especially the medical personnel, an uncooperative attitude. He said it was proof that Harry was still thriving under his confused mask.

Harry was sitting himself in a hospital chair beside the bed defiantly staring at a nurse that was supposed to be getting him back into bed when we arrived. Upon seeing us enter and taking a moment to register who we were, he'd smiled and leaned back further into his chair.

"Are you supposed to be there?" Louis asked skeptically. His smile was false but Harry didn't seem to notice.

The nurse frowned down at him and answered "No." She scowled at him one more time before sticking her hands into the pockets of her blue scrubs and wandering off leaving him as Louis problem.

Louis approached him and held out an arm. "Back to bed?" His tone was so confident. Even when he didn't know what Harry needed, he acted like he did.

Harry made an unsure expression. "I don't want to stand. It makes me dizzy."

"How did you get to the chair then?" Louis raised his eyebrows skeptically.

"A lot of effort." Harry shrugged as if that explained things. Louis was still holding his arm out, and seemingly in an effort to please, Harry used both hands to haul himself to a standing position with Louis assistance. He made a face like the effort had been painful, but stayed standing. He closed his eyes tight and didn't talk for a moment before mumbling, "Head rush."