Only a Heartbeat Away

Chapter 8

"Liam please tell me she seriously did not do what I think she has done?" Louis said in a scarily calm tone. Liam couldn't seem to form words as he tried to process what just happened himself.

"Did she actually? ... I mean she's not that... what the hell!?" Niall stuttered. Zayn said nothing just sat there wide eyed as he couldn't comprehend how someone could be so utterly, utterly ridiculously stupid enough to take his sick band mate away from the only people who can look after him properly, however as he looked around, he noticed Louis was fuming. Zayn looked at Niall and pointed towards Louis. Niall held up his hand to signal to Zayn that Louis has been fuming for the last 5 minutes and was about to say something else when the bus started moving. Liam's phone rang at this point making him move to quickly answered and press the speaker button

"Liam it's Josh."

"Do you have Harry?"

"Yeah, I've got Harry."

"Are you keeping him calm?"

"Yes, I'm attempting to keep him calm. How's L...?"

"Not great. Sally basically kidnapped Harry right in front of him and he seems to be spiralling." Louis said nothing, keeping his face neutral but his eyes said another story and that was the scary part. The blue looked like a storm has brewed in the middle of the ocean during the darkest time of night. It was very disconcerting to say the least.

"The fuck! Are you kidding me?! What do you want me to do?"

"Keep Harry calm. Steam him in the bathroom if he starts to wheeze. The steam from the shower will help keep his lungs open and clear just be careful not to overheat him. He had a bit of a temperature earlier and we managed to keep it down and pump him full of fluids."

"Liam, we have do not..." Josh started to say but Louis cut him off,

"You think we don't know that! You seriously think we don't know that you don't have the right equipment on that fookin' bus to look after my husband sufficiently. There is a very real possibility that Harry could fookin' die right now because that bus doesn't have what he needs so yes, we are well aware. I'm very well aware. Just keep him comfortable please." Louis sighed and made his way to the back of the bus and curled up in Harry's bunk just wanting to be around his scent. Zayn got up and followed Louis out not wanting his friend to be alone with his dark thoughts and was shocked by the fact that Louis said Harry could die. Niall moved to be next to Liam so he could comfort both himself and Liam

"It isn't easy Li especially when his breathing..." Josh continued once the commotion had passed,

"I understand. Josh, I do. You just need to keep him calm really until we get to the next venue."

"I'll try. Okay."

"That's all we ask."

"Okay. Bye Liam." Liam hung up and pulled Niall into a tight hug taking a much-needed breath before throwing himself back into this war with Sally.

"How long until the next venue?" Liam asked Niall breaking the oppressive silence that has surrounded the tour bus

"Four and a half hours."

Four and a half hours of pure unadulterated hell. Liam prayed Louis was wrong about just how dire this whole situation could be. Unable to handle the silence any longer Niall turned on Netflix, clicking play on 'Big Bang Theory' and settled in for the longest four hours of his entire musical career.