1D • Missing Hearts

Louis Beaten

~
At The Hospital

Niall's POV
"It's healing as expected Niall," The doctor told us and a tear ran down my cheek. I was relieved that the management team had not screwed up my long term health. At least not yet... "Are you ok?" The doctor asked me.
"Yeah. It's just great news."
"Are you completely resting it for 4 hours a day?"
"I am," I lied.
"Good. Keep resting it and you should be back to normal in 4 weeks."
"Thank you."

"That is good news Niall," Louis said as we left the hospital.
"It's great. I'm still in a lot of pain, and it's going to be hard. But I'm healing as expected."
"Keep taking it as easy as you can. We might not be able to control what happens to us, but we can control how we react to it."
"Exactly. Thanks Louis," I said and I leant in to kiss Louis on his cheek. He also moved and accidentally or not, we ended up kissing each other on the lips. "Oh."
"Sorry Niall," Louis said as he pulled away. After a moment, we looked at each other.
"I liked it."
"So did I," Louis said and I could feel myself blushing. "Come here," Louis said, and he kissed me again. We got carried away, and I took my hand off my crutch. It caused me to lose my balance, but Louis caught me as I fell.
"Niall! Are you ok?" Louis asked as held me, and I just started laughing. "You're ok?"
"Yeah."
"Good," Louis said, and he gave me a peck on the cheek before he helped me to stand up. "We need to get back."
"Of course. They'll be really angry if we're not there for rehearsals."
"It's a miracle that they let me come to your appointment with just our security."
"I know."
"After you," Louis said as he opened the car door for me, and I got in.

~
Rehearsal

Louis's POV
Our rehearsal was going well and both Niall and I were happy. We kept looking at each other, and then Liam looked over at me.
What happened? He mouthed.
We kissed, I mouthed back before I blushed.
"Story of my Life boys," Management called and the track started.

Once the rehearsal was over, we were making our way out to the cars to take us back to the hotel when one of the managers came over to me.
"Louis. Can I have a word?"
"Sure. What's it about?" I asked as the boys paused.
"We've got an idea about your part in the song. We want you to hang on for half an hour, you'll rejoin the boys at the hotel."
"Ok," I said, knowing that I couldn't say no. "I'll see you later, lads."
"See you soon Louis."
"Have fun," Liam said, and they went to the cars while I followed management.

~
Beaten

Everything was going well. We were performing our concerts, we were keeping our struggles to ourselves and we were doing everything that the managers asked us to do.
"Just in here Louis," Nick said and I went into the room.
"Oh. It's not the recording studio?"
"You really are the most pathetic member of One Direction," Nick said as I turned around. He thrust the active taser into my stomach and I fell to the ground as my muscles seized up.
"Argh! Aaargh! Ah, ah, ah, ah," I gasped as I lay helplessly on the ground. Then Nick kicked me hard in the stomach. "Arh," I gasped as the air was forced out of my lungs.
"You legally have to do what we tell you to, and we very clearly told you to not let your frustrations known. Do you know," Nick said before he thrust the taser into my skin again just as its effects were starting to wear off.
"Argh! Ah... arh... arh..."
"How many people would want to be in your shoes? To have this opportunity," Nick continued before he kicked me several times in the stomach, hard.

"Ah," I gasped as I rolled onto my side. My torso was in agony.
"You are so lucky. You know that?" Nick asked as he crouched in front of me. "You are so lucky that you are vital to the band of One Direction, because if you weren't," Nick said as he stroked his hand along my face.
"Argh," I gasped, I wanted to fight back, but my body was refusing to move.
"I would kill you right now. YOU WILL ACT AS WE TELL YOU TO!" Nick shouted as he kicked me harder, and I felt one of my ribs break.
"ARGHAARGH!" I screamed before I whimpered and I curled my body into itself.

"You will act as we tell you to," Nick said quietly as he crouched beside me and I coughed, blood splattering onto the carpet between us. I had my arms wrapped around my broken and bruised torso, trying to protect it from any more devastating attacks.
"Or I won't hurt you. I will hurt Niall, and Liam. I will break every bone in their body and make you watch as we force them to perform," Nick said and I started to shiver. I wasn't sure if it was because I was scared: or if I was cold: or if I was in shock.

I closed my eyes and waited for the next blow. But it didn't come. Instead I heard running water, then a cold, wet flannel was thrown onto my face.
"Clean yourself up," Nick said before I heard him leave and he closed the door behind him.

~

I lay in a ball, just shaking as tears fell down my face. My rib was broken, and I could feel the sharp searing pain. Nick had only attacked my abdomen, meaning he wanted my injuries to be hidden. I knew that if I showed them to anyone, tell anyone what he'd done to me: he would hurt Niall and Liam. I had no doubt that he would hurt me too, and he wouldn't be so kind next time.

I lay still for what felt like an hour, before I sat up and took off my top. The boy's were back at the hotel, blissfully unaware of my pain.

I stood up and went outside, where Nick was waiting for me. It was raining heavily, and I just stood in the rain. I let it wash over me and I lowered my head.
"Get in the car," Nick said, and I did so. There was a clean shirt on the seat beside me, so I put it on while he drove back to the hotel.

It had been my comment in the interview that had caused this. My comment about management risking Niall's health. Now I was paying the price.

~
At The Hotel

"Louis, you're back. We're just going to start..."
"Why are you soaking wet?" Harry asked as I came in and Niall looked round from the sofa.
"I got caught in the rain," I said before I winced. I tried to hide my pain from boys the best that I could.
"Are you ok Louis?" Liam asked, and I knew that Nick was standing behind me.
"I'm fine, I'm just really tired. I'm going to have a shower and go to bed."
"Are you sure Louis?" Niall asked me and I looked at him. Our kisses and admitting our love for each other felt so far away from me, yet it was fresh for Niall and that made me smile a little.
"Yeah. We'll hang out tomorrow."
"Ok Louis."
"Get lots of sleep."
"I love you!" Niall called and a shiver went down my spine.
"I love you too," I called back before I walked to the shower. I couldn't let Niall be hurt, no.

The shower stung and my chest was swollen where my rib had been broken. When I came out, I dried myself off and I glanced at myself in the mirror. My chest was covered in bruises, and even a light touch sent pain shooting through me.
"Argh," I said quietly. I got some painkillers and took them with water. This was real, I had been beaten.

~
The Day After

The night was uneasy for me and I barely slept. I stayed quiet as the other boys were close by, but I felt a hand on my forehead at one point.
"Do you think he's unwell Harry?"
"He seems ok Niall."
"I thought he seemed a little off when he came in. But we'll let him sleep."
"He's alright Niall."
"He said that he loved me Harry."
"And do you love him?"
"I do, so much," Niall said, and I heard the door close. I wanted to be happy about me and Niall, but all I could think about was my pain and keeping him safe 💔.

~

That night, we were waiting to go on stage to start our concert, and I was backstage with the boys. I was covering my injuries up well, but it fucking hurt.
"Louis, are you ok?" Niall asked me as he was holding his guitar.
"I'm good. Why are you asking?"
"You've got tears in your eyes."
"Oh. It's nothing, I've got some dust in them," I said as I wiped my tears away.
"Are you sure? You never cry," Liam added as the boys looked at me in concern.
"I'm fine."
Sure? Niall mouthed to me and I nodded. I couldn't let him know, I couldn't let any of them know my pain. Thankfully, the show started and the attention was taken off me.

We performed for the fans, and I covered up when the pain got too much by walking to the back of the stage. I was crying, but I made sure that none of the boys saw the tears fall from my face. Halfway through, I accepted that I had to pretend that the beating had never happened. I forced my pain to become sassy comments and laughter, aware that management was watching my every move.

Niall however kept looking at me with love and concern in his eyes. He knew that something was up with me, and I wanted to tell him everything. I wanted to tell him what had happened to me, how much pain I was in, but it would only get him hurt. So, I let his loving gazes do all the talking for me ❤️‍🩹.