Still The One (Niall Horan Fan Fiction)

Chapter Five: How to Save a Life

**ORIGINAL POV**

I seemed to be out of it after I collapsed. I was barely conscious of the yells and pounding coming from behind the door. My mind was on other things. Like the fact that I hated how I just did what I did. I hated myself for it. I was disgusted with myself for it. I had hurt myself on purpose because I couldn't handle the truth. I couldn't handle what was right in front of me the whole time.

The thing that made me feel really bad was how I just did that to myself right after Niall had saved my life. He never left my side for two weeks as I was lying in a hospital bed unconscious with tubes stuck in me. I felt horrible as I was lying there in the glass. Horrible for doing that to him. But I couldn't help the anger that had exploded inside of me at my own reflection. I couldn't help the hatred, the complete loathing, I felt toward myself. It was just there like a bad memory. One of the only things I had.

"Niall." I barely even realized I was saying his name. I was worried about him though and thought of him and how bad he was feeling. I could feel the blood stick to me, making my stomach hurt. I could feel the pain in my chest as I thought 'This is what I deserve.' It was a horrendous thought. One I never would've imagined thinking before. Still, I couldn't help thinking it was true. I had been an idiot, falling into a trap only to be raped by someone, someone quite dangerous, or so I figured. My eyes fluttered closed as I felt myself fading out.

~*~*~

My eyes flew open as a scream errupted from my throat. A tear trickled down my cheek as I saw myself bound in that chair after weeks. I couldn't escape no matter what I did. Everything ended wih me in pain. The glint of the knife was etched in my brain. Movement from my right caused me to glance over. I saw my attacker. The dark blue eyes and blonde hair were unmistakable even in the dark room. More tears came as I screamed again, fear creeping up on me. Suddenly, the light was on and I was staring into that familiar face. Niall stood over me, concern in his eyes.

I blinked a few times as the room came into focus. I was in the hospital bed as if I had never been up. My mind was spinning, trying to wrap itself around that one memory I had gained. Everything from before came flooding back to me and I bit my lip before looking down at my fist, now covered in stitches and yellowish looking cuts. My eyes returned to Niall as he ran a hand through my hair. I flinched slightly, not in fear but pain.

"Sorry," he muttered, thinking I was still afraid of him. But strangely enough, I wasn't... at all. It was the first time since I had been awake that I wasn't afraid of my own shadow. I actually felt comforted by the fact that he was there. I gave him a smile, letting the tears come down still gradually.

"It's fine. Where is everyone?" I glanced around the empty room for the first time, amazed to find it empty. Niall also looked around, as if just noticing that the room was empty also.

"Erm, home, I think?" He gave me another smile and I attempted to move my hands up to scratch my forehead, only to be restrained. I furrowed my eyebrows together, seeming to notice the leather restraints around my wrists for the first time.

"What's going on? Why are these things here?" My voice shook with each word. He frowned noticing how scared I was. It was bringing back memories, memories I wanted to bury and let them be burried.

"You don't remember anything, do you?"

"Not really. I'm guessing it wasn't good though." I gestured to my hand thatwas wrapped in the tigt gauze, a few areas showing blood that was leaking through. He let out a small chuckle.

"You found out about everything the cops found and... flipped out, I guess?" He ran a hand through his hair that looked slightly matted. He must've been asleep.

"They hurt," I mumbled. He sighed.

"I know I'm going to regret this when the boys get back." He shook his head as he reached over and began undo the first. As soon as my wrist slipped free I yanked it away, trying to keep the memories hidden deep down. He raised an eyebrow but then shook it off, returnin to the task at hand. My wrists were soon free and I was rubbing the sore patches. I frowned. "You okay?" I nodded. "You should get some sleep,"

I nodded again. He leaned down and kissed my forehead softly before turning the light back off. I closed my eyes, trying to let sleep over come me again. Nothing would come. My mind was only flooded with fears and that one memory. The one that haunted me whether I was awake or asleep. Then the fears hit. What if the boys were going to leave me as soon as I was out? Would they leave me alone without any memory? I wanted to believe they would stick around. I wanted to believe they wanted to help me. But why would guys like them want anything to do with me? I was an idiot, someone who didn't deserve to live. Maybe my live would be easier if I would've just died when the guy had the chance...

No. I couldn't think that. I couldn't think any of those things. Why woukd they do something like that to me? They seemed like such sweet guys. But then again I had been wrong the first time. I knew it wasn't right to compare them to whoever raped me, but I couldn't help it. It was an instinct not to trust anyone.

I opened my eyes withna sigh. This was getting difficult, having to pretend I wasn't having these reoccurring nightmares. I couldn't stand being alone right then. The room was dark and rather creepy. It reminded me of the basement I was held in before except there was a lot more bleach here and a lot less blood. I sighed again, rolling over to see Niall on the couch, arms stretched behind his head as he scrolled through his phone. I hadn't expected him to still be awake. I figured he would've be sleeping peacefully like he should've been. Was I causing him to have sleeping problems?

"Niall," I whispered, almost too soft for him to hear. He looked around the room a minute before his eyes landed on me. In an instant, he was by my side, dropping his phone on the couch.

"Everything okay, love?" I nodded.

"It's just... I can't sleep. I'm scared." He nodded, understandingly. H gave me a soft smile and I returned it.

"Don't worry, love. I'm here." He wrapped his arms around me kissing my forehead over and over again. It was comforting to know he was there holding me. I was falling asleep, feeling the butterflies in my stomach and how difficult it was to breathe. I could hear his heart beating inside of his chest as it began to pull me into an endless slumber.

Suddenly, he was slowly moving out from under me. He must've thought I was asleep because when my eyes fluttered open again, I saw his own widen.

"I'm so sorry! I thought you were asleep! I didn't mean to wake you!" I laughed softly. He smiled at me and stood. My own eyes widened as I became worried. My bottom lip trembled in fear as I reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"Don't leave me." I could hear the pleading in my voice as he smiled. Slowly, pushing me over gently he crawled into the bed within me. I buried my face in his chest, breathing in his cologne. A faint smile appeared on my lips as he wrapped his arms around me. Soon, I was asleep, the only thing on my mind being Niall.