When I finally opened my eyes, a sharp wave of pain surged through me as the harsh fluorescent lights flickered overhead. Blinking against the brightness, I slowly shifted in the bed, pulling myself into a more upright position. The hospital room was unfamiliar—new, sterile, and modern—with a large glass wall that looked directly into the nurses' station. The glass also served as a sliding door, standing between me and the bustling corridor outside.
Just beyond the glass stood Niall, speaking quietly to a man in a crisp white coat—my doctor, I presumed. Both wore expressions heavy with concern. My stomach churned violently, and before I could stop it, I lurched sideways, retching onto the cold tile floor.
Without hesitation, the doctor and Niall crossed the room, their footsteps urgent as they moved to my side.
"Steady does it," the doctor murmured gently as he listened to my ragged breathing. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, trying to hide just how shaken I felt beneath the surface. Behind him, Niall stood silently, his expression heavy with worry.
A million questions swirled in my mind, but I swallowed them down, holding back for now. I needed the doctor to leave—just me and Niall—because right now, trusting anyone felt impossible.
"What happened?" I asked as soon as the doctor left.
"You tell me, Emma," Niall replied quietly.
"I saw you—with a gun. You saved me," I said, trying to piece it together, though everything felt hazy.
"It wasn't a gun. It was just the flash from an external camera I held up, hoping to scare them off by making it look like one," he explained.
"That's gutsy," I said, and he chuckled. "You could've been killed!"
"So could you," Niall said, flashing his usual confident smile. "I wasn't about to just stand there."
"I owe you my life," I whispered.
"No, you don't," he said, brushing it off. "If anything, just buy me lunch and we'll call it even."
"I need to call Liam," I said, panic rising. If I was in danger, he definitely was too.
"Already called him, Em. He's on his way."
"I need to talk to him," I pressed.
"Em, he's coming. Everything's going to be okay." Niall sat on the edge of the bed, pulling me into a comforting hug.
"Thank you, for always being there," I whispered.
"Hey, what are friends for?"
Just then, the door burst open as Liam and Zayn rushed in. "Emma!" Liam's voice cracked with panic, his eyes wild.
Niall immediately stood aside, letting Liam take his place at my bedside while he and Zayn hung back, whispering urgently between themselves. Liam dropped beside me, pulling me into a tight hug, burying his face in the crook of my neck.
"I should've been there," he murmured, voice raw with guilt and fear.
I caught the tension between Niall and Zayn and quickly motioned them out for some privacy. They exchanged a brief look before leaving, the door clicking softly behind them.
"It was Trey," I whispered, voice trembling.
Liam's gaze shot up to mine, fear etched deep across his face. "How do you know?"
"The one who slammed my head into the wall—he said to tell you, Trey says hi." Liam's jaw clenched, fury flashing in his eyes.
"What did he look like?"
YOU ARE READING
Capture
Fanfiction[COMPLETED] You can't run forever, eventually you'll be captured. A dark past he's spent years running from threatens to swallow him whole after a simple knock on her door.
