We Band of Brothers (A Niall Horan Cancer Fic)

Chapter 8 - So Sick

Liam

I gave a light sigh of relief when Niall finally fell asleep, curled into my chest, just as the sun broke the horizon outside the hospital window. It had been a long night, with Niall up vomiting, despite the anti nausea medications, and pain pills his doctor was giving him every few hours. I had moved onto the bed after Niall's fifth bout of sickness, when the lad had started to cry because of miserable he was feeling, and since then, I had been literally unable to move. Louis remained in the chair next the bed, holding the emesis bin, and washing it out when Niall made use of it. All I all, we were all pretty exhausted at this point.
"He finally asleep?" Louis whispered, when he heard Niall begin to snore softly, a few minutes after the his eyes had slipped shut.

I sighed, and gave a slight nod.

"I think for now, yeah. How are you holding up?" I asked, worried he was still anxious from last night.

His episode had frightened me some, and Niall too. It was because Louis had always been happy, and more than capable of making people around him happy, since the X Factor days and even before. Seeing him so scared, well, it was like seeing Niall as sick as he was. It was hard, and frightening.

"I'm good ... I met a girl outside the hospital last night, her son's here with a brain tumor right now, and he's only six years old.. Her story..well, she helped you give me a new perspective on all this." Louis replied, his eyes slightly downcast.

I could tell he was feeling embarrassed about his reaction last night, but I was relieved to hear he was doing better now.

"I'm glad to hear..you know I'm here if you need me yeah? If that anxiety comes back..you don't have to run off again, promise. "

"I know Liam, thank you. " Louis replied, with a tired smile.

A few minutes passed in a comfortable silence, before Louis gave a quiet yawn, and mumbled "I am exhausted.."

I sighed the in agreement. "Yeah, me too..think we have a bit of time to rest?" I asked, contemplating whether or not we should wait for Zayn and Harry to return before we fell out.

"I don't think its a bad idea, I mean, Ni's asleep for now, and we don't really have anything else going on.." Louis replied, giving a slight shrug.

I nodded, and decided to lay back against Niall's pillows and close my eyes. I didn't want to move just now, for fear of waking him up, so I remained where I was, and slowly fell into a light slumber. I could tell by the deep, even breaths Louis was taking, that he had decided to do the same.

*~*

I was started awake, some time later, with a light knock at the door. The small movement was enough to wake Niall, and I cursed quietly under my breath when I felt him stir awake at my side. He gave a low whimper, and started to sit up a little.

"Li..." He warned, in that one particular tone I had become fairly familiar with over the coarse of the night.

I acted quickly, and grabbed at the bin in Louis' lap, shoving it under Niall's chin just in time for him to start throwing up a clear yellow substance that was nothing more than bile at this point. I supported Niall as he was sick, because he seemed to be having trouble keeping himself upright on his own. When he was through being sick, I grabbed the glass of water sittng on the nightstand, and handed to Niall so he could rinse out his mouth. Once he did, I took and handed off the basin to the new nurse who had just come in. I gave her a frustrated glance, and she went quickly to wash out the bin, rushing out an apology as she did so.

"Thank you liam.." Niall mumbled tiredly,as he lowered himself carefully back against his pillows.

"No problem Niall..why don't you try to go back to sleep for a bit OK?" I replied in a quiet, soothing voice as I pulled the blankets more securely around the now shivering blonde.