Niall, answer the door please

Just what's your problem, mate ?

Zayn's POV:

Niall's screams and cries ripped through me. I felt like my heart was being torn from my chest. I started to sweat. I couldn't take it. I had to get out of here, I felt like I was dying. Run, I had to run. I was incapable of coherent thought. I wasn't strong enough.  Run.

Preston was sitting in the decoy SUV so I raced towards it and demanded he took me back to Liam's. Once we got there, I told him to wait while I went in the house.  I took the stairs two at a time, into my room and grabbed everything, just pushing it anyhow into my backpack.  A quick check that I had all my possessions, I shot down the stairs and back out to where Preston was waiting. After giving him an address, I sat back in my seat and tried to get my breathing back to normal. It wasn't too long before we reached my destination and, after asking Preston to keep my location to himself, I got out and entered the building.

The room was quiet, except for the pounding of the rain against the window. It matched my pounding head so I reached into my backpack and pulled out the bottle of Tylenol. I dry swallowed two of them then placed the bottle back in my bag. My hand touched another bottle and I grabbed it,  staring at the label.. I couldn't remember when I last took a dose. I'd been told not to stop taking them but it seemed pretty pointless to me. They didn't seem to help so was it worth the effort? I threw the bottle down on the bed. I was trying to drum up the motivation to shower but there was a hammering on the door. I went to answer it.

Third person POV:

The visit with Niall was relatively calm as Niall tired  so very easily and was content to watch a DVD with them.  When he finally succumbed to sleep, they quietly packed up everything and slipped out of the room,stopping  by the nurses' station to talk about their decision to stay visiting their bandmate and  to find out just what they could do best  to help. Niall's nurse outlined the routine that the  medical team were implementing and also the times when Niall was to have visitors. He was due to start Physical Therapy in the morning as he needed to get his muscles back into doing their proper job. He'd also see the Clinical Psychologist to help with the emotional side of his recovery. The more the nurse spoke, the  more the  three young men realised just how much more  Niall still had to face on his road to recovery. Each of them were  determined to help any way they can. They wanted their Nialler back.

Paddy drove them back to Liam's home and they all piled out of the SUV, thanking him. Liam opened the door and headed straight to the kitchen followed by Harry who had volunteered to cook dinner for them all. Liam found a note propped up against the kettle:

'Casserole ready in the crockpot, baked potatoes  keeping warm in the oven.  Eat!!!. , Maura x'

God bless Maura, Liam thought. That woman was a tower of strength. He had no idea how she did it. It must be hell for a mother to have a child who has been so desperately ill yet still be able to support everyone else. She's quite a woman, he thought. He called the others and they all sat to eat. It was a silent meal, each of them really too tired to talk and every single one of them was wondering where Zayn was and why he had bolted so abruptly that afternoon. 

After the meal had been eaten , dishes rinsed and  put into the dishwasher and the kitchen put straight, the boys went into the sitting room and collapsed on the couches. Harry, then Liam fell asleep while Louis watched them from the corner of his eye biding his time. When he was sure they were not likely to wake up, he quietly left the room and climbed the stairs to the bedroom Zayn had occupied.  He tapped on the closed door and went in after not getting a reply. He hadn't really expected one but he still had the smallest hope he was wrong.  Looking around he could see that Zayn had removed every trace of having been there. All his belongings gone. Louis  pulled out his phone , scrolled through his list of contacts and placed a call which was answered after a few short rings.

"Louis, how are you? And how's Niall? We have all been so worried about him. Poor Maura and Bobby. And how are you boys coping?"

"Niall's better than he was but still not doing great. There's loads of  problems still. We're coping, not well, but we're coping"

"I just hope he'll be OK. We are all praying for him"

" Thanks.  Ah Trisha, is ..errh...is Zayn there?"

"No dear, he's at Liam's"

"No, he isn't. I mean he was but we just got back from the hospital and his stuff's all gone. We don't know where he is and I thought he might  be with you ?"

"No, no he's not. I have no idea. He's not  contacted me" Trisha sounded really worried now. "I thought he was with you all"

"No, we were visiting Niall this afternoon and he suddenly just left us without saying anything. He's been acting off for a few days but we don't know why"

"Louis, I'll let you know if he contacts me . I just don't know what to say"

"Thanks Trisha, I'd appreciate that". Louis said goodbye then hung up. He stared at his phone for a few moments then dialled again.

"Preston, where is Zayn?" Louis went straight to the point with no polite niceties .

"I'm not supposed to tell you, Louis" Preston sounded embarrassed.

"Preston, we need to know. I'll go to Simon if I have too" Louis was getting angry now and he wanted answers.  Preston felt loyal to Zayn but  Simon was the real power.  Preston huffed  but , after a brief pause , reluctantly answered.

" Claremont Hotel, room 250C"

"Thanks Preston" Louis hung up. After going downstairs and checking the others were still asleep, Louis grabbed Liam's car keys and let himself out. He was going to pay Zayn a visit and find out just what game Zayn was playing. Louis had written a brief note saying he'd borrowed the car but nothing else.Pulling his hood over his head, he sprinted through the rain to the car and set off to hunt down Zayn. The pounding rain a fitting accompaniment his dismal mood.

Louis scanned the door numbers as he passed. Stopping outside 250C, he hammered on the door. It opened and Louis stuck out both  hands, shoving Zayn hard in the chest ,causing him  to stumble backwards into the room. Despite being the smaller of the two men, Louis wore an expression that made it abundantly clear that he  wasn't in the mood to be messed with. Zayn pushed his hand through his hair, sighed heavily and sat down on couch. Louis  followed and got right up into his face

"Just what's your problem, mate" he hissed. "What game do you call this?"

Zayn stared up at Louis but remained silent. Louis reached out and grabbed Zayn at the top of his arms and shook him . " You've been acting off for days, now you run. I don't care you've dumped us but you dumped Niall. Niall! He needs us and you just ditched him and ran without a word.I really thought you cared about him but you don't do you? Things get tough and you run. What's your excuse this time? Louis was now screaming in Zayn's face. Zayn broke free and pushed Louis aside as he bolted for the bathroom. Slamming the door behind him , he threw himself on the floor in front of the toilet and  was violently ill.

Louis followed him but stopped when he heard the sounds of retching. He sat down on the bed to wait, putting his hands back to lean on. His right hand touched the medication bottle and he picked it up and looked at it curiously. It was prescribed for Zayn and it appeared that it was something Zayn had been taking for some time. Louis didn't recognise the name of the drug. He reached for his phone to contact  his mum. Being a nurse, she would more than likely know what it was and what it was for.He didn't want Zayn to over hear him so he quickly text his mother. She responded very quickly and he was just about to read  her reply when Zayn came out of the bathroom, white faced and sweaty. Louis looked up at Zayn then down at the information Johanna had sent. He shook his head, how could they have missed that?