Stumbling through the dark

No Time, Louis Move!

Trigger warnings apply!

You are reminded this is fiction. Please do NOT try what is mentioned here. And don't read if you are easily upset or affected .

Zayn and Louis sat there in silence. Zayn continued to be a world of his own so Louis studied him from under his eyelashes. What was it that Zayn was so unwilling to share with him , or the others? Whatever it was, it made Zayn edgy when anyone tried to push for answers. Louis wracked his brains to what was the reason behind it all. Zayn had admitted to depression but that wasn't something the band would have judged him on. Louis was so deeply in thought that he jumped when Zayn abruptly stood up and began pacing the room , his hands to his head as if he was in pain.

"Lou, I can't stand it. I can't shake this feeling. I have to see Niall, now" Zayn 's tone was desperate."Lou, please. You have to drive me there or let me take your car. Please?"

Louis looked at Zayn, absolutely stunned. The expression on Zayn's face was scary. Zayn looked somehow wild and Louis wondered if he had taken leave of his sanity. "Zee, it's the middle of the night, we can't go barging in on Niall. And for what reason, anyway. You need to calm down, mate"

"You have a key to his house don't you? Look, either you drive me or let me use your car and that key" Zayn had stopped his pacing and stood right in front of Lou. "Please Lou, we need to go and see Niall. I need to see Niall"

"Why? Why, Zayn? What's the desperate rush?" Louis demanded.

"I...I can't tell you. Please, you have to trust me." Zayn was begging now.

"You can't tell me. Yeah, you can't tell me anything" Louis spat at Zaun. "What is so desperate that we go now? Come on, you tell me mate or I'm not shifting"

"Bro, please. I'm begging you. Look, I'll tell you but after I've seen Niall. But you'll have to swear to secrecy"

Louis studied Zayn intently then sighing, picked up his wallet and his car keys. "This had better be good , mate, or believe me, you'll pay"

"I'm afraid I'll pay if we don't see Niall" was the cryptic response as Zayn followed him to the car.

The drive to Niall's house was very tense. Zayn fidgeted in his seat, unable to keep still for a second. Louis kept giving him sidelong glances as he drove. Whatever had got Zayn worked up, it was having a very bad effect on him. Louis fully intended to hold Zayn to the promise that he'd be told what the big secret once they'd seen Niall. Was it something Niall was involved in. But Niall didn't normally hide things from his bandmates. Was Management involved? Well, it would have to wait, at least for the time being.

Louis hadn't even stopped the car before Zayn was out and running to the front door and using the key to get entry. The smell of alcohol was strong and it didn't take Zayn long to locate the source of the smell, a large puddle of whisky on the floor. He started calling out Niall's name, looking around the room. He quickly checked all the rooms downstairs, still shouting for Niall. Louis had come in looked confused by Zayn's increasingly wild manner. Then suddenly Zayn took off up the stairs, heading to Niall's room. He scanned the room but the bed was empty.

"Niall's not here" Louis came up behind Zayn. "You dragged me here and he's not around. Look mate, you are seriously deranged" But Zayn wasn't listening. He had spotted a foot and raced to the other side of the bed. Niall was on the floor. Zayn scooped him up and laid him on the bed. Niall smelt very strongly from the drink he had consumed . He was barely conscious and was obviously drunk but that wasn't what Zayn was worried about. He looked around the room and at the floor where he had found Niall. The bottle of pills was there and Zayn picked it up. It was empty.

"Louis, go get a big glass of warm water, dissolve as much salt in it as you can. Go!" Louis looked shocked. What did he want him to do that for.Ni was only drunk, for f.cks sake." Louis!" Zayn shouted "He's taken pills." It finally sunk in and Louis went to dial the emergency services. Zayn stopped him. "No time, Louis move" Louis moved.

Zayn lifted Niall into his arms and dragged him to the bathroom. It was no time for being gentle and tcareful. He put his fingers into Niall's mouth and touched the back of Niall's throat. Niall's gag reflex kicked in immediately and Niall started to vomit the mix of alcohol and pills. Louis appeared with the salt water and Zayn then forced a semi conscious Niall to drink some. Niall vomited again and again. Zayn continued to force Niall to vomit until he was bringing up just clear water. Niall was becoming more and more aware and Zayn collapsed against the bathroom wall, Niall cradled in his arms. "Thank god" He whispered."Oh , thank god.We weren't too late"

Louis helped lift Niall up from the floor and together he and Zayn bathed him. He was then gently dried and carried to his bed where he fell into a sleep. Zayn sat next to him, holding one of his hands. His entire body was shaking with delayed shock and he barely registered Louis moving around as he cleaned up the mess in the bathroom. When he was done, he came back to the bedroom.

"Zee, we should call an ambulance. He needs medical help"

"No! He'll be fine. A sore throat and stomach will be the worst of the physical pain. We were in time. Thank god. Louis, we might have been too late." Zayn's voice was raw and tears slid down his ashen cheeks . Louis knelt in front of his stricken friend and wrapped his arms around him, resting his chin on Zayn's head.

"Thanks to you, we weren't though" Louis whispered, his own face as pale as Zayn. "Are you sure he'll be OK?"

"We didn't have time , Lou. The hospital would have pumped his stomach. I just did it with salt water."

"But....." Louis started but Zayn stopped him.

"No bro, this is for the best.Trust me"

""Zee, I trusted you for this and I'm glad I did. But you need to trust me too, please tell me what you've been hiding"

Zayn looked down at the sleeping form of his former bandmate. Niall looked even smaller than normal, face pale but peaceful as he slept. Louis had believed in him enough to bring him here and Niall was safe. Zayn stretched out his hand and gently brushed Niall's hair from his forehead . Taking a deep breath, he then looked across at Louis. "You'll have to promise to keep this to yourself. Just you and the lads can know. Promise?"

Louis made the 'cross my heart" gesture and patiently waited for Zayn to continue.

"Well, you remember when I went to Los Angeles........................."