Twisted Friendship

Chapter 26

"Hm?" a voice mumbled from behind me.

And I froze.

Because that voice was one I knew very well. It was a voice that whispered in my ear late at night, that shouted at me but less out of anger and more out of caring. It was a voice that told me a long time ago that everything was okay, because they would always be there to protect me.

It was the voice of Louis Tomlinson.

The funny thing about wishing is that if you wish long and hard enough, when things finally happen it stops your senses for a moment. I had probably wished on every star in the night sky for Louis to wake up.

"Hello?" somebody wheezed from behind me. Their voice sounded thick and sleepy like it had just woken up from a month long nap.

I turned around very slowly. My heart was pounding against my chest, as an overwhelming rush of hope rose up and took my breathe away. If I opened my eyes and didn't find my friend, I would probably never get to see him ever again and that would be it.

I'd die and he would die, with the last thing he had ever said to me being: "Look out!"

After realizing I had been clenching my eyes shut, I opened them.

"Are you okay?" Louis asked, laying in bed with those stormy grey eyes wide open and peering into mine. Fringe dusting the top of his eyelashes looking very much awake. And very very alive.

"Am I okay?" I repeated slowly.

He nodded weakly, "You look a little sick love."

Something inside of me snapped.

"LOUIS!" I screamed, running and tackling him. My arms wrapped around his neck hurriedly as I pressed my cheek to his chest, listening to the solid thump of his heart.

I hugged him tightly, not caring if I was hurting him, but afraid to let go for fear he would slip away from me again and back into that damn coma where I'd be stuck in the real world and him somewhere else.

My hands fisted the back of his t-shirt, relishing in the fact his strong arms came around my back and pulled me tighter against him. I nuzzled my head against the crook of his neck, breathing in his warmth and scent and very much awakeness. After a month of hell, he was moving. He was awake.

"Katie." he said. I lifted myself up a bit, staring at those eyes that looked dead for so long but now were glimmering in confusion.

"Katie." he repeated, "I'm fine. You're acting like you haven't seen me in forever. I'm more worried about you. What happened. Are you okay?"

Anger suddenly lit up inside of me, making my blood boil as I pushed myself off of him.

"You're worried about me?!" I shouted, throwing my arms in the air and tugging at my hair. "YOU WERE SHOT LOUIS!"

I'm suddenly aware of how tired and pale he still looks, eyelids drooping from fatigue. But I'm on a roll now.

"I was shot, wasn't I?" he murmurs, looking down at the bandage around his middle.

"YOU WERE IN A COMA FOR A MONTH!" I grab a pillow from behind him and smack it down on his head. "GOD DAMN IT LOUIS!"

His arms come up weakly to avoid the blows, "I was?"

"I THOUGHT YOU DIED." I hit him again, "YOU JUST LEFT ME." Another hit, "WHY ARE YOU SO BRAVE LOUIS, GOING AND TAKING A FREAKING BULLET FOR ME? WHO DOES THAT?"

Tears are sliding down my face, clouding my vision into one distorted mix of color and shouts as I try to pull myself together. My hands shaking so hard that I drop the pillow, full out sobs racking my body.

Slender fingers tangle with mine, as cool lips press against my burning palm. I wipe away my tears hurriedly with one hand.

"I wasn't gonna let those guys get you." he says quietly. His thumb rubs soft circles against my knuckle. "Besides, I promised I'd always protect you."

And then he says it. "Because I love you."

I stare at him for a second, and he stares right back. My hand suddenly closes on the front of his hospital gown, yanking him forward and pressing my lips against his hurriedly. His hand comes up and cups my cheek, the other tangling in my hair, pulling slightly at the locks to tug me forward. It's all warm and sloppy and I swear see sparks fly behind my closed lids. Our mouths move against one another hungrily, desperate for the feel of him beneath me.

I pull away for a moment, pressing my forehead against his. Warmth breathe brushing against my cheek.

"I think I love you." I whisper. "I think I'm in love with a nut job who throws himself in front of bullets."

Louis smirks, something I hadn't seen in a long time. Too long.

"I think I'm in love with a girl who beats a boy just coming out of a coma from a gunshot wound with a pillow." he jokes, suddenly looking very tired again.

There's an invisible force squeezing my heart, but it's joy. It makes me want to scream and jump in the air and just fly away, but not fly forever anymore, oh not anymore. I'd come right back because he was right here and wide awake. Almond eyes blinking and calloused fingers tucking my hair behind my ear.

"Louis?" someone screams from behind me, and I turn around to find the boys standing there. Harry's grinning so big I'm afraid it hurts. In two flying leaps he's tackled Louis, and they're all around him hollering and someone's crying but the room suddenly feels so warm and full of laughter.

The shadows of death get chased away into the corners as Harry clings to Louis and says he's never gonna let go, ever.

"Took you long enough." Zayn says, blinking rapidly as he struggles to fight back tears.

Louis rolls his eyes, "I didn't wanna to back to school."

Someone grabs me and tugs me into the pile of boys. It's one giant group hug, all piled onto a hospital bed as we hold each other, reunited once again. We're all bruised and cracked from the battle. A room full of broken people trying to heal.

"It's a miracle." a nurse exclaims. A miracle indeed.