Treacherous

Chapter Twelve

*~*~* Niall's POV *~*~*

I watch Amie as she struggles to write her name on her release papers due to her lack of sight, and as I do that feeling of guilt washes over me again. The knowledge that all of this is my fault causes a nagging pain to follow me everywhere I go. Seeing her lose it the other day almost broke me again.

I almost pushed her away when she started crying, knowing that her pain is my doing. Sometimes I think it'd be better to just leave her. Without me she won't be in any danger and I can stop unintentionally inflicting pain on her. Without me she'd be better off.

But I also promised myself that I would stay with her, no matter how hard the journey got. I owe her at least that much.

"Niall?" Amie's voice snaps me out of my thoughts. She's still standing by the front desk, blindly feeling around for me.

"I'm here, baby." I grab her hand and feel her instantly relax at my touch. She shouldn't calm at my touch, not after all I've done to her.

I lead her to the exit and pull the door open for her, directing her through it. Perimeters are still set up around the hospital, so fans aren't surrounding the door like usual. Slowly we make our way down the stairs, which scares me beyond belief. She refused to be rolled out to the car in a wheelchair, saying she doesn't want to be treated like a cripple.

Neither of us wanted to stay in that hospital while she went through therapy, so we settled on just getting her to walk around the house a little bit at a time until she came back to her full strength.

The boys and Danielle and Eleanor flew back home earlier today, so it's just Amie and I. I'm nervous to be getting back on a plane, especially after what happened when we got off last time. No one ever even found out how that girl disappeared.

A sleek black car waits for us at the bottom of these seemingly endless stairs and the driver opens the door for us when we reach the car. I nod my head at him in thanks as he closes the door behind us and he gives me a small smile back.

I then turn to Amie and tell her those three little words that hold so much meaning between the two of us, "I love you."

A smile forms on her lips and she leans into me as I place a kiss to the top of her bandana covered head.

"I love you too," she whispers back, causing me to smile wide.

*~*~*

The ride to the airport wasn't anything special. Amie actually fell asleep on me halfway to the airport. After walking down those stairs her energy is spent. We eventually arrive and I shake her lightly, but she doesn't budge, so I pepper her face with kisses until her eyes slowly open.

She blinks a few times to make sure her eyes are indeed open and yawns before sitting up and arching her back, stretching out her stiff muscles. Her shirt lifts up a little and I frown at the bruises still covering her stomach. The ones on her arms and legs are almost gone, but still vaguely there, reminding me of how she looked when she was asleep.

The other day when we took a shower together I wanted to break down and cry because of how many blue and purple marks covered the entirety of her body. But somehow I pushed those depressed feelings aside and enjoyed myself for the first time in a while.

With one last kiss to Amie's head I climb out of the car, pulling her with me. I thank the driver who drove us right onto the runway and help Amie board the plane. People recognized us of course and asked for our signatures, which Amie was a bit slow at. But we made it to first class after everyone calmed down, getting used to the fact that two famous people are riding the same plane as them.