Code Black (N.S)

14.

Niall's POV

I suddenly woke up. My blurred vision had soon cleared up enough to show that I was in a bright, white room. The lights were fluorescent and I was surrounded by the strong smell of disinfectant. I temporarily forgot what had happened to me in the past day, though I felt myself struggling to breathe as the memories of what had happened came flooding back to me.

I wasn't going to be stupid and wonder if I was dead. I clearly wasn't. I was very much alive, as I was breathing , something that couldn't be achieved if I were dead. Also, the annoying, rapid beeping that was coming from the machine had confirmed that I was in fact, alive and in a hospital room.

There was a bandage wrapped tightly around my stomach, obviously covering the cut that I had received from the knife. 

My head was throbbing. I let out a groan of pain, my hand immediately flying up to rest on the sore spot. I remembered the aching feeling of the gun hitting my head and I wasn't surprised about the pain. 

The door suddenly opened and Liam had rushed in, his eyes searched my body and filled with relief when he realised that I was awake. 

"Niall, thank god," he breathed out, a smile making it's way onto his face.

Seeing him look so happy made me smile back, though mine was very much smaller than his. 

"H-hi Liam," I let out, my voice coming out considerably quiet and particularly raspy.

Before he said anything else, he pulled his phone out of his pocket. I knew that he was probably texting the others that I had woken up.

"I'm so glad you're alright. You scared the shit out of me. I've been here this whole time," he told me, making his way over to my side and sitting on the chair beside my bed.

I felt flattered that he stayed here with me the entire time. God knows how long it could have taken for me to wake up. I had no idea how long I had been out cold for. There was no way for me to tell the time, there wasn't a clock and the window was covered by a curtain, the only light being the annoyingly bright and fluorescent lighting in the hospital room.

Looking at Liam, I suddenly felt overcome with emotion. Staring at those warm brown eyes, I realised how possible it was to love someone that you felt no romantic attraction towards. Liam made me feel loved in a special kind of way. 

"Thanks, Liam," I murmured, not really knowing how to tell him everything that I was feeling. There was no way for me to express that because simply telling him that I loved him like a brother wasn't exactly enough. 

I felt two strong arms wrap around my small frame. He was hugging me. Usually, I would hug him back but this time was different. I felt different. I saw flashes of that man grab me and pull me away from Harry, causing me to flinch as soon as I felt Liam embrace me.

He seemed to have felt me tense up and immediately pulled away from me with a confused expression but realisation soon took over his features.

"Oh, Niall...I'm so sorry," he mumbled, taking his lip in between his teeth and looking down at me with a guilty expression. 

I shook my head, telling him that it was okay in a soft voice. The last thing I wanted was for Liam to feel guilty for hurting me and I felt terrible. He had been waiting for me for however long I had been there for and I wished I hadn't made things awkward. 

"Your mother was here all night. She left about an hour ago but I assume she'll be back soon enough once she finds out you're awake," he told me. 

"H-how did I get h-here?" I asked him.

Liam fell silent, his eyes were suddenly cold as if he had just remembered something that greatly angered him.