Climbing the Walls (a Niall Horan love story)

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

*Dani's P.O.V*

Everything that happened in the next few seconds was like a slow motion blur. All I could hear after the gun shot was the blood pumping in my skull. I thought I was dead. I should've been. But it wasn't my bloody body that was lying on the disgusting tile floor of the greasy fast food joint, it was Derek's.

He had taken the bullet for me.

I collapsed on my knees, not caring about the pain that shot through them as I landed next to my brother's unmoving body. I was barely aware of the fact that Harry had just lunged towards my father, knocking the gun out of his hands as Louis and Liam held my father back. Zayn swung his fist upward below his jaw, breaking it and knocking him unconscious.

Harry was yelling useless profanities that weren't being heard anyway. But that's not what I was focused on. I was focused on my brother. My savior. My hero. For the first time, I didn't care who saw me cry. I knew Haley was right by my side, but she was so distant.

"Derek!" I screamed, shaking his body as my salty tears fell onto his wound. My own voice sounded as if it was echoing around my head, like I was underwater. I sobbed when I didn't receive a reply, just an empty stare from his glazed eyes. I screamed his name once more, even though I knew it was useless. Sydney was now calling 9-1-1 and Michelle was comforting Jesse. Liam was calming Niall, who was bawling like a baby. But they were all miles away. "I didn't even get to say goodbye..." I whispered, my voice cracking as my body shook. I faintly heard Haley's coos, even though they were right in my ear.

Suddenly, Derek's lifeless body was being ripped from my grasp by men in white uniforms. "No!" I protested, not ready to let go. Haley was holding me back, telling me I could follow behind them but I had to let go. I sobbed and followed as close as possible, never letting the corpse out of my sight. No, I thought, it's a body, not a corpse. A body that still has a chance at life. Deep down, I knew there was no hope. But I wasn't going to just accept that my brother had just been murdered by our own 'father'. That bastard better go to jail for life, then decay there and burn in hell! How could any human being be capable of something as horrid as ending his own son's life? I felt Haley's hand in mine, and as badly as I wanted to shake her off, I squeezed it tight. I wouldn't be surprised if I was cutting off her circulation.

One paramedic smiled at me comfortingly as he helped me into the back of the ambulance. He let Haley in with me, as I refused to let go of her. The rest had to meet us at the hospital, and I felt kind of bad for Jesse. He was an absolute wreck.

As we drove I stared down in disbelief at the outline of my brother's lifeless body that lay under a white sheet. His nose made a tent out of the thin fabric, reminding me of all the times we had 'stolen each other's noses' when we were little. I sobbed even harder, the hole in my chest aching for my brother to talk again.

Just one more breath, just one more heartbeat, just one last "I love you." Was that really too much to ask for? The sirens rang in my ear as I sniffled and shook. Suddenly, the vehicle stopped and we were being rushed out of the ambulance. We rushed through the emergency room doors, but two paramedics held me back, allowing me to go no further than the waiting room. I kicked and thrashed and screamed, but they kept me here. I felt like Katniss crying for Prim.

But unlike her, it was too late for me to volunteer as tribute. I could no longer offer up my life for him. He was already gone. That's when the thoughts started.

*Jesse's P.O.V.*

Everyone was there. Haley had even called her and Dani's old friends Julia and Megan. They were all sitting in the uncomfortable chairs the hospital had to offer, waiting anxiously. But not me. I was pacing the floor, biting the skin around my nails so my hands wouldn't have nervous spasms. Zayn had tried many times to calm me down, but nothing could calm me down. I just got the love of my life back, and he just leaves me like that? This can't be happening, I thought, praying that I would wake up from this horrible nightmare. But I knew it had all actually happened, the events had occurred. There was nothing more satisfying than seeing Derek's father being escorted away by the police to be locked away for life, they way he belonged. I looked over at Dani. She was still gripping Haley's hand and staring at the same spot on the over-sanitized tile floor. She had been staring at the same spot for twenty minutes, never moving her gaze and barely blinking. Looking at her stillness just made me pace more.