That Smile (A Niall Horan Fan Fiction)

Chapter 22: Sad Inspiration

Lauren knew something must be terribly wrong when Sammy bolted out of the apartment in just her sweatpants and sweatshirt. Leaving her, Elyse, and Emma sitting with wide eyes on the couch, staring at the door. They all exchanged weird glances. From Harry and Sammy breaking up, to this. Could this day be any more strange?

"What just happened?" Elyse asked, confused. Lauren shrugged as she continued to stare at the door.

"What did Niall say?" Emma spoke up. That was the real question. Whatever he said to Sammy on the phone had to have been huge if it caused Sammy to run out of the apartment without telling them.

They had just been sitting on the couch all day, having a girls day with chick flicks and ice cream upon Sammy's request. They were all still reeling from the fact that Harry and Sammy broke up, but none of them wanted to ask about it and make Sammy mad.

"I think I'm going to call Niall." Lauren said without prying her eyes from the door. Elyse nodded.

"Good idea," with that Lauren took her phone and got up off of the couch and made her way to her bedroom. She leaned against the doorway as she hit the call button and put the phone to her ear.

Niall was just staring blankly at his phone, leaning against a wall in some lone corner near the hospital waiting room. His hands were shaking as he took a deep breath, as much as he tried to fight them, tears still managed to escape. It relieved him and pained him at the same time to see Lauren's name and face pop up on his screen. He hit the accept button and put the phone to his ear without a second to spare. He had to hear her voice. Just to know she was okay.

"Babe," he breathed, "baby."

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Lauren knew something had to be terribly wrong. The sound of him crying broke her heart.

"Baby," Niall let out a sob.

"I'm here. What happened?" Suddenly she found herself nervously pacing around the room. She had terrible images in her head about what happened. She hated hearing Niall cry. She just wished she could wrap her arms around him. Instead she had no idea where he was. He was crying too hard to tell her anything. Finally he gather himself together.

"Harry," Niall tried to catch his breath. "Harry's in the hospital." Lauren's felt her heart break even more for Sammy at the sound of those words together.

"Oh my God! Why? Which hospital?" Lauren put a hand to her forehead.

"I think he has hypothermia, I'm not sure. We found him on the beach, and he passed out when we got him to the car." Niall breathed between sobs. "We're at UCLA medical center. Please come." Niall said weakly.

"I'm coming. I'll be there. Okay?" Niall nodded, even though he knew Lauren couldn't see it.

"Okay, I love you. So much." Niall sniffed, there was another pause. "Do you know what happened?" Niall looked up and gritted his teeth. He wanted to know why Harry was at the beach in the first place, but he was scared for some reason to hear the reason behind it. Lauren took a breath.

"They broke up."

"What?" Niall practically shouted. "Why? They can't break up! They're Sammy and Harry." He looked down. "They were going to last forever." The last part came out a little softer. Niall didn't know why them breaking up hurt him as much as it did. He had always admired Sammy and Harry's relationship, how they made each other be better people, and how they seemed to love, despite all of the circumstances. Them breaking up seemed impossible.

"I don't know. That's all she said. Look, baby, I'm going to go get Elyse and Emma, and I'll be right there. I promise."

"Okay," Niall said rather weakly. "I love you."