The Wolf In sheeps clothing

You Did What?!

"Quite an improvement, Niall. Good job!" Doctor Jozuka said, taking the ends of her stethoscope  out of her ears as she smiled down at her patient. "Your chest is sounding much clearer now. There is still a way to go, but a very definite improvement!." The doctor tucked her stethoscope into the pocket of her scrubs then pressed the controls that lowered Niall's bed flat. "Let's just check on everything else" and the pretty japanese doctor continued her examination, her blank face revealing nothing of her thoughts.. "All done! We'll need to weigh you and then I also  need some blood and urine  samples from you and see what they tell us."

"When can I leave here?" Niall asked Pressing the controls that would move  the bed back into a sitting position. "I mean, if I'm getting better, I can go soon, yeah?"

"Niall, you know that isn't how this works" Emiko Jozuka said patiently. "You'll stay on the medical side of the facility until I deem you well enough that you don't require treatment, then I will release you to the main area where you'll continue your rehab treatment.  Remember, it's not just your physical health that has you as a patient here. We treat the mind as will as the body. You are not so good at self care so we'll help you learn the art" she said gently but firmly. Niall just huffed in disappointment. "But getting better physically is a good start" she encouraged.

"Yeah, but I'm still a prisoner here" Niall complained.

"Guest" the doctor countered

"Prisoner" Niall reiterated crossly making the doctor smile. He was a stubborn young man, she thought, but cute. Very cute.

"How are you getting on with Dave?" the doctor asked, changing the subject.

"He's ok, kinda, I guess" NIall shrugged. "He keeps turning up like a bad penny"

"He's persistent, I'll give him that" Emiko laughed "You make a good pair, both stubborn. Well, I'll get the nurse in to get those tests for me and I'll see you soon." She smiled once more then left Niall frowning after her.

Later that day, the door flew open with a slight bang and Dave bounced into the room with his customary energy, making Niall groan quietly. Despite having endured several sessions with the man, he wasn't finding it any easier to open up to the man. There seemed no getting away from Dave  and it didn't matter how many barriers Niall tried to put up, Dave had a habit of trying to smash through them without losing his good humor. 

"Niall, good to see you" Dave chirped "Come on, we're escaping?" and he vanished briefly, only to return with a wheelchair. "Let's get going!"

"Ummh...escaping....where?" Niall asked slightly confused.

"Shhh..my secret!" Dave winked at him. He pulled back the covers on Niall's bed and then rummaged in Niall's locker, pulling out some sweats and a hoodie. "Here, put these on". Niall  started to pull the clothes on, still confused. "Done?" Dave asked and Niall nodded. "Right, your chariot awaits" and he assisted Niall into the chair and wrapped a blanket around him. He pushed Niall from the room, stopping my the nurses station, to tell them he was taking Niall away for a short time. Niall's confusion increased as Dave  took him outside and, inside of turning towards the gardens, headed towards the car park. He stopped in front of a small blue car and opened the passenger door. "Hop in" he told Niall and assisted him out of the chair and into the car,before  folding the wheelchair and putting it in the trunk.

"Where are we going?" Niall actually felt his anxiety rising. This felt slightly like kidnapping. He wasn't sure if he should start yelling. "Should you be doing this?"

"Niall,  sit back and enjoy the ride. It's a beautiful day" Dave turned the radio , feeling the silence with music. Niall wasn't sure how long they'd been driving but Dave finally turned off the highway and into a large car park.

"An aquarium?" Niall said, astonished. "What the f.ck are we doing at an Aquarium?"

"We're going to relax and have fun" Dave replied as he leapt nimbly from the car to retrieve the wheelchair. He quickly unfolded it and pushed it around to the passenger side and help Niall settle into it, making sure he was warmly wrapped up.

Niall was silent as Dave pushed him around the various tanks but gradually his posture became less stiff, and his eyes grew brighter as he studied the brightly colored fish.

"Wow!" Niall's blue eyes widened as he looked at a massive Lion fish . "Dave, take a look at that!".  Dave looked then drew Niall's attention to another  tank and had the pleasure of watching Niall's face light up even more. This, Dave thought to himself, was going the way he'd hoped.

"Let's go get a drink" Dave finally said and pushed Niall's chair to the Cafe. It was designed to resemble an underwater cave and  Niall looked around himself with interest as Dave went to order their drinks. He was soon back , his tray laden with drinks and an assortment of sandwiches and snacks. "Help yourself" he murmured and hid his smile when Niall reached out and took a sandwich and started eating it...the first time he had voluntarily taken food without being forced to do so. Niall munched slowly, still focused on the decor of the room. "So Niall, have you thought about  any of the stuff we talked about during our session?" Dave asked casually.

"Maybe..yeah...a bit" Niall admitted slowly, his eyes suddenly focussed down on the table. He picked up a spoon and twirled it between his fingers as he felt his heart beating faster.

"Denial" Dave's voice was calm.

"Denial?" Niall repeated but in a questioning manner.

"Yes, you deny there is anything wrong so you ignore everything to do with your health. You have a cold, ignore it, it becomes pneumonia, you have Lupus so you run away and end up in hospital seriously ill with kidney problems. Denial" Dave said firmly. "What would you call it?" Dave sounded curious.

"I can't be sick,  I don't have time, I have to keep going..the album to finish, promo work, interviews. I must keep going, I should keep going." Niall sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as convince Dave.

"I can't, I don't,  I must, I should" Dave said evenly. "Tell me something, what would you say if it was, say Louis...or Liam..or Harry... saying those things? Giving me those answers? Would you think they were being reasonable? You don't have to answer me , Niall. Just think about it. And ask yourself this one thing " why are you in Denial?" Dave stood up and looked at his watch. "I'd better get you back before they miss you. They don't know you've gone" He grinned at Niall sheepishly.

"You did what!" Emiko Jozuka  almost shrieked at Dave later.  "You realize Niall is still sick and you took him off the facility into a public area. Heaven knows what illnesses he might have picked up. HIs immune system is compromised right now."

" He relaxed, he unwound , he actually ate a sandwich by his own choice and he finally talked to me. Ok, just a few sentences , but he started to open up." Dave stood his ground. He knew she was right but d*mn, Niall's mental health was important too.

"You'd better hope that Niall's condition doesn't get worse." Emiko glared at Dave then left his office, slamming the door hard behind her.