This is not the end~ Fourth book in PLMI series

We need Niall-73

*proposal is okay? Susceptible to change
*this chapter is the freaking bomb. Two words. Larry. Stylinson.
*also, Louis is like a cuddly little, sad koala and I love him so much. Also, Harry is ma babe and will forever be ma babe.

-Mackenzie's POV-
      I sat, huddled in a corner of the bathroom, shaking uncontrollably and crying, alone in the bathroom stall, my mind screaming different things at me and my heart physically breaking into two pieces. 
      "Kenz?" I heard Liam's shaky voice ask, hearing the door to the bathroom open slowly.  I shook my head, muffling my sobs with my hand as I scooted further into the corner. Liam's boots tapped on the floor as he walked over to the stall and knocked quietly on the door, rattling the handle.
       "Sweetheart, it's okay. Open the door." Liam whispered, knocking quietly.
       Digging my fingernails into my wrist, hard enough to draw blood, I let out a whimper as he pulled on the door. "G...go away." I managed to get out through my tears.
       "Kenzi. He wants to see you...." Liam whispered quietly through the door. Niall? Wants to see me? He's away? He seemed dead.......
        "N....Niall?" I questioned as I crawled to the door and shakily opened it, him reaching out to grab me as soon as it opened. He pulled me into a quick hug, stroking my hair gently. I pulled away from him and walked out of the bathroom quickly, my red wrist itching for attention of the blade.
        "Kenz. Wait!" Liam called behind me as I turned the corner, seeing Harry, Zayn, and Alexa outside a door, which I was sure was most definitely Niall's. Liam grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him before I could reach the door.  "You need to realize what you're going to see..." he trailed. That's when I noticed his red face, sad eyes, and sunken in features.
         "Let me be." I whispered half heartedly, not wanting him to touch me. Not wanting anyone to touch me but Niall. I didn't want his comfort, nor anyone else's.
         Liam sighed, but let me through the door anyways. I shut it quickly behind me and collapsed against it, my forehead resting on it. I heard someone shuffle and turned around, looking down at Louis, who slipped past me without a word, tears falling from his cheeks as he shut the door quietly behind him. I looked down at Niall, whose eyes were closed lightly, his chest rising and falling in what looked like a painfully slow pattern. 
       Sitting down next to the bed in a chair, I grabbed his hand in mine, watching his eyes flutter open. He smiled at me sadly, not saying a word and just taking me all in. His thumb stroked the back of my hand like always as I cried silently, seeing all the tubes coming from his arms and his tired, death like features.
       "Hi." He whispered weakly, his voice raspy and his eyes sunken in as if he could sleep for eternity. Which was what I was more afraid of than anything.
        "Hey." I replied quietly, reaching out to touch his face. He smiled, reaching out with his weak fingers to wipe my tears away. 
         "Yer' so beautiful." He whispered feebly, closing his eyes slowly as if the light hurt him. Shifting, he opened his eyes back up. "I need teh......tell yeh something.....before....." he trailed, his eyes welling up with tears that he wouldn't let fall. Shaking my head gently, I gripped his hand tighter.
        "No. You aren't going to die Niall." I insisted, reaching out to touch his soft, thinning hair with my fingertips.
        "Baby......" he whispered weakly, his usually clear voice as deep as Harry's and about ten times more raspy. "Just listen. Okay?" He mumbled faintly, his blue eyes barely open.
       I nodded slowly as he went on. "I love you. More than....anyone I've ever loved in my whole life.  And....I wish I would have done this sooner......because........I knew we didn't have much time left...." he whispered, his hand squeezing mine tightly. I brushed back a hair from his forehead and wiped away some sweat that was gleaming on it before speaking.
        "Niall..." I started, bringing his knuckles up to my mouth to kiss them slowly. He shook his head, turning his face against the pillow and bringing our hands up to lay underneath his head.
        "Let me finish.  Please....." he begged, his eyes tired and his breath short. I stayed silent, looking down at my hand. He groaned as he scooted to the edge of the bed and opened the drawer on the nightstand, getting a little black box out of it. I frowned, licking my lips as I watched him look down at the tiny box.
        He opened the box, revealing a small diamond ring, it's light glittering in the harsh florescent lights of the hospital room. (A/n- Picture in author's note at bottom)  Gasping, I put a hand over my mouth, feeling tears well up in my eyes again.
        "Mackenzie. Will you marry me?" He asks, his voice hushed as he observed my face. Even though Niall was in the hospital, even though he has such a high fever.....and even though he was so, so sick....I saw the boy I met in the park that day a couple years back. The sweet, caring, sincere boy.  I care about him, love him, and want to protect him with all my heart. I love him more than I could love anyone. Niall is my home, and Niall is my family.
        "Y...yes. Of course."  I answered through my tears. My hands were shaking as he slid the ring on my finger. It fit perfectly, as if it were meant for me.
       He pulled me forward to kiss him slowly, him coming up for air every couple seconds.  I looked down at the ring once we were done and smiled sadly.
        "You have to get better Nialler...." I whispered as I leaned my head on his hands. 
         "Will you promise me something?" He whispered as he scooted over slowly in the bed, leaving a little space for me to lie next to him. I crawled next to him, laying my head gently on his chest and listening to his slow, relaxed heartbeat.
        "Anything. Anything at all." I replied, kissing his chin lightly.
        "Promise me, if I die......you stay alive. You fight....you.....don't fall into such a horrible depression. Promise me....you'll see other people.....Promise me.....you'll.....y...you'll be happy. That's...all I want for you. Is for you to be happy." He whispered, looking down at me and wincing as he swallowed. I stayed silent, looking up at the ceiling in silence, not sure what to say.
Niall's my everything. My love, my family. I mean, sure, there was Bradley.  That wasn't real. But if Niall died, I'm not sure I would be able to find someone else, let alone put myself out there. He's the only one who truly understands everything......I cannot promise him something so impossible........
       "Snowflake...I can't..." I whispered back, not looking at him and focusing on the ceiling. I heard him sigh tiredly.
         "I know...." he whispered back, moving his arm around my waist and falling asleep with his face buried into my long hair. I fell asleep eventually as well,  breathing in Niall's steady scent that kept me grounded and safe.
         "I love you. More than anything." I whispered quietly in his ear before falling into a deep, nightmare filled sleep.