the purge // n.h. (au)

seventeen

A/N: This chapter was so sad to write but so happy at the same time omg. Anyways, there's going to be one chapter left and then possibly an epilogue, or the next chapter will be like an epilogue. I'm not sure yet! But I hope you all love this chapter just as much as I do. By the way, I listened to Come Home by One Republic while I wrote this whole thing and it's a really sad but good song and I nearly started crying. So don't listen to it if you don't like crying. Yeah so I love you guys, enjoy. xo

Julissa

There's always a time in someones life when they feel helpless, frightened to the point where they can't even move a limb. With their heart pounding rapidly inside of their chest, thousands and thousands of thoughts swirling through their heads to the point where they can't think straight. It's one of those times that make them want to turn back time so terribly, just enough so that they can change the outcome of things. It's that time that once it's felt, they never want to feel that way ever again.

This was me right now, as tears streamed endlessly down my cheeks and painful cries left my lips while I shook Niall desperately in hopes of waking him from his slumber.

"Julissa, please stop. You shaking him like that isn't going to help him at all," my father tried to tell me, but I could barely hear him. I couldn't even focus on anything or anyone else around me. Niall's nearly lifeless figure was clouding up my vision, along with the continuous fill of tears. In that moment all I wanted was for him to open his eyelids, for his warm blue eyes to look into my hazel ones. But sadly, I knew that was not going to happen.

"God, Julissa, stop, I'm calling an ambulance," he said again, quickly taking his phone out of his pocket and dialling 911 immediately. "We need help, right now."

"Niall," I sobbed, moving both of my hands to his bloody chest and sloppily attempting to do compressions in an attempt of keeping his heart beating for a little longer. I had one hand on top of the other and pumped his chest, pressing down harder and harder each time that he didn't respond. "Come on, Niall! Fuck!"

I broke down after about thirty compressions, unable to continue. I cried loudly into my hands as I rocked back and forth with my knees against my chest, incapable of looking at his still and pale body any longer. It just hurt too much, and I couldn't bare the thought of him actually leaving. He meant so much to me already, even if we had only met ten hours ago. He's the one that had been there by my side and protected me throughout the night, and I felt as if I owed him my life.

"Please, don't leave me," I hiccuped, grabbing his cold hand in my warm ones and holding it up to my cheek. "I like you, and you're so great- you can't die."

My mother then came back with Maddie in her arms, her hand covering her agape mouth as she seen what was happening. "Jim, did you call an ambulance?"

My father nodded, sighing deeply. "They said they'd have someone here as soon as possible."

"We can't wait," I sniffled, staring at Niall's peaceful facial expression. "We need them to get here now."

"Is Niall okay, mom? He's bleeding," Maddie suddenly asked quietly, only causing me to let out a choked sob.

"I don't know, sweetie," mom frowned, her own eyes beginning to water.

Maddie was about to respond, but just as she went to a wailing siren filled our eardrums, my father instantly standing up and running outside to meet the paramedics. My mother followed after with Maddie still in her hold, but I didn't move an inch. I just continued to grasp onto Niall's still hand, the thought of leaving his side nowhere in my mind.

A minute or two later two paramedics came rushing into the hall where we were, carefully moving Niall onto a stretcher before I could even blink. I was forced to drop his hand, the medics immediately taking him to the ambulance. I forced myself to stand on my feet and chase after them, determined to go to the hospital with him. I told him that I wasn't going anywhere, and I was not about to break that promise.

I reached them just as they were loading him into the back of the ambulance. I tried to follow them and step into the back, but one of the paramedics put his hands up, not allowing me entrance.

"I need to go with him, please," I begged, literally about to go on my knees if he didn't let me.

The man sighed and began shaking his head, but I only continued.

"I'm his girlfriend," I blurted, deciding that that was the only way that I'd be able to ride along. "Please, just let me ride with you guys."

That seemed to make up his mind, and he gave me a sudden look of sympathy before shifting to the side. "Alright. Go ahead."

*

I impatiently tapped my foot on the tile floors of the hospital waiting room, my eyes flickering back and forth between the clock on the wall and the hallway that lay ahead of me.

I had been waiting almost a full hour for news on Niall's health, and so far not one doctor or nurse has came to tell me of his condition. I've been sitting here, forced to come up with my own pile of conclusions as to what had exactly happened to him ever since he arrived here. Were they able to save him before it was too late? Or was he gone, and they were just taking awhile to tell me because they didn't want to break my heart? I honestly had no fucking clue, and it was scary.

I stared at the ceiling to stop myself from crying any more just as footsteps began to approach me, my gaze instantly turning towards the sound to see an older nurse coming towards where I was.

I felt my heart skip a beat inside of my chest, praying that whatever news she had for me was just as good as I wanted it to be.

She stopped walking once she was in front of me, giving me a sad smile. "Are you Julissa Marano?"

I nodded slowly, looking up to look her in the eyes. "Please tell me he's alive."

She stayed silent for a moment before her smile got bigger, confirming my statement. "Yes, he's fine. Luckily, we managed to get there in time before his heart completely stopped. We also stitched up the wound and gave him a blood transfusion, since he lost quite a lot of blood. He's stable now, and he should be waking up in an hour or so. You could go see him if you'd like."

"Yes, please," I breathed, feeling as if a huge pair of weights had just been lifted off of my shoulders.

Niall was alright, and that's all that mattered to me right now.

I guess this night didn't turn out as bad as I had feared, and for that I was severely grateful.

HE'S ALIVE WOOHOO. YOU GUYS CAN'T KILL ME NOW. (: