United We Live

Seven

"He's not answering his cell," Zayn grumbled, leaving the third voicemail of the hour.

He looked up to meet the worried eyes of Harry and Liam across the room from him. The meeting had obviously not gone well, only giving the band a week recovery before it was back to work for all of them. They had an album to record, but the public appearances were thankfully limited. The tour would be delayed.

There were some exceptions for Harry, of course, and Niall.

But it still sucked.

At least they had all agreed to remain silent to the media until further developments arose. Everything was on a need to know basis.

"I don't understand," Harry frowned. He had only jut woken back up for the meeting and still appeared to be a little sleep deprived. "Wasn't Lou the one who arranged this whole thing?"

"He was," Liam nodded. "Which is why it's concerning he's gone MIA at a time like this."

"You did say he was coming down with a cold, perhaps he fell asleep on accident?" Harry tried once more, playing absently with his IV. "I wouldn't really blame him."

"That's not like Louis though," Zayn shook his head. "He's the last person to admit he's sick if it's something serious. Seeing that it was like pulling tooth and nails last night just to get him to take some medicine he obviously isn't feeling too great."

"Zayn's right, we always know it's not serious with him if he's complaining up a storm, but he's barely said anything. He has to be up to something."

"Let me try him," Harry offered, reaching for his own mobile on his bedside table. "Maybe if it's my number that comes up he'll be more willing to answer."

Just as the youngest was fiddling with the device the door opened and the three occupants looked up to meet a rather surprising sight.

"No need, I'm right here."

"Louis?" The three of the exclaimed, taken aback by the sight of their fellow band member in the doorway.

He was soaked to the bone and shivering, pulling his jacket closer around his body as he entered the room. He maintained a distance from the others, obviously still aware that the room had a two visitor max.

"Where have you been?" Zayn barked, standing from his chair in shock.

"Why are you drenched?" Harry added, perking up in his hospital bed.

"You're sick, you idiot!" Liam sighed, making his way over to the older teen.

"I went to search for Niall by myself," Louis admitted, accepting the blanket from Liam's outstretched hand. Swinging it over his shoulders, he eyed the other boys seeing their taken aback expressions. "I didn't find him, before you ask. I couldn't find anything. The storm ripped the trees apart."

"What happened to your face?" Liam frowned.

Louis flinched under the other teen's gaze, fully aware of what he was talking about. The tumble in the woods hadn't been entirely kind; there were several small cuts and bruises beginning to form.

"I fell, like I said, the woods are torn up from the storm. There's a lot of fallen trees and rubbish."

"You shouldn't have gone," Harry scowled. "Especially alone, Louis, I thought we had all learned that from the other night. Not to mention you look absolutely miserable-"

"I'm fine," Louis interrupted. "I just couldn't stand and do nothing."

"From the looks of it, you probably would have benefited from doing just that," Zayn sighed. "Perhaps you should head back to the hotel and get dry."