The Wolf In sheeps clothing

Right, Here We Go.

Louis shuffled about on the bed irritably. He had been through test after test and he was not only tired, he was frustrated. Nobody seemed to want to tell him anything. Eventually Caleb came back, holding a thick file.

"Right, Louis. I know you're itching to escape from here but I am afraid all these tests are very important. We just have one more to go then you can head home." Caleb said cheerfully.

"Great" Louis responded. "Just why are you doing all this. I mean, you said I would be OK as a match for Niall so why all this" Louis waved his hand vaguely in the air.

"Louis, yes we know you'll be a match for Niall but we also have a responsibility towards you too. Sometimes these tests find some underlying illness or problem that neither donor or doctor are aware exists. We need to make sure that you really are fine before we go ahead." Caleb had a serious look on his face. "So far, so good. We just need the  ECG done. If that pans out, we're good to go."

"And if it's OK, when?" Louis asked.

"A few days time." Caleb glanced down at his notes. "Louis, there is one thing I do have to ask you. Why are you so against Niall knowing you're his donor? I mean, you're close friends and close friends often do things like this, so why?" He looked up curiously at Louis.

"You don't know Ni" Louis replied. "He's the most cheerful, happy-go-luck guy. He's genuinely lovely. He also has a very stubborn streak and a well developed sense of fairness. If he knew I was the donor, he'd feel in debated to me. And I don't want that. I just want him to be well and healthy."

"I understand" Caleb agreed quietly. "Well, if that is your choice then we'll honor it. You'll need to 'disappear' for a week , maybe ten days or so. Will you be able to arrange that without Niall getting suspicious, or, also importantly, feeling you have abandoned him when he wants your support? Have you considered that?" Louis looked up at him, a slight frown on his face. He hadn't considered that side of the situation.

"I'll think of something" Louis said eventually. "Maybe Bobby can help"

"OK, let me know what the 'story' is when you've decided. Ah, here is the nurse to take you for the final examination.  You can go home after we're done. If this one is as satisfactory as the others, we'll let you know when you'll be admitted. Better get cracking on your excuses" He shook Louis hand and left as the nurse bustled in with a wheelchair.

"I can walk, you know. My legs do work" Louis said sassily.

"Sorry, hospital rules. In you get" the nurse was firm. Louis sighed gustily but did as he was told, reminding himself that all this was for Niall.

"Push away" he chirped and they headed out of the room, Louis thinking hard of a decent cover story for his  forth coming 'absence".

"Lad, I'm really sorry. I feel like I am deserting you" Louis said sadly.

"Bro, don't be. You have to promote your new single and it's not your Management's fault they want you to do it right now. You didn't plan on this happening. I'll be fine and my Da is here. Liam and Harry have also promised to come visit. Heck, I even had a text from Zayn wishing me well." Niall picked up his phone, scrolled through it quickly then handed it to Louis so he could read the text.

"Wow" Louis said quietly "I guess he cares about you more than he's let on since he left the band. I mean, he was great when my mom......" Louis stopped and composed himself. "And he always was very protective of you."  Louis managed to continue.

"Yeah" Niall was equally quiet "Well, come in when you can , Lou" Niall said, trying to be cheerful. He'd miss Louis more than he was willing to admit. Louis had been his strongest support and he knew he'd struggle without him despite having his Da with him. The two men chatted quietly for a time before a nurse appeared and asked Louis to leave as Niall needed to have some treatment done before having a rest. Louis bent down and hugged Niall then left, hoping he had pulled off the lie  successfully about needing to promote "Just Like You".

A week later,Louis was pacing his hospital room. The day of the transplant had finally arrived and he was nervous. A nurse tapped on the door and entered, bearing a hospital gown.

"Louis, we'll need to to change into this shortly but would you like to see Niall for a few moments before you do?" the nurse asked kindly.

"Please. I'd like that" Louis smiled, he wasn't expecting this opportunity. He headed to Niall's room where Niall was laying on his bed , twisting the sheets nervously between his fingers.Bobby  was sat next to him, patting his leg soothingly. "Hey, Nialler. All right?" Louis kept his voice cheerful.

"Lou!" Niall's face lit up as he sat up. "I wasn't expecting to see you."

"I had to come, give you a hug" Louis replied, his own face lit with a smile. "Come on" He bent down and hugged Niall tightly, swaying their bodies gently from side to side. "You holding up. OK?"

"Lou, I'm scared" Niall's blue eyes were shadowed with fear "What if it doesn't work? Then my donor will have wasted their kidney on me."

"Ni, don't think like that. Work or not work, I am sure your donor just will be happy that you had the chance. And it is going to work, bro." Louis tried to sound as confident as possible about the success of the operation.

"Louis, you have to leave now" a different nurse appeared. "It's time for Niall's pre med. Mr Horan, you can stay a little longer."

"Yeah, OK." Louis turned back to Niall. "You look after yourself, lad. I'll see you as soon as I can." He hugged Niall again then placed a soft kiss on his forehead. "Love you, bro. Look after him, Bobby." Louis hurried from the room, not looking back. He heard the soft voice of the nurse beginning to talk soothingly to his friend as he headed back to his own room to begin preparations for his own surgery.

Louis had been staring at the ceiling, lost in thought, when his nurse came into the room."Louis, time for your pre-med. How are you feeling?'

"Scared, nervous...but not for me" Louis spoke softly. "I just need Niall to be OK."

"His surgeon is the best, as is the one doing your surgery. You'll both be fine" the nurse spoke in a comforting tone. "Right, here we go." She slid the needle gently into Louis arm and a short time later he felt himself relaxing. The orderlies came into the room and Louis stared at the lights passing over his head as they pushed his bed towards the operating theater.

Niall felt too lethargic to worry when he lay on the gurney in the pre-op room. His brain felt fuzzy as people moved around him, attaching wires and monitors to his body.Part of him was aware that he was facing major surgery, the other part couldn't care. He was already too out of it. Voices murmured about him then he was aware of nothing more.

The surgeon hummed along to the music he had piped into the operating theater. He was skilled at his job and had a wonderful success rate. He raised the scalpel and began the incision. Apart from the quiet music in the background and muted requests for this or that , the room had a calmness about it. In the theater next door, another surgeon began his own delicate work.

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