United We Live

Eighteen

Before Harry got the opportunity to do something stupid, as Liam so eloquently put it, something far worse came to occur.

It was a quiet dinner, the four boys gathered in the tour bus for the meal instead of remaining in the hotel. The tension was thick, preventing conversation that extended beyond simple one word sentences.

Harry had finished quickly, using the opportunity to distance himself from the others. He perched up in his bunk just within earshot of the other lads, but his stance clearly told the other's he wanted and preferred to be left alone. It was something which all of them could understand and respect despite their growing differences.

The clock was striking seven p.m. when Louis turned to cough once more into the crook of his arm.

All the singers had long gotten used to the noise, so it was really a miracle when Zayn looked up barely interested to catch Louis pulling the sleeve of his shirt away.

There on the cotton material was a frothy discharge tinged pink.

Like blood.

"Louis, are you alright?" The Bradford teen exclaimed in concern, catching Liam and Harry's attention as he did so. "Shit, how long have you been coughing up blood?"

Louis stuttered, still staring at the sleeve in widening fear.

"We should take him back to the hospit-"Liam began, reaching for his cell phone.

The oldest immediately snapped forward, wrenching the mobile device from his hands.

"No! I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow; we do not need to go back there!" He protested, holding the phone at bay, practically pleading with the other boys. "I'll get it checked out tomorrow!"

Harry had finally slipped from his bunk, leaning heavily in the doorway so he could keep further pressure off his foot.

"Louis, if it was your cough then yes, but something is clearly wrong if blood is involved. We're not going to brush this aside till morning," the youngest snapped, plucking the cell from his hands.

"C'mon, lads!" Louis sighed, "At least give me the chance to put something proper on! And for God's sake spare me the ambulance. Just drive me there!"

The three singers could tell that Louis was more than annoyed, but there overbearing paranoia stood prevalent. After all they had gone through, it was best not to take any chances.

Harry supposed maybe doing a charity event for this poor hospital would be a good thing to do once they actually stopped showing up every couple of days with a new and far worse problem than the one before.

"I'll call security," Zayn mumbled.

ooo

Harry settled himself into one of the waiting room chairs alone, having been abandoned by Zayn and Liam early on. Both had made their way towards the nurse's station to file more paper work, something he supposed would be significantly easier now that the Doncaster lad already had a file on record.

It struck him suddenly that this was his first time sitting in the hospital waiting instead of in a bed recovering.

He hadn't been sitting there long, in fact he was about to adjust to see if he could find a more comfortable position to take a nap when someone seated themselves across from him.

"Hey, son," Bobby Horan addressed, "If ya need anything, you let me know. You or any of the other lads."

Harry blinked in surprise.