My Best Friend's Cousin ~ One Direction Fanfic {Niall Horan}

Chapter Twenty Four ~ Never Forget

I wanted to get this out before Niall's birthday tomorrow so here it is!

Also I'm getting so close to the end of this and I'm so excited and I really wish I could finish it all in one day, which I totally would if I didn't have school, but I am really busy.

I'm so excited for this chapter too, just a warning it will be sad, but I think it will be the best chapter so far! :)

Enjoy!

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~Charlotte's POV~

When I arrived at the hospital, still carrying my luggage from Ireland, I practically ran through the doors to the front desk where a nurse sat typing on her laptop. I hated hospitals, I was terrified of them, most people were scared of heights or snakes, but I was scared of hospitals. The smell and the dullness of it was almost unbearable, not to mention the solemn and pitiful looks marked on everyones' faces. As I slowed down to a speed walk in an attempt to keep my luggage from slipping out of my hand, I noticed just how crowded the hospital was. I realized because of the holiday season many families were visiting their relatives to keep them company as they sat through what was meant to be a happy and joyful time in a hospital bed.

I scanned the waiting room looking for I don't know what, a familiar face? Niall? When I realized the situation I was in I erased his face from my mind and trudged forward to the desk. Out of habit I reached for my dad's dog tags that were tucked under my t-shirt. I pulled my coat tighter as if it would shield me from this horrible place. When I arrived at the desk the nurse didn't seem to know of my presence because she continued to look at her computer screen.

I cleared my throat, "excuse me." She looked up from the screen greeting me with a look of annoyance.

"Yes?" She mumbled.

"Um... I was just wondering what room Carol Wescott was in?" I stuttered.

"Are you family?"

"Yes, I'm her granddaughter." She looked back down at her computer screen and began typing.

"Room 225." I thanked her and made my way to a near by elevator, there was no way I was carrying this suitcase up the stairs. The elevator stopped at the second floor and I stepped out, making my way down the empty hallway.

"222... 223... 224" I opened the door that read "225," not bothering to knock. When I walked inside and closed the door the first thing I noticed was my grandma's familiar face lying on a pillow. Her eyes were closed and she looked pale, the noise of the breathing machines next to her bed made the atmosphere of the room more sad. I slowly made my way to the side of her bed and peered down at her kind face, all the life and color almost drained from it. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes. I bent down and kissed her forehead, which felt cold.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered to her, keeping my face close, breathing in her familiar scent of the gingerbread she always filled her house with at this time of the year, and wrapping my arms around her frail body in an attempt to warm her up, being careful not to wake her. With tears now making their way down my face, I walked over to the chair placed by the bed and took my grandma's hand gently in mine. I laid my head down on the bed side, keeping my grandma's hand in mine and drifted to sleep.

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It felt like it had only been five minutes before someone was shaking me awake. I lifted my head from the bed and looked around, blinking sleepily as I remembered where I was.

"I'm very sorry to wake you miss, but we don't allow strangers in the patients' rooms," an older looking man with graying hair and glasses said peering down at me, he must be the doctor I thought.