1D | I'm Right Here

Niall Epilepsy & Announcement

Epilepsy Diagnosis

Niall's POV
Epilepsy. I tried to think. I tried to breathe. I tried to focus on the figures standing beside me, but all that filled my head, my vision, my ears, my very being was... Epilepsy.

I fearfully added more words: I. Have. Epilepsy.

Someone whimpered like a scared animal and I felt hands touch my numb skin. Water fell onto my bare arm and I felt Liam's lips touch my cheek.

Epilepsy.

Liam's hand ran through my hair but the word wasn't going away. It was stuck, stuck to me. The whimpering sound came again and I was in someone's grip. More water fell onto my arm, and I closed my eyes. Was the water coming from my eyes?

Epilepsy meant seizures. And I had been having seizures. Now I have epilepsy. And that meant more seizures.

I squirmed and pushed myself away from this person's grip. Then there were more hands, more whimpering, and more water. Then everything went quiet.

It's Ok Niall

I opened my eyes and I looked at the floor.
"Niall?" A voice said.
You have epilepsy, said the voice in my head.
"Niall, look at me."
You have epilepsy.
"You're ok Niall. I'm with you."
Keep this up and you'll have a seizure.
"It's Zayn," He said, and I looked at him. My head went quiet and I stared into Zayn's face. "You're alright mate."
"Why? Why... are you here?" I stuttered.
"I'm here to be with you and the other boys," Zayn told me, and I felt some tears falling down my face.
"I've got..."
"I know," Zayn said gently. "Everything's going to be ok Niall. The doctor's sorting you out some medication and we're all here for you."
"I'm not on my own?"
"Of course you're not. Come here," Zayn said, and I hugged him.

A few minutes passed before there was someone clicking their fingers in front of my face. I blinked and looked up to see both my doctor and Zayn crouching in front of me. My head felt funny, like I'd just blacked out.
"Niall? Can you say your name for me?" The doctor asked, and I frowned.
"It's, Niall. Horan."
"Ok, that's great," The doctor said, and I looked at Zayn. He looked worried.
"What happened?"
"You had a seizure Niall," Zayn told me.
"What?" I asked in confusion.
"It's called an absent seizure. It's when you lose awareness of your surroundings. Your muscles don't seize up, but you drift out for a few seconds," The doctor told me, and tears filled my eyes.
"Hey, it's ok Niall. You're ok," Zayn reassured me.
"Make them stop," I begged. I didn't want to have any more seizures. I just wanted everything to go back to the way it had been before the incident at our rehearsals a few days ago.
"We can make them stop Niall. I've written a prescription for you and you have to take these tablets twice a day. Do you understand?" The doctor asked me as he handed me some tablets and I nodded. "Good lad. You're going to take the first ones now," He said and, with Zayn's support, I took the first of the tablets.

Liam's POV
"Liam, you've got to calm down," Louis told me.
"Niall's got epilepsy Louis. Don't tell me to calm down."
"Look at me Liam," Paul said in his stern dad voice, and I looked at him. "Niall's getting some medication to help control his seizures, but you have to be strong for him. Niall's going to need you, more than ever, and you have to be strong. Can you do that for me?" Paul asked and I nodded. "Good lad. I know that it's a big change, but I'll let everyone on the tour know, and we'll learn how to help Niall manage it."
"That sounds good Paul," Harry said, and I looked down to see that my hands were shaking.
"Niall will be ok Liam," Louis reassured me.
"I know. I know," I replied. I had tried to comfort Niall, but he had pushed me away. He was scared and I understood that.
"What are we going to tell the public?" Louis asked Paul, and my blood ran cold. The problem with being famous was that the world would find out everything about us. Even our medical history.
"We'll tell them the truth, but in our own time," Paul reassured us. After ten minutes, Zayn and Niall came into the waiting room.
"Hey Niall," Harry said, and I saw that Zayn was holding some medication.
"Hi boys," Niall replied quietly. I stepped forwards and gently took his hands into mine.
"Are you alright Niall?" I asked, and he nodded.
"He had an absent seizure after you left, but he's had the first dose of his medication now," Zayn told us.
"What's an absent seizure?"
"It's when you black out but your muscles don't seize up."
"Oh, ok."
"Are you ok Niall?" I asked Niall again, and he nodded.
"Alright boys, let's get you back to the hotel before paparazzi swarm the entrance," Paul said and we nodded. There were already a few paps outside the hospital, but Paul got us through them easily.