Finding Elliott [Harry Styles] Completed

Fiftysix.

When I was younger my father told me that things were the way they were for a reason. I couldn't see what reason there was for me not being able to walk, maybe it was a wake-up call. Maybe someone up there was making sure I knew there was more to life than what was in front of me. 

I didn't want to spend any more time in this hospital but it had been another week and I had been stuck in here. The physio didn't seem to be helping, every time I got into the room I found myself getting wound up and not being able to do it. Somehow I had also managed to keep the truth away from my family. Today though I was due to be discharged, I didn't know what I was going to do, I didn't know how I was going to get home, everything in my life recently had been a secret. 

"So," the doctor on duty came into my room with his clipboard in hand. "Looks like we'll be letting you go home today." As he neared my bed I gazed at his name tag, Consultant, Dr Banks. I looked up at his face, an older man with greying hair. The wrinkles on his face made him look alot older than I expected he was. 

Nodding at him I sunk back into the blanket and managed a smile even though I was not looking forward to leaving. "Yeah," I spoke quietly.

He raised an eyebrow at me, "Are you not excited to be going home?" He asked before he let out a hearty chuckle, "Most people are begging to leave."

I, Elliott Cole, was not most people, those people were not going to return home to my father. Looking at the doctor I managed to speak, "Will I ever walk again?"

Dr Banks sighed as he rubbed his right temple, "Honestly, Miss Cole," he looked over his clipboard and then returned his gaze to me. "I cannot answer that question right now." He picked up my clipboard from the end of the bed before looking through the sheets. "Your next of kin," Dr Banks glanced at me, "Do you want me to call and get them to collect you?"

My next of kin was my father, I didn't want him here, I didn't want him to see me in any kind of state especially if I was leaving in a wheelchair. "No," I blurted out quickly. "I have someone to pick me up," it wasn't a lie, I just hadn't asked yet. 

"Do you need me to get a call to them?" He asked as he put my clipboard away and returned his face back to me. 

Slowly I nodded, "Just let them know I need a ride." I bit my lip as I reached for my pen and paper before scribbling down a phone number. I nodded at the doctor before he walked away, phone number in hand. 

I realised I had left it all a little too late, I still had to tell my father and Thomas about my legs, I didn't know if I would be able to find the right words. My father would only blame himself, he was the one who ended up bringing Brit back into our home which only resulted in the following actions. Thomas would blame himself as he was the one who brought me out into the street to where the shot was fired. There was no winning. 

At the end of the day, all of this was my fault. I had been the one who went to see her, I had been the one who made it easy for her to identify me if I hadn't been so friendly to her then I probably wouldn't have been in that situation. 

The door burst open and in marched Niall, his frosted tips were growing out and his blue eyes were glowing as he winked at me. "So, we're getting you home today!" He was particularly chirpy as he came over and basically jumped on the end of my bed, the blankets moving slightly as he smiled at me. 

"I guess so," the words sounded sad as they left my lips. "I'm not ready to return home."

"I guessed," he raised his eyebrows playfully before slumping back on my bed, resting his head on his hands as he looked up at the ceiling, his legs and feet hanging off the bed. "You haven't told you dad, have you?" I shook my head before he responded to it. "I thought as much. I am pretty sure he would have mentioned something if you had."

Groaning loudly I shrugged my shoulders even though Niall couldn't see me, "It's just too much."

"Of course it is," Niall assured me as he turned his head and looked up at me. "I can get you home," he told me, "But you have to tell him."

Nodding I sucked my lips in and pulled my blanket closer to my chin. "Will you be there when I tell him?" I asked as I looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please."

He sat up and pulled me close to him, pulling me into a hug. "Where ever you want me to be I will be there." He held me tightly, "You are the only reason I stay here. The first day I was put with you, back with Liam, then I knew that I would do whatever I needed to do to protect you." He looked down at me, his blue eyes sparkling, "No one has ever treated me as an equal in this line of work. You were the first person to do that. You didn't order me around, you didn't act like you needed me to be there. You are a true friend," he told me. "Anything you want, anything you need, I'll do it for you."

I reached up and took how of his hands, "I don't know what I would do without you in my life. Please don't let me do all of this alone."

"You will never be alone," he assured me before slipping his hands from mine. "Why don't we get out of here, get you home and take it all one step at a time."

This man was seriously the best in the world, there was no way I would know what to do without him now. Every time I thought I was in a hole he'd come along and dig me out.