Niall’s View:
I panicked as Claire’s body collapsed into my arms, unconscious.
“What’s wrong with her? What’s going on, why’s she like this?” Louis came down beside me and pulled me away from her. I fought back relentlessly to stay close to her.
“Niall, stop it!” Why are they pulling me away from her, she needs me.
“No! She needs me Louis, she needs me!” I pulled out of his grasp and came back to her side. Zayn was on the phone with 9-1-1, Liam was checking her pulse and her eyes, and Harry was escorting Alex out of the house.
“Claire!” Jessica came running into the living room and I gave her some room to get beside her. I heard Alex yelling Claire’s name as he was pushed out the front door. The commotion started giving me an anxiety attack. I was taking sharp, short breaths and an uncontrollable heart beat took over my body. I felt my face go pale as I sat back on the floor and covered my head with my hands.
“Somebody take Niall out to the kitchen. Get him out of here!” Liam was throwing out commands. Louis and Zayn were now picking up Claire and heading towards the stairs. Everything turned into slow motion as flashbacks started flooding my head of the night she was taken from me and almost raped, almost killed. An immediate reaction to that event caused me to lunge forward at Zayn and Louis. Jess was by her side caressing her hand, and Liam was in front of them at the bottom of the staircase. Harry suddenly ran up in front of me and pushed me back.
“Don’t hurt her! Please...just...I’ll do anything.” I felt my body being overtaken by exhaustion, hunger, and fear. I came to silence, weakness, and turned to nothing as I fell onto the floor, fully unaware of my surroundings, but still awake, still conscious. I just wished I wasn’t.
“What’s going on, Niall? Hey, come on, wake up! Guys, something’s wrong, something’s wrong!” Liam left the boys and Jess to handle Claire and came running towards Harry and I. It was like I was awake yet asleep, conscious yet unconscious, a state of living without...living.
“Hello?” I heard the front door open violently and Justin’s footsteps came running into the living room.
“Justin, upstairs, go! It’s Claire, she’s unconscious. Jess needs your help.” Liam yelled out. I heard Justin fumble around as he dropped everything in his hands and hurtled himself up the stairs and into Claire’s bedroom. That’s where I needed to be, I needed Claire.
“Claire...Claire...” I mumbled her name helplessly and hopelessly as if I was miles from her beautiful eyes and sweet smile, her spontaneously loving personality. I needed everything about her, she was my medicine.
“Should we take him up to her?” I heard Harry’s voice in my head. Liam replied but his words were mumbled. I suddenly felt myself being lifted from the floor and turned onto my back. Every time they took a step, my body was hurled up and down, nauseously. I felt my stomach flip in circles. I twisted myself out of their grip, landed on the floor on my elbows and knees, and started puking.
“Harry, go get a bucket and some water and crackers. Bring them upstairs!” Black spots pulsated in my vision with every stomach pulling heart-beat. Liam pulled me up the stairs by my underarms and I let my head bobble uselessly.
“Stay with me Niall, stay with me.” As Liam pulled me up the last step I forced myself to put a foot down and push myself up to help him. “Justin, help!” I felt another pair of arms wrap around my feet and carry me into a blue and green bedroom.
“Claire...” I felt a tear slip from my eye as I was brought closer to her. They laid me onto her white, green, and blue down comforter and supported my head with pillows and stuffed animals. I turned my head to see her soft face as pale as snow. Sweat trickled down her temples. I forced my hand to move towards hers and held it supportively. I let my eyes shut and my mind turn off as I too went spiraling into the darkness.
~ ~ ~
Claire’s View:
I felt an awareness return to my mind. The first thing I felt was a weak grip on my hand, and a warm breath tickling my neck...Niall. I smelled something wonderful and forced my eyes to open. I groaned groggily as the light cascaded through my eyelids, I used the arm not being held to cover my eyes. I gasped at the feeling of my bed dipping down. I turned my head slowly to see Justin at my side.
“Hey buddy, how are you?” I smiled half-heartedly in an attempt to at least appear fine. But the pain I was feeling wasn’t physical. It was all emotional and mental. Justin didn’t know what it was like to lose the two people you care about most in the world, and then be replaced with two more people who shouldn’t even be alive.
“I’m...surviving.” He chuckled at my response and moved a few hairs away from my face.
“You gave just about everyone in the entire U.S. a heart attack.” I furrowed my brow confusingly.
“What do you mean, what happened?” I pushed myself up so I could get a better perspective of my surroundings. I looked to my right to see Niall sleeping soundly, my hand in his, surrounded by blankets and pillows. I ran my fingers through his hair and down to his cheek. He didn’t even stir, which could only mean something was wrong.
“You passed out, completely unconscious for an entire day. He was so worried about you, I mean we all were but, he worried himself nearly to death. We don’t know what he did to himself but it was like he was in a coma. It’s as if he literally couldn’t live without you, ya know? It’s a rare thing to be loved like that at such a young age Claire. Hold onto him, and don’t let him go. And until he regains his consciousness, which should be soon, you need to feed yourself. Jess made you some tomato soup with crackers.” I took a deep breath and looked back at him. He stood up and began to leave me with Niall, my soup, and many questions but I stopped him just as he stepped outside my doorway.
“Wait, what do you mean the entire U.S.?” He picked up my phone from the floor where it was charging and handed it to me.
“Find out for yourself. I guess it’s up to us to not trust the emergency health departments.” He laughed and left me alone. I quickly typed in my password and opened up my World Wide News app. There were hundreds if not thousands of notifications, news reports, and live broadcasts of the attack, my recent accident, and at the bottom of the page was something almost foreign to read. I clicked on a video with a title that read, The Musically Star Crossed Lovers of America Suffer Together.
“Just three days ago, our very own idolized vocal and instrumental artists Niall Horan and Claire Chasez were viciously attacked by a recently released criminal named Nich Johnson. He had been convicted 15 years ago and was released early for good behavior. Only a week later he nearly raped our dearly beloved Claire Chasez. Rumor has it that Niall saved her from the man, nearly risking his own life for her.” I stopped the video to quickly take a spoonful of soup and a few crackers; I opened my phone back up and continued the newscast.
“But that wasn’t the end of their story, it was only the beginning. We later saw several posts by Niall Horan about spending time with Claire throughout the last few days. Only until last night when another incident occurred that has sent both of them unconscious. A local EMT reported to us that Claire was unable to uphold her own strength. He said that she most likely was underfed and experiencing high levels of stress that caused her body to shut down. Soon after her, Niall followed suit in a last resort to be by her side. The last we heard the two musicians are sleeping soundly side by side at the house of Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel. That’s the latest news update from Todays Latest and Greatest. I’m Teresa Willingham, thanks for watching.”
I shut down my phone and finished my soup and crackers hastily. I slipped down into my covers and turned on my side to face Niall. His face looked different. I couldn’t quite figure out what had changed in the last 12 hours, but something had. I leaned forward and kissed his forehead. I pulled the comforter closer to him and slid out of bed.
I walked to my bathroom and decided I should shower before starting my day of recovery. I turned the water all the way on hot and just stood there for probably 25 minutes before getting out and wrapping a towel around myself. I poked my head into the bedroom to find Niall hadn’t even shifted. He was still asleep, coddled up between the sheets of my bed. I hope he’ll be okay, I would hate to think he grew sick and bed ridden just because of me.
I grabbed some sweatpants and a thin t-shirt from my dresser and quickly changed so I could get downstairs and see everyone. I decided I would let my hair air dry as I crept from the bathroom and towards the door. I took one last look at Niall and left. My socks stuck to the soft carpet as I slowly made my way downstairs to the numerous voices talking about. I peeked around the staircase at the group of people sitting in my kitchen waiting for either me or Niall.
I sat down and just watched them, unsure if I should make an appearance just yet. They were eating lunch and talking. Justin and Jess looked like crap, and the boys weren’t far from it. I decided against it, I’d been around more people the last 2 weeks than I had in my whole life. The publicity of my life was killing me and I needed a break, even from friends and family.
I waited until most of them were off and busy doing their own thing. I ran down the last few steps and turned down the hall. I walked to the basement door and went downstairs. I ran my hand along the wall as I made my way to a glass door and walked into a room full of mirrors. I stepped up to the shiny black grand piano and sat down at the bench. I took a deep breath and pulled my hair up in a pony-tail, feeling my hair fall down my back.
“Just play from the heart.” I lifted my hand up to the wooden white keys and slid my fingers against them, feeling the soft paint. I pressed middle C, then slid my hand up an octave and made my decision on what to play. When I Look at You by Miley Cyrus, the same song I’d sang with my dad the day he died. I didn’t care if I would cry I didn’t care how sad the song made me, it was a song to remember. I swayed back and forth and closed my eyes to the rhythm of the music. I opened my mouth and took a deep breath as I got ready to sing.
Everybody needs inspiration
Everybody needs a song
Beautiful melody...
My voice wavered and cracked, but it didn’t matter. As long as I sang the words and played the notes then I would start to feel better. The harder I cried and the more I worked myself up, the more my hands began to sweat and shake, and the harder it was to play.
...And I can’t find my way home anymore
That’s when I...I, I look at you.
I heard the door creak and I jumped and spun around. Niall leaned in the doorway with his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face.
“Is that the song?” I nodded gently and wiped off my face. I stood up and ran to him. I threw my arms around him and just stood there. “I was so worried about you.” I hugged him harder as his voice ricocheted in my heart.
“You were worried about me? I was worried about you.” He ran a hand through my hair and kissed the top of my head. I tilted my head up to look in his eyes. “I need to get away Niall. From the paps, the publicity, the drama, this house, the people...everything! I’m so done. This life is not what I anticipated it would be. How do you do it?” A worry line appeared on his forehead as a look of compassion came over his face.
“It’s different for everyone Claire, but I can tell you that the best thing to do is to stay close to people. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t get away like this once in a while, but sometimes it’s the people we love most who turn out to be the medicine we need in times of chaos like this. Like me and you, we’re each other’s medicine. I need you, as you can tell.” He chuckled and I smiled back.
“And I need you.” He ran his thumb over my eyebrow, down my cheek bone, and traced my lips. I stood on my tip-toes and gently kissed his lips. I felt a smile widen on his mouth as I backed away.
“Do you want me to leave?” He asked quietly. I shook my head quickly and he smiled even more.
“Stay...please.” I took a hold of his hand and intertwined our fingers as we walked back over to the piano.
“I don’t know much about piano, but I once heard that if you just hum a tune, sometimes the pianist can play it. Is that true?” I giggled.
“I suppose so, although it would depend on the wisdom and skill of the pianist.” He leaned into my shoulder and bumped me to the side.
“I think the one I know might be good enough. Maybe I should test her out.” He squinted at me challengingly.
“Try me.” I replied. He cleared his throat and started humming, I held out my hand for him to pause. I played several different notes until I found the right starting one. Then I quickly determined the song as a major key signature and found the rest of it from there. He hummed out most of the song and I played it along as he began to sing.
“Been a lot of places
I’ve been all around the world
Seen a lot of faces
But never knowing where I was
On the horizon
Mmmm, well I know, I know, I know, I know
The sun’ll be risin’ back home”

“Livin’ out of cases
Packin’ up and takin’ off
Made a lot of changes
But not forgetting who I was
On the horizon
Mmmm well I know, I know, I know, I know
The moon will be risin’ back home”

“Don’t forget where you belong, oh oh
Don’t forget where you belong, oh oh
If you ever feel alone, don’t
You were never on your own
And the proof is in this song”
I closed my eyes and listened to his practically angelic voice as I continued playing the repeating chords and notes to this song. I’d never heard it before in my life, but it described everything I feel perfectly. Niall was finishing off another verse and elbowed me as we were nearing the chorus. I sucked in the breath I needed and managed to let out an in tune harmonizing undertone.
“Don’t forget where you belong, oh oh
Don’t forget where you belong, oh oh
If you ever feel alone, don’t
You were never on your own
And the proof is in this song.”
We stopped singing and I lifted my foot from the pedal of the piano. We turned and stared at each other and broke out in a fit of laughter.
“That was awesome!” He pulled my into an energetic hug and bounced a little in his bench.
“Yeah it was! I suppose that could be considered a part of training.” He smiled happily and kissed my cheek.
“You’re gonna’ do so great things Claire Chasez. Your fans love you, the crowd loves you, the judges love you...and I love you.” I felt myself stop breathing. We’d half-heartedly dropped small hints at that factor in our relationship that we really do love one another. But we’ve never just said it directly because the moment was never right. And even if it was, our fear of the other person’s feelings got the best of us. I was just glad we’d overcome that little bump in the road.
“I love you too.” I kissed him again and let it linger as I engraved the moment into my brain as best as I could. This day was going to make up for the past week, I just knew it.

Notes