Niall passed me an oversized shirt and pair of shorts that I sleep in to get changed into. I was still throwing up and feeling nauseous but now I also felt hot, like I had a fever.
“Come on… let’s get you into bed…” says Harry gently, his voice vibrating through the tiles I was lying down on. I sit up slowly to stop the room from spinning. I look at him, his green eyes full of pity and concern for his little sister.
“Sorry…” I mumble before he takes my hands and helps me stand.
“Don’t be sorry, nothing you can do now.” He says wrapping his arm under mine and helping me to bed. He sits me down gently before turning to the still lurking boys. “Ni? Grab that bucket from the kitchen will you?” he asks as I lay down and curl into a little ball. “Tasha, should I call mum?” he asks concern evident in his tone and words. I lift my head up and shake it.
“No… I’m sure I’ll be okay…” I say quietly. He nods and turns to Lou, looking scared.
“She’ll be alright…” I hear him comforting Harry. I give a hum in response to Lou’s comforting words.
I slowly begin to drift when I feel a cold hand pressed to my forehead. I breathe a sigh of relief at the welcomed coolness.
“Shit… Harry, she’s burning up…” I hear Ashton say. I open my eyes to see both curly head boys looking at me with concern.
“It’s just something I ate… I’ll be fine…” I say, trying to calm down everyone who seems to be over reacting.

I close my eyes again and soon I feel a dip in the bed next to me. I look up to see Harry sitting there playing with his hands.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier… about Zayn.” He says not looking at me.
“Harry, you couldn’t have thought long… that was like two minutes ago.” I try to say but it comes out in a mumble.
“Tasha… you’ve been asleep for close to forty minutes…” he says frowning finally looking at me again.
“Oh… anyway… you were saying?” I ask quietly closing my eyes again but still listening to my brother. He seems upset and I hate it when he does…
“You’re right… he’s gone now and we need to realise he didn’t want to be a part of us anymore. He has changed and so have we. We cannot judge him for what he does, no matter how much it annoys us. We don’t have to deal with it anymore, other than the questions upon questions… in a way we need to see it as a chance to produce the music we want to… and I think after the tour we will.” He says. He sounds relieved and I open my eyes to see him still with a slight frown, but also with half a smile too.
“Harry, just remember that and tomorrow you will be fine…” I say referring to the interview with Ellen.
“For an eighteen-year-old you sure as hell understand a lot… Tasha, I’m really glad you’re here… even if you’re sick now.” He says, his green eyes apologising for him. My stomach turns and I reach for the bucket Ni brought me. I throw up again and again until nothing more comes out while Harry patiently rubs my back. I put down the bucket and pull up my duvet around my ears trying to stay warm.
“Go to bed, Hazza… I’ll call if I need anything…” I say looking at him. He grimaces and takes a deep breath before looking at me.
“I’m not going to wake you up before we go… you’ll be okay with the Aussies in the morning?”
“Yes… now go get some sleep… you’re going to need it for tomorrow…” I say as my eyelids become heavier as I speak. He kisses my temple and leaves the door open before going to his room to rest. I fall back asleep quickly, only to be woken up by the need to expel what is left in my empty stomach a couple of times during the night.

Ashton’s POV

“Ashton…Ash?” says someone shaking my shoulder. I grumble and roll over not wanting to be woken up. “Ashton… lad, I need you to wake up.” Says a deep voice. Realising its Harry, I roll back to face him and open one eye. “I need you to look after Tasha… she’s been sick all night and we’ve got to go to Ellen…” he says apologetically. I nod and sit up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and stretching.
“How’s she this morning?” I ask pulling off my covers and standing up as H walks to my door.
“She’s still sleeping, but is really pale… Thank you Ash. We leave just now…” He says smiling at me. I nod and head to my bathroom to have a morning shower to wake myself up. I wash my hair and stand under the hot water for a few minutes before grabbing my towel, turning off the tap and getting out. I pull on a pair of shorts but leave off my shirt.

“Hey, I thought you guys would have left?” I ask seeing all the 1D guys standing in the kitchen.
“We leave in ten.” Says Liam smiling. I nod and grab the cup of coffee Niall passes to me. I check the time and see its just before eight.
“So, what are you guys going to say when she asks about Zayn?” I ask curiously. I don’t even like to think about what would happen to 5SOS if someone left. It makes me sad just thinking about it.
“Probably what Tasha suggested last night… for an innocent eighteen-year-old… she’s fucking clever.” Says Lou going over to add more sugar to what I’m guessing is tea. I see Harry smile and agree.
“Which is?” I ask, not remembering her saying anything about Zayn.
“That he chose to leave… its therefore not something we can worry about anymore…” says Liam sadly sipping on his tea. I nod and hear Ni sigh. I look over at him and shoot him a sympathetic nod.
“Well at least he didn’t jump her last night…” I say trying to get rid of the tension.
“Yeah right! She would have beat the living shit out of him… and then so would have I.” says Harry laughing. “I can see the headline now: Crazed Girl Attacks Zayn Malik! God… that’s going to make me laugh if Ellen asks anything today…” he says smiling into his apple. Mission accomplished! I smile proudly at myself.
“Alright, time to go lads!” says Paul walking into the kitchen. We shake hands and soon the boys are leaving.
“Ash? Just, message me once she’s woken up to let me know how she feels? Otherwise we might need to take her to a doctor…” Says Harry patting me on my shoulder.
“Will do, H.” I say. “Good luck for today…” I say, closing the door behind them and heading upstairs. I go over to Tasha’s room and see her door is open. I stick my head into her dark room and see her still sleeping in her bed. I walk into the room and on closer inspection I see she’s knocked off all the covers and has a forehead full of beads of sweat.
“Shit…” I mumble walking to her bathroom to get a cold towel onto her head or neck. I find a face cloth, make it damp and walk back over to her. I gently place the cloth on the back of her warm neck. She lets out a little whimper and then falls back asleep. I sigh and walk out back into the hall, keeping her door open. As I turn to my room I see Luke’s door opening. He walks out wearing a pair of shorts and no shirt.
“Morning.” I say smiling at my mate. He nods and looks at Tasha’s room.
“Is she…?” he asks, concern and worry filling his facial features.
“She’s got a really bad fever, but is still asleep… the other guys had to get going so they woke me up to watch her…” I explain as we walk down to the kitchen. He nods again, grabbing the box of orange juice and pouring himself a cup, frowning the entire time.
“Luke… mate it’s not your fault she’s sick…” I say looking at him as I lean against the fridge.
“Yeah, I know… but it kind of is…” he says chugging back the juice. I don’t say anything as we both sit there, slowly waking up.
“What’s the plan for today?” asks Luke looking at me, looking considerably more human.
“Just chill I guess… the guys will be on later which will be fun to watch…” I say. “Maybe we can go for a run or something, burn off some pent up energy… or just make keeks and chill?” I offer, thinking about or lack of online content recently.
He nods and pulls out his phone but I hear a thunk upstairs before I hear the toilet flush.
“Shit…” we say simultaneously before running up to Tasha’s room. We don’t knock but just go in to find her hugging the toilet bowl and talking to the people in china. Luke steps forward and ties up her hair for her. She turns away, and rests her head on the toilet seat before flushing again.
“Tha- Thank you…” she mumbles out before she closes her eyes and pales considerably.
“Not feeling better then?” I ask, making her at least smile.

Tasha’s POV

Luke and Ashton were being sweet and caring while Mikey and Cal slept, but it was awkward. I hated being sick at the best of times, let alone when the only people to help me were someone I was being forced to ‘date’ and the other a friend of my brothers.
“Tasha?” I hear someone say. I turn over in my bed and see Ashton coming forward. “Hey…Harry’s interview is going to start just now… wanna come downstairs and watch?” he offers smiling as he leans on my doorframe.
“Yeah, sure… thanks…” I say sitting up slowly, before grabbing my blanket, wrapping it around me and starting to walk out. Ashton giggles.
“You look like a burrito…” he says laughing. I laugh with him.
I make it to the couch and sit down, pulling my legs up and crossing them as Luke switches on the TV.
“How you feeling?” he says turning around and looking at me with concern.
I nod my head once, “Uh… I haven’t been sick in about thirty minutes… which is nice?” I say frowning but sort of laughing as well. He frowns and looks upset.
“I’m so-” I cut him off.
“I don’t know why you’re apologising… it’s not your fault.” I say smiling up at him as he comes to sit next to me. He nods his head and Ash walks in with some popcorn.
“I know you probably aren’t hungry... but…” he says sheepishly. I laugh.
“It’s okay, Ashton… eat popcorn for breakfast.” I say smiling and turning to the TV. Ellen had just introduced the boys and they were talking about the fact they could now fit on the couch which is why Zayn probably left… so they could fit on the coach. They seem like they are laughing, but I can feel the tension from here. Harry is just being plain obvious that its weird.
“Have you talked to him since he’s been gone? No? Yes?” asks Ellen. I tense and look at Luke and Ashton who are also slightly frozen but still eating.
“Yeah. A couple times…” says Liam making Harry and Louis start to smile. Niall looks over at Harry as he loses his control of his laughter.
“He’s doing okay?” Ellen asks as Harry slams his fist against his leg in laughter as Liam tries to seem like he wants to be talking about this.
“Fuck Harry…” I mumble. Telling him to not do something stupid. The audience laughs with Harry and a very disappointed Ellen raises her hand.
“Are you lying?” she asks looking at Liam and sounding disappointed. Moment of awkward silence.
“No... genuinely!” says Liam as Lou now begins to laugh.
“It’s fine, Tasha. If they laughing its better than if they angry.” Says Ash looking at me.
“Why are you laughing then?”
“Fuck…” I say rubbing my temples.
“Because… its… you can cut the tension in here…” says Harry causing everyone watching to laugh.
“Well, they’re just questions –”
“LETS MAKE SOME JOKES!” I shake my head and bury it in my hands as Ash silences the TV.
I groan at my brother’s inability to be subtle about anything and look up to see Luke frowning.
“Well it just seemed like they were awkward… not cross or anything.” He says raising his shoulder.
“I just feel sorry for them… he was their brother you know?” I say quietly, remembering Zayn before he got anxiety and changed…
“You miss him?” Asks Luke turning to face me. I nod and look up at him and force a smile as Mikey walks in. he comes over and gives me a hug.
“How’s you feeling?” he asks sleepily.
“Not too bad… still a bit nauseous but good.” I say leaning into his hug.
“So play some Assassins Creed later?” he asks reaching across for popcorn. I smile.
“We can see, but not right now… I think I’m going to go-” I’m cut across by my phone ringing. I reach into my pocket and see it’s an unknown number.
“Hello?” I ask frowning.
“Tasha? It’s Mish… WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE DATING LUKE HEMMINGS!?”

Notes

Hello lovely readers, thank you to all of your comments and votes, please can I ask you to leave comments so I can gauge a reaction? Thank you! xx L