Assault With a Deadly Weapon || N.H / 1D

60.

Song recommendation: The Scientist by Coldplay
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"It should've been me." I kept my head down, pacing the dark bedroom floor, avoiding the squeaky floorboards. "It should've been me, not him."

I hadn't sat down since we got back to the McBride Mansion. Death was looming in the air. He was close, like he was breathing down my neck, his scythe tapping at the windows of the wing, so I stood on guard despite needing to sleep, keeping him away from Niall.

"Carter," Styles was sitting in the chair by the fireplace, fidgeting with the silver rings on his long fingers. "You need to stop doing this."

"Doing what?" I snapped my head up, shooting a glare like a bullet right through his head. "Don't tell me to stop worrying because I might just punch you out."

His eyes shifted to the bed, examining the body lying under the sheets.

"No, you just need to stop getting worked up about it." He shook his head softly, avoiding eye contact. "He's alive. He's fine. We're safe for now."

"For now." I repeated in a more obvious tone, reminding him that our safety was in fact, temporary. "I'm not scared he'll die right now. I'm scared that one of those psychopaths is going to go on another rampage, and we won't be so lucky!"

"Carter-"

I didn't let him finish, I had another thought to share out loud.

"I know what it's like to meet death." I continued to pace. "I've been there twice, and if there's something out there that's keeping me alive, it would've saved me a third time. Niall's life wouldn't have been at risk."

"You seriously believe in that bullshit?" Harry scoffed, finally looking at me with his drunken green eyes. "The universe is nothing." He spat out. "It's an empty vacuum of nothingness. The only thing that kept you alive was yourself." He gestured to me loosely. "There's no such thing as guardian angels or whatever shit you and Niall seem to believe in."

That stung me a little bit.

I've always liked Harry, he was a good man with a kind heart, but he was also blunt. He would never lie to you. He would state his opinion and take no shit. I just tended to forget that even if he and Niall grew up together, they weren't the same person. Not everybody understood like Niall did. I had to remember that.

"I'm just saying, if I could avoid it twice, a third time would be no problem." I muttered under my breath.

"This isn't about you Carter!" He was growing more frustrated. "It should've been you, but it wasn't. So get over it."

"You piece of-"

"Could you guys stop arguing please?" A gravelly voice spoke out, interrupting my violent insult. "It's giving me a headache."

"Niall." I turned my head to where the sound had come from, letting out a breath that had been stuck in my chest for hours. The anger inside me seemed to melt away, like his warm voice was thawing my frozen heart. "You're awake."

"Mhm." He made noises of acknowledgment. I knew it would be hard for him to use all that energy to talk. The fact that he was awake was enough for me.

"How are you feeling?" I walked over to the bed, trying my very best to not sprint to him like I wanted to. I didn't want to scare him any more.

"Sore." He croaked. His eyes were still a little glassy. Gorilla had helped me drug him in the taxi so that the pain was a little kinder to him. That monkey madman had everything I could've possibly needed. It made me wonder why he hadn't helped me when I'd gotten in the car wreck? I suppose he had favourites.