I'm Right Here- SWM Sequel (Harry Styles)

Chapter 32:

I sit down in the chair beside the bed and start a group chat with my bandmates. I snap my attention back to Bear when she coughs but she never wakes up. The coughs rack her body but she's too tired to even wake up from it. Lucy and Jonathan come back an hour later, carrying my bag with them. They say their goodbyes to Bear, who is delirious with a mixture of sleep and powerful medicine, as I change into sweats.

The hospital room is eerily quiet, the only light coming from the hall outside and a mute TV showing an old musical movie. Seeing that the chair beside the bed now has blankets over the cushions, I rotate the chair around and lean back to catch my view between Bear and the monitors connected to her. There's a monitor near me that had a green glow, the figures clearly showing Bear's heartbeat, breathing, and body temperature.

Her heart rate looks normal but she has a fever with breaths being shallow. I want to believe that she's getting better but she looks the same she did this morning. Very sick. I take Bear's hand and try to sleep while I can, knowing this is going to be a long night. And I'm right. As soon as I fall asleep, I'm back up again when Bear starts coughing. Except this time she wakes up. I keep wanting to say something to comfort her but she keeps ordering me to cover my face.

"I admit, okay? I'm sick. Happy? I'm sick and I don't want to be here. Harry.... I'm so scared. I need you to keep healthy so you can be here for me." Bear says through her coughs and I hold tighter to her hand as I silently nod.

I love how I can dimly see Bear's bright eyes in the darkness, a sign that she's awake. Her eyes don't stay open for long though, both of us falling back asleep. Throughout the night, Bear encounters cough attacks much like the first, only getting worse after each time. By the time morning rolls around is in even worse shape than she was yesterday. Even the nurse has come in to start our day, me and Bear both agree we need more sleep. I quickly close the blinds so no extra light is in the room and I return to my chair.

Taking Bear's hand again, we fall back into a deep sleep. When I wake up again, it's because I feel Bear's hand being separated from mine. I become alert quickly to discover that the nurse is trying to help Bear into the shower. Bear looks like she doesn't want to move though, her face showing obvious discomfort as she's practically being dragged by the nurse. I oblige to them quickly, changing into jeans and a t-shirt in the corner of the room. Lucy and Jonathan aren't here yet, which is quite odd, so I take the time to go down to the cafeteria for some breakfast.

As I'm getting ready to go back to Bear's room. I see Jonathan's car pull up. Another car pulls in beside it and Lucy and Jonathan go over to talk to the people in the other car. I try to see who the others are as they make their way inside, but Lucy and Jonathan are unintentionally blocking my view. When Lucy sees me waiting at the elevator for them, she smiles and rushes towards me.

"Good morning, Harry! How is Natalie?" Lucy asks quickly, the others still walking over beside Jonathan. I can now tell that both people are guys.

"She's not doing any better. The nurse is helping her take a shower right now." I tell her honestly and Lucy looks a little defeated.

"I want you to meet someone. Michael?" Lucy says as she turns to look at the group approaching us.

One guy hurries forward and fixes his black hair before meeting my curious gaze. Michael is exactly how Bear described him. He was a male version of herself, just less attractive due to sexual preferences. Same charming smile. Same light freckles on cheekbones. But Michael had Lucy's green eyes, just as Bear had said.

"I imagine that Nat told you about her brother. Michael, this is Harry, Natalie's boyfriend." Lucy introduces me and I reach out to shake Michael's hand.