Take Me Home

Chapter Sixteen

Jesse and Brody moved in with a new family that night, but the next morning, Harry was still in bed and Niall was still sick.

"103.4? Jeez, Ni. You trying to break a record?" Liam asked gently, though he was very worried. He'd been up all night with the kid, because he'd been throwing up non-stop. Now he was running a high fever, shivering and sweating at the same time.

He ran a hand through Niall's sweaty blond hair, smiling at him for reassurance. His blue eyes were bleary but he refused to close them, watching the man closely. If Liam had to guess, he'd say that the boy wasn't used to being taken care of when he was sick, and that was why he seemed so wary of Liams every movement.

"Think you can stomach some more fever reducer, baby?" he asked, perching on the side of the bed. Louis had decided to swap beds with Niall because he didn't mind the bottom bunk.

Niall groaned and shook his head. "Tastes like poison," he mumbled, and Liam sighed. The kid had said the exact same thing when sipping on some water in the middle of the night.

He winced at the boy's bright red cheeks and the amount of heat radiating off of him. "Come on, Ni. It's medicine or a cold bath? Your choice," he offered, smiling when the little blond let out a small sigh.

"Medicine," he mumbled, yawning.

Liam ran his hand through his hair once more before standing from the bed. "I'll go and grab it from the kitchen. Why don't you try getting comfy now your stomach's a little more levelled?"

Niall didn't answer, just rolled over to face the wall and pulled his knees up to his chest slightly, closing his eyes.

Liam crossed over to the bunk, where Harry was lying, facing the wall. The teen was still adamant that he had a migraine, refusing to get out of bed or eat much more than a few mouthfuls of food here and there. Liam could tell he still hadn't slept properly either. He looked exhausted.

He just was glad that he didn't seem to have whatever Ni had.

"Haz," he said, gently.

Harry barely grunted in reply and Liam sighed. He was sure that there was something more going on with Harry but he didn't know what. It was typical, after solving one problem with Louis, he was greeted with one with Harry.

"I have to run downstairs. Think you can keep an eye on Ni? He's trying to get some sleep for now but his temperature's far too high for my liking. I won't be two minutes," he said.

Harry sighed but rolled over, opening his eyes to half mast and focusing them on the curled up boy in the bed opposite the bunk.

Liam smiled at him. "Thanks darling. How's your head?"

Harry shrugged. "Aches."

The man wasn't sure to say to that. It was the same answer he had gotten the previous three times he'd asked. He sighed. "Alright bub, I won't be long."

He finally was able to yawn and stretch on his way down the stairs. Zayn had worked the night shift and was working up until eleven, and Cal had a day off, so he was the only one around to sort out the twins being fostered and to take care of Niall and Harry.

He jumped when he reached the kitchen and saw Louis, looking bored as he sat on the counter. Amongst the madness, he had almost forgotten about him.

"Hey Lou," he said, trying to play off that he had been startled.

Louis glanced up at him. "Is Ni better yet?" he asked, sounding hopeful. If he was honest, he wasn't sure how the kid had managed to sleep through the sound of the blond boy throwing up all last night. It hadn't been quiet.