The Bodyguard » Niall Horan

23 » Sadie, the gun carrier

" You're a celebrity now, Mercer Fulton," Mark told me hours later. He grabbed the remote and put on a news channel, showing me and Niall.

Apparently, BBC had followed us from the moment someone started shooting at us, right up the point where we raced off the parking lot on that motorcycle. Niall thought it looked amazing, and some part of me agreed. But, it looked like a scene from a movie. It just didn't seem real.

The only downside was that my identity got revealed. People wondered who I really was, as I had pulled out a gun beneath my skirt. Clearly, that wasn't something people usually kept, let alone there. After this, the people threatening Niall knew that he was being protected, though they didn't know Six was responsible for that. 

Our tour through town had been filmed by a few people, too. My twisting on the motorcycle had been branded 'James Bond-like' which, it kind of was. I could picture the disbelief of my colleagues when they watched this at work. 

" How's everything down there?" I asked Mark, pointing down at the entrance. 

" Someone saw Niall when he went to eat something downstairs and alerted the press. Half the world seemed to have gathered there," Mark replied with a sliver of annoyance on his face. I sighed. " Oh the joys," I groaned.

A nurse walked in. " Hello, how are you miss Iverson?" she asked. She tried not to look at Niall - she failed miserably. Niall retreated towards the back of the room, leaning against the wall.

" Besides the fact that I'd love to throw myself off of this floor,  I feel fine." I really tried to be friendly, but my words were sarcastic and extremely sour. Niall shook his head. "She doesn't mean that. She just hates the press." 

The nurse seemed to understand and checked my infuse. " Are you still dizzy?" she asked. I shook my head, " No." The nurse nodded once and did a few quick follow-up checks.

" Right. You lost quite a fair amount of blood through that wound, which caused you to pass out. It looks like your blood levels are fine. I'll send a doctor to your room to do the last few checks. If he deems your health to be good enough, you'll most likely sleep in your own bed again tonight." Her gaze shifted to Niall, back to me. I could hear the unspoken words that she thought but didn't dare say.

I sighed. " I know I should be happy, but I'd rather stay here." 

Niall chuckled, as he moved away from the wall, to me. " I'll protect you, miss Famous." I rolled my eyes, trying to push down a grin. I failed. Niall noticed and laughed. The nurse saw this as her cue to leave and quietly left the room.

" I don't know if I am allowed to work for you after today," I said after a long silence. Niall looked at me his face surprised. " Why is that?" He asked.

" Because the world knows me as Sadie, the gun carrier. Or Sadie, who is she really?" I spoke with a voice full of suspense.

" I literally blew my own cover. The mission is pretty much dismantled at this point."

Niall stared ahead, his face in a soft frown indicating he was thinking. " Who says we can't be creative? We can release a statement to explain why you were carrying a gun. Besides, you've got a gun permit, on both your aliases, so they can't say what you did was illegal. You could say you work for the Metropolitan Police? Those people always carry guns." 

That last bit wasn't such a bad idea. I wondered if they'd actually believe it.

" I'm sure my boss will ring me," I said. " We'll see what comes of that." 

A bit later, I was released out of the hospital. Someone had brought a decent set of clothes, which I changed into in the hospital bathroom. The poor dress had been unsavable. Whilst changing, I put my hair up in a ponytail and removed the old make-up of last night.

Mark had gone ahead to get the car, while the hospital guards tried to push back the annoying press.

I was standing in the lift on our way down with Niall. He still wore the suit he'd worn at the EMA's. He literally looked as if he'd been wearing it non-stop for like a week. His face was drawn with the lack of sleep and the worry. He'd grabbed my uninjured hand and squeezed it every few seconds. These new developments between us were still a little confusing. Looking at Niall keeping his distance still, I noticed he felt somewhat the same.

The lift doors opened, and a young couple came to join us. We greeted them, to which they greeted us back, trying to ignore the recognition in their eyes.

Niall stood behind me and wrapped his arm around my waist. I leaned into him. " Isn't there a back door we can sneak out of, without having to go past all those mosquitoes?" I whispered as I closed my eyes.

" No, I'm sorry, Mark asked," Niall whispered, his breath tickling my neck. I nodded. Of course.

" You know what," I opened my eyes at the sound of it. The man had turned towards us. " I don't know what story's behind you carrying a gun to an award show. I do care that you endangered your own life to save someone else's.  Or actually, how you put your own life to save hundreds of people. You did lure away the shooter. It could've turned out into a bloodbath, but it didn't," the man smiled at us." I truly hope the Queen will hear of this and will reward you for your heroic acts." 

I was slightly taken aback by his response. " Thank you. All I care about is the safety of my fellow citizens," I smiled thankfully at him.

The lift reached the ground floor. With a nod, the couple left before we did. With a sigh, we followed them towards the exit.

Niall grabbed my hand again. " Let's kill them all," he whispered in my ear. It were strange words coming from him, but I stared at him with a grin on my face. " How many do you want to take on?"  I asked, slightly amused. " All of them." 

Like seagulls spotting a chip, the press reacted. They managed to push themselves past the hospital guards and pushed their goddamned cameras and microphones into our faces.

" Please, go away. I didn't survive a sodding shooting for you to suffocate me on the spot," I responded sourly as I tried to push them off of me.

Niall was behind me, who got attacked with the same questions and same cameras.  His face had an angry grimace, as he ignored them all.

The man in front of me kept pushing his camera into my face. With my lack of sleep, I was about to lose it even quicker than usual and pushed his camera away. " Just leave us alone." I could hear how tired I sounded, resembling the exact feeling. Bloody vultures.

I still had my guns with me, along with my clutch and bloodied dress in a hospital bag. I could shoot a warning shot, but I was afraid it'd even attract more attention.

Finally, Mark came in view and pushed the stingy press away. " Jesus, enough already. Go find someone else to harass, will ya," Mark muttered to them. He helped us into the car and closed the door behind Niall.

" How do you even handle those pieces of shit?" I asked, their thick telelenses pushed against the glass.

" I don't," he responded, and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pretending we were alone rather than being swarmed by annoying vultures who wanted to sell a story. I closed my eyes, and leaned into him.

Mark's shout opened my eyes again. I could tell how he pushed away a camera and squeezed himself into the car.  I was surprised to see him so annoyed, but after last night, it didn't surprise me. He started the car and drove off with way more speed than necessary.

" Tell me you hit at least thirty of them," I said to Mark. " I wouldn't even have cared. We're at a hospital, after all." 

Mark's face softened, and a mean smirk spread across his face. " Your wish is my command."