The next few days at the hospital are a perfect mixture of heaven and hell. A sort of limbo I guess. I spend much time with Emmeline, always making excuses for her to stay a little longer with me, asking for things like adjusting my bed and constantly having my bandages changed. I love spending time with her. She hates it when I try and kind of flirt with her when there aren’t any visitors with me. I can tell she is a very professional type of person while she’s working. I’ve made it a goal that once I’m out of the hospital, I’ll figure out what she’s really like even though a part of me already knows, assuming she is exactly the girl of my dreams.

However, she eventually leaves me to tend to her other patients, while I deal with everything else in my life. After first meeting Emmeline, my actual doctor came in to speak with me which sort of brought me down from my cloud temporarily. He told me of the severity of my condition. The boys had not informed me that I underwent a surgery during those first few days in the hospital. I got some skin from my right side of my body transplanted to the left side since the burns were so severe in some places. I guess it’s called a skin graft. It explains why I am still in so much pain and discomfort. The doctor told me the surgery went well, but I’ll always have a little scaring along my arm and side. It’s something I can deal with though; I just hope the fans can.

Thinking of the fans, I am told that our tour is going to resume in a month once I am fully healed, we will then travel back to the few cities we had to cancel. I am relieved that we didn’t have to permanently cross of shows from the tour. I hate when the fans are upset, and they are already going through enough right now with being worried about me. I make sure to stay positive on social media, letting them know I am doing fine. Of course, there are the inconsiderate few who don’t fully understand the situation and just want me back performing like I am some sort of robot, but most are very supportive and lovely.


It’s also nice having my mum and sister Gemma around. They arrived shortly after I woke up in the hospital. The only problem was they were always around, giving me little time alone with Emmeline when she was in my room. I know they’re worried, especially after being debriefed on everything that has happened to me as of late. I haven’t realized how much I have kept them in the dark. However, in the explanation of everything I made sure to leave out the part where I am 100% convinced my nurse is the girl from my dreams. They are already freaked out and worried enough as it is about me. I think they would only question my sanity more if I told them that.

---

I hear my name being called from a distance, but everything seems so dark and I can’t tell from where. I’m not sure where I’m looking, or where I am when I suddenly feel a hand placed over my shoulder, gently shaking me.

“Harry. Harry? Please wake up, love.”

I blink my eyes, and find myself lying in my stiff and narrow hospital bed. The room is slightly dimmed with the blinds turned down, and I look over to find my smiling mother, Anne, combing at my hair. I don’t think I will ever fully get used to the pills my doctors are still having me take. Waking up from complete darkness is such a strange feeling to experience.

“Morning, mum,” I say in a groggy voice while I attempt to sit up.

“Morning, love. How are you feeling today?”

“Uhh- Maybe a bit better today?” I stretch my arms out slightly, making sure not to surpass my body’s limits. When I relax again against my pillows I hear a yawn from the corner of the room and look over to see Gemma, just waking up. I hadn’t realized she stayed in the room with me last night.

She slowly sits up and fixes her hair and then rubs lightly at her eyes. “Are you ready to get out of here today?”

I contemplate that answer. Yes, I am excited to be out of this small, unfamiliar and cold room with people always worried about every little action I make. On the other hand, no I didn’t want to leave knowing I might have a hard time running into Emmeline again.

I notice both my mum and Gemma eyeing me questioningly, so I try to answer quickly, “Yeah. Erm, it’ll be nice.”

There’s a knock on my door, and my heart does a little flip inside my chest already knowing who it is.

“Come on in!” my mum half-shouts.

In walks Emmeline, and my hearts beats a little faster. A smile spreads across her face when her eyes land on me. “Hi, sorry to interrupt anything. I just wanted to check in and change bandages before you are discharged.”

“Your fine. Just waking in here,” my mum says as she ruffles at my hair, and I try to shoo her away.

“Perfect timing then. There’s paperwork for you to sign Mrs. Twist out at the nurses station before he can be released, if you would like to fill that out for him?”

“Oh sure,” my mum replies before exiting through the door.

Emmeline then goes to the counter and grabs out the usual gauze and other bandages. She motions to Gemma and asks, “Can I ask you to stand behind the curtain, please? I’m sorry. Protocol.”

Gemma reluctantly nods her head and steps back while Emmeline pulls the curtain around my hospital bed. Gemma usually doesn’t like being ordered around, but I am relieved she didn’t try to sass Emmeline or anything.

She sets the new bandages to the side of me and gently grabs at my gown to get access to my side and arm. She’s changed my bandages countless times now, but the cool sensations from her hands always tingle at the surface of my skin every time.

We are silent at first, and I take a few seconds to study her face of concentration as she works on my arm. Her eyes are beautiful and bright, like an ocean. I find the lines of her scrunched focused face adorable, and her long dark hair is tucked perfectly into a bun on her head.

After a few seconds she looks at me and finds me staring at her. Even though she tries to hide it, I still catch her face change a few shades pinker than normal.

“How’s everything looking?” I ask inquiringly to break the silence.

I take some pride knowing I was able to throw her off a bit as she stutters, “Uh-erm. Much better. You’ll be all good to go home today.”

“Are you going to miss me?” I ask without any hesitation.

By this time she had regained her composure and wittily states, “Oh I miss all of my patients, but not too much because I know they are better off where they are than stuck here in a hospital with me.”

“Well I’m going to miss you, if that counts for anything. I hope we’ll see each other after I’m all healed and back in action. I’m a much better person when I’m not well…crispy?” I say half-sarcastically with a cheeky grin plastered across my face until I realize Gemma is only a thin curtain away, most likely listening into the conversation making me a bit nervous.

Emmeline doesn’t notice my slight panic attack as she is too focused on applying some sort of cream to my side. She coolly replies with a smile all her own across her face, “Well, I’m glad you have such a positive outlook after all of this, but I’m making no promises.”

I shake my head and laugh at her response as she finishes up my bandages and pulls the curtain back across, opening up the already somewhat boxy room. I make eye contact with Gemma right as Emmeline checks some sort of pager making a beep noise placed at her hip. Her face suddenly falls, and I want to ask her what is wrong, but know it isn’t my place.

“Thank you, Emmeline.” I shoot her a wink as she walks closer to the door and her face doesn’t brighten again like usual, confusing me.

“Yeah. Thanks for everything,” Gemma tacks on in a voice I’m not sure whether to take kindly, or not just as Emmeline is about to place her hand on the door handle.

She turns with a weak smile and looks to me, “It’s my job.”

The door opens, but before she can slip out I make sure to say, “I’ll see you in the future.”

She eyes me confused, but then shrugs her shoulders and slips out without saying anything at all. There was a big difference from the moment she walked into the room to when she walked out. I am left wondering what happened, if anything. Maybe it was just in my head, as most things these days seem to be, and I am just being paranoid.

I am still staring at the closed wooden door when Gemma breaks me from my trance. “You like her,” is all she says, very plain and simple.

My face quickly turns to face her in total surprise as I am not expecting that. “What?! Uh-no. She is very lovely. She’s just my nurse though. I don’t know what you’re getting at. Jeesh, Gemma.”

An amused laugh escapes her lips and she gracefully stands from the couch in the corner of the room. “Oh, little Harold. I’ve known you your whole life. I think I can tell when you like a girl. And from the looks of it, you like this one a lot. I could practically see the smile on your face while she changed your bandages through the curtain.”

I huff out a small laugh, knowing it would pay off better to be clever rather than reject her claim. I stick out my tongue slightly and say, “Well, it was a pretty thin curtain.”

She folds her arms over her chest and rolls her eyes. “Oh whatever smartass, but I don’t think she’d hardly be up for the hectic life of a pop star’s girlfriend. She seemed far too nice for all that. You’d get her in your dreams, brother!”

I shake my head at the sweet irony of that comment. “If you only knew, sister.”

She gives me a strange face, but we are interrupted by the opening of the door once more as my mum passes back through it. “There, were just about set to get you out of here.”

I feel excited, but I still slump a little in my hospital bed thinking about how nice and relaxing these past few days have been outside of the limelight. Sure, I’ve had to deal with a lot while in here, but really no more than usual, just different circumstances. Plus, I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time with an amazing woman I had no idea actually existed until I arrived here. I wasn’t sure I was ready to give that up.

However, without retaliation my doctor comes in again for the final time to go over my different medications and show me how I can change my bandages myself. I sign a few sheets of paperwork, and change into some comfy sweatpants and t-shirt that the lads dropped off for me the day prior. I felt nice to get out of that awful hospital gown, although my regular clothes somewhat stuck to my burn areas, stinging only a little.

I was excited to see the lads again as they weren’t really allowed in the room after my immediate family arrived. They were what I start to think about as my mum and Gemma help me out of the bed I have been sitting in for the past few days other than getting up to use the toilet.

Before I know it, or feel ready, I am walking out of my hospital room for the first time. My doctor soon finds me a wheelchair, even though I am perfectly capable of walking myself. My family and I make our way through and down the hospital, and when we get to the first floor I find two of my body guards, waiting for me. The one called Ron takes control of my wheelchair as my doctor waves me off and wishes me well.

I thank him for everything he’s done and we all start heading towards a back hallway. I at first wonder why we don’t leave through the front, but I hadn’t even thought about the mob of fans that were probably outside the hospital this entire time. I love that they care about me that much, I wish I could do something for them.

We pass a few office doors while I make a mental note to at least tweet something later. We start to approach another office and I start to hear a pair of angry voices coming from inside. One voice I do not recognize, and the other I could mistake for no one other than Emmeline, although I’ve never heard her quite so upset and steamed.

“You can’t do this! I have to go!” I hear her yell, and my heart begins beating faster.

“I can do this! I’m sorry Emmeline, but I need you to get back to work!” the other voices states in a harsh tone, which makes me feel anger.

“Please?” I hear her plead with the man as we pass the room. We go unnoticed by the two standing in the office, with the door slightly ajar. I can’t hear any more of the conversation, but for the split second it takes to pass I catch a quick glimpse of her. She seems to be completely distraught, and I’m not sure if she has been crying, or not.

I make a move to try and climb out of my chair to try and help her, but I am overruled by Ron who pushes me back into my seat gently by my right shoulder. I cannot explain it, but even though I barely know her, I feel so protective over her. I never want her to suffer. I only want her to be happy.

This is my last thought before the big metal doors are opened to the back of the hospital and I am flashed by all sorts of bright daylight. I can hear fans screaming and singing from a distance, but I can’t see any of them. I assume they are barricaded so I can at least get out of here smoothly.

Once I am situated and comfortable in the van, we start pulling away from the hospital. I am feeling down. Not really a feeling I expected to have after being cooped up in a hospital for so many days. I stare up at the large building instead of the fans as we start out onto the main road. All my thoughts are on Emmeline and what could have had her so upset, and how I could help her.

Notes

UPDATE! It's been so long!! I have to say it feel great to get back to writing again! Thank you guys so much for being patient! I appreciate that so much, you have no idea!

I hope you like this update, not much is really happening right now, but trust me. I've got BIG plans for this story!

Tell me your predictions or just comment with your thoughts about the update. I love reading your comments and picking your brains a bit.

Thanks a whole bunch for sticking it out. I hope I can make it worth it. xx
Love you all,
Jen