Touko's POV
"N!" I shouted in fear. I fell to my knees and started shaking N's limp body. "Wake up! Wake up! WAKE UP!" I screeched. Footsteps approached me, but I ignored them.
"What's going on here?" my mom said in annoyance. I glanced back at her with fear in my eyes. Her stern face became one of concern. Her gaze slid from mine to rest on something behind me. "Oh my!" She joined me at N's side and helped me lift him up off the ground. We carried him to the couch and laid him down. I sat on the floor beside him, holding his hand as my mom prepared a cold washcloth to put on his head. She came back over and placed the cloth on his head. I removed N's robe and crown before starting to pick twigs from N's hair. I could hear my mom talking to the doctor on the phone. The doctor arrived half an hour later. He examined N and gave the prognosis that N is dehydrated, had heat exhaustion, and was completely drained of energy. After the examination, he left.
"Mom, I know the doctor said N needed rest and to drink lots of fluids, and stay in the air conditioning, but I think we should move him to his house. It would be better for him to rest in his own bed" I stated.
"I think you're right. How about we call Cheren over? He can help us move N back to his house, besides we needed to inform him that N's back home anyway" Mom suggested.
"Okay." I grabbed my Xtransceiver and dialed Cheren's number. His face appeared on the screen.
"Hi, Touko. What's up?" he asked. Tears pricked the corners of my eyes from happiness.
"N's back" I said happily.
"What?!" Cheren screamed. "I'll be right there!" The screen on the Xtransceiver went blank. I blinked in surprise.
"I didn't even get to tell him that we needed his help moving N back to his house" I thought aloud. "I guess I'll tell him when he gets here." I sat back down on the floor and stared at N's face. N looked like he was having difficulty breathing, but other than that he actually looked quite peaceful. I stared at his face for another minute or two before Cheren burst through the door.
"N!" Cheren shouted as he rushed to sit down beside me on the floor. Cheren stared at N for a long time. I glanced at his face and noticed tears running down his cheeks. I was shocked. Cheren was always so composed, and he never showed any emotion after N was kidnapped. They must have been closer than I thought.
"Cheren" I said as I rested a hand on his shoulder. He tensed up under my touch. A dry chuckle escaped past his lips.
"N and I might not have gotten along sometimes but I still always thought of him as my brother. After he was taken, I didn't know what to do or how to feel. I just prayed that he would be okay. I was actually ecstatic when you decided to go find him. I guess my emotions finally got to me" he said softly as he used his arm to wipe away the tears.
"Hey" I said. He looked at me, and I smiled. "I'm glad he's back too." Cheren nodded his head. "Now will you help me and Mom take N to his house. We need your help to carry him up the stairs and into his room."
"Sure" Cheren said. We both stood up and cracked our knuckles.
"Ready?" I asked.
"Ready" Cheren confirmed. He hooked his arms under N's armpits while I grabbed N's legs. My mother walked over to the door and opened it as we neared it. Cheren and I hauled N out of the house and made our trek over to N's house. My mother appeared at N's door in an instant. She opened that one up too and closed it as we went into the house. Our final challenge awaited us as we began to mount the steps to the second floor. Cheren went first and carefully placed his feet on the stairs as he walked backwards. I slowly followed him up. Once we made it to the top unharmed, we carried N into his room and laid him on the bed.
"Thanks for your help, Cheren" I said while watching N's face. I glanced over to the raven haired boy as he finished removing N's white boots.
"No problem. Is your mom going to come over and help out, or are you just going to watch over N?" he asked.
"I'll probably watch him most of the time, but my mom might come over later to check on us. I don't even know what I can really do. The doctor said that he'll probably sleep most if not all of today and tomorrow. The only thing I can really do is make sure he stays cool" I said sadly as I removed N's white dress shirt. I felt useless just sitting there. I would prefer if N woke up. We could talk about what happened to him.
"I think you're helping him by just being in the same room. I can feel his happiness radiating off him from over here" Cheren said cheerfully. I laughed.
"Sure you can. Thanks for trying to make me feel better."
"Any time or place."
"Should I call Bianca and tell her N's back?"
"Nah, you should just watch over N. I'll go tell Bianca. I was going over to Professor Juniper's anyway" Cheren offered. "See you later."
"Bye" I called out as he left. I looked back at N. He looked scared. My hand touched his forehead as he started to toss back and forth. I yanked my hand back in surprise. He was burning up. I ran downstairs and turned on the air conditioning than wet a washcloth and went back upstairs. I placed the cool cloth on N's forehead and sat down on the edge of the bed. N grumbled something inaudible and started to thrash around in panic. I jumped away from him to escape his kicks and punches. The thrashing only got worse as I stared at him. What should I do? Should I stop him from moving? I should. He's using way too much energy up. I made a decision and threw myself on top of N's body. I pinned his arms to the bed and held his legs still with my knees. N struggled for a few seconds before becoming limp. I sighed. Thank Arceus.
"No" N whispered.
"Huh?"
"No, don't hurt her. I'll stay…just don't hurt her" he mumbled.
"Hurt who? Me? Is it me, N? Don't worry. I'm fine see. Don't worry" I said softly.
"I'm sorry. Please. Don't hurt her" N mumbled again, but he sounded a little more panicked. "Don't! Don't touch her you bastard! I'll kill you! Stay away from her!" N growled. I stroked N's hair to try and calm him down. He relaxed under my touch.
"Calm down" I cooed in his ear.
"Touko…forgive me" N pleaded. His eyes stayed shut. I felt really bad. He must be having some kind of nightmare.
"I forgive you." I climbed off N and laid down beside him. I would have wrapped my arms around him if he wasn't over heated, but alas he was, so I couldn't. I reached into my pocket and wrapped my fingers around my Jirachi good luck charm. "Thank you, Jirachi." I closed my eyes and fell asleep with a smile on my face.
Sometime later…
"Touko. Touko, wake up" a voice whispered. I groaned.
"Five more minutes" I grumbled.
"Touko!" the voice whispered harshly. I sat up abruptly to glare at the blonde beside me.
"What?!" I snapped. "I was in the middle of having a really good dream. The first good dream I've had in a whole month." I stared at Bianca's emotionless face. Suddenly she broke into a grin.
"You must be overjoyed now that N's back!" Bianca chirped while clasping her hands together. I sighed and gave her a weak smile.
"Yeah, I am. What are you doing here?"
"What? I can't come here to see, N? Is it a crime that I want to visit my friend that has been missing for a month, or are you the only one allowed to see him?" Bianca asked.
"No. I just expected you to come see him tomorrow since he's down for the count, and I assumed you had a lot of work to do" I explained.
"Or did you want to be alone with N?" Bianca smirked as her eyes shone mischievously. My face started to heat up.
"N-N-No! That's not it at all!"
"Keep telling yourself that." I crossed my arms across my chest and pouted. Bianca is so mean. If she had a boyfriend, she would probably want to hog him to herself too. "Calm down. I was joking. I just came by to see N, but I can see he's not going to be waking up anytime soon. I'll come back tomorrow. See you then." I waved goodbye to her as she left. My gaze went from the door and back to N's face. His eyebrows were scrunched together like he was in deep thought. His lips moved but no words came out. Was he about to say something or at least trying to say something?
"N?"
"…"
"N?"
"Fine. Fine, we'll do it."
"N? You're having a dream. Stop making yourself look like a fool" I playfully chided.
"Sheesh, leave me alone. I told you we'd get married" N murmured. Married? Who was he supposedly talking to?
"N, who are you going to get married to?"
"Ah! What are you doing in my room dressed like that? You may be my fiancée, Prescott but those clothes are not appropriate." Prescott? He was going to marry someone named Prescott? I sniffled. No, I wouldn't believe it. He said that he loved me countless times. There is no way that he would get engaged to someone else. I'll ask him about it when he gets up. I have to do something while I wait for him to wake up. I climbed out of the bed and went back downstairs. I re-wet the washcloth and headed back towards the staircase. As I stepped onto the first step, the front door opened. Mom walked in with some groceries.
"Mom?"
"Yes, dear! I came over to see how you were doing. How is N?" Mom asked sweetly.
"I think he's having nightmares, and he keeps talking in his sleep but other than that he's doing okay."
"We should try to give him some water."
"Won't he start choking?"
"No, if we're extra careful, then his food passage should open up when we tilt his head forward."
"Okay" I said in understanding. I walked back to the sink and filled a glass up with cold water.
"Let's go" my mother said as she set the groceries down and started to head up the stairs to N's room. I jogged to catch up to her. Her form disappeared into N's room as I reached the top of the stairs. I followed the figure and entered the room. Mom was slowly sitting N up and tilting his head forward a little. "I think I have his head in the right position. Give him the water. Only a little bit at a time though and slowly" mother instructed. I nodded my head to show her I heard.
"This will make you feel better" I stated as I slowly raised the glass to his dry lips and poured some of the clear liquid down his throat. A few drops of water escaped his mouth and dribbled down his chin and onto his black turtleneck.
"That's good for now, sweetie." I tipped the glass so it was upright again and placed the clear container on the nightstand nearest to me.
"I'll go down and make us some dinner. I know you'll want to stay here for the night, am I right?" Mom asked.
"Yeah." She nodded in understanding before going back downstairs. I looked at N and used his white dress shirt that I threw on the floor earlier to wipe the liquid of his face. After he was dried off, I removed his socks and turtleneck to help cool him down a little more. He looked more content than ever.
A/N: Review. Next chapter will obviously be N waking up. Touko and N will finally get to see each other (without passing out) again. So cute. I love Ferriswheelshipping.