Chapter 16

-Dougie POV-

I don't know how long I had been at the zoo but everyone had left, leaving me alone with my adopted pet bearded dragons. The zoo keeper had allowed me to collect one tomorrow if I bought the correct equipment and stuff. I'm thinking of buying the stuff tomorrow then buying one instead of collecting the one here. It's the little things home and it would be wrong of me to take him. "It's really quiet isn't it?" I smiled at the dragon though the glass cage. It scurried up close to the glass, probably expecting food. I laughed gently but stopped as I heard a loud car horn and swerving, loud screeching tyres against the road and a collision. I ran outside of the zoo, watching the car drive away... Hit and Run but what did they hit? I scanned the road and my heart stopped. "TOM!" I screamed running to him with no response. I quickly pulled out my phone and dialled 999. "Come on Tom, don't die on me! I'm sorry... Hello? I need an ambulance. My friends been hit by a car which drove off. Yes, London, Crescent Zoo, please hurry" I said then hung up. I sat next to Tom, holding his hand, it felt like a piece of meat that had been the freezer, cold as ice but I refused to believe that he was dead.

The ambulance arrived and I rode with them to the hospital, sitting with my face in my hands. This was NOT happening! I always cause so much trouble... If I hadn't left the house then Tom wouldn't have either and he wouldn't have been hit by a car. "He's going into cardiac arrest!" The paramedic shouted and I looked up as they ripped Tom's shirt open then attaching the pads. "Charging... Clear!" the paramedic shouted and placing the defibrillator on his chest. His whole body arched upwards. I wanted to shut my eyes but I couldn't, horror had stunned me. "No response" said the other paramedic. "Charging... Clear!" the paramedic shouted again and the other checked his pulse. "He's back" she smiled at me. He may have been back but the images of what I had just witnessed burned into my mind and I was going to have nightmares, no doubt.

We arrived in the hospital, getting immediate attention. "I am Doctor Lawrence, I will be looking after Tom on his visit here" he smiled at me. I really didn't have the energy to return it so I just gave a slight nod. "It's okay Tom. I'm here, you'll be fine, I know it" I said, close to tears once again. According to Doctor Lawrence he was stable for now but then it hit me that Danny and Harry don't know. I went outside with my mobile and called Danny. "Danny, shhh! Wait a second... Tom's in hospital, he must have come to the zoo to talk to me and got hit by a car, come when you can" I said then hung up.

I walked back inside just in time to meet the conscious Tom. "You okay? You had me worried there! Your heart stopped" I said then hugging him. I went to pull away but he hugged me tighter. "I thought I was gonna die too! It was so scary" he whimpered. I let sympathy wash over me and I allowed him to carry on hugging me. "I called Harry and Danny, they'll be here soon, I..." I was cut short as Tom interupted. "I d-don't want to see them yet" he said. "Why not?" Did he do something after I left? "I shouted at them and ran out as well" he said nervously, now looking at his hands instead of me. "I'm sure they'll be fine, they understand, well, I guess they don't but, they're our mates and they know you didn't mean it" I said, trying to comfort him by squeezing his shoulder softly. "I don't think I can handle it yet, just give me while, please?" he said with his big puppy dog eyes, once he had used them I knew there was no resisting so I just cut to the chase. "Fine Tom, but you'll have to sooner or later" I said, trying my best to be stern. "I know, I know! About us... I want to give it a proper go, not just to make Harry jealous but a proper go, me and you" he smiled hopefully. I looked in his eyes and it showed that he was terrified of my answer. "Tom, this can go terribly wrong. It will mess up our friendship, I know it. I like it the way we are right now, just really good friends. The amount we've done together, it's amazing how no damage has been done but if this gets serious, who knows what will happen?" I said looking deep into his eyes. "I don't care, I want to risk it! If there's a chance we can be happy then I want to take it! Just take a chance with me, please" he pleaded and I couldn't say no. I undoubtably was getting feelings for Tom but how would I stop myself every time Danny makes a move on me? "Okay Tom, but please don't hate me too much when things go wrong between us" I half-smiled, dreading what may happen. "Just don't think like that, think positive" he encouraged and he was right, but for some reason I felt like something would go wrong because I was involved but for Tom I pushed it to the back of my mind. "Doug, can you stay with me when I talk to Danny and Harry?" he sniffed, his mood going back down to dread. "Of course I will, I'll stay with you forever, as long as I live" I said as cheesy as ever. "Thanks, you're the best boyfriend I could hope for" he smiled and I laid down next to him, resting my head on his shoulder.

-Danny POV-

Me and Harry drove to the hospital as fast as possible, maybe even breaking the speed limit to get here faster. We rushed to the reception. "Tom Fletcher?" I asked the receptionist. "Room 22, walk please" she smiled but I walked as fast as possible. When we got there we were told to wait. Why didn't Tom want to talk to us and why did Dougie leave in tears? So many questions. I began to pace the corridor because if what happened between me got out to Tom, I don't know how Harry would react when he found out.

-Tom POV-

"Bring them in..." I sighed after a while of thinking. I brought my eyes down to the ground as they came in. "Tom? Are you okay mate?" Danny asked, resting his hand on my shoulder. "I'm fine" I said shortly. "So how did this happen?" Harry asked with a hint of anger in his voice that scared me. "Well, I went looking for Dougie and I found him at the zoo but when I walked across the road I got hit by a car" I frowned. The guy must have been speeding... "Well mate, I'm glad your okay. Me and Haz got worried there" Danny smiled then pulled me into a tight hug. "We're gonna let you rest now" he said, patting my back and grabbing Harry's hand, leading him out.

-Harry POV-

I wanted to ask Dougie what happened so I gave him a quick glance to tell him and he nodded then followed us out. "Just going to talk to them quickly and make sure everything's okay" he smiled at Tom. I pulled Danny closer, feeling the need to have what Dougie had, someone who meant the world to him, the someone who was all they ever wanted and needed. "What's up guys?" Dougie frowned. "Well, that's what we wanted to ask you" I said and he took in a sharp breath of air like he knew this chat was coming but he was dreading it. "I was just having a few worries. I told Tom I didn't want to be with him because of it, and after I just ran. I know it was stupid and I'm sorry" he said with his eyes on the floor. "What was there to worry about? You and him are going great, you're good together" The words stung my throat as they left, after all I did want Tom but maybe if Dougie's what makes him happy then I'm willing to sacrifice my happiness for him to be happy. "It was nothing, don't worry" he said nervously. "It wasn't nothing Dougs, if it was nothing then none of this would've happened, what was it?" I pressed and he shifted even more nervously on the spot. "I just thought, what if this all blows up in our faces? What if this messes up our friendship if things go wrong?" he said, actually looking at me for the first time in this conversation. "Well, that explains why Tom was upset but don't worry about that! I'm sure you two will be fine, just look to the future" I said and giving him a hug that hopefully reassured him. "Dan, did you want to ask anything? You've been awfully quiet" I said. "I've heard enough! I hope you two will be happy" he replied, but was there a hint of sourness in it? Was I losing him? Did he still love me?

-Dougie POV-

I didn't lie to them! I just didn't tell them the whole truth... If I did, they'd find out about the whole attempt of making them jealous but I guess it worked. I had slept with Danny but the terrible thing is that he was still with Harry at the time... I made him cheat! I knew it wasn't just a one time thing... I did want to be with him and judging by his sourness just a second ago he wants me too... But what about Tom? I'm right back where I started, just a lot more confused. I sat down on his hospital bed and rested my head on his shoulder. "Is everything okay? You're really quiet" Tom asked putting an arm around my shoulder. "I'm fine, I'm just thinking about everything" I sighed. "Well, everything will be fine, we've got each other and you're all I'll ever need" he smiled then kissed me, his warm lips making mine tingle. I kissed back more passionately, letting my tongue slide into his mouth, meeting with his and both massaging each other. I should at least give Tom a go, he deserves better. I pulled away and just laid next to him resting my head against his, feeling peaceful and relaxed.

-Danny POV-

I was going to convince Dougie to leave Tom for me if it's the last thing I'll ever do. I realised Harry wasn't the one for me... Yeah he had an amazing body and yeah he was good in bed and yes, he was amazing company but we didn't have a lot in common. When I was in hospital, it seemed like the idea for me, but really I think it may have been that he was always there and he seemed to care and I wanted any contact from someone. "I'm going for a walk" I said then getting up. "Want me to come?" Harry smiled, I think he really liked me but he really did deserve better, someone who wouldn't cheat on him and someone who loved him back. "No, you're fine, I just need to get some air so I can get my head around things" I said, then walking away, feeling his saddened gaze as I left him on his own. I sat outside on a bench with the wind howling loudly but not registering properly in my brain. All that that I could think about was Dougie and how I would win over his love...

Note; Oooh guys, this is getting more and more tense but when will the rope snap? :O Thanks for reading and reviewing guys, it's great reading them all, they make me smile :)