(Harry's POV)

The news of the car crash spread like wild fire across the Internet. My phone was blowing up from twitter posts. People were posting pictures. Some even had pictures of me being wheeled into the ambulance. It was hard to even remember what happened exactly. I hit my head so hard that, really, everything was foggy.

I knew my mum had seen the photos and was still worried about me.  I felt bad that I was keeping her away from important information, but she had been worrying about me ever since the X Factor. I didn’t want to throw this at her as well.

As I paced around my room on my crutches, keeping my injured leg from any pressure. I wobbled over to the window of my room and peaked outside.  Management tried to keep my hospital location hidden, but somehow it leaked and I feared leaving the building due to the crowed that had amassed outside. Through the sliver of curtain I had pulled back, I saw the crowd. I adjusted the weight of my tall body on the crutches I was using. Outside, the group of screaming fans got bigger and bigger.

Some were holding signs with hearts on them. Other signs saying ‘get well.’ I smiled at the crowd, silently thanking them for their prayers and well wishes. It was really what was getting me through this harsh beginning of my recovery. Well, the Directioners and the guys. They played a big part in this whole thing and were with me every step of the way.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned around, closing the curtain over the window completely. Paul and Preston were standing behind me with stern looks on their faces. I still couldn’t hear a word anyone was saying, but since Preston was the one with the wheelchair I assumed it was time to go. I got to the wheelchair and, in a very unbalanced manner, sat down and groaned as the aches in my body all decided to hit at once.  Paul frowned but handed me a hat. My hair had to have been a curly mess along with the bandages that covered my ears.

Louis had written down everything I needed to know that previous night. What medicines I was supposed to take and how long my injuries would take to heal. Three to four months…. It wasn’t bad. I was glad that I wasn’t permanently damaged, but I knew management would not be pleased in the slightest at this “set back.”

Preston laid a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. I looked up at him and smiled as best I could. The car crash hadn’t injured him too much. His arm was in a sling and there were a few cuts on his face, most likely from the smashed windows. He squeezed my shoulder again before helping me fit my hat over my ears and then setting a pair of sunglasses on my face as well.

My heart pounded as Preston and Paul led me out of my room and down the hall towards the hospital exit. I knew this was going to be a big deal by the way both of the big guys looked. Paul stood in front, making sure no one would make his or her way to me, and Preston wheeled me from behind. We got to the large, automatic doors and I gulped down the thickness in my throat.

“S-stop.” I said softly, still not used to being unable to hear my own voice. I looked up at Preston. He had my crutches underneath his arm. I reached for them and he raised an eyebrow at me. I nodded at him and he realized what I was getting at. He handed me one of the crutches and then the other. I balanced myself as best I could and I got up from the wheelchair. Paul stood on one side of me, Preston on the other. We then made the way out of the hospital.

It was strange.

Seeing all the fans…

Yet, the world was silent.

I understood what paranoia was when I got into that car. I felt the reverberations of the engine and they coincided with my trembling body. Although I didn’t see the car coming when we were in the crash. I still saw the looks on Liam and Louis’ faces. Their terror as the drunk driver was coming at our car. The fear they felt seeped into my skin and now my whole being was irritated. I curled in on myself once inside the car. Paul was the one driving and Preston claimed the passenger seat, which left the entire back part of our large black car to myself.

I was told, through written message from Louis, to keep my leg elevated. I lifted it carefully onto the seat and found the overall smallness of the seat unaccommodating to my long legs. I groaned and let my casted leg back down the floor in front of my seat.

The trip didn’t take long. The traffic in London wasn’t bad at all and I was relieved that we got to my apartment within a short amount of time. The sooner I got out of that car, the better. We pulled to a stop inside the private parking garage and Paul quickly made his way to my door and helped me slide out of the car and into the wheelchair they brought with them from the hospital.

The wheelchair was more comfortable compared to the metal crutches that dug into my armpits. I put on a show for the fans, which was the best idea I had at the time. It was better to play off the crash like it was minor than let the media in on the secrets of my real injuries. Paul wheeled me away from the car and I hadn’t realized I had been holding my breath until I was at the elevator and away from all the cars. The elevator was slow until it got to my floor and opened up directly to my flat. Paul wheeled me into the dark space. Preston followed behind, carrying a bag of my things and my crutches. The flipped the switch for my kitchen lights and to my surprise, everyone was there.

Zayn, Louis, Niall, Liam, and even the girls, Perrie, Eleanor and Danielle were all there in my open plan kitchen with smiles on their faces and a large sign that said “Welcome home!” in large letters.

I smiled, feeling my cheeks heat up from blushing. I saw the large amount of food on the countertop and realized they were having a cooking party. Food was the best way to recovery. I hope that was true, because the mixture of smells that flowed through my apartment were amazing.

I saw the boys, Preston, and Paul converse about something, coming to a common understanding. I watched as Paul rubbed the top of my head affectionately and Preston clapped a hand on my back before they waved goodbye and got back in the elevator to go back home to their families. Other bodyguards would be positioned downstairs for our privacy, which I was grateful for.

I then pushed myself from my wheelchair and grabbed for my crutches. I felt so useless, not knowing exactly how to carry myself with a bum leg. I watched as Niall took my crutches and set them far away. I glared at him, but he gave me a toothy smile and grabbed the handles at the back of my wheelchair before I could grab the wheels and get around by myself.

Niall wheeled me over to my living room and got me close enough to the couch so that I could pull myself over and sit back against the plush of the couch. I was exhausted. Every small movement made my body ache and I just waned to sleep it off, but food kept my senses buzzing and my brain awake. I looked over the back of the couch towards the kitchen and saw people grabbing plate full portions of pasta and bread, along with helpings of vegetables and then the sweets. I pursed my lips, wanting to get up and join them, but fully unable to do so.

Danielle looked up and smiled at me. She turned to Liam and spoke to him. I frowned more and then they both nodded at each other. Liam still looked rough. His arm was still in a sling and his face was still badly bruised from what looked like a broken nose. I gave him an apologetic smile, before I turned my attention back to the food. I saw Danielle carry a healthy portion of food over to me and I salivated at the delicious smell. She handed it to me and saw down on the couch next to me. Her curls bounced as she sat. Then Perrie and Eleanor sat on the couch with me. I looked around to figure out what was happening. Each of the guys strolled into the living room and set their food down on my coffee table. They grabbed a bag from the corner of the room. I didn’t remember ever buying such a thing, which led me to believe it was someone else’s. Niall pulled a stack of things from the bag and distributed them.  They turned around, facing away from the girls and me.

Then when they turned around I realized that the things they pulled out of the bag were white boards and each one they held had a word on it. I read it from Niall, down to Zayn.

Niall’s had the simple word, “we.”

Louis’, “got.”

Liam’s, “your”

And finally Zayn’s, “back.”

We got your back.

I strung the words together and felt like the luckiest guy on the planet to have such great friends. I sniffed, holding back my tears. Perrie handed me a box of tissues and I laughed. I full heartedly laughed for the first time since the crash. I pulled a tissue from the box and wiped the tears from laughter away. I wanted to say something back to them, but talking wasn’t something I didn’t like at the moment. The hearing loss made it difficult for me the think on a normal level. While I lost that sense, my other senses were on high. I bit my lip and then Niall erased his board and wrote down a new message.

We know you don’t want to talk much.

I nodded, defeated. He then erased his board with his sleeve and wrote again.

We got you one too.

Niall smiled and reached into the bag in the corner of the room and handed me my own small white board, along with an assortment of colored dry erase markers. I grinned, pulling out a green marker and written my own message on the board.

Thanks everyone. You’re all the best. =]

A/N: The boys are all so awesome! Harry has the best mates in the world! Next chapter will be up soon! As always vote and comment and do ALL the things. 

P.S. My bestie, Wef has this great series called Falling for You and Fall Out. You guys should go read it. It's a Louis and OC story that is amazing! There's a link to her account on my profile page. Check it out! -Jach