Niall's POV

"Lads, have you seen Phoenix?" I asked around midafternoon. They all looked at each other and shook their heads. Where was she off to this time? It seemed as if she was always out of my sight. Did she know I was in love with her? Was she in love with me? What was the deal? I pulled out my phone after a minute and texted the lovely lass.

N: Where are you? None of us know where you're at

I pressed send and sat back, waiting for a reply.

****

Phoenix's POV

It had to have been Kris who ordered this. He's the only one who could've come up with such tight security. I mean, two guards stationed outside my door? Come on, was he really that untrusting?

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket right before I had to go meet my brother. I quickly sneaked a read at it before shoving it back in my pocket. I knew the lads would be worried sick, so I hoped Niall would see it.

****

Niall's POV

I checked my phone for what seemed the millionth time. I had checked that message so many times, I knew how many pixels were in that message. This time, however, it was different. The read receipt showed that she had read it.

"Lads! She's alive! She's alive!" I called out excitedly from the couch. I heard their running feet as they came to the living room.

"WHAT?!" Louis and Liam yelled as they ran in and slid on to the couch on either side of me.

"No way!" Zayn exclaimed, still in shock.

"Where is she?" Louis asked.

"That doesn't matter," Harry replied.

"She's alive," we all breathed a sigh of relief.

****

Phoenix's POV

My guards treated me meanly, only operating on Kris's orders, but they took some compassion on me. My brother had just beaten me up again, and they carried me back to my room because I had fallen unconscious.

When I checked my phone, two things became apparent: it hurt to do anything, even to breathe, and my phone had exploded with notifications of texts and phone calls. Niall must've seen the read receipt. I then decided it would be best to turn on my GPS locator, so that the lads could find me, because I had no clue where I was. They kept their locators on all the time, but I almost never turned it on because it subtly drained my battery. Hopefully our GPS locators would be able to find each other.

"Find One Direction," I told Siri quietly, hoping no one heard me. I knew that my iPhone would send their phones a notification with my location.

****

Niall's POV

"You have been located," I heard Siri say. At the same time, Siri said the exact same thing on four other phones.

"Siri, find Phoenix," I said, barely containing my excitement.

"I have found Phoenix," Siri said two seconds later. I looked at the location that Siri had found, and it was the same place I had been located from.

"Lads, I found her! I know where she is!" I yelled through the house, grabbing my coat and beanie.

"I'll have the bobbies and an ambulance follow us," Zayn said, dialling 999. Liam hopped into the driver's seat, which was probably safest for all of us.

****

Phoenix's POV

"You ruined me!" Kris shouted in my face, continuously picking me up and throwing me against the wall. All I could do, since most every bone was already broken, was lay there helplessly. I had a small cut over my left eye, which slowly trickled blood down the side of my face. I was also pretty sure I had some broken ribs, but what could I do?

I thought I heard sirens in the distance, and even though a shrapnel of my brain had hope in those sirens, I figured they weren't going to come nearer. There was always someone who needed more help than I did. Kris heard them too, for he leaned in close to my face. He must've also turned to alcohol, for his breath reeked of cheap beer.

"Those sirens aren't going to save you. No one's going to save you," he slurred, grinning evily.

"That's not true," I croaked out, my voice weak with pain.

"Oh really? Then who's going to save you?" he mocked me, then continued his abuse by slapping my face and punching and kicking me again, breaking and bruising what wasn't already broken or bruised. After that, he ordered his guards to take me away.

No sooner had the guards dumped me on the bed, I heard the front door kicked open and gunshots and shouts by the bobbies. The lads must've come for me as well, for I heard doors adjacent to mine being kicked open and my name being called. Before I slipped back into a state of comatose, I saw Niall kick down my door, and, seeing that it was my room, rush over to me, taking my small hand in his and telling me to hang on until I was put in the ambulance. I heard his words, but my body took over and I fell unconscious, Niall holding my hand.

Author's Note

Enjoy the cliffhanger and the feels that come as a side effect. dat_5sos_gurl, please don't kill me... I love you so much! Sorry if the storyline sucks. It gets better (in my opinion)! At least I hope you say it gets better.

Love you Hopefuls LOTSSSSSSS!!!!!!

Lizzy-Luci :)