Niall, answer the door please

Prognosis is not favourable.

"What exactly is this Hyper whatever?" Louis asked hesitantly.

"Hyperpyrexia" Doctor Collins explained " is  an extremely high temperature. The body reaches it's maximum temperature and if it isn't controlled and lowered quickly, it can result in coma and then death. The vital organs get damaged to a point where they shut down completely. Brain damage will also occur."

"But how did this happen to Niall?" Harry wanted to know. He had gone very white and was shaking badly so Louis put a comforting arm around him. They all stared at the Doctor.

"Well, it seems that Mr Horan, Niall, has the flu virus. This isn't actually too serious in a young and health adult but it seems that Niall didn't take the proper care of himself.  He became very seriously dehydrated and his fever got out of control. I suspect that he was experiencing all the warning symptoms of dizziness,nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness and so forth. Unfortunately these are also normal flu symptoms. These symptoms remained untreated and Niall  must have then become confused and was unable to register how ill he was and at this point he would have been unable to summon help. I gather he also had some seizures and that he went into cardiac arrest before his arrival here. He was approaching the point when it was becoming too late when you found him, Mr Payne. Even so, I do have to tell you that the prognosis is not favourable for him and you do need to be prepared. We have already had to resuscitate him  twice and his body is not coping with the strain it is under.

I think it would be wise to contact his family and ask them to come as soon as they can. I am sorry I can't give you a more positive outlook. Rest assured we will be doing everything in our power for your friend.

He's in the ICU at the moment if you would like to see him. I will get a nurse to show you the way"

Dr Collins stood and shook hands with them all then gave them into the care of a young nurse who escorted them to the ICU.

The boys crept into Niall's room and they all stood in shock as they looked at their bandmate. Niall looked so frail and tiny in the bed, he was hooked up to a good many machines, the only one they recognised was the heart monitor which was beeping at an alarmingly fast rate.

Niall   was naked and his body seemed to be encased in some strange  sleeved tubing around his arms, legs and torso. He didn't look like the Niall they knew. He looked like a small child, face grey, skin red and blotchy and his hair dishevelled. He seemed to be more wires and tubes than person and the boys were terrified at the sight.

"What's happening?" Liam whispered "What are they doing to you, Niall?"

The nurse looking after Niall adjusted a few wires and tubes  and turned to Liam. "We have him in what we call a 'Bear Hugger'. We are passing cool air through the tubing so that it is moving constantly over his body. This helps the body to hopefully cool down in a steady and as controlled a manner as we can. If we cool him too quickly, his body will go into shock and that can be equally as dangerous as the very high fever. By keeping him free of clothing and bedding, it prevents him getting any hotter. He's receiving medication and fluids intravenously. He is very seriously dehydrated and we need to get his fluid levels up as his kidneys are already showing signs of failure. His heart is also having to work very hard at present and we  have him on life support as he is currently  unable to breath by himself .

I know it all looks very alarming to you but what we are doing is giving Niall every chance we can to come through this. Talk to him. It may seem pointless to you but it can help" She smiled at them gently and left them alone with Niall.

"One of us better ring Maura and Bobby" Liam spoke quietly " What are we going to tell them?" His eyes filled with tears and he sank down to the floor.

"I'll go do it" Louis said. No longer the sassy, cheeky lad, he looked like he had aged 10 years the past hour. Shoulders bowed, he left the room to make the call that would devastate Niall's parents.

"Niall, please, you have to make it. You can't leave us. We aren't One Direction without you. We need you" Harry's voice broke as he too collapsed onto the floor next to Liam. Both young men hugged each other tightly  as they cried.

"Stop it, just stop it" Louis spoke sharply to them as he returned from making the call. "Don't you dare give up on him, ever! We have to believe he'll make it. He's got to make it, he just has to....."

Liam and Harry pulled themselves together and  they all stood around Niall's bed , talking about the lads holiday they all planned to take when their OTRA tour was over. All the things they had lined up that they wanted to do, telling Niall over and over again that he needed to get better really quickly so that they could do any number of outrageous things Louis was suggesting. They talked  themselves to a standstill but Niall continued  to be unresponsive.

Dr Collins came in and asked the boys to leave while he examined Niall carefully. He emerged , grave faced after 30 minutes and shook his head when he saw the boys hopefully faces . "I'm sorry, no change. I wish I could say there was. You can go back in with him now"

The boys sat on chairs around the bed and the only sounds were the beeps and clicks of the machines keeping Niall alive and the stifled sobs of one or another of the boys as they kept vigil over their much loved friend. 

Harry and Liam finally fell asleep, exhausted by the stress and emotions of the past hours. Louis stood up quietly and went to Niall's bedside and took his  hand gently in his own "Please don't leave us, Niall " he whispered "I couldn't bear it if you left us" . He continued to stand there, tears pouring from his eyes as he held Niall's hand.

A/N  The "bear hugger" real name a Bair Hugger is used to either cool or warm the body as needed and  would have been used in this situation.