Niall, answer the door please

A Long Road to Cover a Short Distance.

Louis and Zayn hadn't really spoken or spent much time together since their little heart to heart . Really, they had chosen to avoid each other as much as possible even though their conversation had cleared the air and they both understood each other better. Zayn now stood looking at the three lads as they got into their pre-show huddle. Management had insisted they continue with the concerts and Liam had managed to persuade the bosses that they'd do what was expected of them if Zayn would agree to temporarily rejoin the band. Now Zayn stood backstage with them and he bit his lip, not knowing what to do. Did he join the huddle? Or stay separate? Louis looked up and over to Zayn and extended out his arm " Over here,Zee" He pulled Zayn in and the lads all place their hands in to the centre to conclude their pre show ritual.

The fans screamed and shouted as the boys took to the stage. Nearly all the banners and signs were Niall centric, the fans all concerned about the missing Irish man. It had been decided that Zayn would sing all his former solos and they would get the fans to sing Niall's parts. None of the band felt they could cover Niall's solos. It was too hard. It felt to them that if they did it would be like Niall was never going to recover and would never again be on stage with them. They all did their best for the fans but without Niall, they seemed to have no real heart. They had added 'Moments' to the song list and it started out ok until Liam's voice suddenly cracked, One by one the boys voices faded out as tears rolled down their faces. They didn't even try to disguise their tears and the entire stadium fell quiet.

"Sorry" Harry apologised to the silent fans. "We are just missing our Niall so much". The fans response was to hold up their signs again and shout out their love for Niall.

The boys managed to compose themselves enough to finish the show and after leaving the stage all decided that they were too awake and restless to go back to Liam's . It was decided that they'd go to the hospital and tell Niall about the fans and the love being sent to him. The euphoria they had all experienced when Niall's leg had twitched last week had long since faded as there had be nothing positive since. It was now well into the third week and they were feeling more and more hopeless.

"Hey, Nialler" What's the craic? Louis burbled when he went into Niall's room. The room was unchanging, the machines still bleeped and clicked, Niall still lay there, quietly. His skin was no longer red and blotchy but now was so pale it looked translucent. His eyes had purple shadows under them and his hair was limp and as lifeless as Niall himself.

The boys chatted idly to Niall and then decided to watch a movie. To say it was a boring one was an understatement and it washed over them until one of the characters came out with the line " Sometimes we travel an long road to cover a short distance". Harry was very struck by that and repeated it. "Yeah, that's how I feel about this situation with Niall except our travel seems never ending and I wonder if we'll ever cover the distance"

"I guess it's about having faith" Zayn said " Faith in Niall, faith in the doctors". He yawned. "I'm heading back now. Anyone else coming?"

Both Liam and Louis stood up. " Hazz?"

"No, I want to stay a bit. I'll see you later". The others whispered their good byes and Harry drew a chair up to Niall's bedside. "Ni, the fans all miss you, we miss you. I just wish you'd do something to give us some hope" . Harry took a deep breath then reached into his bag and pulled out his book. He found his place and started reading it out loud. He felt it was a pointless exercise but the silence in the room was daunting and he needed to do something to break it. He wanted normal.

The hours dragged by and Harry had fallen asleep in the chair, head back as he snored quietly. His book slipped off his lap and fell onto the floor with a thud.

'mmmmggg"

The fingers of Niall's right hand twitched briefly and there was a flash of blue as his eyes opened then shut.

Then stillness.

"Harry! Have you been here all night?" Maura sounded very disapproving as she gazed down at the disheveled young man.

"I must have fallen asleep" Harry stood up and stretched. "I'd better go home to shower and stuff" Harry bent, picked up his book and stuffed it back into his bag. "I'll leave you to be with Niall. Nothing's happened. I'll sorry. I just wish...."

"I know, Harry. We all do". Maura hugged the lad who towered above her then took her place in the chair Harry had abandoned and turned her gaze toward her precious youngest son.