The Wolf In sheeps clothing

Buying Time

Bobby, leaning heavily on his cane,  slowly entered the hospital room where his son lay on a bed, fighting for his life. He felt the bile rising in his throat as he looked at boy , barely recognising  son, so ill and battered did Niall look. Bobby swallowed convulsively and stepped forward to stand right by the bed, a look of horror on his face. His son, his youngist  child, looked like death. His chest seemed to barely rise with each breath on air that was being artificially pushed into his lungs. His heart monitor beeped rapidly, too rapidly, showing the strain his heart was under,  and he seemed to be all wires and tubes. Bobby staggered slightly.

"Here" Caleb gently guided Bobby into a chair and helped him sit.

"It's not good, is it?" Bobby whispered. "He's not going to make it. Oh g*d!"

"He's fighting" Caleb replied "He's tough but he'll need to fight harder if he's to have a chance. HIs kidneys are failing and his heart is under tremendous strain. I wish I could tell you he'd be fine but I can't." Caleb was sombre. He hated himself for telling Niall's father this. It never got easier, he thought, telling someone that their loved one would probably die.

"Can I stay with him a bit?" Bobby asked, looking at Caleb pleadingly. "I know you said I could only stay a few minutes but I need to be with my son, time is precious"

Caleb placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder . "Stay as long as you need. Just ring the bell if you need anything. I have to go  arrange some more equipment. Niall needs dialyses to help the kidneys." He walked out quietly as Bobby turned back to the bed and put his hand into his pocket. He pulled out his rosary and started prayers, words he thought he'd forgotten years ago as he'd allowed his faith to slip away from him. But now he desperately prayed for a miracle.

Slow hours passed away and still there seemed no change in Niall's condition. It hadn't improved but, somehow, he hadn't improved either. His life just hung there, a delicate balance.Bobby's hands never stilled their movement of the beads of his rosary, his lips moving silently as his prayers echoed in his head. Bobby had gotten so used to the sounds of the machinery keeping his son alive that he jumped violently when the noise from the door opening  and a machine being pushed into the room drowned out the beeps and clicks.

"I'm sorry, but I will need to ask to to leave now" Caleb said apologetically. "Just while we get Niall hooked up to this." He waved a hand at the large machine that was now stood by the bed. "It's a dialysis machine" he said by way of explanation "It will do the work his kidneys aren't able to do. It will buy us time, I hope."

"Buy time?" Bobby asked nervously.

"Yes, Niall's kidney's aren't functioning properly, shutting down, if I'm honest. He needs a transplant."

"But that means he needs a donor. And so do so many others. What if he can't wait that long?" Bobby felt his heart sink. He'd heard about the waiting list for donors, how many people passed away before a suitable donor was found. He was going to lose his son.

"Yes, but we can also have live donors. People who match Niall that are willing to donate a kidney to him." Caleb said as  reassuringly as he could.

"Me" Bobby said firmly "I'll do it".

"Bobby, it's not that easy" Caleb said carefully He didn't want to say the Bobby may not be a match. "There'll need to be tests done and you've had surgery recently. Has Niall any siblings who might?"

"Yeah, but it's complicated. Niall and Greg, well, Niall won't talk about it but they are going through a rough patch" Bobby held back a sob. "I'll ask but........"

"There could be other donors...not family" Caleb said quietly. "Let's get this sorted" he nodded towards the new equipment "and see what happens. Come on, go get some rest. I shouldn't  really do this but there's a couch in my office. Go there and get  some sleep. The nurse will show you the way."

Noah quietly entered the room and looked at  Caleb as he checked the tubing surrounding Niall's frail body. He sighed heavily. He was so convinced he was on to something that would work, would;d cure the Lupus, yet all he'd managed to to slowly kill the young man who had trusted him.

"Noah, you ok?" Caleb looked up from Niall's chart.

"I'm a murderer" Naoh announced hollowly as he stared at Niall's battered body.

"No! Don't say that" Caleb whisper shouted. "He's still alive, he's still fighting."

"And for how much longer?" Noah said bitterly. "It's machines fighting his battle. His body is failing, Caleb. Admit it. I f.cked up."

"Whether it's the machines or Niall himself, he's still here so I'm not giving up. If you want to, you can. Get out, get out of here." Caleb turned away and Noah slumped then walked towards the door.He stopped, hand on the door handle.

"No, f.cking no. I'll give up when Niall does" he shouted.He turned back then stared down at Niall for a moment until his face suddenly cleared. "That's it! he screamed. "How could I be so stupid!!!" He rushed from the room.

"Where are you going?" Caleb called after him.

"Lab" was the one word answer.

Selena pushed a mug of tea towards Louis who accepted it gratefully. Even though it was warm, his hands were freezing cold and he wrapped his small hands around the mug, allowing its heat to lift the chill from his delicate fingers.

"Lou, ring James. See what he says" Selena spoke softly "Maybe he can get them to relent and let you see Niall.I think it will help you. You can't continue this way." Louis nodded and reached into the back pocket of his jeans just as his ringtone "How to save a life" blared out. He frowned at the unknown number wondering who was calling. He took a deep breath and and answered.

"Hello?"

Bobby ended the call to Ireland , tears streaming down his face. Greg wouldn't even listen to him.Wiping his eyes and needing to talk with someone, he scrolled through his contacts and waited until the call connected. The voice on the other end was quiet, hesitant. Bobby began to talk rapidly.